New behavioral program aims to keep people with mental illness out of jail
NCT ID NCT06290648
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tests a new group program called Forging New Paths for adults with serious mental illness who have also been involved with the criminal justice system. The program combines cognitive behavioral therapy with social learning techniques to reduce aggression and help people stay in the community. About 72 participants will be randomly assigned to receive the program plus usual care, or usual care alone, and researchers will track changes in aggression, criminal attitudes, and community stability over several months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Forging New Paths (a group behavioral intervention combining cognitive behavioral therapy and social learning principles)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a new, practical tool for mental health clinics to help people with mental illness avoid further legal trouble and stay safely in their communities.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 72 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention is new and unproven, and it may not reduce aggression or improve community tenure as hoped.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States
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