BEhavioral Health Stratified Treatment (BEST) Study for Youth With Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (IDD)

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · Aug 26, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The BESt study is a randomized trial that tests whether adding a structured behavioral health program to usual care coordination helps teens and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) more than care coordination alone. It compares two approaches over 24 months: (1) Illinois MCHB Care Coordination (standard help connecting to health and social services) and (2) the same care coordination plus CHECK, a tiered cognitive-behavioral program that provides targeted mental health support for depression and anxiety, delivered online or in groups. The researchers will look at whether the combined approach reduces depressive and anxiety symptoms, improves daily functioning and quality of life, increases readiness to transition to adult health care, and enhances satisfaction with care coordination.

Who can participate and what to expect: about 780 youths aged 13–20 with IDD who are enrolled in Illinois DSCC’s Title V MCHB care coordination can join. To be eligible, they must be able to consent (with help) and have at least a 4th-grade reading level; those with very severe ID (IQ below 50) or who cannot consent are not eligible. If enrolled, participants will have a care coordinator and, if assigned to the CHECK arm, will receive additional behavioral health supports, including online modules and group sessions, plus caregiver involvement. They will complete a series of surveys and interviews at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months, with some measures collected by staff who don’t know which group participants are in to reduce bias. All participants receive gift cards for taking part. This is not a drug trial; it’s about how best to organize care and mental health support for youth with IDD during the transition to adulthood.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • A) Youth ages 13 through 20 years, B) who have an I/DD (caregiver/self-report), and C) are enrolled in MCHB care through the IL DSCC
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • A) Participant has a severe ID (IQ \<50) (caregiver/self-report); ( B) Participant has a reading/comprehension level below 4th grade (caregiver/self-report); or C) Participant is unable to consent to participate in the study based on the MacArthur Competency Assessment Tool Checklist of Questions (MacCAT-CR).