Text-messaging Intervention to Support Parents After Their Child's Psychiatric Emergency

Launched by VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · Jun 12, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new way to support parents whose children or teenagers have experienced a mental health crisis and have been treated in the emergency department. The goal is to create a text-messaging program that helps parents learn how to navigate mental health services and feel more confident in managing their child's needs. By providing useful information and support through text messages, the program aims to help families engage with ongoing treatment and reduce the need for future emergency visits.

To participate, parents or legal guardians must have a child aged 11 to 17 who was recently treated in the emergency department for a mental health issue and sent home with referrals for further care. Additionally, they need to live with their child at least half the time and should be able to receive text messages on a mobile phone. This trial is currently recruiting participants, and it's designed to offer parents practical tools to better support their children’s mental health journey.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Parents or legal guardians of a child ages 11-17;
• • Parents or legal guardians must live with their child ≥50% of the time;
• • Child must be admitted to the pediatric emergency department for a mental health crisis;
• • Child must be discharged home from the emergency department with referrals to outpatient care.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Do not have daily access to a mobile phone that can receive SMS text messages;
• • Do not speak and read fluently in English.