Effectiveness of Mental Health Treatment Interventions for At-Risk Youth Within the Minnesota Runaway Intervention Program.

Abstract

Abstract: The Runaway Intervention Program (RIP) is a strengths-based, nurse-led home visitation and case management model for runaway youth at risk of sexual exploitation, violence, and mental health challenges. RIP aims to promote healthy development, reduce trauma responses, and lower risk behaviors. This study evaluates the effectiveness of three optional psychological interventions-individual therapy, group therapy, and combined therapy-administered by licensed mental health practitioners. Using archival data from 128 RIP participants enrolled between 2015 and 2019, the study assessed pretreatment and posttreatment posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms using the University of California Post t raumatic Stress Disorder Index.Statistical analysis suggested a reduction in PTSD symptoms from pretreatment ( M  = 35.33, SD = 15.29) to posttreatment ( M  = 22.91, SD = 16.31), regardless of treatment type. There was no significant difference in symptom reduction between the three treatment modalities, indicating comparable effectiveness across modalities. Across all treatment modalities, clinically significant change analysis showed that 41% of participants recovered, 51% showed no change, 2% improved, and 6% deteriorated. These findings suggest that although RIP interventions effectively reduce PTSD symptoms, no single modality outperformed the others. The results underscore the value of flexible therapeutic options to address the diverse needs of runaway youth.