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WeCare: A System of Care for Black Youth

Answering the Alarm: A System of Care for Black Youth at Risk for Suicide

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
12 Years to 19 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Procedures mentioned: Questionnaires

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "Survey assessments will be conducted at 3- and 6-month follow-up, with medical record review through 12 months to examine the effectiveness of WeCare and mediators of WeCare effects."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests WeCare, a program to help find and respond to suicide risk in Black youth ages 12–19 who visit an emergency department (ER). It combines screening, a short session to plan for safety and help youth connect with mental health care, and supportive texts to youth and parents or caregivers for six weeks.

The overall goal of this study is to respond to the urgent need for an effective suicide prevention strategy for Black youth by examining the effectiveness of a systems-level strategy to recognize and respond to suicide risk among Black adolescents who present to emergency departments (EDs). The proposed strategy, WeCare, combines combines three components: (1) universal screening using the Computerized Adaptive Screen for Suicidal Youth (CASSY), (2) a brief intervention designed for Black youth with elevated suicide risk in for ED settings, Connections for Safety (CFS), that combines safety planning and strategies to support linkage to outpatient mental health services, and (3) supportive text messages to youth and parent/caregivers for six weeks following the youth's ED visit. Study objectives are (1) to integrate input from multiple stakeholders to inform and facilitate WeCare implementation, and (2) to use a hybrid one effectiveness-implementation design to evaluate its effectiveness.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Youth ages 12–17 join with a parent or guardian. Youth ages 18–19 may choose to have a parent or guardian join.
  • For ages 12–17, a parent or caregiver must be at the ER or available remotely to give permission.
  • Have a cell phone that can send and receive texts.
  • Youth must speak English and understand the study questions.
  • Parents must be able to give permission in English, Spanish, French, or Creole.
  • Meet the study’s screening rules.

Who can't join

  • The youth’s medical condition is not stable.
  • The youth has severe problems with thinking or understanding.
  • For ages 12–17, parents are not at the ER, cannot give permission remotely, and cannot give permission in English, Spanish, French, or Creole.
  • The youth does not have access to a cell phone.
  • The youth is currently in mental health treatment, such as seeing a therapist, social worker, or mental health provider in the past week.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria adolescent and parent/guardians: * Adolescents aged 12-17 years and their parents or guardians, and adolescents 18-19 years who have the option for their parent or guardian to participate * Having a parent/caregiver present in the ED to consent or available to consent remotely (12-17 year olds, only) * Having a cellular phone with text messaging capacity * Adolescent able to speak English, and understand study questions * Parents able to consent in English, Spanish, French or Creole * Meet screening criteria Exclusion criteria adolescent and parent/guardians: * Adolescent is medically unstable * Adolescent present with severe cognitive impairment * Parents are not present in the ED, unable to consent remotely, and not able to give consent in either English, Spanish, French or Creole (12-17 year olds, only) * Adolescent does not have access to cellular phone * Adolescents active in mental health treatment (e.g., seen a therapist, social worker, or mental health provider in the last week)

Study sites (1)

NY