Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept a grant in the amount of $20,000.00 from the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy & Programs, and to appropriate the total amount of the grant from the unappropriated balance of the general government grant fund to the Department of Pretrial and Probation Services of the Franklin County Municipal Court. This grant will provide funding assistance for interpreter services provided to low risk domestic violence defendants assigned to behavioral health services.
Franklin County Municipal Court serves a highly diverse community. The Department of Pretrial and Probation Services (DOPPS) supervises defendants who are placed on probation, through risk assessment, case planning, and if warranted, referral to community partners for behavioral health services. While it is expected that behavioral health agencies provide interpreters for clients who require assistance in their native language, and they are eager to serve our diverse community, it is a costly component for any program to bear.
It is estimated that 30 lower risk domestic violence defendants per year require language interpretation services. Languages that have been identified include Spanish and Nepali most frequently, but could also include Somali, Yoruba, Khmer, French and Cantonese. Grant funds will assist the FCMC DOPPS in offsetting costs associated with providing interpreters for the intake/assessment/services. Services could be provided in groups if/when multiple participants attending simultaneously could attend group sessions with the assistance of one interpreter- or through individual sessions to cover the materials.
Emergency Legislation is requested so that the grant funds can be utilized as soon as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT
$20,000.00 will be expended from the General Government Grant Fund.
Title
To authorize and direct the Administrative Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept a grant award from the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs; to appropriate $20,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the general government grant fund to the Department of Pretrial and Probation Services of the to the Franklin County Municipal Court for the purpose of providing funding assistance for interpreter services provided to low risk domestic violence defendants assigned to behavioral health services; and to declare an emergency. ($20,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is in the city's best interest that the Franklin County Municipal Court receive support to provide interpreter services to low risk domestic violence defendants; and
WHEREAS, grant monies from the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy & Programs, in the amount of $20,000 are available to provide for interpreter services; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to approve the acceptance of this grant so that the grant funds can be used as close to the start date of 8/1/2020 as possible; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Administrative Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court be and is hereby authorized to accept a grant in the amount of $20,000 from the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy & Programs.
SECTION 2. Funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated. That from the unappropriated balance in the general government grant fund, fund 2220, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and appropriated for any other purpose during the months ending July 31, 2021, the sum of $20,000 is appropriated to the Franklin County Municipal Court.
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grant is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble herein, which are made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither vetoes nor approves the same.