Pettus Carrie, Fulmer Rachel, Pederson Shelby D, Eikenberry Jacob
Wellbeing and Equity Innovations, PO Box 14641, Tallahassee, FL, 32317, USA.
Institute for Justice Research and Development, Florida State University, 2010 Levy Ave, Suite 3400, Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA.
Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2023 Jul 31;9(1):135. doi: 10.1186/s40814-023-01361-8.
Law enforcement frequently responds to substance abuse and mental health crises. Crisis stabilization units (CSUs) operate as a public-receiving facility to provide short-term stabilization services for individuals experiencing these crises and offer law enforcement an important alternative to arrest. However, there is limited understanding about how and when law enforcement decides to use CSUs. There is also the challenge of retaining individuals in treatment after CSU stabilization to prevent future crises and persistent engagement with police. This study will respond to these gaps by exploring CSU procedures and examining the feasibility and acceptability of a technology-assisted mobile aftercare intervention designed for individuals brought to a CSU by law enforcement.
This study will consist of three aims. Aim 1 will include qualitative interviews with law enforcement and CSU-affiliated mental health staff (n=80) regarding CSU utilization and collaboration logistics between the groups. Findings from Aim 1 will be synthesized for the development of an implementation guide of our intervention, mobile, and technology-assisted aftercare, designed for individuals brought to a CSU by law enforcement, during Aim 2. During Aim 2, intervention services will be pilot-tested for 6 months through a small sample (n=24), randomized control trial (RCT). Control participants will receive standard services available for individuals discharging from a CSU. Treatment participants will receive the mobile aftercare intervention. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-recruitment for all study participants. Aims 1 and 2 will inform the design of a multi-site RCT to compare CSUs with and without mobile and technology-assisted aftercare (Aim 3).
The study will offer decision making and procedural insight into law enforcement use of CSUs as an alternative to jail and provide opportunities to inform that process. This research will provide outcome trends for those who go through standard CSU services compared to those who receive mobile and technology-assisted aftercare services. The current study will inform a larger RCT efficacy study of CSUs with and without technology-assisted aftercare services.
This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (reference #NCT04899934) on May 25, 2021.
执法部门经常应对药物滥用和心理健康危机。危机稳定单元（CSU）作为一个公共接收设施，为经历这些危机的个人提供短期稳定服务，并为执法部门提供了一种重要的替代逮捕的方式。然而，对于执法部门如何以及何时决定使用CSU，人们了解有限。在CSU稳定后让个人继续接受治疗以预防未来危机并避免其持续与警方接触，这也是一项挑战。本研究将通过探索CSU程序，并检验为被执法部门送至CSU的个人设计的技术辅助移动后续护理干预措施的可行性和可接受性，来回应这些差距。
本研究包括三个目标。目标1将包括对执法人员和与CSU相关的心理健康工作人员（n = 80）进行定性访谈，内容涉及CSU的使用情况以及两组之间的协作后勤。目标1的研究结果将被综合起来，以便在目标2期间为我们的干预措施（即针对被执法部门送至CSU的个人的移动和技术辅助后续护理）制定实施指南。在目标2期间，干预服务将通过一个小样本（n = 24）随机对照试验（RCT）进行为期6个月的试点测试。对照参与者将接受CSU出院人员可获得的标准服务。治疗参与者将接受移动后续护理干预。在招募后2周、3个月和6个月，将为所有研究参与者收集定性和定量数据。目标1和目标2将为一项多地点RCT的设计提供信息，以比较有无移动和技术辅助后续护理的CSU（目标3）。
该研究将为执法部门使用CSU替代监禁提供决策和程序方面的见解，并为该过程提供信息。这项研究将为那些接受标准CSU服务的人与接受移动和技术辅助后续护理服务的人提供结果趋势。当前的研究将为一项关于有无技术辅助后续护理服务的CSU的更大规模RCT疗效研究提供信息。
本研究于2021年5月25日在ClinicalTrials.gov上注册（参考编号#NCT04899934）。
