Teacher-delivered mental health support for K–8 students in North Carolina
Building Teachers Mental Health Skills to Support Students With Mental Health Needs in Elementary and Middle Schools in North Carolina: Program Implementation and Prospective Data Collection
This project tests whether training elementary and middle school teachers in North Carolina to deliver brief mental health support can help K–8 students with depression, anxiety, or behavior problems.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 312 (estimated) |
| Ages | 5 Years to 99 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) |
| Trial ID | NCT06587230 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Tealeaf-NC pilots a teacher-delivered, task-shifted model in which teachers are trained and supervised to provide brief, classroom-based mental health support to students. The study uses a mixed-methods, cluster randomized design guided by the RE-AIM framework to measure Reach, Adoption, and Implementation as primary, implementation-focused outcomes and to collect preliminary indicators of Effectiveness and Maintenance as secondary, clinical outcomes. Approximately 300 participants across schools randomized to Tealeaf or RE-SEED will be followed using quantitative measures and qualitative interviews. The project is led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partnership with local and international collaborators who have prior experience implementing Tealeaf approaches.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are K–8 students enrolled in participating North Carolina schools who have symptoms of depression, anxiety, behavioral, or psychosocial difficulties and whose parents provide consent.
Not a fit: Children with severe psychiatric conditions that require specialized clinical care, those not enrolled in participating schools, or those without parental consent are unlikely to receive benefit from this school-based program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could expand timely access to quality mental health support in schools, potentially reducing symptoms and improving classroom functioning for many children.
How similar studies have performed: Similar teacher-delivered, task-shifted programs including earlier Tealeaf implementations in India have shown promising preliminary results, but large-scale evidence in U.S. school settings remains limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Schools: * Have been trained in either Tealeaf or RE-SEED in Summer 2024 or 2025 after being randomized programmatically * Be a school in the State of North Carolina * Have an eligible principal Principals: * \>18 years old * Employed at an enrolled school * Not suspected or convicted of child-related misconduct or maltreatment Teachers: * \>18 years old * Employed at an enrolled school * Primary teaching responsibility for a single academic class (for a minimum of 1 hour per day and a minimum of 4 days per week) in any grade level Kindergarten to Grade 8 * Not suspected or convicted of child-related misconduct or maltreatment Counselors: * \>18 years old * Employed at an enrolled school * Hold a school counselor position at an enrolled school for at least 10 hours per week * Not suspected or convicted of child-related misconduct or maltreatment Students: * Enrolled in Kindergarten-Grade 8 * Student of an enrolled teacher * Has a parent or guardian who can provide consent * Positive/Clinical-level score on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Guardians: * \>18 years old * Guardian of enrolled student Exclusion Criteria: * Exclusion criteria will be set as each participant does not meet the inclusion criteria as set for their group.
Where this trial is running
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Christina R Cruz, MD — University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Christina Cruz, MD
- Email: christina_cruz@med.unc.edu
- Phone: 347-721-1458
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.