Eugene confronts sudden loss of CAHOOTS response as residents urge emergency funding

Mayor Knudson told the City Council on April 14 that the city had received notice from White Bird Clinic on March 25 that CAHOOTS would reduce services and lay off staff, and that White Bird and the city agreed to a mutual contract termination effective April 7, 2025. The mayor said the city is coordinating with Lane County Mobile Crisis Services and Eugene–Springfield Fire to maintain a mobile crisis response while the situation evolves.

The mayor told the meeting: "The city of Eugene did not initiate the discontinuation of CAHOOTS service within Eugene," and laid out a timeline showing the contract aligned with White Bird's notification. That announcement drew more than 80 speakers during a public-comment period that focused overwhelmingly on restoring CAHOOTS or funding an equivalent community crisis response.

Why it matters: CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets), operated by White Bird Clinic, has provided non‑police, trauma‑informed mobile crisis response in Eugene for decades. Multiple presenters and representatives of emergency services told the council that the program diverts people from emergency rooms and jails, provides transport and…