Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into a Grant agreement with The Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board of Franklin County (ADAMH) to provide operational support to the newly opened Franklin County Crisis Care Center in an amount of $300,000.00, $100,000 per year for three years. The term of this grant is from December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2027.
ADAMH is a not-for-profit agency exempt from the contract compliance requirement.
ADAMH opened the Franklin County Crisis Care Center on September 2, 2025. The center offers a no wrong-door approach to ensure any adult in Franklin County can receive crisis services. When all services are implemented, there will be three levels of care (behavioral health urgent care, crisis stabilization, and inpatient care) as well as physical health services, community-based service coordination, family support, and a discharge pharmacy to provide an enhanced care experience in a community-based setting. When fully operational, the facility will have the capacity to serve up to 80 individuals at any one time with a projected annual capacity of up to 34,000 encounters.
This innovative, person-centered facility was designed to advance national best practices in Franklin County for addressing addiction and mental health crises. ADAMH has positioned the center to be a preferred destination for residents in need, that will increase crisis care access, improve the quality of care, decrease the burden on hospital Emergency Departments (EDs), and improve long-term outcomes for residents after their time in crisis has subsided.
The facility is opening in 3 phases:
• 2025: 23-hour crisis observation unit for up to 40, with potential to expand to 60
• 2026: addition of family resource center and behavioral health urgent care
• 2027: inpatient psychiatric unit online
Emergency action is being requested in order to be able to provide timely and needed support to the Franklin County Crisis Care Center operations.
FISCAL IMPACT: Expenditures to provide these services are budgeted in the Opioid Recovery funds within the Health Departments Special Purpose Funds, Fund No. 2210. ($300,000.00)
Title
To authorize the Board of Health to enter into a Grant agreement with the ADAMH Board of Franklin County to provide operational support to the newly opened Franklin County Crisis Care Center; to authorize an expenditure from the Health Departments Special Purpose Fund to pay the costs thereof; and to declare an emergency. ($300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, The Board of Health has a need to enter into a grant agreement with ADAMH for the support the operations of the Franklin County Crisis Care Center and;
WHEREAS, ADAMH Board of Franklin County has the expertise required to carry out those services; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Board of Health to enter into a contract with ADAMH Board of Franklin County; to provide operational support for the opened Franklin County Crisis Care Center; and NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized to enter into a Grant agreement with ADAMH Board of Franklin County to provide support to the newly opened Franklin County Crisis Care Center in an amount not to exceed $300,000.00 for the period of December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2027.
SECTION 2. That to pay the costs of said contract, the expenditure of $300,000.00 is hereby authorized from the Health Departments Special Purpose Fund, Fund No. 2210, Department 50, Division 5001, per the accounting codes attached to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance and to make any accounting changes necessary to ensure that this contract is properly accounted for and recorded accurately on the City's financial records.
SECTION 5. That for the 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.