Train and EMPOWER A Community Health Workforce to Achieve Equity and Reduce Disparities in Mental Health

N/AEnrolling By InvitationNCT06868498

Baylor Research Institute1,500 enrolled

Overview

The investigators suggest a multi-step approach to improve access to mental health care for minority groups. The plan focuses on three goals: increasing diversity in the mental health workforce, bringing more expertise into the community, and strengthening the community's ability to address the factors that impact mental health. To do this, the TEACH study team will work with students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups at a minority-serving school. Students will be provided the opportunity to obtain their CHW Certification while receiving course credit for their degree. Students will then be eligible to participate in an internship to utilize their skills. The TEACH study team will help these students with their training, supervision, and ongoing support. These students will then be able to work with their communities to tackle common mental health issues and the social factors that contribute to those problems.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

1,500

Conditions

CHW Certification

Interventions

Students will participate in a special topics course resulting in a CHW certification with the state of Texas. The course will focus on behavioral activation interventions. Undergraduate Bachelor of Social Work (BSWs) students will then be deployed to the health system as certified CHWs with mental health training to provide a sufficient level of care for many, and an entry point to clinical care for those who have needs that are currently unaddressed.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Must be enrolled as a UTA undergraduate student with unmet internship hours * Must be aged 18 and over * Must be able to provide informed consent. * Must have successful completion of the UTA CHW/EMPOWER course (Phase 2) and/or State of Texas CHW certification (for non-EMPOWER-trained CHWs) at the start of internship Exclusion Criteria: * Under 18 years * Not enrolled as an undergraduate student at UTA * Unable to provide informed consent * Non-successful completion of EMPOWER course and/or State of Texas CHW certification at the start of internship

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Job Placement

Data collected regarding career placement and/or further educational pursuits (i.e. MSW)

Time frame: 12 months after the intervention has ended

Secondary Outcomes

Depression

Patient Health Questionnaire 2 - Scores range from 0-6. Higher scores above 3 indicates that major depressive disorder is likely. Patient Health Questionnaire 9 - Scores range from 0-27. Higher scores indicates that major depressive disorder is likely.

Time frame: Baseline, an average of 5 months after the start of the intervention, and immediately after the intervention, an average of 10 months

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 PTSD Checklist - Scores range from 0-80 where higher scores indicate more severe PTSD symptoms

Time frame: Baseline, an average of 5 months after the start of the intervention, and immediately after the intervention, an average of 10 months

Primary Care Visits

Healthcare Utilization - Number of primary care visits