Family Connections

Launched by CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE · Oct 25, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Family Connections study is focusing on improving mental health care for children and teenagers, ages 3 to 18, who are dealing with serious emotional or behavioral challenges. This trial aims to help those at risk for trauma by providing support through mobile teams that will work closely with families and primary care doctors. If you are a parent or guardian of a child who has shown signs of needing mental health support, this study might be a good fit for you.

To participate, your child needs to be between 3 and 17½ years old, be referred by their primary care doctor, and be enrolled in MassHealth, which is a health insurance program in Massachusetts. The study is currently looking for children who have been identified as needing help based on specific mental health screenings or concerns raised by their parents or doctors. Participants can expect to receive comprehensive assessments and support tailored to their needs. This innovative approach is designed to make mental health care more accessible and effective for families in the Cambridge Health Alliance network.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 3 through 18 years (17½ years maximum at time of enrollment)
• • Referred by Primary Care Physician's (PCP) from one of the three Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) primary care intervention sites to the Family Connections team for an integrated child mental health and/or substance use disorder clinical assessment.
• • Positive screen on CHA's standard pediatric mental health and substance use screening instruments, and/or parental concern about possible mental health/substance use needs, and/or PCP concern about possible mental health/substance use needs
• • Enrolled in MassHealth
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Subjects over 17.5 years (SAMHSA data collection required at 6 and 12 months after enrollment which must occur before age 18 years.)
• • Youth who are not enrolled in MassHealth
• • CHA patients with PCP located at CHA primary care site other than the identified intervention sites