Principal Investigator: David Pollio, Ph.D.
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse, R21 DA015341-01A1
Timeframe: Funded 09/03-06/07
Affiliation: Comorbidity and Addictions Center (CAC), Center for Mental Health Services Research (CMHSR)
Participating Organizations: Youth-in-Need (St. Louis, MO)
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, School of Medicine (St. Louis, MO)
Project Contact: Sarah Hunter, Project Coordinator
Phone: (314)935-7582
Key Personnel: Carol North, M.D., M.P.E., Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine (Co-Principal Investigator); Christopher Ringwalt, Dr.PH Pacific Institute for Research and Development (Consultant); Arlene Stiffman, Ph.D., George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University (Investigator); Ed Spitznagel, Ph.D., Department of Mathematics and Biostatistics, Washington University (Statistician); Sanna Thompson, Ph.D., School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, (Consultant).
Project Update as of
01/25/2008
Stage: Completed
Description: Runaway homeless youth exhibit substantial risk for drug abuse and HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. Outcomes research on runaway homeless youth using crisis shelters suggest that returning to family of origin, where appropriate, may lead to positive outcomes and suggest immediate effectiveness of this service type, particularly on problems associated with substance use. Positive results, however, appear to decline or disappear by 6 months post-discharge.
Well-developed family group
service models are sadly lacking for the runaway/homeless population.
This persists despite cogent arguments for inclusion of families in youth
services, and the promising results of family services for families coping
with youth with substance abuse, behavioral disturbances, and mental illness.
Adaptation of existing successful family group models may provide needed
direction for post-discharge services for runaway homeless youth.
Thus, the purpose of this proposal was to apply for an R21 exploratory/developmental
mechanism (PA-01-012) to conduct the necessary developmental activities,
establish service and methodological feasibility, and provide initial examination
of a multi- family group model for runaway homeless youth discharged from
crisis shelters to their family of origin.
We adapted a psycho-education model responsive to families (PERF) developed by this team to the population of runaway homeless youth (RHY) to create the unique multifamily group model for this population (RHY-PERF). This team tested the family-responsive model (PERF) is currently being tested in community settings with families with an adult member with mental illness, and has recently been piloted for families with children with behavioral disturbances within a school system, with encouraging results. The RHY-PERF model was developed and field-tested through implementation of four 6-month groups recruited from cohorts of runaway homeless youth returning home from services at Youth-In-Need, a federally-funded runaway homeless shelter. To examine the relative impact of RHY-PERF, a case-control comparison cohort was recruited and followed. A post-service focus group for families receiving RHY-PERF will provide further opportunities for feedback.