Youth Empowerment and Safety Intervention

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior

• Registration Number: NCT07214233
• Lead Sponsor: Case Western Reserve University

Brief Summary

This clinical trial will implement and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial impact of Peer Support Specialist (PSS) services for public system-involved sexual and gender minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and/or transgender) youth (SGMY) at risk of suicide.

Detailed Description

A sharp increase in U.S. youth mental health problems coupled with the national shortage in child behavioral health clinicians has identified peer providers as a cost- and impact-effective solution. Peer Support Specialists (PSS), paraprofessionals with lived experience who provide mutual and structured support, have been found to be effective in improving client engagement in mental health services. The study proposes to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial impact of a multi-level intervention, Youth Empowerment \& Safety (YES), comprised of two coordinated components: 1) system-level improved identification and referral (I/R) of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) among SGMY, and 2) introduction of an SGM-tailored support PSS to enhance engagement and support with behavioral health treatment and other support services.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-10
• Study First Submitted: 2025-10-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-10-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-10-07
• Study First Posted: 2025-10-09
• Last Update Posted: 2025-10-09
• Study Start: 2025-10-15
• Primary Completion: 2027-11-30
• Study Completion: 2027-11-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

• 12-17 years of age
• Self-identify as a sexual or gender minority (SGM)
• Involved in one or more system: juvenile justice, child welfare, and/or community-based mental health
• Personal experience with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB)
• English speaking
• Willing and able to provide informed assent

Child

Exclusion Criteria

• Less than 12 or greater than 17 years of age (0-11 or 18 and over)
• Do not self-identify as a sexual or gender minority (SGM)
• Not involved in the juvenile justice, child welfare, and/or community-based mental health systems
• No personal experience with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB)
• Not English speaking
• Unwilling and/or unable to provide informed assent

Caregiver Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-80 years of age
• Primary Caregiver of youth who meet child inclusion criteria listed above
• English speaking
• Willing and able to provide informed consent

Caregiver Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than 18 or greater than 80 years of age (0-17 or 81 and over)
• Not the Primary Caregiver of youth who meet child inclusion criteria listed above
• Not English speaking
• Unwilling and/or unable to provide informed consent

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Youth-level changes in Recovery	Baseline, Post-Intervention 3 Month, and Post Intervention 6 Month	The researchers will compare the change in treatment engagement as quantified by total score on two separate subscales of the Process of Recovery Questionnaire (the QPR). The QPR is a 22-item measure developed from service users' accounts of recovery in collaboration with local service users. There are two subscales: 1) intrapersonal tasks involved in recovery and 2) interpersonal factors that facilitate recovery.
Youth Level Changes in Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors	From enrollment (baseline), to 3- and 6 months follow ups post treatment at the end of 8-12 weeks.	The researchers will compare changes in suicidal ideation, planning, attempt and non-suicidal self-harm in a group of pre-intervention (nonrandomized) youth to post-intervention (nonrandomized youth) using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), a widely used and well-validated measure of suicidal ideation, planning, attempt, and non-suicidal self-harm.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Patient Health Questionnaire - Depression Scale - PHQ-9	Study enrollment (baseline) and 3- and 6-month follow-ups	widely used and validated measure of depression
Youth level changes in minority stress	baseline, 3- month post, 6-month follow up	The researchers will assess changes in minority stress, as measured by the Adolescent Minority Stress Inventory. This is a 26-item measure of minority stressors experienced by LGBTQ+ youth.
Youth Level Changes in Perceived Parent Acceptance	baseline, 3-month post, 6 month follow up	The Family Acceptance Measure is a 6-item measure of youths' perception of accepting and rejecting attitudes and behaviors of LGBTQ+ youth.