# R34-2: Adapting an Evidence-based Healthy Weight Intervention for Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance and Testing Strategies for Implementation by Community Mental Health Programs

> **NIH NIH P50** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $260,827

## Abstract

There are more than 5 million youth in the U.S. with serious emotional disturbance (SED), defined as the
presence of an emotional or behavioral disorder and functional impairment. Youth with SED have a prevalence
of obesity that exceeds that of the general youth population, and youth mental illness has been identified as a
risk factor for early cardiovascular disease; thus, addressing risk for overweight and obesity among youth with
SED is critical. While behavioral lifestyle interventions for healthy weight are effective in the general population,
these interventions do not typically address the influence of mental health symptoms on health behaviors. To
address this gap, our team developed and tested CHAMPION, a tailored behavioral lifestyle intervention for
youth with SED at risk for or with overweight/obesity, which was the first such intervention to demonstrate
efficacy. To facilitate the integration of CHAMPION into treatment settings serving youth with SED, we propose
to use the Enhanced Replicating Effective Programs (REP) framework, a multi-component strategy designed
to translate evidence-based interventions into community settings. REP uses partner-engaged methods, with
activities informed by a community working group comprised of potential intervention users (e.g., youth with
SED and their families); implementers (staff who might deliver the intervention); adopters and sustainers (e.g.,
administrative leadership). We will work with three distinct types of mental health settings serving youth with
SED (Psychosocial Rehabilitation Programs, Coordinated Specialty Care programs for early psychosis, and
Therapeutic Day Schools). We propose to: 1) Adapt the CHAMPION intervention package to facilitate ease of
delivery by diverse staff within a range of contexts serving youth with SED through a mixed methods usability
evaluation with community working group members; 2) Refine multi-level implementation strategies for the
sustained delivery of CHAMPION via a series of structured community working group meetings focused on
refining and operationalizing the Enhanced REP strategies (e.g., defining activities included in Facilitation); and
3) Conduct an open pilot and mixed methods evaluation of the 6-month CHAMPION intervention package and
selected implementation strategies in partnership with at least six sites, 24 implementing staff, and 60 youth.
Primary outcomes will include: 1) session delivery and fidelity; 2) sites’ fidelity to the implementation
intervention; 3) feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of the intervention package and implementation
strategy to implementing staff; and 4) patient satisfaction with the intervention. Secondary outcomes will
include youth BMI z-score, dietary behavior, physical activity, and behavioral functioning, implementation cost;
and strategy mechanisms (provider self-efficacy and knowledge; organizational implementation climate and
teamwork/relational coordination). This study will provide prelim...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10843614
- **Project number:** 2P50MH115842-05
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rheanna Edith Platt
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $260,827
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2018-08-15 → 2029-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10843614

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10843614, R34-2: Adapting an Evidence-based Healthy Weight Intervention for Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance and Testing Strategies for Implementation by Community Mental Health Programs (2P50MH115842-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10843614. Licensed CC0.

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