In this report, RAND researchers present findings from RAND's evaluation of the Crisis Response Violence Intervention Program, a three-year pilot launched in 2021, targeting four unincorporated, high-violence communities. The program provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive crisis interventions for individuals, families, and communities affected by violence.

Evaluation of Los Angeles County Crisis Response Violence Intervention Program

Lu Dong, Shannon D. Donofry, Helin Hernandez, Jacobo Pereira-Pacheco, Nabeel Qureshi, Chloe Gomez, Mallika Bhandarkar, Deborah Kim, Nina V. Ozbardakci, Amy L. Shearer

ResearchPublished Jun 17, 2025

In this report, RAND researchers present findings from an evaluation of the Crisis Response Violence Intervention Program (CRVIP), which is administered by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's Office of Violence Prevention (OVP). CRVIP was launched as a three-year pilot in 2021, targeting four unincorporated, high-violence communities: Florence-Firestone, unincorporated Compton, Westmont West Athens, and Willowbrook. The program provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive crisis interventions for individuals, families, and communities affected by violence, using peer specialists and credible messengers to facilitate healing and connect participants to essential services.

The OVP tasked RAND with evaluating CRVIP's implementation process and early outcomes. Employing a mixed-methods approach, researchers reviewed program documentation, analyzed administrative data, surveyed clients, conducted qualitative interviews with community partners, and observed program outreach events. The evaluation assessed CRVIP's operational strengths and identified areas for improvement, offering critical insights to inform future efforts in delivering effective, community-driven responses to violence and trauma.

Key Findings

  • CRVIP successfully established a community presence in high-violence areas through conducting both incident-related crisis response and non–incident-related outreach activities.
  • The highest CRVIP engagement and activities were observed in South LA areas, but engagement varied by calendar quarter, and geographic coverage remains limited.
  • CRVIP responded to 55 incidents between May 2023 and March 2025 — primarily homicides and shootings. CRVIP's median response time was two days, and nearly half of the incidents occurred in unincorporated Compton.
  • Although client satisfaction with initial services was high, early discontinuation of counseling and limited follow-up after referrals indicate a gap in service retention and a pressing need for improved continuity of service.
  • Interviewees endorsed CRVIP's community-engaged, trauma-informed approach but also cited barriers.
  • Data limitations hindered a full assessment of program implementation and outcomes.

Recommendations

  • Strengthen follow-up and continuity of care.
  • Improve data collection and tracking systems to support accurate service monitoring and coordination between CRVIP and service providers.
  • Expand staffing and program footprints to meet unmet needs across underserved, high-violence areas in LA County.
  • Increase public awareness of CRVIP services through culturally tailored outreach, local partnerships, and continued non–incident-related outreach activities.

Topics

Document Details

  • Copyright: California Department of Public Health
  • Publisher: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web-Only
  • Year: 2025
  • Pages: 40
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA3826-2
  • Document Number: RR-A3826-2

Citation

Chicago Manual of Style

Dong, Lu, Shannon D. Donofry, Helin Hernandez, Jacobo Pereira-Pacheco, Nabeel Qureshi, Chloe Gomez, Mallika Bhandarkar, Deborah Kim, Nina V. Ozbardakci, and Amy L. Shearer, Evaluation of Los Angeles County Crisis Response Violence Intervention Program. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3826-2.html.
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This research was funded by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Office of Violence Prevention and conducted in the Social and Behavioral Policy Program within RAND Social and Economic Well-Being.

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

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