White Bird鈥檚 CAHOOTS program, which provides services to people in crisis, will no longer serve the city of Eugene.
Employees of impending cuts for months, and White Bird to two shifts a week: Fridays and Saturdays.
But on Monday, the organization and the City of Eugene issued a joint press release announcing they didn鈥檛 have the financial capacity to continue providing CAHOOTS in Eugene, and that service was ending immediately. CAHOOTS, which stands for Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets, will continue to be available in Springfield from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
The announcement is a stunning development for a service , especially in the wake of the social justice protests that followed the 2020 murder of George Floyd, which renewed about the role of armed officers in responding to mental health crises.
In 2021, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to try to replicate the model nationwide. That same year, White Bird to help other communities create similar services.
Despite the immediate discontinuation of CAHOOTS in Eugene, officials urged people experiencing or witnessing a mental health crisis to continue to reach out for help.
鈥淗ow you access service, really, doesn鈥檛 change,鈥� Eugene Springfield Fire Chief Mike Caven told KLCC. 鈥淔requency of availability, or the type of resources that鈥檚 going to go to mitigate that call might be different until we get things stabilized and figured out for the long term. But, if you call non-emergency, crisis line, or 911, the safety net鈥檚 still there.鈥�
He said is available, though they may not be able to provide some services that CAHOOTS covered, like transportation, and housing assistance.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the sudden pivot from White Bird鈥檚 plan to continue CAHOOTS services in Eugene two days a week, to the announcement that it was ending immediately. As recently as last Thursday, White Bird told KLCC the twice-weekly shifts would continue. When the city and White Bird鈥檚 joint press release was issued Monday afternoon, White Bird鈥檚 website still listed the Friday and Saturday schedule. The website to reflect the complete cessation of services in Eugene.
White Bird鈥檚 interim executive director Am茅e Markwardt was unavailable for interviews Monday afternoon, but is scheduled to speak with KLCC Tuesday morning.
In the news release, Markwardt said the organization was committed to exploring solutions to restore CAHOOTS.
鈥淲e recognize the impact these changes have on both our staff and the people who rely on CAHOOTS in times of crisis,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hite Bird will continue advocating for investment in mental health services and crisis response to ensure that those in need receive the care and support they deserve. This is a time for our community to come together to find sustainable funding solutions that allow essential programs like CAHOOTS to thrive.鈥