Family Navigator Plus A 5-Week Educational Program Supporting Foster Parents of Youth with Mental Health Needs in Illinois

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a 5-week Family Navigator Plus FN educational program designed to help foster parents better understand their youths mental health needs and access mental health services. This interventional study aims to assess the programs acceptability, utility, and feasibility among foster parents of children with mental health challenges. The study is sponsored by Northwestern University and focuses on foster parents living in Illinois who care for youth aged 6 to 17 with mental health needs. Participants will attend one session per week over five weeks, meeting individually with a family navigator via video conferencing. The sessions cover understanding child behaviors, accessing mental health services, communicating with providers, and using online mental health tools. The program is offered in English and Spanish, and participants will complete questionnaires before, immediately after, and three months following the intervention. Throughout the study, foster parents will complete various assessments including satisfaction surveys, measures of child symptoms, parent activation related to mental health, and barriers to treatment. These evaluations occur at baseline, after the 5-week program, and at a 3-month follow-up. The study monitors participant feedback on program usefulness and participation challenges, capturing both immediate and longer-term outcomes over an 18-week period.

Family Navigator Plus for Foster Parents