Navigating hope: can a family coach help foster teens get the mental health care they need?
NCT ID NCT04506437
First seen Jun 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 01, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a program called the Foster Care Family Navigator (FCFN), which pairs families with a navigator who helps them connect to mental health services and stay engaged. The program also uses mobile health tools to support the process. Researchers are enrolling English-speaking youth aged 12-17 who are involved with the foster care system in San Francisco. The goal is to see if this approach helps teens start treatment sooner and stick with it longer compared to standard case management.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Family-based mental health navigation
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this approach could help foster youth access mental health care faster and stay engaged longer, improving their well-being.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (76 participants) focused on a specific population, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention may not significantly improve outcomes over standard care.
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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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UCSF Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
San Francisco, California, 94131, United States
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