ARRIVE Together: A Qualitative Process Evaluation of the New Jersey State Police Co-responding Pilot Program

Abstract

Law enforcement personnel are often first to respond to calls involving behavioral health emergencies. However, encounters with law enforcement are more dangerous and lethal for people with behavioral health conditions. Co-responding models, wherein law enforcement and behavioral health professionals respond to calls together, are among the top programs developed to improve responding to behavioral health crises. The current study describes a qualitative process evaluation of a co-responding pilot program in New Jersey: “Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence & Escalation” (ARRIVE Together). The evaluation centered on the experience of the co-responding team as to their perceptions of specific deployments and of the program implementation overall. Semi-structured interviews were conducted following 10 consecutive encounters (three interviews per encounter; February-March 2022). Transcripts were transcribed and thematically analyzed by two trained researchers independently. Once thematically analyzed, researchers determined a consensus and developed a SWOT analysis report. Thematic analysis produced six major themes: communication, staffing, training, resources, community outreach, and deployments with minors. Overall, participants were enthusiastic about the program, but they shared numerous observations about ways in which the program could be improved. Sample size, the brief follow-up window, and lack of generalizability to other contexts were among the most limiting factors. Further research should include an effectiveness evaluation and extend to urban and suburban communities and communities of color. Future research should also explore after-response affects including accessibility to follow-up care. The current study gives insight into piloting a co-responding model for approaching behavioral health crisis calls.

Keywords:

• Behavioral health
• co-response model
• law enforcement
• mental health interventions

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge support from the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General, and specifically Andrew Macurdy; the New Jersey State Police, and specifically Captain Sheila McKaig-Devlin; The New Jersey Department of Human Services; and the mental health support agency in the study county (anonymized to protect confidentiality of the mental health screeners who participated). We thank the members of the ARRIVE Together team for their cooperation, candor, and their desire to improve the efficacy of the program and to ultimately improve outcomes and quality of life for persons with mental illness and substance use problems in their communities.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Notes

1 Law enforcement uses the term “emotionally disturbed person” (EDP). This label is not tied to a diagnosis or formal evaluation but is based on dispatch perception that the person is impaired by any number of factors (e.g., alcohol, mental illness, medication).

2 Quotes were very lightly edited to improve clarity.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.