This document focuses on the overall effectiveness of the “Effectiveness Response to Strangulation” ordinance and strangulation protocol, and the achievements of specific protocol outcomes; it provides an overview of the Ordinance protocol and implementation, a discussion of the logic model and key events, and a detailed description of the research methodology and findings; the report also includes four appendixes.
This report provides an in-depth discussion of the research methodology and findings of a process evaluation that examined the Burleson Strangulation Ordinance (Ordinance), in order to document and refine program principles, goals, objectives, and expected outcomes. The full program evaluation of Ordinance consisted of three research phases: an evaluability assessment; a process evaluation; and an outcome evaluation. The purpose of the process evaluation was to examine the implementation of the strategy and the program’s fidelity to the Ordinance and strangulation protocol. There were seven central research questions that drove the process evaluation: is the strangulation protocol being implemented, operated, and managed as designed? What challenges have agencies faced when collecting and sharing data on intimate partner violence (IPV) strangulation? Is there a quality assurance and fidelity monitoring system in place to assess the operation of the Intervention? Is there enough agency financial, administrative, and technical support for the intervention? Has staff received adequate training related to the Intervention? Is there support for the initiative from other stakeholder organizations in the Strangulation Taskforce? And finally, are there formal or informal agreements with collaborating agencies to assist with the intervention? The report provides a detailed description of the process evaluation and mixed-methods research study that examined adherence to the Ordinance, and it lays out key findings, including that the Ordinance and strangulation protocol were adequately designed for implementing a coordinated response to IPVRS, training and educating first responders, and developing processes to enable emergency medical screenings for victims.