White Bird, Willamette Valley Crisis Care settle dispute over CAHOOTS split

The legal fight over the CAHOOTS split is settled, but the way to get mobile crisis help in Eugene and Springfield still depends on where someone is, and how urgent the situation is.

White Bird Clinic and Willamette Valley Crisis Care reached an agreement in a lawsuit that grew out of CAHOOTS ending in Eugene and the push to build a new response provider. A court filing last week showed the parties had settled. In a joint statement, the organizations said WVCC had taken steps to make clear it is separate and independent from White Bird and had not possessed or used White Bird’s confidential information, client records, training materials or intellectual property.

The dispute began after White Bird sued WVCC and co-founder Alese “Dandy” Colehour in Lane County Circuit Court on Nov. 18, 2025. White Bird accused the new organization of downloading client information, training manuals and other materials before leaving, and also said WVCC had infringed on the CAHOOTS trademark and tried to pass off White Bird’s work as its own. A judge later issued a temporary restraining order telling WVCC to avoid association with the CAHOOTS trademark and return White Bird property, including confidential materials.

For people in Eugene or Springfield looking for help right now, the practical picture is more important than the court fight. Lane County’s Mobile Crisis Services can be reached countywide through 988, the Lane County crisis line at 541-682-1001, and in some cases 911. White Bird also continues to operate CAHOOTS in Springfield under a separate contract.

Eugene’s replacement system is moving on a different track. In April 2026, the city selected Ideal Option for a one-year, $500,000 Peer Navigation Pilot Program meant to fill gaps in alternative response, including welfare checks, non-emergency transport, proactive outreach and connecting people to services before situations escalate. That means the settlement does not restore the old CAHOOTS model in Eugene; it simply removes one major legal obstacle as the city builds a different structure.

CAHOOTS itself dates to 1989, when White Bird and the City of Eugene created it together. The program ended in Eugene in April 2025 after contract and funding problems forced White Bird to cut hours and lay off most CAHOOTS workers. White Bird says the service lives on in Springfield, but for Eugene residents today, crisis response now runs through a patchwork of county lines, a new pilot program and, when necessary, emergency dispatch.