Final Report on the Formative Evaluation of New Haven’s LEAD Pilot Program conducted by Dr. Paul Joudrey, January 2020

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The formative evaluation of the implementation of the LEAD Pilot Program in New Haven consisted of two parts: an analysis of New Haven Police Department (NHPD) arrest data among LEAD trained officers during the first eight months of the LEAD Pilot (October 2017-July 2018) and interviews with LEAD trained NHPD officers, leadership and engagement specialists. 

 

The key findings from the report included: 1) Few eligible arrest events resulted in diversion into the New Haven LEAD program; 2) Enrollment into LEAD was primarily occurring through social contact referrals rather than via arrest diversion, 3) on the NHPD side, barriers to successful LEAD implementation included insufficient training, high attrition, stigma towards people with substance use disorders, discordant attitudes among implementing officers about the appropriate role of law enforcement in responding to substance use issues (including beliefs that criminal penalties are a necessary response), and a lack of communication with service providers 4) Many LEAD-eligible individuals declining arrest diversion had previous contact with the social service programs being offered and expressed skepticism towards potential benefits of referral through LEAD to services they had already tried. 

 

Notably, the evaluation concluded with recommendations that the NHPD train officers on the science of addiction and barriers to treatment access and promote non-punitive law enforcement responses to substance use disorders. Given the many barriers to successful implementation of LEAD, the evaluation also recommended the City of New Haven rethink the program altogether and consider community-based alternatives to the LEAD model that would operate independently of the police. The final report was released in January 2020, following a preliminary report released the previous Spring (see below).