Community and System Advocate Perspectives on Extreme Risk Protection Order Implementation: Qualitative Lessons on Client Context, Professionalization, and Equity

Community and system-based (eg, civil legal) advocates can play a critical role in the implementation of extreme risk protection orders (ERPO); however, the novelty of ERPO laws impedes understanding of their implementation in these settings. As most ERPO laws are based on Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO), we explored how the implementation of DVPOs by system and community advocates can inform recommendations for advocate involvement in ERPO implementation. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 9 community and system-based advocates involved in DVPO implementation in the 1970s-1990s. We used narrative inquiry to identify strengths and concerns with DVPO implementation, then applied lessons learned to potential implications for ERPOs. Three lessons arose, with corresponding ERPO implications. First, advocates evaluated individual context before offering options, including protection orders. Participants suggested ERPO advocates should be prepared to offer wraparound services in addition to or instead of an ERPO, if contraindicated. Second, the “professionalization” of the role of advocates affected how they served clients. Participants recommended professional development opportunities for those with lived experience of firearm-related harm. Third, advocates were well-positioned to anticipate and identify inequities in DVPO implementation. Participants suggested an evaluation system be developed to monitor for any potential inequities in ERPO implementation. The insights from participants in this study, situated in historical context, offer ERPO researchers, implementers, and policymakers a unique opportunity to ensure that ERPO implementation aligns with its legislative intent of preventing firearm tragedies and proactively address and prevent potential unintended consequences of ERPOs.