Study of I-CARE, a Digital Program to Support Youth During Mental Health Boarding in Emergency Departments

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of I-CARE, a digital health program designed to support adolescents aged 12 to 17 who experience suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or self-harm and are awaiting psychiatric hospitalization in emergency departments. This study addresses the challenge of psychiatric boarding, where youth remain in the emergency department while waiting for a psychiatric inpatient bed, a vulnerable time with little research on supportive interventions. The trial compares I-CARE against standard safety supervision to determine if it can improve care quality during boarding. I-CARE is a tablet-based program featuring seven web-based animated videos and workbook exercises that teach evidence-based psychosocial skills grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. The program is facilitated by trained staff who are not mental health professionals and is delivered alongside usual one-on-one safety supervision during boarding. Participants are randomized to either receive I-CARE in addition to standard safety supervision or standard safety supervision alone. Participants will be assessed at multiple points at hospital admission, discharge about 72 hours after admission, and then 30, 60, and 90 days after discharge. Researchers will use standardized questionnaires to measure depression, anxiety, stress, suicidal risk, and suicidal behaviors. The study includes ongoing monitoring and data collection over these time points to evaluate the impact of the intervention on youth mental health during and after psychiatric boarding.

Efficacy of the I-CARE Digital Health Intervention