Support for Parents to Help Young Kids Access Mental Health Services
Official title: Supporting Parent Action for Resilient Kids: A Single-Session Intervention to Boost Caregiver Adoption of Early Childhood Mental Health Services
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11394449 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A single-session online program helps caregivers of toddlers get more connected to mental health services for their child.
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 start | September 12, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $189,543 |
| NIH project number | 5P50MH132502-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394449 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are caregivers of children aged 0-3 who have been screened and identified as at higher risk for mental health concerns in primary care settings.
✕Less likely to help
Caregivers who do not engage with primary care or who do not seek any post-screening supports may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on helping families with children under 3 years old by using an online, one-session intervention to boost caregivers’ willingness and ability to seek recommended mental health supports after a positive screening. The approach builds on primary care visits, using family-centered strategies to address beliefs, concerns, and preferences that influence help-seeking. It partners with communities to ensure the tool fits real-world needs, making it easier for families to access care when it’s needed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families could more easily obtain timely mental health support for very young children, reducing long-term difficulties.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with single-session online interventions has shown improvements in caregiver readiness and linkage to care, but this specific population and setting are being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schleider, Jessica Lee — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Schleider, Jessica Lee
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How caregiver mental health affects recovery from severe malnutrition in young children
This project will track caregivers' depression and anxiety while their children get treatment for severe acute malnutrition to learn how caregiver mental health relates to child recovery and relapse.
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Caregiver mental health and recovery after severe childhood malnutrition
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-
Helping caregivers get children into mental health care
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Brief online support to help caregivers connect young children to early mental health care
A short web session to help parents and caregivers of young children feel more confident and follow through with recommended mental health care after a pediatric screening.
-
Exploring how caregiver mental health affects children recovering from severe malnutrition
This study looks at how a caregiver's feelings, like depression and anxiety, can affect how well children recover from severe malnutrition, and it’s for families in Burkina Faso who are going through this treatment together.
-
Enhancing mental health support for veterans with dementia through caregiver training
This study is all about helping aging veterans with dementia by training healthcare providers to better support their family caregivers, making it easier for them to access mental health services and improve the veterans' overall well-being.
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.