Following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, communities nationwide began reimagining traditional policing, leading to the creation of new models for responding to low-level incidents. This shift has extended to transit agencies, where rising homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health issues on transit systems, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in laws, have increased operational challenges. In response, many agencies have developed ambassador, outreach, or crisis response programs to address these issues without relying solely on police.

These programs vary widely in structure, goals, and funding, making it crucial to measure their effectiveness. As funding remains uncertain, understanding what strategies improve public safety, operations, and ridership is essential.

This project aims to create a blueprint for evaluating the effectiveness of ambassador, outreach, and crisis response programs in addressing homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health challenges on transit systems. The research will provide standardized measures of effectiveness for different program models and help agencies improve their impact and secure sustainable funding.