Comparing the Effect of Adding a Remote Self-reporting Tool for Distress and Fit-for-purpose Mental Health & Addictions Service to Usual Case Management on Dropout Rates in a Vocational Training Program

Summary

Youth unemployment is a chronic problem in most societies. Some young adults are neither in employment, education or training (NEET), and are at high risk of chronic unemployment, social disengagement and poor quality of life. Identifying this high risk population and providing them with career skills training and opportunities is critical for their full participation in society. Vocational training programs provide an opportunity for these NEET youth to develop a skilled trade. Barriers to successful completion of these programs include high prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders among NEET youth. This study will use a daily self-report distress tool to identify vocational program trainees at risk of absence or drop-out due to mental health and/or substance abuse issues. These at-risk trainees will then be referred to a mental health crisis program through a fit-for-purpose referral process to accommodate their training program requirements. It is hypothesized that early identification and referral for mental health and substance abuse issues will reduce both program absence and drop-out rates and result in improved in long-term employment for these NEET youth.

Conditions

• Mental Health Issue
• Substance Use Disorders
• Distress, Emotional

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Basic Case Management

Usual case management support during 12-week training program

BEHAVIORAL

Basic Case Management plus Distress Tool

Usual case management support during 12-week training program plus daily self-reports of distress using Distress Thermometer tool

BEHAVIORAL

Basic Case Management plus rapid mental health & addictions healthcare access

Usual case management support during 12-week training program plus rapid access referral process for healthcare crisis services

BEHAVIORAL

Basic Case Management plus Distress Tool and rapid mental health & addictions healthcare access

Usual case management support during 12-week training program plus daily distress self-reports plus rapid access referral process for healthcare crisis services

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Royal Victoria Hospital, Canada

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Giulio DiDiodato, MD PhD · Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

49 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-01-15

Primary Completion

2026-01-15

Completion

2027-01-15

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations