Oregon
Disability Rights Oregon sues Washington County alleging it fails people in mental health crises – Oregon Capital Chronicle
Washington County routinely fails to meet the health needs of people in mental health emergencies by dispatching armed police officers instead of trained behavioral health teams to help people in crises, Disability Rights Oregon said in a lawsuit filed on Monday.
That response led to violence and bloodshed, the lawsuit found, including one instance involving a man who an officer stabbed in a hospital because police who responded failed to ask a behavioral health team to help him before sending him away in an ambulance.
Disability Rights Oregon filed the lawsuit against the state’s second largest county after a year-long investigation with the ACLU of Oregon that analyzed emergency call data and the police response to people who seek help. The federal lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Portland, alleges the county’s systemic response to people in a mental health crisis places them at a greater risk for harm and violates federal laws that require people with disabilities to receive equal access to programs and services without discrimination.
“Everyone deserves access to health care during an emergency – that includes emergency mental health services during a crisis,” Jake Cornett, executive director and CEO of Disability Rights Oregon, said in a statement. “Police are neither trained nor appropriate responders for someone who has broken their leg and calls 911 – and the same holds for someone having a mental health emergency. Your ZIP code shouldn’t determine whether armed police or mental health providers show up when you call needing life-saving mental health care.”
The lawsuit alleges the county’s system routes 911 calls for mental health assistance to police first, which means police are the primary agency that responds. The county has a contracted mental health crisis response team, but it’s unavailable at night, the lawsuit said and usually only responds after hearing from police. As a result, police in Washington County are usually the first to arrive, even when no crime is involved, the lawsuit said.
Spokespeople for Washington County didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Officers in Washington County respond to thousands of mental health calls every year. For a nearly three-year period from 2020 to 2022, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office handled about 12,000 calls, the lawsuit said. But in a two-year period, police only asked for the mobile crisis team to come on the scene for about 100 calls, the lawsuit said.
“When you’re a person in Washington County who calls because of a psychiatric crisis, you get a deputy or a cop,” Dave Boyer, managing attorney of DRO’s Mental Health Rights Project, said in an interview. “We believe that that response warrants a mental health provider without a cop. What they’re doing is they’re sending cops and mental health providers typically or just cops. And we feel like the presence of that police officer is detrimental to that person’s mental health.”
The stories of people in crisis are central to the lawsuit.
Mental health care requested, and police respond
In one account, a 27-year-old man called a suicide hotline in 2022 and was transferred to the county’s 911 dispatchers. The man was contemplating suicide for the second time in three months and specifically requested medical help – not a police response, the lawsuit alleges. Instead, the dispatcher sent five county deputies.
Deputies arranged for an ambulance to transport him to a hospital, but he didn’t receive the psychiatric assessment and stabilization services that a mobile crisis response team would have provided, the lawsuit alleges. As a result, the man was still in crisis when he arrived at the hospital, and a nurse began checking his vitals in an unsecured exam room, the lawsuit said.
A deputy followed the ambulance to the hospital, the lawsuit said, and the man walked out of the exam room, approached the officer and attempted to take his firearm, repeatedly saying: “Let me kill myself.”
In response, the deputy stabbed the man several times to keep him from grabbing his gun, and injuries to his chest, stomach and head required a nearly three-week stay in the hospital, the lawsuit said. Due to the altercation, the man was charged and tried in Washington County mental health court and he received five years of probation in connection with the incident.
“By dispatching … deputies to (his) crisis instead of qualified mental health professionals, defendants denied (him) the opportunity to be clinically assessed and stabilized at his home,” the lawsuit said. “Instead, they exacerbated his crisis and provided him with an emergency response service that is unequal to the service provided to people experiencing a physical health emergency in the county.”
The lawsuit also alleges police use unnecessary force while out on the calls. In one instance cited in the lawsuit, an officer pulled a woman to the ground who was trying to flee from police while in a mental health crisis. The officer placed his right knee on her lower back and hips and his left knee on her shoulder while another officer handcuffed the woman, the lawsuit alleged.
“Not only did she endure being thrown to the ground, arrested, and involuntarily hospitalized but she was also subjected to a highly dangerous restraint technique,” said the lawsuit, which cites police reports.
Other findings in lawsuit
The lawsuit says the county doesn’t fully fund, staff or integrate its existing mobile crisis teams – which have mental health workers rather than police – into its emergency responses.
The lawsuit also alleges the county’s system requires an armed police officer to respond to mental health calls before mobile crisis teams arrive, which can escalate the situation and traumatize the person who needs help.
This perpetuates a cycle for people: The person is not treated, making them more likely to remain homeless and use illicit drugs to ease their suffering on the streets.
