For over thirty years, the Eugene Police Department has collaborated with the local, mobile, crisis intervention program CAHOOTS. The partnership, considered a national model, was just bolstered by federal funding to buy and equip two new transit vans.
Staffed by White Bird Clinic personnel, CAHOOTS is credited for de-escalating thousands of crisis calls each year. Demand for their services has doubled since 2014, according to the department.
Police Chief Chris Skinner said police dispatch CAHOOTS for on-site intervention when someone has done nothing criminal but is in clear crisis on the streets.
“When CAHOOTS arrives, the way they look, the way they approach a particular call, has a tendency to de-escalate and have a calming effect,” he said, “which then turns into a better opportunity to get them the help they need.”
Two new transit vans will be purchased with a $200,000 grant awarded to EPD through Congressionally Directed Spending funds. U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley were instrumental in achieving the funding, EPD said.
CAHOOTS stands for Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets. The relationship between the EPD and CAHOOTS has proven to be a successful model of collaboration between law enforcement and crisis health services.
CAHOOTS personnel often provide initial contact and transport for people who are intoxicated, mentally ill, or disoriented and provide assistance for necessary non-emergency medical care.
The following is a quote from a Case Study on CAHOOTS by Vera.org, the “CAHOOTS teams deliver person-centered interventions and make referrals to behavioral health supports and services without the uniforms, sirens, and handcuffs that can exacerbate feelings of distress for people in crisis.
They reduce unnecessary police contacts and allow police to spend more time on crime-related matters. Eugene police may also request assistance if they arrive on-scene and determine that a CAHOOTS team can help resolve the situation.”
