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.
As community response programs transition from pilot initiatives to more sustained public investments, reliable data and evidence-based performance metrics are essential. A clear case for return on investment can help your program justify continued funding and long-term expansion.
Tracking the law enforcement response to mental health crises using standardized data fields is crucial improve the hidden costs associated with crisis and in supporting transformative research and evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions. Robust methods for measuring and monitoring law enforcement response often involve a combination of data collected in response to 9-1-1 calls for service, specialized field-based performance tracking, and program evaluation. General industry guidance emphasizes the importance of maintaining clearly defined and standardized data collection protocol.
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.
