White Bird Clinic has reached a settlement with a rival non-profit it sued over copyright infringement and the stealing of trade secrets.
After White Bird shut down CAHOOTS services in Eugene last year, several workers there helped found Willamette Valley Crisis Care, with the goal of launching a similar mobile crisis intervention service.
In November, White Bird filed a lawsuit against WVCC and one of its co-founders, Alese “Dandy” Colehour.
White Bird accused Colehour of downloading client information, training manuals, and other materials, minutes before resigning from their position at White Bird.
It also claimed WVCC had infringed on the CAHOOTS trademark and tried to pass off the clinic’s services as its own.
Now, a court filing last week shows the parties have reached an agreement.
In a joint statement that White Bird emailed to KLCC, the non-profits said WVCC has taken steps to clarify that it’s a separate organization.
They said WVCC has affirmed it hadn't possessed or used White Bird’s “confidential information, client records, training materials, or intellectual property.”
"White Bird Clinic and Willamette Valley Crisis Care are committed to protecting client confidentiality, community trust, and the integrity of their independent programs," read the statement.
Currently, White Bird continues to operate CAHOOTS services in Springfield.
Earlier this year, WVCC applied for funding meant to help fill gaps created by the shuttering of CAHOOTS in Eugene. But the city ultimately selected a different organization for the contract.
WVCC said in April that it was “regrouping and preparing to vision a new role in the community safety ecosystem."
