Eugene’s CAHOOTS program has had to put some of its services on hold.
CAHOOTS is best known for its mobile units that offer mental and behavioral health services to people in crisis. While those functions will continue uninterrupted, White Bird Clinic, which operates the service, says lower-level medical care such as giving oxygen or treating wounds will be unavailable for the time being.
Executive Director Jeremy Gates said the interruption is because their medical director’s contract ran out at the end of the year. Although they’ve lined up a new provider, it could take two to four weeks to finalize new agreements and register with the state. In the interim, other agencies will need to fill the gaps.
”For lack of a better term," Gates told KLCC, "we’re shifting that responsibility over to first responders of fire and EMS and police, and when we get our medical director contract in place, we can take some of those duties and responsibilities back on.”
Gates said many of their medics are trained in crisis response, so no shifts will be cut, and people can continue to call CAHOOTS through police non-emergency dispatch.
