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The Center’s research over the past quarter-century has contributed to the evidence base and advanced knowledge in behavioral health care and medicine. Many studies have produced interventions, tools, curricula, webinars and podcasts that support translation of our findings into practice, policy, and people's daily lives.
This randomized controlled trial study is testing a program called Enhancing Your Immune Health. The intervention is designed to improve immune health literacy and promote immune health behaviors among adults with psychiatric disabilities. The main study partner is the Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey.
This study began with a national web survey to determine the health, mental health, and functional status of adults with psychiatric disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results were used to design a health coaching intervention using online wellness tools called Healthy ReStart. The intervention is being tested in a pilot randomized controlled trial at community mental health agencies. Study partners are Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion, and University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Phase one of this study was a national web survey of young adults with mental health conditions to assess the impact of disrupted transitions on their health and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Phase two involves longitudinal qualitative research interviews to explore how societal changes have affected life transitions in ways that influence young people's health and well-being. This project is a collaboration with the Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
This research adds a new wave of survey data collection to a longitudinal panel study of recently-certified behavioral health Peer Specialists in 5 states. The parent study, called the CPS Career Outcomes Study is being led by Live & Learn Incorporated. Additional in-depth qualitative interviews with a subset of the cohort are exploring how CPSs view their health and health risks, and how these impact their labor force participation.
This project is designing an innovative blended telehealth navigator intervention that combines the evidence-based practices of patient navigation and telemedicine. A randomized controlled trial study is testing the intervention working with study partners from IIT's Chicago Health Disparities Center, Thresholds, Howard Brown Health, and Heartland Health Centers.
This randomized controlled trial study assesses the effectiveness of Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) when delivered via videoconferencing technology. The project’s second phase will involve creation and evaluation of a new national training and certification program for the virtual version of WRAP. Study partners are the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery, Texas Panhandle Centers, and Grand Lake Mental Health Center, Inc.
This randomized controlled trial study is testing a financial education program called Building Financial Wellness. The program is designed to increase financial literacy and promote money management skills that enhance economic self-sufficiency and mental health recovery for adults with psychiatric disabilities. Study partners are Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, Sertoma Centre, Inc., and Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.
This randomized controlled trial study of mental health self-directed care is occurring in the states of Florida and Texas. It is testing a model of service delivery in which participants manage a personal budget from which they purchase mental health care, social supports, and items that allow them to recover their health and emotional wellness and live independently
This study integrates a proven strategy used in general medicine (community health workers) with mental health peer-delivered services in a new intervention designed to prevent unnecessary 30-day readmissions in behavioral health patients following hospital discharge. The intervention is delivered during the transition from inpatient treatment to community care for a medical condition, and is intended to enhance the health, mental health, and independent living of patients.
This project examines the impact of a flexible fund called a Career Account on the vocational success of individuals receiving evidence-based practice supported employment services using the Individual Placement and Support model. Career Accounts allow participants to manage a personal budget from which they purchase goods and services needed for job seeking, career development, and employment.
This disability and rehabilitation research program (DRRP) examines the efficacy of a peer health navigator intervention.
The Thresholds Health Literacy Center focuses on health and wellness among individuals with serious mental illness who live with other co-occurring disabilities and physical health conditions, with a specific focus on health literacy and service engagement.
This project seeks to further standardize, transfer, assess key change mechanisms and impact of a promising AYA multidisciplinary developmentally-focused care model for community mental health settings called Emerge. Drawing from CSC design and research, and multiple empirically-validated best-practices from youth and adult mental care, Emerge aims to address identified problems related to AYA with psychiatric disabilities, including traditionally low treatment engagement and simultaneous struggles with major developmental transitions across multiple areas of functioning.
This web survey explored changes in the lives and vocational status of adults with mental health and substance use disorders during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. An anonymous online survey was completed by 272 adults, recruited from statewide networks of community programs in New Jersey and New York.
This multisite randomized controlled trial study tested the outcomes of a peer-developed and peer-delivered program called Whole Health Action Management (WHAM). The intervention is designed to increase the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed for the self-management of physical health among adults with a serious mental illness.
This study is a randomized controlled trial of a weight management program specifically designed for people with serious mental illness. The intervention focuses on increasing healthy eating and levels of physical activity while also providing nutrition education and peer support.
This evaluation of current hospital discharge practices examines the differences in outcomes between adults with and without co-occurring serious mental illnesses and chronic medical conditions using Truven Health Analytics MarketScan® Databases. Findings will be used to design an intervention to enhance access to post-discharge outpatient primary care and improve patient outcomes in the transition from hospital to community.
This study will describe trends in the U.S. population from the year 2000-2014 regarding the prevalence of depression and other types of mental illness co-occurring with metabolic syndrome-related and other chronic conditions (SMI-MCCs). It also will examine employment and disability outcomes associated with SMI-MCCs over two years of longitudinal follow-up (2013–2014).
The goal of this project is to learn what individual characteristics, employment features, and ecological factors influence SSA disability beneficiaries with psychiatric disabilities to voluntarily exit the SSI/SSDI program. Research participants come from a large behavioral health company that trains and certifies local peer specialists and acts in four states as the subcontracted employer of record for this workforce.
