Retired psychiatrist Irwin Herschel Noparstak, who developed Eugene's CAHOOTS concept, dies

Retired psychiatrist Irwin Herschel Noparstak, former director of the Whitebird Clinic and founding member of the Center for Psychological Services, died Oct. 18 from complications of a stroke. He was 84 years old.

After serving as a psychiatrist with the U.S. Army in Vietnam, Noparstak spent a year traveling in Mexico before moving to Eugene in 1971.

Noparstak developed innovative psychotherapy work while director of the Whitebird Clinic, and came up with the concept that later became the mobile crisis intervention van CAHOOTS, otherwise known as the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets. He also was the founding member of Eugene Psychological Services, which later became the Center for Psychological Services.

According to his obituary, Noparstak's career as a therapist was devoted to "serving people who often lacked access to care, including veterans, people with HIV, and survivors of sexual abuse and other forms of trauma."

He also served on numerous boards, including his service as president for the Religious Response Network and the Center for Family Development.

Noparstak became known as an "effective and principled" community organizer for a variety of social justice advocacy efforts. Those efforts included campaigning for alternatives to militarism, bringing a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Eugene, standing up to hate with the Community Alliance of Lane County, and working with the interfaith Religious Response Network to defend and expand the rights of LGBTQIA+ people.

"He is remembered as a beloved a beloved and revered mentor in the mental health field and a respected elder in the Jewish community," said his obituary.

He is survived by his wife, Joan Bayliss; daughter Jacqueline Noparstak, daughter-in-law Andrea, and granddaughter Sophie; and son Dagan Bayliss, daughter-in-law Holly, and grandson Toren.

A memorial is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at Temple Beth Israel in Eugene. Memorial donations can be made to the Temple Fund of Temple Beth Israel or to the Community Alliance of Lane County.

Haleigh Kochanski is a reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Irwin Herschel Noparstak, ex-Whitebird Clinic director, dies