At the end of January, the City of Eugene Issued a Peer Navigation Alternative Response request for proposals (RFP). We're excited to announce that we teamed up with Restored Connection Peer Center to offer the City a dispatch integrated Community Responder CROWS team that is paired with an Aftercare team of Peers. On Tuesday March 3rd, we submitted our bid proposal to stand up CROWS Plus Aftercare, community responder services coupled with peer delivered aftercare in the field.

We remain true to the three key elements of the community response model in our proposal to the City. Firstly, that community can reach us, and we are dispatched for welfare checks, public assists, and other forms of support as an alternative response to Fire/EMS and Law Enforcement. Secondly, those services are consent based: we never take peoples’ rights away; we center their agency and help activate their desire to be well. Thirdly, the alternative response is made up of a team of two including a crisis worker/ peer and medic who both receive extensive best-practices training. Having a medic allows the team to assess and provide care for the whole person. Medics can rule out medical emergencies and issues like a UTI, or hypoglycemia that might be presenting as a mental health crisis.

Due to our teams combined fifty plus years of community responder experience as well as clinical and operations leadership, we know how to integrate with partner agencies such as Fire/EMS and law enforcement, and the city, and strengthen the safety and wellness ecosystem with direct service providers, community organizations and mutual aid networks. WVCC is helping define what alternative response means nationwide. We’ve been learning from teams in Portland, Seattle, and Atlanta about the impact an aftercare team can have when paired with a community responder program. 

WVCC founders, board members, and community members advocated for changes to the RFP including increasing the budget and clarifying how services are accessed and if the service is primarily case management outreach or community response. Our proposal fulfills both the community’s demand for a robust public safety alternative response and the City’s additional request for follow-up case management.

We couldn't do it without your generous support. Thank you for keeping our wheels moving while we wait to hear the City's decision.