Factors shaping Black caregivers' interest and participation in a university-church partnership program for youth mental health.

Abstract

It is important for researchers to understand the factors that attract marginalized community members to participate in youth service intervention programs, considering their historic mistrust in White-dominated systems (i.e., education and mental health). We employed a hermeneutic phenomenology study to understand 15 Black caregivers' experiences of a university-church partnership program that was grounded in a school mental health paradigm. Using individual interviews and a structured coding process, we examined factors that informed participants' engagement with the program from start to finish. First, caregivers initiated involvement with the program due to their children's holistic needs, the accessibility of the program, and the trust they had in program leaders (including church representatives) and processes. Second, caregivers sustained involvement in the program due to graduate interventionists/mentors displaying professional competence, cultural responsiveness, and an ethic of care. Finally, caregivers viewed the program as helping the children, family, and community thrive, which influenced their desire to see the program grow and expand. As informed by the present study and related literature, recommendations for school mental health professionals involved in culturally responsive and equity-centered community partnership work are offered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).