"We meet people where they are."

September 30, 2020 8:49 PM

CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) is a non-law-enforcement crisis response team in Oregon that has been in operation for thirty years.
posted by queen anne's remorse (8 comments total)

I will say, growing up in Eugene and then venturing out into the Big City, it still boggles me each time CAHOOTS is pointed to as a new and novel thing. Not that it isn't, apparently, but it's like going to New York and hearing "You heard about this experimental ambulance program? I hear it has some real promising results!" while I'm over here going "... wait, what were you doing before this? What are you doing now?!?"

Which, I guess it is that novel. And that's utterly terrifying to me.
posted by CrystalDave at 9:18 PM on September 30, 2020 [4 favorites]

I was recently at a training where CAHOOTS was represented and there but was basically the most reactionary/status-quo option being presented for responding to people in mental-health crises and it was glorious. I do think CAHOOTS does good work, but even the guy representing them said that he hoped they'd become obsolete because other non-government/non-law-enforcement agencies would ramp up and take over.
posted by lapis at 10:10 PM on September 30, 2020 [2 favorites]

(They are officially not law enforcement, but they share a radio and their whereabouts and dispatch and such with law enforcement. Guy on the training made it sound like it was mainly to re-assure law enforcement they were ok and didn't need anyone to come in guns-blazing, which I appreciate, but they also do call in law enforcement if they think they need them. So I don't think this is an entirely LE-free option.)
posted by lapis at 10:12 PM on September 30, 2020 [2 favorites]

Another participant on the training, Asantewaa Boykin, is the co-founder of MH First, which is truly committed to non-LE solutions. I was really inspired by the general guiding principle of "What's the next thing you need to be safe? How can we get that for you?"
posted by lapis at 10:22 PM on September 30, 2020 [3 favorites]

I live in Eugene and work at the public library. I’ve seen CAHOOTS work magic with our vulnerable patrons and community members who need assistance to various degrees and for whom the police are not the best choice as helpers. I’m very proud of CAHOOTS and only wish we had the funding for more vans. There's a wonderful, strong relationship between the cops, the local community, and CAHOOTS that other communities would do well to emulate. Seeing their fine work is fantastic indeed.
posted by but no cigar at 11:38 PM on September 30, 2020 [6 favorites]

CAHOOTS is (or for Eugene was) a step forward, for sure.

And the idea that other cities might start something like this and call it good terrifies me too - we know it's not enough. The opportunity is ripe to make real change, let's seize the chance and take more serious action. Civil Liberties Defense Center (another great Eugene nonprofit) is hosting a call October 1 on abolition with Critical Resistance, with a live Q&A after.
posted by johnabbe at 11:41 PM on September 30, 2020 [2 favorites]

I'm also in Eugene, and called CAHOOTS a couples of years ago when an unhoused man in my neighborhood was clearly in crisis. I almost didn't do so because you have to call the non-emergency police hotline to get in touch with them, and for obvious reasons I had significant reservations about doing so. However, this person was so obviously in need of help, so I called and made sure I was watching (from my apartment) the whole time. The van rolled up promptly and they spent about 15 minutes talking with this man, at the end of which one of them hugged him and he went with them. I think about him from time to time and hope CAHOOTS was able to get him help; from what I saw the interaction was respectful throughout and seemed to be a positive one.

As a relatively new (3-ish years) transplant to Eugene, I have really been impressed with CAHOOTS and proud to have them in the community. I see their van out quite frequently and often boggle at the thought that a program like theirs isn't more universal.
posted by DingoMutt at 3:11 AM on October 1, 2020 [5 favorites]

NPR's story on Cahoots in June 2020.
posted by neuron at 9:58 PM on October 1, 2020 [2 favorites]