BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health (CPH) has been awarded a grant from the The Ohio Department of Health. This ordinance is needed to accept and appropriate $629,774.00 in grant monies to fund the HIV Prevention grant program, for the period August 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025. The total amount funded for this period is $629,774.00.
The HIV Prevention Grant program enables Columbus Public Health to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV counseling and testing/referral; partner counseling; and health education/risk reduction behavior modification programs. Services are provided to residents of Columbus and Franklin County, with special emphasis on men who have sex with men, individuals with high risk sexual contact, youth, and injection drug/substance users.
The Ohio Department of Health has tasked CPH to improve the efficiency of the reallocation of funds as necessary in order to minimize unused funds to the greatest extent possible and to maximize the available services and avoid potential penalties as future funds may not be permitted by Ohio Department of Health. For this reason, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept any additional awards for the HIV Prevention grant program; to authorize the appropriation of any additional awards for the HIV Prevention grant program; to authorize the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between both object classes and grant numbers for HIV Prevention grant program.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency to not delay HIV Prevention services to clients and families, and to meet grant deliverables required by the grantor to avoid being at risk for forfeiture of funds.
FISCAL IMPACT: The HIV Prevention Grant Program is entirely funded by the Ohio Department of Health and does not require a city match.
Title
To authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept grant funds from the Ohio Department of Health in the amount of $629,774.00 and any additional funds for the HIV Prevention grant program; to authorize the appropriation of $629,774.00 and any additional funds awarded from the unappropriated balance of the Health Department Grants Fund; to authorize the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between object classes and grant numbers for the HIV Prevention grant program; and to declare an emergency ($629,774.00)
Body
WHEREAS, $629,774.00 in grant funds have been made available through the Ohio Department of Health for the HIV Prevention grant program for the period of August 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to accept and appropriate these and any additional funds from the Ohio Department of Health for the support of the HIV Prevention grant program; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary and authorized to allow the City Auditor to transfer and adjust appropriations between object classes and grant numbers for any changes in the estimated award amounts for the HIV Prevention grant program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health Department;
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of Columbus Public Health in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Board of Health to accept these grant funds from the Ohio Department of Health and to appropriate these funds to Columbus Public Health due to the grant start date, to not delay the funding for essential grant personnel, and to avoid delay in client services all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept a grant award of $629,774.00 from the Ohio Department of Health for the HIV Prevention grant program for the period August 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $629,774.00 based on award letter is appropriated in Fund 2251 The Health Department Grants Fund per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon the order of the Health Commissioner and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 4. That, at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor 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 the Board of Health is hereby authorized and directed to accept any additional grant awards from the Ohio. Department of Health for the HIV Prevention grant program for the period of August 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer appropriations between object classes and grant number for the HIV Prevention grant program as needed upon request by the Columbus Public Health Department.
SECTION 7. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 8. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Sections 5, 6, and, 7 shall be paid upon the order of the Health Commissioner and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 9. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby 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 its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.