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.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Psychological Well-Being

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UCSF Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital

    San Francisco, California, 94131, United States