Presentation to the NCSL Fiscal Analysts Seminar, October 2014 1
Results First in New Mexico Implementation Use of Results First in Work of LFC Lessons learned 2
Established in 1957 Non-partisan legislative staff Fiscal Analysts each assigned a block of agencies assist with budget recommendations Economists charged with revenue estimation Program Evaluators charged with ensuring accountability in government Part of the function of the LFC is to propose a comprehensive state budget. The Governor also proposes a comprehensive budget. New Mexico is one of five states in which both the governor and a legislative agency propose a comprehensive state budget to the full legislature. 3
Over the last three years the LFC has been developing a cost benefit model with assistance from the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative. With the model we can see which programs should work best in New Mexico. At the end of the day whether you want big or little government, you want government to do things that work. Gary VanLandingham 4
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Model housed in LFC Program Evaluation Unit 2 staff assigned to updating and maintaining model, conducting training and working with agencies (less than partial FTE) Populated data for all available policy areas Worked collaboratively with a number of state agencies Model vs. Approach MOU with some agencies to regularly update data and develop a working group for its use 6
Incorporating the approach to aid in budget and policy decisions child abuse, criminal justice, early education & behavioral health. Consumer reports Inventory existing programs. Prioritize funding for programs with a high likelihood of success. Budget and policy analysis Providing benchmarks for expected performance from evidence based programs that have already been implemented. Program evaluations More in depth evaluations to investigate if state is getting the results we expect to see 7
*LFC estimates, 2011 8
Cohort Total Trips=7074 Average Stay Per Trip=548 days Average Daily Cost=$92.89 FY11 Release Cohort Projected Cost= $360 million 95 percent of inmates will get out of prison. 5 out of every 10 inmates released from NMCD prisons will return within five years Some of them will return more than ten times after they are released. Inmates released from NMCD in FY11 will cost NM $360 million over the next 15 years Recidivism costs assuming no change in return to prison for just one cohort of offenders 9
Correctional Education in Prison (basic or post-secondary) Cognitive Behavioral Programs in Prison Correctional Industries in Prison Vocational Education in Prison Electronic monitoring* Drug Treatment in Community* Employment Training/Job Assistance in Community* Mental Health Courts Drug Treatment in Prison Drug Courts (adults) Intensive Supervision: Treatment* Intensive Supervision: Surveillance Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Programs* Total Benefit to Cost Ratio By Program Taxpayer Benefit to Cost Ratio ($5) $0 $5 $10 $15 $20 $25 $30 Non-Taxpayer Benefit to Cost Ratio 10
Forecasted Recidivism Reduction Results First: Current Program Cost Effectiveness - 14% - 12% - 10% - 8% - 6% - 4% Education in Prison Corrections Industries Electronic monitoring Vocational Education Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Employment Training Community Drug Treatment Drug Treatment in Prison Mental Health Courts Intensive Supervision With Treatment Drug Courts - 2% 0% Intensive Supervision Only 2% Perpetrator Treatment 4% 6% $0 $1,000 $2,000 $3,000 $4,000 $5,000 $6,000 $7,000 Source: LFC Files Cost per Participant 11
Percent of Inmates $300K in new license plate manufacturing equipment sat unused for over a year Corrections Industries: Percent of 10% eligible inmates employed 9% 8% 7.8% 7% 6% 5.4% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 3.3% 2.4% 0% Source: NMCD FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 PNM Tag Plant Facility, Santa Fe NM April 2012 12
percent reincarcerated In prison drug treatment program 75% of inmates have a drug addiction history Completion rate of 17.5% NM was spending over $2 million a year on TC 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Percent of Prisoners Reincarcerated within 36 months (2011) 51.6% 43.6% TC Graduates NMCD Source: NMCD 13
Drug Court Funding (in thousands) Number ofactive Program Participants 12000 11000 Drug Court Funding and Participant Levels FY09-FY14 1262 1247 1225 $11,022 $10,899 1300 1200 1100 10000 9000 $9,114 975 964 1008 1000 900 8000 $8,030 $8,492 800 7000 $7,574 700 6000 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 600 14
Therapeutic Communities have been discontinued and replaced with another evidence based practice A planned expansion of non-evidence based programs has been postponed pending evaluation Corrections Industries, which typically provides a positive ROI, were revitalized and the Legislature appropriated funds to the program in FY14 15
$3 million was appropriated to expand recidivism reduction programming including: $1.5 million for inmate education, estimated to reduce recidivism by almost 12 percent, $750 thousand for behavioral health services, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, estimated to reduce recidivism by 7 percent, and $750 thousand for community-based employment training and education. $950 thousand was appropriated to expand drug courts 16
Building the Results First approach requires resources and flexibility Strong interbranch communication and buy-in is essential Transitioning to evidence-based programs takes time Information needs to be clear and understandable for policymakers Presenting the results New approaches are often met with resistance or with skepticism. Be prepared for resistance Example the Lew Wallace quote: All calculations based on experience elsewhere, fail in New Mexico Continued clear communication is key. 17
Prison population and costs continue to rise Costs manageable in current fiscal environment in aggregate (about 10% of budget) Very high cost per offender Significant repeat costs per offender Compromised public safety Opportunities to reduce costs and increase safety through results focused policies and budgeting 18
Jon Courtney, PhD Program Evaluation Manager New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee (505) 986-4539 jon.courtney@nmlegis.gov Reports: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/lfc/lfcprogevalall.aspx 19