BEhavioral Health Stratified Treatment (BEST) Study for Youth With Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (IDD)

Plain-language summary

Many youth with disabilities and their families receive "care coordination services" from a state Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) agency. MCHB care coordination services help youth with disabilities get the medical care and social services they need to be healthy. Complex HEalth Care for Kids (CHECK) developed a program to combine mental health treatment and care coordination services for youth with disabilities. The goal of this study is to see whether a care coordination program that treats depression and anxiety (MCHB care coordination + CHECK) is better than a care coordination program (MCHB care coordination alone) that refers youth to mental health services in terms of making youth feel healthier, happier, and able to handle future challenges. The project team will test which care coordination approach is better at making youth with disabilities: (Aim 1) less anxious and depressed; (Aim 2) feel healthier, function better, and practice healthy habits; (Aim 3) improve their ability to manage their health. This study will also evaluate which approach makes (Aim 4) youth, caregivers, and providers feel more satisfied with their care coordination experience. This study will give youth with disabilities and their families information about what kinds of care coordination models are available, and better suited to their needs. The study team will reach out to 780 youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, age 13-20 years old, who receive care coordination services from the state of Illinois MCHB. If these youth are eligible and agree to be in the study, they will be placed, by chance, into either MCHB care coordination alone or into the MCHB care coordination + CHECK program. In both groups, youth will have a care coordinator who helps them identify and make plans to meet their needs and provides referrals to services/resources. Youth in the MCHB care coordination + CHECK care coordination will get mental health treatment directly from CHECK staff if they report symptoms of depression or anxiety. Treatment may include an online program or group meetings that teach youth how to cope with negative thoughts and feelings. Youth in each group will be followed for 24 months and will receive gift cards for participating. Youth will be asked questions about anxiety and depression, health, functioning, ability to manage their health care, self-efficacy, and their experience with care coordination.

Who can participate

What they're measuring

Trial details