In a recent announcement, the City of Eugene has signaled a shift in its approach to mobile crisis response, marking the end of White Bird Clinic's CAHOOTS program services within Eugene city boundaries. Since yesterday, residents facing a crisis will no longer be able to summon the assistance of CAHOOTS teams they've grown accustomed to over the years, as budgetary constraints forced the clinic to withdraw its services. According to the City of Eugene's official statement, the city and White Bird Clinic will keep their lines of communication open, looking to potential future collaborations that adapt to the evolving needs of Eugene's populace.
In place of the former CAHOOTS service, Eugene's community members are now directed to seek assistance from another provider—Mobile Crisis Services of Lane County (MCS-LC). Those in need can access the necessary support by calling or texting 988 or the 24/7 Lane County Crisis Line at 541-682-1001 or even dialing 911. However, MCS-LC does not provide certain functions previously covered by CAHOOTS, such as welfare checks, transport, and managing housing crises.
Despite the changes, CAHOOTS services will remain available to Springfield residents from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Moreover, White Bird Clinic has reassured the community that its dedication to finding viable solutions for mobile crisis response is unwavering.
Meanwhile, White Bird Clinic continues to run other programs that provide comprehensive, integrated services. Open during usual business hours from Monday to Friday, these include the White Bird Medical Clinic, White Bird Dental Clinic, Harm Reduction and Treatment Center, Chrysalis Behavioral Health Outpatient Services, White Bird Clinic Mental Health Counseling, Navigation Empowerment Services Team (NEST), and Helping Out Our Teens in Schools (HOOTS).
