App to improve behavioral health care and supervision for children
RCT of a Measurement Feedback App to Improve Data Quality, Supervision & Outcomes in Behavioral Health
This project uses a smartphone app to help behavioral health aides and supervisors collect better information to improve care for children ages 0–11 with behavior challenges.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11192848 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your child would interact with a new app called Footsteps that helps aides record regular progress measures and lets supervisors review those results. The app includes features like gamification, leaderboards, and supervisor feedback designed to encourage consistent, high-quality data collection. Researchers will roll the app out in partnership with community behavioral health agencies and compare outcomes and supervision practices where the app is used versus usual practice. The goal is to make treatment decisions more timely and aligned with how your child is actually doing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children ages 0–11 who are receiving behavioral health services through community agencies or aides, and their caregivers, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children who are not receiving services from aides or who lack access to a smartphone or agency participation may not experience benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could help clinicians notice problems earlier, tailor care faster, and improve behavioral outcomes for children receiving community-based services.
How similar studies have performed: Measurement-based care and feedback systems have improved outcomes in outpatient therapy, but applying an MFS to aides in community behavioral settings is a new approach.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nuske, Heather J — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Nuske, Heather J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.