NCT03118388

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

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 72 (actual)
• Sponsor: Arizona State University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 16 Years – 24 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	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).
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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-09-18
• Primary completion: 2011-08-31
• Completion: 2011-08-31
• First posted: 2017-04-18
• Last updated: 2017-04-18