Family support program to help Black families access early psychosis care

This trial tested a new Family Peer Navigator model designed to help Black and African American families access and stay engaged with coordinated specialty care programs for early psychosis. Researchers developed and refined this support approach over three phases, ultimately testing whether families who received help from a trained peer navigator (someone with lived experience in their community) had better access to and engagement with specialized mental health care compared to families who received standard brief care coordination.

Black and African American families often face barriers in accessing mental health services for early psychosis, including difficulty navigating the healthcare system and cultural disconnects with providers. This trial was designed to test whether peer navigators from the same community could bridge that gap and help more families get the specialized care their loved ones need.