# Family Navigator E3 Project: Enhancing Early Engagement in Mental Health Services through Children's Advocacy Center's Family Advocates

> **NIH NIH R34** · UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HLTH SCIENCES CTR · 2020 · $179,983

## Abstract

Child maltreatment is a major public issue in the United States1, causing significant mental
health effects (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorders2), as well as adverse educational and
occupational outcomes3,4. Unfortunately, most children affected by abuse or neglect never
engage in evidence based practices (EBP) for child mental.5-7 Enhancing early engagement of
families in mental health assessment and EBP is a priority target for Children's Advocacy
Centers (CACs') leadership at the National Children's Alliance (NCA). CACs are uniquely
situated to serve as Family Navigators who connect children impacted by maltreatment to
appropriate EBPs. In fact, the CAC position of Family Advocate mirrors the Mental Health
Family Navigator national initiative. The Training Intervention for the Engagement of Families
(TIES) program has a long history of success in enhancing engagement in services by families
who are financially disadvantaged and impacted by service disparities.15, 21, 42 With TIES training
targeting knowledge (e.g., child mental health conditions, EBP identification) and skills (e.g.,
motivational and engagement), Family Advocates can greatly impact early engagement of
families in mental health services. For this study, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences
Center (OUHSC), NCA, and the University of Arkansas will partner with TIES experts will
partner to develop, implement, and evaluate web-based and consultative training for Family
Advocates to enhance early engagement in services (E3 training). The interactive web-based
training will embed key targets of knowledge and skills related to family engagement, trauma,
EBP, and EBP services in the community. Fifty CACs will be randomized to E3 webinar-based
training or E3 webinar plus consultation, given previous research on EBPs indicating that
ongoing consultation augments training outcomes.22 In addition, a subset of CACs not receiving
training (N = 25) will be selected as a comparison group. The overarching goal of the project is
to pilot test the E3 training's impact on key mechanisms of change (e.g., knowledge, skills) to
improve rates of screening, referral, and access to services. This study will examine the
feasibility of implementing the training program and examine the differential impact and costs of
the level of training (i.e., E3web or E3web+ consultation). Outcomes and costs results will be
used to plan a large-scale comprehensive, mixed-methods Hybrid Type II effectiveness-
implementation,24 and cost-effectiveness trial of Family Navigator E3 training. Nationwide
impact on access to EBP for children who experience child maltreatment is feasible given the
broad reach of NCA and the wide distribution of the CACs across the country.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9833536
- **Project number:** 5R34MH118486-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HLTH SCIENCES CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** JANE FRANCES SILOVSKY
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $179,983
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-12-07 → 2021-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9833536

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9833536, Family Navigator E3 Project: Enhancing Early Engagement in Mental Health Services through Children's Advocacy Center's Family Advocates (5R34MH118486-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9833536. Licensed CC0.

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