City of Springfield Adjusts CAHOOTS Service Hours to Meet Peak Community Needs

Starting July 2024, the City of Springfield is adjusting the hours for CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets) services to better align with peak community needs. CAHOOTS will now be available in the field from 11:00am to 11:00pm, seven days a week.

Reason for Change
Lane County is in the process of establishing a 24/7 Mobile Crisis Services team, which will supplement and expand community-based behavioral health crisis care. This initiative, required for all counties statewide, is anticipated to pilot later this summer or fall. While Lane County has historically funded 12 hours of CAHOOTS services daily, the development of the new program has led to a temporary funding gap. Consequently, CAHOOTS availability will be limited to the 12 hours when it is most needed by our community.

Impact on Community
By scheduling CAHOOTS services from 11:00am to 11:00pm, the City of Springfield aims to ensure that the service is available during the times of highest demand. During the hours CAHOOTS isn’t available, the Springfield Police Department (SPD) will triage service requests and provide the best available response. This may include directing individuals to resources like the 988 crisis line, White Bird crisis line, or utilizing police response if appropriate.

Commitment to Partnership
The City of Springfield and SPD continue to value the partnership with White Bird CAHOOTS. The City is committed to maintaining funding for 12 hours of service daily throughout the upcoming fiscal year, starting July 1, 2024.

Lane County Mobile Crisis Services of Lane County
The County’s efforts are intended to expand the overall level of crisis response in Springfield and across the county. Until the county program is fully operational, our access to CAHOOTS will focus on the hours when it is most needed. The City is in close communication with Lane County and will provide regular updates on the new program’s progress and any changes.

For further information, please contact:
Elyse Ditzel, Public Information Officer
City Manager’s Office
541-726-3635 | publicaffairs@springfield-or.gov