White Bird Health Clinic is partnering with Eugene's Community Supported Shelters to provide a temporary shelter for people in mental health crisis. It's at the Roosevelt Safe Spot, a rest stop for the homeless.
White Bird runs an emergency response team, CAHOOTS. When people are having a mental health crisis, the team helps them figure out how to get help and often where to go. Ben Brubaker is a crisis worker and volunteer coordinator at White Bird.
Brubaker: "There really is a severe lack of emergency shelter options. Shelter options in general in this area. And there is a severe crunch statewide on mental health bed placements."
White Bird is partnering with Community Supported Shelters, which builds micro-houses called Conestoga Huts. A hut at Roosevelt Safe Spot will provide a short term home where individuals can recover from crisis. It will be jointly managed by White Bird, Community Supported Shelters and residents.