Enhancing Permanency in Children and Families
EPIC
1 other identifier
interventional
117
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The Enhancing Permanency in Children and Families (EPIC) program is a collaborative effort between the Ohio State University College of Social Work, two county offices of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, two juvenile courts and local behavioral health agencies. The goal of EPIC is to use three evidence-based and evidence-informed practices to reduce abusive and neglectful parenting, reduce addiction severity in parents, and improve permanency outcomes for families involved with the child welfare system due to substance abuse.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable
Started Oct 2017
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
October 1, 2017
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
November 10, 2020
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
January 8, 2021
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
July 1, 2023
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
September 30, 2023
CompletedJanuary 23, 2024
September 1, 2022
5.8 years
November 10, 2020
January 19, 2024
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (9)
Time from opening of child welfare case to SUD screening
Measures: 1) Child welfare case open date; 2) UNCOPE assessment screening date Analyses: We will use T-tests to estimate mean differences in the length of time from entry into child welfare and SUD screening for EPIC participants in comparison to Ohio START and treatment as usual.
Within 30 days of program entry
Time from opening of child welfare case to trauma screening
Measures: Time from opening of child welfare case to trauma screening will be estimated using 1) child welfare case open date; 2) ACEs assessment date for adults or 3) CTAC assessment dates for children. Analyses: We will use t-tests to estimate mean differences in the length of time from entry into child welfare and trauma screening for EPIC participants in comparison to Ohio START and treatment as usual.
Within 30 days of program entry
Change in wait time between referral to addiction treatment services and initiation of services.
Measures: Change in wait time will be estimated using service referral and service initiation dates. Analyses: We will use t-tests to estimate mean differences in the length of time between SUD treatment service referral and service initiation for EPIC participants in comparison to Ohio START and treatment as usual.
Within 30 days of entering child welfare system
Change in addiction severity among participating parents
Measures: Addiction Severity Index-Self Report (ASI-SR) Analyses: A paired sample t-test will be conducted to examine the change in mean scores on the ASI-SR pre and post participation.
At program entry and again at program completion. An average of I year
Change in resilience in children
Measures: Resilience in children is measured using the Protective Factors Survey (PFS) Analyses: A paired sample t-test will be conducted to examine change in mean scores on the PFS pre and post participation.
At program entry and again at program completion. An average of I year
Change in child behavior
Measures: The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is used to screen for emotional, behavioral and social problems among children. Analyses: A paired sample t-test will be conducted to examine change in mean scores on the CBCL pre and post participation.
At program entry and again at program completion. An average of I year
Change length of stay in out-of-home placement for children in EPIC program compared to substance-affected families not receiving EPIC.
Data source: Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), obtained twice a year through study completion. Measures: Length of stay in out-of-home placement will be operationalized using placement dates obtained in SACWIS. Analyses: Survival analysis will be utilized to study outcome measures (e.g., length of stay in out-of-home placement) Due to the likelihood of censored measures when we have families who are still involved in the child welfare system, particularly for families who enter the system near the end of the study period, we will use survival analysis to estimate treatment effects on length of stay in out of home placement in comparison to Ohio START and treatment as usual families.
Through program completion, an average of 1 year.
Change in reunification among families involved in EPIC compared to substance-affected families not receiving EPIC.
Data source: Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), obtained twice a year through study completion. Analyses: Logistic regression will be used to estimate treatment effects on in comparison to Ohio START and treatment as usual.
Through program completion, an average of 1 year.
Change in subsequent child welfare involvement among parents receiving EPIC compared to substance-affected families not receiving EPIC
Data source: Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), obtained twice a year through study completion. Measures: Subsequent child welfare entry (yes/no) is measured using re-entry dates in SACWIS. Analyses: Logistic regressions will be used to estimate treatment effects on subsequent child welfare involvement in comparison to Ohio START and treatment as usual.
Through completion of 5 year study. For participants, up to 4 years following program participation, depending on time of enrollment
Study Arms (3)
EPIC Participants
EXPERIMENTALEPIC participants are 1) matched with trained peer recovery supporters with lived experience related to child welfare and substance EPIC participants are also incentivized to participate in 2) family treatment drug court (FTDC), with medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD); and 3) home-based parenting supports based on the Nurturing Parenting Program.
Ohio Sobriety Treatment And Reducing Trauma (START) participants
ACTIVE COMPARATORAdapted from the evidence-based national START model (Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams) this intervention matches child welfare parents in need of addiction services to caseworker and family peer mentor (FPM) dyads for intensive case management services.
Treatment as usual (TAU)
NO INTERVENTIONTreatment as usual includes home visits by the assigned caseworker, referrals to SUD assessment/treatment, family group decision making, and (non-incentivized) referral to FTDC.
Interventions
Weekly visits with peer who has lived experience related to child welfare and addiction
Incentivized to participate in Family Treatment Drug Court with option for Medications for Opioid Use Disorders (MOUD)
Home-based parenting support
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Child welfare involvement
- Substance use is primary reason for child welfare involvement (a score or 3 or more on UNCOPE assessment or a positive drug screen)
You may not qualify if:
- Possible substance use, though not primary reason for child welfare involvement
- incarcerated parents (may enroll after release)
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- Ohio State Universitylead
- Children's Bureau - Administration for Children and Familiescollaborator
- Pickaway County Job and Family Servicescollaborator
- Fairfield County Job and Family Servicescollaborator
- Integrated Services for Behavioral Health (ISBH)collaborator
- Ohio Guidestonecollaborator
- Fairfield County Juvenile Courtcollaborator
- Pickaway County Juvenile Courtcollaborator
Study Sites (1)
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States
Related Publications (2)
Shockley McCarthy K, Price Wolf J, Dellor E. Promoting permanency in families with parental substance misuse: lessons from a process evaluation of a multi-system program. BMC Public Health. 2022 Dec 3;22(1):2261. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14528-4.
PMID: 36463173DERIVEDFreisthler B, Maguire-Jack K, Yoon S, Dellor E, Wolf JP. Enhancing Permanency in Children and Families (EPIC): a child welfare intervention for parental substance abuse. BMC Public Health. 2021 Apr 23;21(1):780. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10668-1.
PMID: 33892671DERIVED
Related Links
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Interventions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Bridget Freisthler
Ohio State University
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- NON RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
November 10, 2020
First Posted
January 8, 2021
Study Start
October 1, 2017
Primary Completion
July 1, 2023
Study Completion
September 30, 2023
Last Updated
January 23, 2024
Record last verified: 2022-09
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will share
- Shared Documents
- STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
- Time Frame
- Fall 2023
- Access Criteria
- With permission via study website
Datasets will be be stripped of identifying information prior to construction. Specifically, parents (along with one focal child) will be identified with a case and individual identification numbers. No names, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, child welfare records, etc. will be retained. We will only share data with external investigators when a data use agreement (DUA) is executed between the Ohio State University and the requester's institution. The DUA will specify the requested data elements (each of which must be justified), the specific research question and the timeline for the project. These data will be made available in Fall, 2023 by the PI.