“Ultimately, this lawsuit aims to correct the misconception that people experiencing mental health crises are dangerous and require a law enforcement response,” Daniel Bartz, senior counsel of the ACLU of Oregon, said in a statement. “People in crisis should receive the care that they need and deserve, rather than being treated as though they committed a crime.”
The lawsuit seeks a court order to require Washington County to improve how it responds to people with mental health disabilities and adequately fund and use its response teams, with a police response limited only to dire emergencies. If the lawsuit is successful, it will make non-police crisis response teams the primary way to help people with mental health needs, not law enforcement.
The lawsuit was filed by attorneys at Disability Rights Oregon, ACLU of Oregon, the ACLU, and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, an international law firm headquartered in Los Angeles.
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BLUE RIVER, Ore. (KATU) — The founder of a former disaster relief nonprofit is being sued for allegedly diverting nearly $837,000 in donations and grants for personal gain.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed the lawsuit Thursday against the founder and executive director of Cascade Relief Team (CRT), Marcus Brooks. In the complaint, Rayfield calls CRT “a sham.”
Brooks is accused of stealing donations and government grants meant for disaster relief following wildfires and flooding in 2020, and using it for personal expenses including casino visits, travel, vehicles, and more.
CRT was founded in 2020 and was hired for cleanup and relief services following the Labor Day Wildfires that burned over 1 million acres across Oregon.
In Blue River, an unincorporated community in the McKenzie River Valley, the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire destroyed nearly 800 homes and burned more than 173,000 acres.
I am angry that my community was taken advantage of
Just months after the fire, long-time Blue River resident Melanie Stanley said CRT stepped in and promised help to the community.
“For us, it was…like a savior at that point,” Stanley said.
Stanley was the manager for the Blue River Resource Center and worked for Brooks to help facilitate recovery efforts. She said CRT operations slowly became questionable.
“None of us knew the level at which all of this stuff that finally came out was at,” Stanley said. “We knew that there was some stuff that had started to look hinky or feel hinky, or there was just some lack of communication that was happening. There were some other things that were happening, and so we just all were kind of guarded.”
In fall of 2023 the nonprofit was reported to have run out of money, and Brooks allegedly fired staff without disclosing the organization’s financial conditions and did not notify donors or beneficiaries. Stanley was one of those people fired.
The state now claims the funds that were meant to go towards communities like Blue River, never made it out of Brooks’ hands, including donations given by Blue River neighbors.
“I am angry that my community was taken advantage of, and I am angry that they now have to worry about trusting when something else happens, because we know something else is going to happen,” Stanley said. “We hope to God it’s never anything as big or as bad as what has happened, but you know, we also have learned that groups like Locals Helping Locals…they are our foundation, and they are because they’re us.”
The state is seeking to recover the money, permanently bar Brooks from serving in a leadership role at a charitable organization and dissolve the nonprofit.
Stanley said Brooks’ actions have tainted reputations.
“We as a community and as the people from the community who helped kind of put all of these things together, we did what was asked of us,” Stanley said. “We did help clean things, and we did help get things to provide, you know, more progress and get things moving forward, and we did good work, and so I just really hope that this is not overshadowed.”
According to Stanley, Blue River’s recovery now stands at 50%.
“We will be very picky from here on out about who and what groups gets let in to help with anything,” Stanley said. “And sadly, it may be to our detriment, but he did more damage now, as far as reputations go, and for that I’m angry. I’m very angry.”
The Oregon Ducks have been progressing through the class of 2027 with hopes of landing some of their top target’s commitment on both the offense and the defense.
With many names left on the board, the Ducks have started to receive some great news, including some news from someone they have been targeting since they offered back in January of 2025.
Darius Johnson Releases His Top Four Schools
One of the Ducks top targets’ in the 2027 class at the cornerback position is Darius Johnson. Johnson recently released his top schools with Hayes Fawcett, as he is entering a crucial part of his recruitment. The four schools he has listed at the top include the California Golden Bears, Michigan Wolverines, UCLA Bruins, and the Oregon Ducks.
Johnson is one of the better cornerbacks in the country. He currently ranks as the nation’s No. 178 prospect in the country, No. 20 player at the position, and the No. 14 player in the state of California, according to Rivals. Landing his commitment would be major for any of the schools, as he is someone who could see the field early due to his size, and his growing ability to lockdown a side of the field all by himself.
More About Darius Johnson
Johnson currently measures in at 6-1 and 155 pounds, and will be someone who continues to add weight through his high school program, and will eventually have the chance to really improve his frame when he gets to college. As of now, each of the four schools has a solid chance to win its recruiting battle, but there seems to be a clear leader at this moment.
