September 25, 2025
Expert panel discusses ‘Caring for People in Crisis’
Photos by Winter Snow.
Cascadia Health kicked off its 2025 event mini-series, “Let’s Talk About It!” on Sept. 25. It was an evening of thought-provoking conversation and heart-felt storytelling at Garlington Health Center.
The first event, “Caring for People in Crisis,” focused on the local crisis system and Cascadia’s pivotal role therein.
The demand for crisis services far exceeds available resources. With that in mind, this event gave an overview of where the issue stands and Cascadia’s strategic plan to address the challenges that face us.
Beth Epps, Cascadia’s Chief of Access, delivered opening remarks.
“I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a healthy, thriving Cascadia Health,” Epps said. “We see the need in our communities. We know the disparities that individuals living with serious mental illness face—dying on average 10-20 years earlier than those without. And we know that Cascadia is uniquely positioned to make significant impact through the array of services we offer.”
Cascadia’s Crisis Services division includes an Urgent Walk-In Clinic, Project Respond (a multi-faceted team that includes its mobile crisis team), Crisis Respite, and Standing Stone Peer Services. Its teams include counselors, social workers, peer specialists, recovery mentors, and alcohol and drug counselors.
Experts stress need for ‘listening’ and responding
Jackie Thomson, LCSW, Cascadia’s Senior Director of Crisis Services, served as the event’s moderator. Panelists included: Rachel Griffith – Project Respond Mobile Crisis Counselor, Daniel Blachowski – Mobile Crisis Peer Support, and Cassy Gemelli, LCSW – Crisis Counselor at the Cascadia Urgent Walk-In Clinic.
The panel discussed core public safety and health issues as well as ways to address them. Panelists stressed the importance of community members knowing that Project Respond is here to help.
The program brings nuance and care to its interactions with community members who are enduring some of their hardest days.
“[Many people] just haven’t been heard, haven’t been listened to. And sometimes, the best intervention is to just listen,” Griffith said.
When asked how people can help those in crisis, Gemelli advised, “Listen to them, show your care and concern, ask the uncomfortable questions about safety, refer them to the crisis line, to the walk-in clinic. And take their concerns seriously.”
Audio excerpt: Rachel Griffith
Audio excerpt: Daniel Blachowski
About Project Respond
When you or another person is experiencing a behavioral health crisis, you should have help. Someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.
Cascadia’s Project Respond is a mobile crisis team designed to help community members in mental health crisis, anywhere in Multnomah County.
Through a partnership with the Multnomah County Behavioral Health Call Center, our team responds to calls involving behavioral health issues. This team is available anywhere in the county, 24/7.