Crystal Meth Initiative Evaluation Final Report

CRYSTAL METH INITIATIVE EVALUATION FINAL REPORT

PREPARED BY

3615 HARDING AVENUE, SUITE 509 HONOLULU, HI 96816 (808) 739 -1992 WWW.TCGOC.COM

DECEMBER 31, 2009

Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 2 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Crystal Meth Initiative Grant-Making ........................................................................................ 6 Project Evaluation ....................................................................................................................... 6 Methods........................................................................................................................................... 8 Meetings ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Data Review ................................................................................................................................ 8 Issue Review ............................................................................................................................... 9 HCF Staff Interviews ................................................................................................................ 10 Grantee Online Survey.............................................................................................................. 10 Grantee Site Visits and Interviews ............................................................................................ 11 Stakeholder Interviews.............................................................................................................. 14 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Data Review .............................................................................................................................. 15 Award Amount and Number of Grant Awards and Types ................................................... 15 Law Enforcement Component .............................................................................................. 16 Prevention Component.......................................................................................................... 18 Treatment Component .......................................................................................................... 20 Issue Review ............................................................................................................................. 21 Meth Addiction ..................................................................................................................... 21 Hawai‗i‘s Crystal Meth Landscape Prior to the Implementation of HCF‘s Initiative .......... 22 Current Crystal Meth Landscape in Hawai‗i ........................................................................ 24 Meth (and Other Drugs) Remain a Significant Concern ...................................................... 25 HCF Staff Interviews ................................................................................................................ 26 Grantee Online Survey.............................................................................................................. 29 Grantee Site Visits and Interviews ............................................................................................ 37 Law Enforcement Site Visits/Interviews .............................................................................. 37 Prevention Site Visits/Interviews .......................................................................................... 39 Prevention Grantee Participant Interviews ........................................................................... 41 Treatment Site Visits/Interviews........................................................................................... 43 Treatment Grantee Participant Interviews ............................................................................ 47 Stakeholder Interviews.............................................................................................................. 49 Limitations of the Findings ........................................................................................................... 52 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 53 General Questions ..................................................................................................................... 53 Law Enforcement Questions ..................................................................................................... 55 Prevention Questions ................................................................................................................ 57 Treatment Questions ................................................................................................................. 58 Summary and Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 59 References ..................................................................................................................................... 62 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 64

The Catalyst Group, LLC

2

Crystal Meth Initiative Evaluation Report

Executive Summary The following report summarizes the results of evaluation efforts conducted for the Hawai‗i Community Foundation (HCF), Crystal Meth Initiative, which began in 2003. The evaluation effort was led by Dr. Richard Kim and his research team at The Catalyst Group, LLC (TCG).

Evaluation of the initiative began on August 28, 2009 and ended on December 31, 2009. The initiative was funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (DOJ/COPS). This report includes findings from grantee data collected by HCF (data review), literature and media reviews, HCF staff interviews, grantee online survey, grantee site visits and participant interviews, and stakeholder interviews.

Data was provided to TCG from HCF including DOJ/COPS Grant Award Binders, Grantee and Contract Files, and grantee database files. The issue review utilized scientific literature as well as local newspapers for the media review. TCG interviewed seven stakeholders in Hawai‗i who have a working knowledge and understanding of and/or expertise in Hawaii‘s crystal meth epidemic as well as general substance abuse issues in the state. A total of 20 grantee site visits and interviews were conducted throughout the state with representation from O‗ahu, Kaua‗i County, Maui County, West Hawai‗i, and East Hawai‗i as well as law enforcement, prevention, and treatment components. TCG also interviewed four current HCF staff members, including the vice-president of programs and program officers who was involved in the Initiative since the beginning. Finally, an online survey was developed by TCG and disseminated to grantees through e-mail allowing all grantees to provide input about the initiative.

In summary, the current data suggests that the HCF Crystal Meth Initiative was successful in addressing growing concerns about the use and spread of crystal methamphetamine, otherwise known as crystal meth or ―ice,‖ in Hawai‗i. Majority of grantees and participants as well as staff and stakeholders agreed that Hawai‗i‘s meth problem needed to be addressed and acknowledged the three-pronged, holistic approach targeting law enforcement, prevention, and treatment as a unique and innovative key factor that contributed to the overall success of the Initiative. Overall, there was a feeling that significant positive impacts were collectively made across communities in the state as a result of this effort.

Evidence suggests that the communities across the state are safer with less meth on the streets, many meth dealers in prisons, and meth addicts in treatment as a result of various law enforcement efforts. With the Initiative funding, law enforcement agencies were able to develop more efficient and effective operations as they received additional staff, training, and equipment.

Overall, meth-related arrests, incarcerations, and seizures indicate that law enforcement agencies had strategic plans that they were able to successfully implement targeting users and dealers in the communities. Through community awareness of law enforcement efforts, communities started to trust law enforcement more as they felt government was making a significant effort to address the meth problem.

As for prevention, in addition to increasing the amount of prevention programs available in the community, there were also increases in partnerships, community collaboration, coalition building, and greater awareness of meth use. Grantees targeted mostly youth in school-based activities that resulted in improved life skills, better relationships with their peers and families and improvements in school attendance and grades. While most of the funds received from

The Catalyst Group, LLC

3

Crystal Meth Initiative Evaluation Report

prevention grants were spent on implementing program activities, some grant funds were used for media projects that resulted in bringing massive attention and awareness to the problem of meth in the communities.

The impact of treatment grants was the increased ability to provide substance abuse treatment and related services to an increased number of clients through HCF grant funding. Grantees established new programs and expanded or enhanced existing programs. They improved the quality of services by sending staff to trainings to learn about the latest developments in the treatment field, integrating evidence-based practices with cultural healing practices, and there were more opportunities for community collaborations for the benefit of the clients. In addition to the direct services, treatment grantees also worked to increase awareness of resources available within the community. Anecdotally, grantees and participants report lower substance use and recidivism rates, better understanding of their addiction, improved mental health, increased life skills, and reunification with their families. Many of them also become productive members of the society by engaging in employment, volunteering, and attending school.

There were several barriers or obstacles that may have prevented maximum success of the Initiative. Law enforcement had to deal with lengthy procurement policies to create new positions or purchase equipment. Prevention grantees mentioned issues regarding recruiting participants, reaching out and engaging family members, internal staff turnover, increased or unexpected expenses, state furloughs, and lack outcomes data and systematic evaluation of impact. Treatment grantees felt that start up issues, increasing cost of living, staffing issues, referral issues, lack of space at facilities, housing, and recent downturn in economy were some of the challenges. Despite these various barriers and obstacles encountered, findings reveal that grantees did an exceptional job in impacting the meth problem across the communities in the state.

While significant challenges occurred throughout this evaluation effort, particularly with limitations of the methodology, limited time, and lack of systematic outcome data, there appear to be remarkable consistency and consensus across various data and information gathered: 1. Crystal meth was a significant problem in Hawai‗i around the beginning of HCF‘s Initiative.

2. The ―all out effort‖ put forth by the government (federal, state, local), community-based organizations, and grass roots movement, along with various funding and ―initiatives‖, including the HCF Crystal Meth Initiative, did make a significant positive impact across the communities in the state.

3. However, it is not possible to attribute the positive findings to the HCF Initiative specifically.

4. While there are positive trends and the state has improved capacity, the problem has not gone away and therefore, continued vigilance and work toward these efforts will need to be sustained.

The Catalyst Group, LLC

4

Crystal Meth Initiative Evaluation Report