The leader for the Ducks target seems to be the Michigan Wolverines, who have the only scheduled official visit at this moment. It seems likely that the talented prospect will schedule his other official visits sooner rather than later now that he has officially cut down his list. If the Ducks want to land his commitment, they will need to get him on an official visit because they are likely trailing at this point.
What If He Committed to Oregon Today?
If he were to commit to the Ducks today, he would be the ninth commitment for the Ducks in the class of 2027. He would also be the third cornerback commit for the Ducks in the class of 2027, which is a position they have been recruiting heavily. The cornerbacks the Ducks have at this moment are four-star Ai’King Hall from the state of Alabama and four-star Josiah Molden from the state of Oregon.
Some of their other commits at this moment include four-star EDGE Rashad Streets, four-star defensive linemen Zane Rowe, and four-star EDGE Cameron Pritchett. This class is shaping up to be another top-five class if the pieces continue to fall into place for Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his staff.
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Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson, after an impressive 2025 season with the Ducks, now becomes the leader at his position following the departure of star Kenyon Sadiq to the NFL.
With an Oregon offense set to return several top stars and bring in two talents at the tight end position, Johnson looks to not only improve as a leader but build off his impressive 2025 season, in which he recorded 32 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns.
Here’s everything Johnson had to say during his media appearance following Oregon’s scrimmage on Saturday, with the spring game on the horizon.
Everything Tight End Jamari Johnson Said After Spring Scrimmage
What He Learned From Playing With Tight End Kenyon Sadiq:
“So many, but one is training. Everybody in this facility harps on it, and it’s just a standard here. It’s like him from last year, that man strained his guts out almost every play. I just feel like I got to do the exact same thing or even more to uphold the standard.”
Stepping Up At Tight End:
“It just changed because obviously Kenyon leaving somebody has to step up and be a leader in the room, and me being one of the older guys, it just happens to be me. I just accepted that role, and I actually kind of like it, getting these young guys going, getting them in the playbook and getting them used to college football.”
Participating Again In Spring Practice:
“It feels good coming back. Feels like I have something to prove for me personally, I feel like I haven’t really done anything in college football. I feel like this year is that year for me to show everybody what I’m about.”
On Tight Ends Kendre Harrison and Andrew Olesh:
“Both good dudes, they both got that dog in them. Andrew, he came from Penn State. He’s been coming along well, getting in the playbook. Kendre, he’s a big, tall guy, getting in the playbook too. They’ve been getting after it, man. It’s been good taking them under my wing. Hopefully, we just get going this year.”
Goals and Expectations Ahead of Spring Game:
“I’ll say one expectation that we really try to harp on in the room is just going 100 percent. That’s with your effort, that’s with knowing the plays and just giving it your all. A goal is just to get in that endzone. That’s one of the goals for the tight end room right there.”
Why He Returned to Oregon:
“Like I said earlier, to me, I felt like I haven’t really done anything in college football. That was one of the reasons, and another is I wouldn’t say I’m not ready for the NFL, but like that’s pretty much what I’m getting at, is just like I have a lot of stuff to work on that’s within footwork and hand placement, block in the run game, and route details. Getting to the right depth and just touching up everything I can so when I get to the NFL, there’s none of those problems, it’s just the big problems I have to fix.”
How Reps Helped Him Improve:
“It really helped me. Last year, we ran a lot of twelve personnel at the end of the season because we had a couple of injuries, but that really helped me. This year, I feel like I’m coming in rolling off the ground. It’s just so much more fluent, and those reps really helped me with the playbook. Playbook is way easier now, and I’m getting a good feel for it.”
His Leadership Traits:
“I like to get the guys going. I have a real voice on the field, and if y’all hear me on the field, I get the guys going. I wouldn’t say I’m a vocal leader, but I lead by example. Vocal leader, probably something I need to work on.”
On New Offensive Coordinator Drew Mehringer:
“It’s been different. They’re two different people, coach (Will) Stein and coach Drew. My guy’s getting us going. I’m excited for this season.”
Supporting Dakorien Moore At Track Meet:
“Yesterday, that touched my heart, man. Just all of us going out there, and it wasn’t even just for Dakorien. It was really for Oregon. It was just more for Dakorien because we see him every day. That really touched my heart, and the connection is just unbelievable. I don’t think many people are doing that for their teammates.”
Quarterback Dante Moore’s Growth:
“That guy has his head on his shoulders at all times. He’s been growing consistently, but it’s a couple of different things. I probably can’t name them right now, but he’s been having his head on his shoulders. He’s just been on the climb.”
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