Pilot test of a telehealth-based approach to improve child maltreatment prevention reach and quality
Official title: Pilot Test of an Innovative Implementation Strategy to Improve Reach, Quality, and Access in Child Maltreatment Prevention
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11412405 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pilot project will test a telehealth-enabled approach to help more families access high-quality, safe child maltreatment prevention services.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $226,470 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM156709-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11412405 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Families with children aged 0-11 who are at risk for maltreatment and encounter barriers to in-person services, including rural or medically underserved populations.
✕Less likely to help
Families without access barriers may see limited additional benefit from the telehealth approach.
What this research studies
This project aims to expand evidence-based home visiting for preventing child maltreatment by using telehealth to reach families who face access barriers. It builds on existing home visiting programs and uses user-centered design to keep high safety and quality standards while offering remote options. By analyzing service data and collaborating with community advisors, the team will refine how telehealth supports engagement, skill-building, and accurate safety assessments. The study will explore how virtual visits can complement in-person care to extend reach to rural and medically underserved families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families at risk for child maltreatment could access high-quality prevention services more conveniently and safely.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data during the COVID-19 era suggest telehealth can maintain quality and safety in prevention services when implemented thoughtfully.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Espeleta, Hannah C. — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Espeleta, Hannah C.
Related research
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Understanding how state income support affects pediatric hospitalizations and child maltreatment
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CHAMP Center: Causal Data Science to Prevent Child Maltreatment
A large, team-based effort uses advanced data science to understand what causes different kinds of child maltreatment so that better prevention approaches can be developed for kids 0-11 and their families.
-
Preventing child maltreatment by supporting pregnant women and early childhood relationships
A multi-site trial tests programs delivered during pregnancy and when children are ages 3–6 to reduce child maltreatment and promote healthier parent-child bonds.
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Dissemination and Outreach Core for Penn State's Translational Center for Child Maltreatment Studies
A national research center is funding outreach efforts to help child protective services use evidence to better prevent and respond to child maltreatment.
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A nationwide program helps rural and underserved hospitals give expert, trauma-informed sexual assault care to adolescent survivors through telehealth support.
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Translational Center for Child Maltreatment Studies (TCCMS) at Penn State
A nationwide research program follows young people with and without a history of maltreatment to understand how early adversity affects health now and in adulthood.
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.