School and family program to support middle schoolers' mental health

Adaptive multi-tiered school-based prevention to promote youth mental health and create equitable and sustainable systems of care

NIH-funded research University of Oregon · NIH-11332796

A stepped school-and-family program aims to support mental health for middle school students in underserved communities.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Oregon NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Eugene, United States)
Project IDNIH-11332796 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If your child attends one of the participating middle schools, they could get classroom lessons to build emotional skills and stronger family supports. Schools are randomly assigned to either the new Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach or the usual services, and students who keep struggling will be offered extra family-focused help. The study uses an adaptive design so supports can be stepped up for non-responders, and it plans to enroll about 30 middle schools and 600 students and families over three years.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are middle school students and their caregivers from underserved communities who are experiencing or at risk for mental health difficulties.

Not a fit: This program may not meet the needs of youth with severe psychiatric disorders who require specialized clinical care or people outside the middle-school age range.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce emotional distress and improve family and school supports to help teens feel better and stay engaged.

How similar studies have performed: School- and family-based prevention programs have shown promise in improving youth mental health, while the specific adaptive (SMART) delivery approach is newer and less tested at scale.

Where this research is happening

Eugene, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.