Helping Foster Parents Guide Children to Mental Health Support
Building Capacity for Youth Mental Wellness: Feasibility and Acceptability for a Mental Health Family Navigator Model for Foster Parents.
This project is testing a new program to help foster parents connect children in their care, aged 6-17, with the mental health services they need.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11192860 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Children in foster care often face significant mental health challenges but struggle to get the right support. This project introduces the Family Navigator Plus (FN+) program, which trains foster parents to better understand their child's mental health needs and overcome common obstacles to treatment. The program also helps parents work with caseworkers, manage difficult behaviors, and use digital tools while waiting for appointments, ensuring children receive consistent care at home. By empowering foster parents, this initiative aims to improve access to vital mental health services for vulnerable youth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are foster parents caring for children aged 6-17 who may be experiencing mental health challenges, particularly anxiety or depression.
Not a fit: Children not in foster care or those outside the 6-17 age range would not directly benefit from this specific program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could significantly increase the number of foster children receiving timely and appropriate mental health care, leading to better well-being and fewer delays in treatment.
How similar studies have performed: This project is innovative as it is the first pilot of a family navigator program specifically designed for children in foster care, a population with very high risk for psychiatric disorders.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Risser, Heather Jill — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Risser, Heather Jill
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.