Abstract: Stabilizing Families In Crisis: Evaluating an Intensive In-Home Intervention to Reduce Youth Mental Health Needs (Society for Social Work and Research 31st Annual Conference)

Schedule:

Friday, January 22, 2027

Union Station 22 (Hilton San Francisco Union Square)

* noted as presenting author

Hyung Jik Daniel Lee, PhD, Research Associate, University of Pittsburgh

Ruijie Ma, MSW, Doctoral student, University of Pittsburgh

Charles Pemberton, Ed.D, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor-Supervisor, OMNI Family of Services

Chris Moynihan, LSCW, President of Behavioral Health, OMNI Family of Services

Mary Rauktis, PhD, Research Associate Faculty, University of Pittsburgh, PA

Background:
Recent child welfare reforms, including the Family First Prevention Services Act, have accelerated the shift toward family-centered, community-based mental health interventions. Intensive in-home models offer a promising alternative to residential care; however, limited evidence exists on their effectiveness in real-world practice settings. This study evaluates the OMNI–Family Intervention Treatment Team (OMNI-FITT), a 90-day, trauma-informed, family-based crisis stabilization program designed to prevent out-of-home placement and strengthen caregiver capacity.

Methods:
This study employed a one-group repeated-measures design using administrative data collected from 2024–2025 across multi-site implementation in Tennessee and Kentucky. The analytic sample included 138 families with complete data at baseline, discharge, and follow-up. Outcomes were assessed using caregiver-reported Ohio Scales, measuring youth problem severity, functioning, caregiver hopefulness, and treatment satisfaction. Repeated-measures ANOVA examined changes over time, with subgroup analyses exploring variation by race, gender, age, and site.

Results:
Findings demonstrated statistically significant improvements across all domains: problem severity (F = 32.68, p < .001), functioning (F = 24.43, p < .001), hopefulness (F = 14.77, p < .001), and satisfaction (F = 47.46, p < .001), with gains maintained at follow-up. Subgroup analyses revealed variation in magnitude of change, with larger improvements observed among male youth and younger children. Differences by race and gender were partially explained by baseline disparities. Site-level variability and substantial early attrition (43.6% with only one session) highlight implementation and engagement challenges.

Implications:
OMNI-FITT demonstrates promise as a practice-based, family-centered intervention that improves outcomes for both youth and caregivers while aligning with policy priorities aimed at reducing residential placements. The findings underscore the importance of retention strategies, equity-focused monitoring, and maintaining implementation fidelity across sites. This study contributes to the growing evidence base on practice-based interventions developed within provider communities and highlights the role of intensive in-home models in advancing more equitable child welfare and mental health systems.