Active not recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

A Patient-Partnered, Pan-Canadian, Comparative Effectiveness Evaluation of an Acute Pediatric Mental Health and Addiction Care Bundle

This study is investigating a new approach to help children and young people, specifically those aged 8 to 17, who come to hospital emergency departments because of mental health or addiction problems. Researchers want to compare a special 'care package' to the standard care usually given. This package includes faster assessments, help from mental health teams, and quicker appointments for follow-up care. The main goal is to find out if this new approach can improve how these young people feel and their overall well-being within 30 days. It's happening in different hospitals across Canada and involves working closely with young people and their families to make care better and easier to access.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University of Calgary

Enrolment target

6,800

Start

09 Feb 2022

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2025

Mental Health Mental Disorders Pediatrics Emergency Psychiatric

What is this study about?

Imagine a child or teenager is finding things really tough and ends up needing to go to the emergency department (A&E) because of their mental health or addiction worries. This study is exploring a new way to help them. It's called a 'care package' – a set of helpful steps put together by experts, and importantly, with ideas from young people and their parents themselves. This package aims to make sure they get the right support quickly.

The usual way things work can sometimes mean waiting longer to see a mental health specialist or get follow-up appointments. This new care package tries to speed things up. It includes things like quick checks for risks (like thoughts of self-harm), a quick chat with a mental health team to understand their needs, and a way to make sure they get follow-up appointments very soon after leaving A&E – sometimes even within 24-48 hours. The main idea is to make care smoother and more effective right from the start.

This study will take place in eight different hospitals. Half of these hospitals will try out this new care package, while the other half will continue with their usual care. By comparing the two, the researchers hope to understand if the new care package really does make a difference. They want to see if it helps young people feel better, if families are happier with the care, and if the overall process is more efficient. We'll also be looking at what works well and what might need improving to make sure this new way of helping can be used more widely in the future.

Key takeaways

A study for young people (8-17) visiting A&E for mental health or addiction.
Compares a new 'care package' with usual A&E care.
Aims for faster assessments and quicker follow-up appointments.
No new medications are being tested.
Follow-up check will happen about 30 days after the A&E visit.
You can choose to stop participating at any time.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for young people aged between 8 and just under 18 years old. They need to be visiting A&E because of concerns related to their mental health. This could include things like feeling very anxious or distressed, having thoughts of harming themselves, experiencing unusual thoughts or behaviours, having trouble sleeping due to mental health issues, or displaying disruptive behaviour.

However, there are some reasons why a young person might not be able to join the study. For example, if they have certain serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia that need very specific types of care, or if they have tried to harm themselves in a way that needs urgent medical attention (not just thoughts or minor injuries). Also, if they have other serious medical problems, or if drug or alcohol intoxication is their main problem, they might not be eligible.

It's also important that both the young person and their parent or legal guardian can speak and understand English or French fluently, as this is needed for the communication during the study.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Is the person aged between 8 and 17 years old?
Are they visiting A&E for a mental health or addiction concern?
Can both the young person and their parent/guardian speak English or French fluently?
Do they have any other serious medical conditions that need immediate A&E attention?
Is their main problem drug/alcohol overdose or intoxication?
Have they attempted suicide which required significant medical treatment?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you or your child takes part in this study, you won't be given any new medications. Instead, the study is about how care is given in the A&E department. You and your child would receive care either through the standard way the hospital normally provides it, or through a new 'care package' designed to speed up and improve mental health support.

After your visit to A&E, researchers will check in with you and your child about 30 days later to see how things are going. This check-in will likely involve answering some questions about well-being, how satisfied you were with the care, and daily life. You might also be asked some questions about how easy or difficult it was to get the care you needed. The total duration of active participation is quite short, focusing mainly on the A&E visit and then one follow-up point 30 days after.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may offer the potential benefit of receiving faster access to mental health assessments and follow-up care if you are in the new 'care package' group. This new approach has been designed to improve the quality of care and support. As this study looks at different ways of providing care rather than new treatments, there are no specific medical risks from taking part. You and your child will receive care deemed appropriate for their situation. There are no known risks beyond those normally associated with visiting an A&E department for mental health concerns. Remember, you can choose to stop participating in the study at any time without it affecting the care you receive.

Locations (8)

The Children's Hospital of Winnipeg
Verified postcode
Winnipeg, Canada
Janeway Children's Hospital
Verified postcode
St. John's, Canada
IWK Health Centre
Verified postcode
Halifax, Canada
McMaster Children's Hospital
Verified postcode
Hamilton, Canada
London Health Sciences Centre
Verified postcode
London, Canada
The Hospital for Sick Children
Verified postcode
Toronto, Canada
Montreal Children's Hospital
Verified postcode
Montreal, Canada
Jim Pattison Children's Hospital
Verified postcode
Saskatoon, Canada

Common questions

What is a 'care package' in this study?

It's a special set of steps and practices put together to make mental health care in A&E quicker and more effective for young people.

Will my child get new medicine in this study?

No, this study is about improving how care is delivered, not about testing new medications.

How long will we be involved in the study?

Mainly during the A&E visit and then a follow-up check-in about 30 days later.

What happens if we don't want to be in the study?

You can choose not to participate at any time, and it won't affect the care your child receives.

What are they hoping to find out?

They want to see if this new 'care package' helps young people feel better within a month, improves satisfaction with care, and makes the care system work better.