Engaging Homeless Youth in Vocational Training to Meet Their Mental Health Needs

NCT ID: NCT03118388

Last Updated: 2017-04-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 72 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2009-09-18
• Study Completion Date: 2011-08-31

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared the efficacy between the Social Enterprise Intervention (SEI) and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) with homeless youth with mental illness.

Methods: Non-probability quota sampling sampling was used to recruit 72 homeless youth from one agency, who were randomized to the SEI (n=36) or IPS (n=36) conditions.

Detailed Description

In response to the limited use of RCTs with homeless youth to test research-supported interventions, this study compares the efficacy and short-term outcomes of two interventions that combine employment and clinical services with homeless youth experiencing mental illness. The Social Enterprise Intervention (SEI) is a research-supported intervention using a group approach that engages homeless youth in paid employment as well as case-management and mental health services through involvement in an agency-run social enterprise. The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment is an individually focused, evidence-based intervention , which provides individuals with severe mental illness with customized, long-term, and integrated vocational, case-management, and clinical services to help them gain and maintain competitive employment.

A randomized comparative efficacy trial of the short-term, nonvocational outcomes (depression, self-esteem, social support, housing stability) of the SEI and IPS was conducted over 20 months with 72 homeless youth at a homeless youth drop-in center in Los Angeles. This study answered two research questions: 1) Do homeless youth with mental illness participating in an employment intervention integrated with clinical services (SEI or IPS) experience improvements in their a) mental health status (self-esteem and depression); b) housing stability, and c) social support; and 2) What are the differences between the SEI and IPS groups on mental health, housing stability, and social support outcomes between baseline and follow-up?

Conditions

Mental Disorder; Mental Health; Employment; Housing Problems; Social Support

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

36 SEI youth

36 homeless youth (ages 16-24) randomized to the SEI intervention

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Social Enterprise Intervention

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The SEI model was implemented in four stages: 1) Vocational skill acquisition (4 months); 2) Small business skill acquisition (4 months); 3) SEI formation and product distribution (12 months); and 4) Clinical/case-management services, (ongoing for 20 months).

36 IPS youth

36 homeless youth (ages 16-24) randomized to the IPS intervention

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

IPS

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

To implement the IPS at the host agency, one employment specialist, two case managers, and two clinicians were assigned the 22 available IPS cases among them at baseline. Over the 20 months, all IPS participants met individually with the employment specialist, one case manager, and one clinician at least weekly. Regarding job development in the community, the IPS employment specialist also spent about 40% of each week out in the community building relationships with new and existing employers.

Interventions

Social Enterprise Intervention

The SEI model was implemented in four stages: 1) Vocational skill acquisition (4 months); 2) Small business skill acquisition (4 months); 3) SEI formation and product distribution (12 months); and 4) Clinical/case-management services, (ongoing for 20 months).

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

IPS

To implement the IPS at the host agency, one employment specialist, two case managers, and two clinicians were assigned the 22 available IPS cases among them at baseline. Over the 20 months, all IPS participants met individually with the employment specialist, one case manager, and one clinician at least weekly. Regarding job development in the community, the IPS employment specialist also spent about 40% of each week out in the community building relationships with new and existing employers.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

SEI; social enterprise; Individual Placement and Support; supported employment

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 16-24
• English speaking
• Primary clinical diagnosis in the past year (with at least one symptom in the past 4 weeks) using the DISC-Y interview for one of six mental illnesses (i.e., Major Depressive Episode, Mania/ Hypomania, Generalized Anxiety, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Alcohol/Substance Use Disorders
• Desire to work.

Exclusion Criteria

• None

• Minimum Eligible Age: 16 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 24 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Southern California

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Arizona State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Kristin Ferguson-Colvin

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Other Identifiers

1R34MH082804-01A2

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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