Think Out Loud

Mobile crisis response program draws national attention but still struggles with funding

By Allison Frost (OPB)
June 2, 2021 1:54 p.m. Updated: June 2, 2021 1:53 p.m.

Broadcast: Wednesday, June 2

For more than 30 years, Eugene's CAHOOTS mobile crisis response program has been run by the White Bird Clinic, pictured here and shared by WBC.

For more than 30 years, Eugene's CAHOOTS mobile crisis response program has been run by the White Bird Clinic, pictured here and shared by WBC.

Courtesy of White Bird Clinic

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For more than 30 years, Eugene’s CAHOOTS program has been in place for situations that don’t need an armed police response, like mental health crises, overdoses and homelessness. Once dispatched, workers go to the location of someone in crisis and determine how they can connect the person with social services or other resources they need. The program has gotten a lot of national attention this year, and the model has been an inspiration for cities across the country, including Portland. But full funding for these responses remains elusive. We talk with CAHOOTS Director Ebony Morgan about her local and national advocacy to fully fund these efforts and what it takes to peacefully and successfully intervene in a crisis.

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