This evaluation study is examining the impact of providing evidence-based supported employment services through the IPS model at two sites in Chicago, as well as policy changes and workforce development activities designed to bring this service delivery model to scale throughout the state of Illinois.
This randomized controlled trial study demonstrated that an 8-week peer-led, mental illness self-management intervention called WRAP reduced participants’ psychiatric symptoms, enhanced their recovery and self-advocacy skills, and increased their hopefulness and quality of life.
This study examined the long-term effects of evidence-based supported employment services on labor force participation, earnings, and attainment of Social Security Administration non beneficiary status through suspension or termination of disability cash payments due to work. In the decade following service delivery, subjects who received supported employment were significantly more likely than controls to work, had higher earnings, and had lower reliance on SSA disability benefits.
Results from this randomized controlled trial study showed that a web-based intervention that applies a personalized health checklist has the potential to increase motivation to quit smoking at a lower cost than standard motivational procedures.
This study used data from patients at Medicaid-funded behavioral health homes in Chicago to determine whether these settings support patients’ employment and reduce their reliance on disability benefits. Administrative and survey data were used to explore patients’ health status, labor force participation, medical and mental health service use, and beneficiary status.
Data from health screenings of public mental health clients held in four states found high rates of chronic medical conditions and health risk behaviors. After attending the health fairs, participants experienced significant increases in self-rated abilities for health practices, personal competence for health maintenance, and health locus of control.
This study examined how the Social Security Administration’s programs for people with psychiatric disabilities interact with other benefit programs, and how program participation changes over time in relation to part- or full-time employment. Data from the multisite Employment Intervention Demonstration Program included detailed information about earned and unearned income of mentally ill beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries.
This study found that introducing a diabetes registry and care coordination was associated with significant improvements over time in A1C, total cholesterol, triglycerides, triglyceride/HDL ratio, and blood pressure among patients of two Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serving adults with serious mental illnesses.
This project examined associations between deteriorating mental health conditions and premature labor force exit and public disability program entry, and whether co-occurring physical health conditions exacerbated these transitions. Multivariable random effects logistic and linear regression models analyzed longitudinal data from 1,455 Employment Intervention Demonstration Program participants.
In an evaluation of an intervention designed to avoid inpatient seclusion and restraint developed at the Center, the Advance Crisis Management program was associated with decreased utilization of mechanical restraint in a university medical center's psychiatric inpatient units, without increases in patient or staff injuries.
This study explored the impact of contingent labor (i.e., temporary jobs) on subsequent labor force participation and wages of adults with psychiatric disabilities who were receiving supported employment services. Results revealed that having a first job that was temporary was significantly associated with greater likelihood of subsequent contingent employment, with lesser likelihood of subsequent competitive employment, and with lower total and monthly earnings.
This randomized controlled trial study demonstrated that participants who received mental health SDC were more likely to work, to be taking classes, and to have lower somatic symptom distress than controls. They also had greater coping mastery, higher self-esteem, and higher self-perceived recovery, as well as greater ability to ask for help, to use social support, and to pursue recovery goals. They also were more likely than controls to perceive their service delivery system as client-driven.
This study found a high prevalence of current and lifetime mental health and substance abuse disorders among women receiving TANF. Most recipients who were found to have mental health disorders were not receiving needed mental health services.
This project developed and evaluated the impact of a cultural competency assessment in 9 peer-run programs in the U.S. Results suggested that peer-run programs benefit from assessing their cultural competency, and implementing program-specific strategies to improve their ability to engage people from across diverse groups.
This evaluation demonstrated that savers with mental illnesses can develop assets and reach their financial goals when receiving integrated financial education and clinical support.
Under the Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services funded the state of Texas to develop and test an intervention offering comprehensive health insurance, healthcare navigators, and vocational supports for employed workers with mental illness and co-occurring behavioral and physical health disorders. This study followed DMIE participants 36 months after enrollment to assess the longer-term impact on at-risk workers and the characteristics of those most likely to benefit from such services.
Download to learn more and access a policy brief summarizing study findings
This study examined the factors associated with voluntary job separation (i.e., quitting) among workers with mental illness. In multivariable analysis, individuals were more likely to quit positions at which they worked for twenty hours a week or less, those with which they were dissatisfied, low-wage jobs, non-temporary positions, and jobs in the structural (i.e., construction) occupations.
This randomized controlled trial study of mental health self-directed care is occurring in the states of Florida and Texas. It is testing a model of service delivery in which participants manage a personal budget from which they purchase mental health care, social supports, and items that allow them to recover their health and emotional wellness and live independently
This large-scale psychiatric epidemiology study will determine the prevalence, type, and severity of mental health and substance use disorders in a national cohort of men and women living with HIV/AIDS and a matched seronegative cohort. Also explored will be associations of behavioral health disorders with markers of immunological and virological disease progression and immune reconstitution, mortality, and antiretroviral treatment and adherence. Data come from structured diagnostic interviews with members of the MACS-WIHS Combined Cohort Study conducted at 20 U.S. sites. Discover the findings of an earlier study of mental health and substance use disorders in the HIV-seropositive WIHS cohort: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-018-2051-3
UI-TEAM: Utilizing Interdisciplinary Training to Educate and increase Access to MAT project focuses on promoting workforce capacity in use of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opiate addiction.