The Substance Use and Health Risk Intervention (SUHRI) for Justice-involved Youth

This investigation will adapt and pilot test an integrated health risk-reduction and motivational enhancement intervention for Juvenile Justice (JJ) youth that will ultimately be (after full testing through a subsequent large-scale RCT) a sustainable intervention implemented within a JJ supervision/case management context to teach and facilitate positive, pro-social, and expected behaviors. The intervention will use graphical approaches to encourage introspection and problem identification, enhance self-regulation, improve analytical problem-solving skills, and promote healthy behaviors in two inter-related target areas: substance use and risky sex practices. Existing evidence-based intervention materials will be incorporated and delivered through a web-based application. Sessions will be self-directed (require minimal instruction/interaction assistance), and also include a service referral piece whereby youth are provided with a list of treatment and health agencies at the end of sessions that address specific topics. Research activities will be carried out in two pilot studies: (1) Intervention Adaptation and Feasibility and (2) Protocol Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy Trial. In Pilot 1, intervention content will be adapted from existing evidence-based interventions so that it is developmentally appropriate for the target population and suitable for a web-based format (N = 30; 20 youth, 10 JJ staff). Pilot 2 will test a scaled-down version of an intervention efficacy trial, testing the web-based intervention using a 1-arm design whereby 60 enrolled youth (who meet eligibility requirements) from one juvenile probation department are enrolled to participate. This clinical trial submission, and the accompanying IRB protocol are based on pilot 2 only.