Alternative Crisis Response: Comparative Findings from Three 911 Dispatch Diversion Models in Arizona - CANCELLED

• In Event: Trauma, Treatment, and Justice: Addressing Mental Health in Carceral Spaces

Abstract

In recent years, policymakers and other leaders have established new systems intended to divert people experiencing mental health crises away from the criminal legal system before an arrest occurs. While some research supports the effectiveness of police-mental health collaboration models, the evidence is mixed, and very little is known about long-term outcomes. Additionally, a lack of rigorous evaluation of 911 dispatch diversion programs, specifically, represents a significant gap in knowledge in this area. In collaboration with Dr. Margie Balfour of Connections Health Solutions and the Council of State Governments Justice Center, MDRC’s Tucson Mental Health Diversion (TMHD) project aims to build evidence in this area through a comparative analysis of three alternative crisis response models in Arizona, including process mapping in select jurisdictions, qualitative data collection to understand the different models, and quantitative descriptive analysis in each participating jurisdiction to compare crisis response processes and outcomes by location. TMHD’s findings offer important guidance for jurisdictions and policymakers seeking to understand “what works” in the field of pre-arrest diversion of individuals in crisis.

Authors

• Melanie Skemer, MDRC

• Emily Brennan, MDRC