Eugene officials, residents press to restore CAHOOTS after White Bird ends contract

Mayor Knudson told the Eugene City Council on April 14 that the city did not initiate the termination of the contract that supported the CAHOOTS mobile crisis response team and that White Bird notified the city on March 25 it would reduce services and lay off staff, prompting a mutual contract termination effective April 7.

The termination left a gap in Eugene’s non-police crisis response and prompted a lengthy public comment period in which more than 80 people, including clinicians, CAHOOTS workers and people with lived experience, urged the council to restore or immediately fund CAHOOTS. Residents said the program saves lives and cannot be replaced by the county’s new mobile crisis service alone.

Why it matters: CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets), operated historically through the White Bird Clinic in partnership with the City of Eugene, has been cited as a national model for non-police crisis response. Councilors and multiple public speakers said the program’s combination of crisis counseling, medical triage, transportation and housing navigation is not matched by the county’s mobile crisis teams.

Mayor Knudson summarized the sequence that led to the change: after White Bird’s March 25 notice of layoffs, the city and White Bird agreed on a mutual contract termination effective April 7. “I just want to clarify that the city of Eugene did not initiate the discontinuation of CAHOOTS service within Eugene,” the mayor said, urging clarity while the city and partners worked to ensure continued access to Lane County Mobile Crisis Services.

Public speakers described urgent, on-the-ground consequences. Rebecca Hill, an adult mental health peer support specialist, told the council, “Thousands of lives have been saved in this community by CAHOOTS.” A CAHOOTS worker said the team’s work “saves money every time we resolve someone’s needs without taking them to the hospital,” arguing the service prevents higher-cost emergency responses.

Council response and budget context Councilors expressed support for CAHOOTS but said the situation is complex and tied to contracts and budget limits. Councilor Groves said the city budgeted nearly $2 million for CAHOOTS this year — approximately $1.5 million from the general fund, $250,000 from the Community Safety Initiative (CSI) tax, plus vehicle support — and urged ongoing community engagement to stabilize White Bird and CAHOOTS staff.

Councilor Clark emphasized the distinction between the city’s funding and White Bird’s operational choice. “We didn’t fire White Bird. They quit,” Clark said, urging the community to focus on resolving White Bird’s internal challenges while city leaders evaluate options.

Several councilors noted that Lane County’s Mobile Crisis Services exist and are being coordinated with Eugene Springfield Fire, but multiple public commenters and a councilor with mental-health and legal experience said county services do not provide the same scope — for example, transportation or response when medical issues or substance use are present.

Public testimony and evidence presented Speakers included family caregivers, clinicians, shelter staff, union representatives and CAHOOTS employees. The council heard repeated examples of CAHOOTS responding to suicidal crises, providing transportation to psychiatric care, de-escalating situations in libraries and businesses, and enabling emergency services to cover other calls. A Portland State University–linked survey and other local evaluations were repeatedly referenced by speakers as evidence of the program’s effectiveness.

No formal council decision on a new contract or emergency funding was recorded during the meeting. Instead, councilors pledged to continue investigating options. Councilor Yeh said she would “continue to work to understand the situation and what the options are that the city has,” and Councilor Keating emphasized the need for transparency about any actions and timing.

What happens next Council discussion indicated multiple parallel tracks: (1) local conversations to identify emergency or bridge funding options; (2) coordination with Lane County’s Mobile Crisis Services to maintain coverage; and (3) outreach to CAHOOTS workers and White Bird representatives about restoring service. No final vote or appropriation was made at the April 14 meeting.

Residents and CAHOOTS supporters in the room urged the council to include CAHOOTS in the upcoming city budget and to prioritize a short-term reinstatement while negotiating longer-term arrangements. The mayor and several councilors acknowledged the urgency and said they would continue working with county and CAHOOTS stakeholders.

Ending: The immediate outlook remained uncertain at adjournment. Councilors said they would pursue additional information and options; residents urged immediate city action to reinstate CAHOOTS or equivalent coverage for mental-health crisis response.