East Providence, RI — Bradley Hospital’s Pediatric Anxiety Research Center (PARC) has launched a groundbreaking clinical trial to evaluate new ways of delivering therapy for children and adolescents struggling with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Backed by $11 million in funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the study will compare three innovative models of delivering exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—a gold-standard treatment for anxiety and OCD. The goal: to better understand how to expand access to effective care for youth ages 5 to 18. The following three approaches will be studied:
- Traditional in-person therapy (delivered in office, at home, or in the community)
- Telehealth-based therapy
- A flexible model combining in-person and virtual sessions
While CBT with exposure has been proven effective, access to this specialized treatment remains limited—especially for youth from historically underserved communities. To help bridge that gap, Bradley Hospital has partnered with the following trusted community-based behavioral health centers across Rhode Island that are already embedded in the neighborhoods they serve:
- Blackstone Valley Community Health Care – Central Falls
- Family Service of Rhode Island – Providence
- Newport Mental Health – Middletown
- Gateway Healthcare – Pawtucket and South County
- Thrive Behavioral Health – Warwick
“We know that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenges children face, and they can have a serious impact on every area of a child’s life. This study is designed to not only identify which delivery methods work best, but also to help ensure all families—regardless of background—can access high-quality, evidence-based care,” said Jennifer Freeman, PhD, director of PARC at Bradley Hospital and professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University. Freeman is also the Principal Investigator on this study.
Enrollment for the study is now open to 500 youth seeking treatment for anxiety or OCD. Families interested in learning how to enroll may contact Elizabeth Rawa ([email protected]).
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