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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

A controlled trial of implementing a complex mental health intervention for carers of vulnerable young people living in out-of-home care: the ripple project

Authors: Helen Herrman, Cathy Humphreys, Stephen Halperin, Katherine Monson, Carol Harvey, Cathrine Mihalopoulos, Susan Cotton, Penelope Mitchell, Tony Glynn, Anne Magnus, Lenice Murray, Josef Szwarc, Elise Davis, Sophie Havighurst, Patrick McGorry, Sam Tyano, Ida Kaplan, Simon Rice, Kristen Moeller-Saxone

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Out-of-home care (OoHC) refers to young people removed from their families by the state because of abuse, neglect or other adversities. Many of the young people experience poor mental health and social function before, during and after leaving care. Rigorously evaluated interventions are urgently required.
This publication describes the protocol for the Ripple project and notes early findings from a controlled trial demonstrating the feasibility of the work. The Ripple project is implementing and evaluating a complex mental health intervention that aims to strengthen the therapeutic capacities of carers and case managers of young people (12-17 years) in OoHC.

Methods

The study is conducted in partnership with mental health, substance abuse and social services in Melbourne, with young people as participants. It has three parts:
1. Needs assessment and implementation of a complex mental health intervention; 2. A 3-year controlled trial of the mental health, social and economic outcomes; and 3. Nested process evaluation of the intervention.

Results

Early findings characterising the young people, their carers and case managers and implementing the intervention are available. The trial Wave 1 includes interviews with 176 young people, 52% of those eligible in the study population, 104 carers and 79 case managers.

Conclusions

Implementing and researching an affordable service system intervention appears feasible and likely to be applicable in other places and countries. Success of the intervention will potentially contribute to reducing mental ill-health among these young people, including suicide attempts, self-harm and substance abuse, as well as reducing homelessness, social isolation and contact with the criminal justice system.

Trial registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000501​549. Retrospectively registered 19 May 2015.
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Metadata
Title
A controlled trial of implementing a complex mental health intervention for carers of vulnerable young people living in out-of-home care: the ripple project
Authors
Helen Herrman
Cathy Humphreys
Stephen Halperin
Katherine Monson
Carol Harvey
Cathrine Mihalopoulos
Susan Cotton
Penelope Mitchell
Tony Glynn
Anne Magnus
Lenice Murray
Josef Szwarc
Elise Davis
Sophie Havighurst
Patrick McGorry
Sam Tyano
Ida Kaplan
Simon Rice
Kristen Moeller-Saxone
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-1145-6

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