This paper was presented at AEA 2012, and compared the state-level evaluations in RI and Texas for a national project dealing with jail diversion and trauma recovery with a priority for military veterans. Authors are John Stevenson and Stacey Manser. Paper Abstract: This paper examines how evaluation of “trauma-specific interventions” has proceeded in two states that are part of a larger multi-state project providing various forms of trauma-informed care to justice-involved veterans as they enter the criminal justice system. Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, the Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery Program-Priority to Veterans grant program calls for each state to employ interventions aimed at trauma, along with other supports, as a way to “divert” arrested individuals from the usual sentencing and incarceration. Although the primary focus of the cross-site evaluation is on client outcomes, in this paper we provide observations and insights regarding the nature of the interventions (TAMAR in RI and Seeking Safety in TX) and the issues raised by addressing the fidelity and isolating the effects of the “treatment” across the sites in this large-scale national project.#Treatmentfidelity #2012Conference #Diversion #Alcohol,DrugAbuse,andMentalHealth #CrimeandJustice