Mental Health clinical trials at UCSF

9 in progress, 4 open to eligible people

Mental health refers to emotional and social well-being. UCSF examines how walks in nature can reduce stress among diverse groups. Researchers are also developing a program to assist families in navigating mental health care. Additionally, there is a project looking into mobile solutions to reduce stress in parenting.

Showing trials for

  • Biological and Behavioral Outcomes of Community Nature Walks

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    The investigators will test the efficacy of our proposed intervention to reduce embodied stress in four racial/ethnic groups (Black, Latinx, Pilipinx, and Pacific Islander) as a preventative intervention for health disparities found in these communities. The intervention is comprised of two phases. The first consists of community nature walks in a pristine redwood forest for six months. This is followed by chosen nature activities with family and/or friends for three months. The investigators will test the ability of these activities in nature to reduce chronic stress that underpins many health disparities using validated biological, behavioral, and sociocultural measures. The use of these measures is in alignment with the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research Framework, and will increase understanding of individual, interpersonal, community, and social level factors that lead to, and that can eliminate health disparities.

    San Francisco, California

  • Family Mental Health Family Navigator Project (FMHN)

    open to eligible people ages 6-17

    This study will focus on developing and testing a family-based mental health navigator intervention, the Family Mental Health Navigator (FMHN), to evaluate whether the intervention combined with mHealth is preliminary efficacious in improving mental health service initiation and engagement for publicly-insured youth.

    San Francisco, California

  • Intervention for Virologic Suppression in Youth

    open to eligible people ages 18-29

    The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to test the effect of a technology-based intervention with an Adaptive Treatment Strategy (ATS) among youth living with HIV (YLWH) (18-29 years old). This piloted and protocolized intervention combines: (1) brief weekly sessions with a counselor via a video-chat platform (video-counseling) to discuss mental health (MH), substance use (SU), HIV care engagement, and other barriers to care; and (2) a mobile health application (app) to address barriers such as ART forgetfulness and social isolation. Individuals who are not virologically suppressed will be randomized to video-counseling+app or standard of care (SOC). Through this study, the investigators will be able to: Aim 1: Test the efficacy of video-counseling+app vs SOC on virologic suppression in YLWH.The investigators will compare HIV virologic suppression of those randomized to the intervention vs control arms at 16 weeks via an RCT. Aim 2: Assess the impact of video-counseling+app vs SOC on MH and SU in YLWH. The investigators will evaluate the MH and SU differences between the intervention vs control arms at 16 weeks via an RCT. Aim 3: Explore an ATS to individualize the intervention by assigning the: 1. virologic "non-responders" in the intervention arm to intensified video-counseling+app for 16 more weeks, 2. virologic "responders" in the intervention arm to continue only app use for 16 more weeks. Researchers will compare the characteristics of virologic responders and non-responders to the intervention, individualization of the intervention based on these variables, and linkage to MH and SU treatment services among those in need to see if delivery of care is enhanced and impact on virologic suppression.

    San Francisco, California

  • Parenting Stress mHealth

    open to eligible people ages 12 years and up

    Parenting stress is a well-documented barrier to youth engagement in community-based substance use treatment. The current project aims to develop and evaluate a mobile health parenting stress intervention for caregivers of justice-involved youth, a population with high rates of substance use and low rates of treatment engagement.

    San Francisco, California

  • Black Economic Equity Movement

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    The primary goal is to understand the potential impacts of Guaranteed Income (GI) on Black youth and young adults' financial, emotional, and physical well-being. The main question it aims to answer is: What are the impacts of GI on Black young adults' investments in their future, mental health and unmet mental and sexual/reproductive health service needs? Participants will receive guaranteed income for 12 months and will be offered enrollment in financial capability programs.

    San Francisco, California

  • By Youth, For Youth: Digital Supported Peer Navigation for Addressing Child Mental Health Care

    Sorry, not yet accepting patients

    Despite significant progress in research, practice, and policy over the past few decades, many children and youth continue to experience poor mental health outcomes. With their unrivaled ability to reach youth, school-based services and primary care are ideal hubs to provide mental health, healthcare, social services, and prevention to youth and families who otherwise face barriers to care. Using Participatory Design and Community Partnered Participatory Research (CPPR) for app development, mobile technology is designed to optimize access to wellness resources. The proposed intervention is a model of care using technology and navigators for connecting youth ages 13-22 to mental health care and supports. The app is co-created with the community and supported by culturally responsive individuals called family and youth navigators, in schools and primary care clinics. Outcomes are measured using the cascade of care model.

  • Fuerte Program for Newcomer Immigrant Youth

    Sorry, accepting new patients by invitation only

    The present study is a randomized control trial to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of a school-based group prevention program (Fuerte) in San Francisco Unified School District Public Schools. In addition, the present study will also inform effective procedures for adaptations of the Fuerte program for other newcomer immigrant youth from non-Latin American countries. Fuerte targets newcomer Latinx immigrant youth (five years or less post arrival in the U.S.) who are at risk of experiencing traumatic stress. In particular, the Fuerte program focuses on increasing youth's mental health literacy, improving their social functioning, and identifying and connecting at-risk youth to specialty mental health services. The program will be implemented by mental health providers from various county community-based organizations, as well as from the SFUSD Wellness Centers, who already offer mental health services in SFUSD schools.

    San Francisco, California

  • SCULPT-Job Cohort Study

    Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients

    This is an research study about clinical, psychosocial, and behavioral factors that impact weight loss, weight maintenance, and cardiovascular disease in socially disadvantaged persons.

    San Francisco, California

  • Empowering Newcomer Voices: A Trauma-Informed, Gender-Responsive Group Intervention in Schools (VOCES-NUEVAS)

    Sorry, not yet accepting patients

    The goal of this study is to see if VOCES-NUEVAS, a school-based program for newcomer girls from Latin America, is helpful and easy to use. The main questions the investigators want to answer are: - Is VOCES-NUEVAS a good fit for newcomer girls in schools? - Does it help improve their mental health and well-being? Students who are already part of the VOCES-NUEVAS program at four school-based health centers will take short surveys before and after the program and give feedback after each session. The adults leading the program will also share their thoughts in group discussions or interviews. The results will help improve the program and prepare for a larger study in the future.

    San Francisco, California

Our lead scientists for Mental Health research studies include .