Researchers at Children’s Friend, Inc., an affiliate of Seven Hills Foundation, in Worcester, Mass., are seeking participants for a survey studying the experiences and barriers to accessing mental health services for families. 

Researchers intend to compare three groups:

• caregivers of children with one or more mental health conditions,
• caregivers of children with mental health conditions and common medical conditions, and 
• caregivers of children with mental health conditions and rare diseases. 

Caregivers include biological parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, step-parents, and kinship homes with children under the age of 18. The survey is open to families who live anywhere within the United States. The survey results will assist mental health providers in tailoring services to meet families’ needs.

Participants will be asked to complete an online survey, taking approximately 10 to 20 minutes. The survey is in both English and Spanish. Participants who agree to take part in this study will be asked questions about different aspects of accessing mental health care. Participants may find some of the questions sensitive and are not required to answer uncomfortable questions.

The survey is anonymous. The information gathered from this survey is important in identifying ways to make access to mental health care easier for families. The information you provide will remain confidential and all results will be de-identified. All data collected will be stored in a secure location. You can withdraw at any time during the survey, up until the time that the “done” button is selected at the end of the survey. By completing the survey, you are consenting to participate in the study.

For more information contact Children’s Friend, Inc. at 508-753-5425 or by e-mail at khager@childrensfriend.org or mmartinez@childrensfriend.org.