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There is a significant gap in real-world evidence (RWE) supporting the effectiveness of many public sector and community-based programs. As a result, critical frontline initiatives often lag in building a data-driven evidence base. To fully realize the benefits of real-world evidence, agencies must prioritize end-to-end compliance and ethical data management.
In this article, we identify some of the factors impacting return on investment for local government adoption of evidence-based strategies in law enforcement de-escalation and deflection from incarceration and/or emergency hospitalization, where appropriate.
Field observations recorded as contact notes provide the most predictive data for future calls for service, behavioral health crises, and public safety risks. Whether robustly collected at an initial contact or compiled across repeated interactions, field-contact notes offer critical details for harm reduction, de-escalation, diversion, referral, and case planning.
Caption: A 2022 review of mental health-related calls for service (CFS) in a rural Virginia region, reveals a 10% increase in call volume over three years, with the sharpest growth (47.6%) in rural townships. The review highlights the need for comprehensive local data systems mapping, noting that over 30% of mental health crisis calls were not reported in call type search.
