Youth Empowerment and Safety Intervention

Youth Empowerment and Safety Intervention for Systems-involved Sexual and Gender Minority Youth at Risk of Suicide

This clinical trial will implement and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial impact of Peer Support Specialist (PSS) services for public system-involved sexual and gender minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and/or transgender) youth (SGMY) at risk of suicide.

A sharp increase in U.S. youth mental health problems coupled with the national shortage in child behavioral health clinicians has identified peer providers as a cost- and impact-effective solution. Peer Support Specialists (PSS), paraprofessionals with lived experience who provide mutual and structured support, have been found to be effective in improving client engagement in mental health services. The study proposes to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial impact of a multi-level intervention, Youth Empowerment & Safety (YES), comprised of two coordinated components: 1) system-level improved identification and referral (I/R) of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) among sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY), and 2) introduction of an SGMY-tailored support PSS to enhance engagement and support with behavioral health treatment and other support services.

Child Inclusion Criteria:

• 12-17 years of age
• Self-identify as a sexual or gender minority (SGM)
• Involved in one or more system: juvenile justice, child welfare, and/or community-based mental health
• Personal experience with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB)
• English speaking
• Willing and able to provide informed assent

Child Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than 12 or greater than 17 years of age (0-11 or 18 and over)
• Do not self-identify as a sexual or gender minority (SGM)
• Not involved in the juvenile justice, child welfare, and/or community-based mental health systems
• No personal experience with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB)
• Not English speaking
• Unwilling and/or unable to provide informed assent

Caregiver Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-80 years of age
• Primary Caregiver of youth who meet child inclusion criteria listed above
• English speaking
• Willing and able to provide informed consent

Caregiver Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than 18 or greater than 80 years of age (0-17 or 81 and over)
• Not the Primary Caregiver of youth who meet child inclusion criteria listed above
• Not English speaking
• Unwilling and/or unable to provide informed consent