We Are Here Now Plus: a culturally centered program to improve sexual, mental, and substance health for American Indian youth
Official title: Nen ŨnkUmbi/EdaHiYedo Plus (NE+): a Multi-level Intervention to Reduce Health Disparities Among American Indian Youth
Run by Montana State University · NCT07460973 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a 9-month, culturally grounded program for American Indian youth ages 12–18 to try to reduce substance use during sex, increase condom use, and improve mental health and communication with caregivers and schools.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 12 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 843 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Montana State University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Bozeman, Montana) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 23, 2026 |
| Main results expected | May 1, 2029 |
| Study ends | May 1, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | May 12, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07460973 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are 12–18-year-old enrolled or associate members of a federally recognized tribe who reside on the Fort Peck Reservation and have a caregiver willing to provide permission for participation.
✕Probably not a fit
Youth outside the 12–18 age range, those who are not tribal members or do not live on the Fort Peck Reservation, or those with cognitive or physical impairments that prevent participation likely would not benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a two-arm intervention comparing a culturally tailored 9-month curriculum (NE+) to a control arm among American Indian adolescents living on the Fort Peck Reservation. Youth participants aged 12–18 receive 18 educational modules covering healthy relationships, puberty (separate sessions for girls and boys), parenting, pregnancy and STI/HIV prevention, and substance-use topics. The trial measures behavioral outcomes such as substance use during sex, sexual activity, condom use, mental health status, caregiver-youth and school-youth communication, and use of clinical services at baseline and follow-up. Enrollment is limited to enrolled or associate members of federally recognized tribes who live on the Fort Peck Reservation and have caregiver permission to participate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, NE+ could lower risky sexual behavior and substance use while improving mental health and care-seeking among participating American Indian youth.
How similar studies have gone: Culturally grounded, multilevel interventions for Indigenous youth have shown promising but mixed results in prior work, with rigorous evidence still limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 12 to 18 years old * Registered member of a federally recognized tribe or an associate tribal member * Resident of the Fort Peck Reservation with a caregiver who agrees for their child to participate in the intervention Exclusion Criteria: * Not meeting any of the aforementioned inclusion criteria * Having a medically identified physical or cognitive impairment that would impede their understanding of and participation in the educational content, activities, and teachings of the intervention
Where it's running
-
Fort Peck Community College
Bozeman, Montana, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Elizabeth L Rink, PhD, MSW — Montana State University
- Study coordinator: Elizabeth L Rink, PhD, MSW
- Email: elizabeth.rink@montana.edu
- Phone: 406-600-0297
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.