Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Office of CelebrateOne was awarded a grant from the Ohio Department of Medicaid which is administered by the State’s Managed Care Plans. Ordinance 1723-2022, passed by Columbus City Council included $200,000.00 for a doula expansion program in order to fund a training program in order to expand the number of doulas within the Central Ohio area. This ordinance funds the second contract of $100,000.00 to begin training doulas.
This ordinance authorizes the Executive Director of the Office of CelebrateOne, on behalf of the Office of the Mayor, to execute a service contract with National Center for Urban Solutions, TEC dba NCUS TEC. and R.O.O.T.T. (RESTORING OUR OWN THROUGH TRANSFORMATION), which in collaboration with R.O.OT.T. to launch an advanced perinatal support doula training program. .
Each year, more than 130 babies die in Franklin County before reaching their first birthday. Over 2,000 more are born prematurely. Franklin County’s African American families are disproportionately impacted by infant mortality, experiencing an infant mortality rate 2.5 times higher than non-Hispanic white families in Columbus. Therefore, resources and tools must be geared towards these geographic and cultural communities.
To combat this tremendous threat of our families and communities, the Greater Columbus Infant Mortality Task Force of 2014 was assembled to develop community recommendations and an implementation plan. That plan set goals to reduce the community’s alarming infant mortality rate by 40 percent and cut the racial health disparity gap in half by 2020 with eight recommendations for how our community could achieve these goals. That plan has served as the guiding light for the work of CelebrateOne and its many partners. CelebrateOne has made tremendous progress in implementing the plan’s recommendations and strategies and, ultimately, achieving the plan’s goals. Racial disparities in birth outcomes remain high and the global COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated systemic barriers faced by families most at risk for poor birth outcomes while simultaneously creating new obstacles for providers and partners to provide care.
NCUS TEC. and R.O.OT.T. are joining forces to launch an advanced perinatal support doula training program, designed to address critical gaps in maternal and infant care. This partnership will harness NCUS TEC., a non-profit corporation and R.O.O.T.T. (RESTORING OUR OWN THROUGH TRANSFORMATION), a non-profit corporation have expertise in technical education and R.O.OT.T. deep knowledge of culturally competent doula training, specifically focusing on improving outcomes in Black maternal and infant health. The program will include comprehensive modules on prenatal, birth, and postpartum care, lactation support, advocacy, trauma-informed care, and the social determinants of health, all tailored to the unique challenges faced by Black women and their families. By combining NCUS TEC. educational infrastructure with R.O.OT.T. subject matter expertise, the program aims to cultivate a new generation of doulas equipped to provide holistic, culturally responsive care in under-resourced communities.NCUS TEC. This doula training program cannot be completed by the existing CelebrateOne staff as the staffing level is not adequate to conduct this expansion of doula training services.
NCUS TEC. is a Not-For-Profit Organization, TAX ID #852989509, DAX#025982 and R.O.O.T.T. (RESTORING OUR OWN THROUGH TRANSFORMATION) is a Not-For-Profit Organization, TAX ID #821964469, DAX ID#025534
NCUS TEC. $50,000.00
R.O.O.T.T. (RESTORING OUR OWN THROUGH TRANSFORMATION) $50,000.00
TOTAL $100,000.00
EMERGENCY ACTION is requested at this time in order to begin the training program and positively impact the lives and birth outcomes of women and families in Columbus and expend the grant funds by the Ohio Department of Medicaid grant period ending December 31st, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of up to $100,000.00 with NCUS TEC. and R.O.O.T.T. from the Ohio Department of Medicaid Grant #402204, legislated by Ordinance 1723-2022.
Title
To authorize the Executive Director of the Office of CelebrateOne to enter contract with National Center for Urban Solutions, TEC dba NCUS TECH. and R.O.O.T.T. (RESTORING OUR OWN THROUGH TRANSFORMATION) for Doula Training Services in order to increase the number of qualified doulas within the Central Ohio area; to expend up to $100,000.00 from the Ohio Department of Medicaid Enhanced Maternal Health Grant, within the General Government Grant Fund, for the enhanced maternal health in Columbus and Central Ohio; and to declare an emergency. ($100,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, $4,520,000.00 in grant funds were made available through the Ohio Department of Medicaid for the Enhanced Maternal Health Program for the period of July 1, 2022 through December 31st, 2024; and
WHEREAS, CelebrateOne is administering these grants in order to decrease the infant mortality rate within Columbus and Central Ohio, especially in marginalized zip codes throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, the Executive Director of CelebrateOne is authorized to enter into contract with NCUS TEC. and R.O.OT.T. for doula training in an amount up to $100,000.00.
WHEREAS, CelebrateOne supports the doula training education that is included in the curriculum of the Doula Training Program to advance perinatal support availability and minimize premature births and infant mortality rates within Columbus; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Office of CelebrateOne in that it is immediately necessary to enter into this contract in order to begin the work to train and support more Columbus-area doulas providing support for birthing families, especially those affected by racial disparity of health care, while increasing maternal health and infant vitality outcomes in the community, and in order to expend the Ohio Department of Medicaid grant funds before the deadline of December 31st 2024, for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Executive Director of the Office of CelebrateOne is hereby authorized to award and execute a contract for up to $100,000.00 with NCUS TEC. and R.O.OT.T. in order to provide training and mentorship to individuals wanting to become trained and certified doulas, serving the greater Columbus area, especially in zip codes with high infant mortality rates and racial disparity in health outcomes.
SECTION 2. That to pay the costs of said contract, the expenditure of up to $100,000.00 is hereby authorized from the General Government Grant Fund 2220, Grant 402204, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
NCUS TEC. $50,000.00
R.O.O.T.T. (RESTORING OUR OWN THROUGH TRANSFORMATION) $50,000.00
TOTAL $100,000.00
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 these contracts are properly accounted for and recorded accurately on the City’s financial records.
SECTION 5. 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.