CAHOOTS, which stands for Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets, is ending its services in Eugene after laying off many of its workers two weeks prior and drastic budget cuts, announced by White Bird Clinic.
Service hours for the CAHOOTS and Crisis programs were set to reduce to one shift per week on April 7, but things took a turn when it was announced on the same day that its services would no longer be available in the city of Eugene.
After a budget shortfall of $11.5 million in the city of Eugene, CAHOOTS introduced drastic budget cuts and additional financial issues led to employee layoffs.
Services will continue to operate in Springfield and its crisis hotline seven days a week. Those in need of mobile crisis services in Eugene are directed to contact the Mobile Crisis Services of Lane County.
CAHOOTS provides mobile crisis response and transportation to stabilization units or immediate stabilization in cases of urgent medical needs. They respond to certain non-emergency calls that involve behavioral health and homelessness in addition to other services.
A town hall meeting for CAHOOTS is scheduled for April 10 at 6 p.m. to research and discuss the service’s impact it has on the community and the challenges it faces, as well as a Q&A with presenters and attendees.
coyote • Apr 9, 2025 at 1:22 pm
This is very disturbing and brings up some serious questions about the possible undermining / sabotaging of CAHOOTS services by the Lane County Department of Behavioral Health. Perhaps this would be a good assignment for someone with Investigative Reporting skills. The timing is suspect and the lack of funding seems to be a typical bureaucratic version of the “shell and pea” game. There is more to this story than meets the eye.