Three of White Bird Clinic's IT Systems Administrators, Eric O'Toole and Jonathan Ross served - and Eric DeVall is still in service of - the US military. This episode we talk about their stories, how social work can bring people across socio-political boundaries to provide care, how working in the military has informed their work at White Bird Clinic and the high rate of unhoused US veterans. As per request of one of our guests, please note: The views and opinions presented herein a...

The annual Oregon County Fair is a summer celebration held in Veneta, Oregon. White Bird Clinic has a barbecue fundraiser called Cleveland Chicken at the fair every year that has been running for almost as long as the clinic itself. This is a fun episode in which we talk about the nature of OCF, how Theresa and Mary got involved, and how you can get your hands on some barbecue this year! Wren Arrington tells us about what Rock Medicine does at Oregon Country Fair. For more informa...

It can be difficult to understand how White Bird Clinic's departments are connected and how they interact. This episode explores some of the complexity and depth of the Clinic as a whole. We get to know Al Ullman, WBC's IT Systems Administrator, and his history with the Clinic, facilitating discussions and meetings, and elements of consensus within our unique internal structure. For those curious about Roberts Rules of Order, which the Clinic loosely has based meeting process out of, you ca...

Acorn Community Cafe in Eugene is a place where anyone can go to get nourishing food when they are hungry, even if you can't pay for it. There is a different special every week that is free of charge for any who ask for it. There is also a pay-it-forward system set up for folks who want to buy a neighbor some food. Miranda and Corey found extra time to feed their community when they were on furloughed during the onset of the pandemic. The project that started in a park developed ...

David Zeiss has played many roles at White Bird Clinic. He has been a volunteer and a crisis worker, he recently retired from being a board member and he managed CAHOOTS for its first 25 years of service in Eugene. Zeiss tells us about his experience at the Clinic, some of the challenges that have been faced, such as blending medical and crisis work, and the complications of bottom-up approach to serving the community meeting national demands. To find out more about White Bird Cl...

In this episode Lane County Public Health's Olatorera Adeniji talks about what the new Community Partnership Program does with our communities. For more information visits the Lane County Public Health's website. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

Public health concerns a lot more than visits to the doctor. Folks like Olatorera Adeniji are part of a movement of public health modernization to address public health in a more wholistic sense. This episode, Ola Adeniji, from Lane County Public Health's Community Partnerships Program, breaks down a few aspects of public health. She also talks about some of the different parts of her work in supporting community partnerships. To find out more about the Community Partnerships Program, vis...

This episode we speak with three people in three cities who all work or volunteer for Burrito Brigade. This grass-roots organization was started in an effort to get food to people who need it, while building community. Jennifer is the current head of Burrito Brigade in Eugene, Ash is the main organizer in Portland, and CJ has started another Branch in Chicago. Listen to learn more about food insecurity and the way that these folks are making a difference. To find out more about Burrito Brig...

Hilary and Tom are both counselors at white bird clinic's Chrysalis department. They talk about how they came to find the Clinic, the department's holistic approach to behavioral health, challenges the department faces, and the value of peer support. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

In 2021, the CAHOOTS Act was passed as a part of the American Rescue Plan, and as its own act. The Act was made to fund crisis response models, like CAHOOTS, around the country. In this episode Senator Ron Wyden tells us about creating the CAHOOTS Act, and the motivation behind it. Executive Coordinator Chris Hecht shares about his contributions and the process of working with Senator Wyden's team. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

Shelter Care in an organization that works to provide people with housing in Eugene, Oregon. CEO Michelle Hankes, talks about how she got into this work, why it is essential in the community, and what makes their services unique. For more information about this organization and how you can get involved visit https://sheltercare.org/what-we-do/ To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

Former Front Rooms Department Coordinator, Alex Farmer, shares about the department, its role in the social service network and some of the values that he learned working there. Front Rooms Department is the department of white bird clinic that acts as the first point of contact for most of the clients, over the phone and in-person. They also distribute services and referrals to clients. Services include: Phone messages and charging capabilities when availableMail and Addre...

Amy May, the founder of the End-Of-Life Counseling department at White Bird Clinic, speaks about her life working with death, and the importance of talking about death in our lives and with loved ones. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

The Crisis Line at White Bird Clinic has been hot continuously since the 1970's. How is that possible? Jose Soto-Gates and Cypress Kappeyne van de Coppello both share their experience of working for the Crisis Line: How they got there, how it works, and why it is important. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

NEST (Navigational Empowerment Services Team) works to provide people with assistance to navigating available resources. Nicole and Theresa speak about their work and some of the systemic issues that they deal with daily. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

NEST (Navigational Empowerment Services Team) works to provide people with assistance to navigating available resources. Nicole and Theresa speak about their work and some of the systemic issues that they deal with daily. This episode continues the conversation from part one! To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets) is White Bird Clinic's Crisis Intervention Program. In the last few years CAHOOTS has gained national notoriety for their use of de-escalation and wholistic problem solving. Cross-trained crisis worker and medic, Chelsea Swift, talks about her job in the CAHOOTS van. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.

Welcome to White Bird Mutual Aid! Our first episode gives a general introduction of White Bird Clinic, our core beliefs and some history. Current and former staff members, volunteers and community members share stories and insights. To find out more about White Bird Clinic, visit whitebirdclinic.org.