0920-1419(24II) Law Enforcement Perspectives on Homelessness and Overdos

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
OMB No: 0920-1419
Exp. Date: 10/31/2026
The public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated at 10
minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering, and maintaining the data needed, and completing
and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor,
and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this
burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer, 1600
Clifton Road NW, MS D-74, Atlanta, GA 30333; Attn: PRA (0920-1419).
Project overview: The Overdose Response Strategy and U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention are doing a study about overdose among people experiencing
homelessness. The goal of the study is to improve services for people experiencing
homelessness who use drugs. We are interested in hearing from law enforcement
who work in communities where homelessness is common. We are interested in your
opinion. There are no right or wrong answers.
Risks and Discomforts: You will be asked about your experiences and perspectives.
There may be some questions you do not want to answer.
Benefits: There is no direct benefit to you for participating in this study. The
information you give us will help improve services for people experiencing
homelessness who use drugs. This includes helping law enforcement feel more
informed and better prepared when serving people experiencing homelessness who
use drugs. Findings from this study could lead to fewer overdoses in your
community.
Compensation: This survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. You will
not be compensated for your time.
Confidentiality: Your individual responses will be confidential and anonymous. Your
name and agency will never be linked to your responses.
Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal from the Study: Participation is voluntary.
You may stop the survey at any time without penalty. You may skip questions that
you do not wish to answer.
Contact Information
Contact the project lead at 470-851-6012 if you have any questions about this
project or your part in it.
If you agree to participate in the survey, check this box.

* Do you agree to participate in the survey?
I consent to participate in the survey.

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
How many years have you been working in law enforcement? (Please only enter number of
years).

In what state is your office located?

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
In what ZIP code is your office located? (Enter 5-digit ZIP code; for example, 00544 or 94305.
You may leave this field blank if you prefer not to answer.)

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
In what U.S. region is your office located?
Northeast (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, and Vermont)
Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin)
South (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West
Virginia)
West (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming)

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
What is your role?
Commissioner
Police chief
Sheriff
Deputy sheriff, patrol officer, or trooper
Sergeant, lieutenant, or other supervisory role
Detective or investigator
Other (please specify)

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
Within the last 3 months, about how many times did you respond to a call for service
involving a person experiencing homelessness who uses drugs?

Within the past 3 months, how frequently did the following outcomes occur during your field
encounters with persons experiencing homelessness who use drugs:

Never
EMS arrived on
scene
Arrest or citation
Encampment was
cleared
Person was
relocated
Person was referred
to services
Bystanders were
referred to services
Law enforcement
administered or left
behind naloxone
(Narcan)
No action taken

About 10%
of the time

About 25%
of the time

About 50%
of the time

About 75%
of the time

About 90%
of the time

Always

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
Does your department have a policy that guides field encounters with people experiencing
homelessness who use drugs?
Yes
No
Unsure
Explain if unsure

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
Does your department have a community outreach or emergency response team to respond to
calls for service involving people experiencing homelessness?
Yes
No
Unsure
Explain if unsure

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
Who is on this team? Check all that apply:
Officers
Peer navigators
Social workers
Clinicians
Other (please specify)

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being almost no knowledge and 5 being very knowledgeable, please
select the response that best represents your current level of knowledge about each of the
following programs or services for people experiencing homelessness who use drugs.
1: Almost no
knowledge

Housing programs
with few, if any,
preconditions to
entry (e.g.,
abstinence)
Substance use
disorder treatment
that incorporates
harm reduction,
walk-in services, and
same-day
medication initiation
Sanctioned
encampments or
encampment
resolution programs
(e.g., programs that
resolve
encampments by
assessing individual
needs, connecting to
services, and
providing safe,
stable, and dignified
housing)
Naloxone
distribution or leave
behind
Drug-checking
services (i.e., harm
reduction practice in
which people check
to see if drugs
contain certain
substances)
Homeless
outreach/response
teams
Deflection/pre-arrest
diversion

2: A little
knowledge

3: Somewhat
4:
5: Very
Prefer not to
knowledgeable Knowledgeable knowledgeable
answer

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
In response to calls for service involving people experiencing homelessness who use drugs,
on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree, to what
extent do you disagree/agree that law enforcement should:

1: Strongly
disagree
Dispatch a homeless
outreach/response
team as opposed to
law enforcement if
there is no acute
safety issue
Refer to treatment
or case management
if there is no
probable cause for
arrest
Refer to naloxone
services if there is
no probable cause
for arrest
Refer to treatment
or case management
in lieu of arrest
Clear a homeless
encampment, if
applicable
Make an arrest for
unlawful sleeping,
camping, eating,
sitting, or
panhandling in
public spaces, if
applicable
Administer naloxone
in the event of an
overdose
Distribute or leave
behind naloxone to
people experiencing
homelessness who
use drugs

2: Disagree

3: Neither
agree nor
disagree

4: Agree

5: Strongly
agree

I don't
know

Prefer not
to answer

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree, please rate to
what extent you disagree/agree with the following statements based on your personal and
professional experience with people experiencing homelessness who use drugs. There are no
right or wrong answers. Please feel comfortable sharing your views.

1: Strongly
disagree
Persons
experiencing
homelessness who
are addicted to
drugs are usually
responsible for their
own condition.
Those who become
homeless and
addicted to drugs
are those who lack
the work ethic
needed to get
“clean” and find
housing.
Those experiencing
homelessness who
are addicted to
drugs are selfharming persons
who exacerbate
(make worse) their
own condition.
Treating persons
experiencing
homelessness who
are addicted to
drugs seems futile
(incapable of
producing any useful
result).
Full recovery from
drug addiction is
impossible.
Most people who
become homeless
and addicted to
drugs stay homeless
and addicted to
drugs for life.
I am going to need
more training before
I would feel
confident to refer
someone

2: Disagree

3: Neither
agree nor
disagree

4: Agree

5: Strongly
agree

I don't
know

Prefer not
to answer

experiencing
homelessness to
drug treatment or
social services.
I know very little
about how to refer
someone
experiencing
homelessness to
drug treatment or
social services.
I would be able to
respond effectively
to someone who asks
for drug treatment
or social services.

Law enforcement perspectives on homelessness and overdose
Have you received training in the past two years on how to help people experiencing
homelessness reduce overdose risk?
Yes
No

Are you interested in receiving future trainings on how to help people experiencing
homelessness reduce overdose risk?
Yes
No

What barriers would or does your department face in helping reduce overdose among people
experiencing homelessness? Check all that apply.
Lack of funding
No departmental policy about helping reduce overdose among people experiencing homelessness (e.g.,
making referrals to drug treatment or case management, naloxone administration or distribution, etc.)
Lack of access to naloxone to administer or distribute
Lack of services (e.g., treatment, case management, social services, etc.) in the community to connect
people to
Lack of homeless outreach/response team in our community
Lack of training in how to help reduce overdose among people experiencing homelessness
People experiencing homelessness refuse offers to be helped
Homelessness is not perceived as a priority issue in our community
Overdose among people experiencing homelessness is not perceived as a priority issue in our community
Stigma toward people experiencing homelessness who use drugs
Other (please specify)

What support from public health, policymakers, or other law enforcement agencies would
help you address the needs of people experiencing homelessness who use drugs?

Is there anything else you’d like us to know or that you would recommend to help reduce
overdose among people experiencing homelessness?