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CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets)

Mobile crisis intervention program integrated into the public safety system in two communities in Oregon

CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets), supported by the non-profit White Bird Clinic, is a mobile crisis intervention team integrated into the public safety system of the cities of Eugene and Springfield, Oregon.

Begun in 1989, it is based on a non-policing model to respond to a broad range of non-criminal crises, including homelessness, intoxication, disorientation, substance use and mental illness problems, and dispute resolution, and is a free service to individuals and the community. First responders are mental health workers, not police.

CAHOOTS provides a broad range of services including, but not limited to:

  • crisis intervention
  • counseling
  • mediation
  • information and referral
  • transportation to social services
  • first aid
  • basic-level emergency medical care

CAHOOTS is not designed to respond to violent situations or life-threatening medical emergencies.

Pilot programs are now being implemented in other parts of the nation. More details on the history and design of the program can be found here. Self-reported evaluation data can be found here. 

CAHOOTS handled 17 percent of the police calls in Eugene, Oregon.

Continuum of Care
Treatment
Harm Reduction
Type of Evidence
Report with evaluation
Replicated
Response Approach
Crisis intervention
Diversion
Early Intervention
Related Resources
RxStat: A Public Health and Public Safety Collaboration for Responding to Problem Drug Use at the Municipal/County Level
Responding to Individuals in Behavioral Health Crisis Via Co-Responder Models: The Roles of Cities, Counties, Law Enforcement, and Providers
Choice Matters: Housing Models that May Promote Recovery for Individuals and Families Facing Opioid Use Disorder
Law Enforcement Efforts to Fight the Opioid Crisis
Building Successful Partnerships between Law Enforcement and Public Health Agencies to Address Opioid Use
Ten Standards of Care: Policing and the Opioid Crisis
Recovery Coaches in Opioid Use Disorder Care
Opioid Recovery Initiation: Pilot Test of a Peer Outreach and Modified Recovery Management Checkup Intervention for Out-of-Treatment Opioid Users
Law Enforcement Pre-Arrest Diversion Resource Guide

Evidence of Program Effectiveness

From the 2020 Media Guide:

"In 2019, CAHOOTS saved roughly $14 million in emergency medical systems costs...In 2019, CAHOOTS responded to 24,000 calls for assistance, and of these only 150 calls required backup from the police department...The most common types of calls diverted to CAHOOTS from the police are welfare checks (32.5% of all CAHOOTS calls), public assistance (66.3%), and transportation to services (34.8%). Some of these crisis responses involve more than one call type."

“Cahoots now has 39 employees and costs the city around $800,000 a year plus its vehicles, a fraction of the police department’s $58 million annual budget. They are also paid to handle calls for neighboring Springfield…In 2017, Cahoots handled 17 percent of the police calls in Eugene.” Reported in news article