Title
Notice/Advertisement Title: 2025 Alternative Crisis Response Hearing
Contact Name: John Oswalt
Contact Telephone Number: 614-645-1701
Contact Email Address: jdoswalt@columbus.gov
Body
Title: 2025 Alternative Crisis Response Hearing
Date: Thursday - January 23, 2025
Time: 5pm
Location: Columbus City Council Chambers, 90 West Broad Street, Columbus 43215
Councilmembers Present: Council President Shannon Hardin, Council Members Melissa Green, Emmanuel Remy, Christopher Wyche
Summary of Minutes:
Call to Order: 5:05pm
* Introduction from President Hardin: discussion of past efforts on alternative crisis response and efforts on reimagining safety.
* Introduction of Department of Safety Deputy Director Michael Halloran & Assistant Health Commissioner Anita Clark: Brief summary of our existing alternative response programming and look back at 2024
* Division of Fire Capt. Matt Parrish discussed RREACT & SPARC programs and gave a brief history, overview of 2024 activities.
* Division of Police Lt. Michael Voorhis discussed Mobile Crisis Response program: overview of 2024 activities.
* Irina Yakhnitskiy from CPH gave remarks on a success story of the MCR program
* Chris Mayfield (ECC Director) discussed the Right Response Unit, its structure, and overview of 2024 statistics
* Yakhnitskiy gave additional remarks regarding a success story about the RRU
* Halloran opens the floor for questions from members. Pres. Hardin asks questions regarding budget for all alternative response programming, how the current programs are administered, and where the administration sees going from here...recognizing that a consultant, Mission Critical Partners, has been contracted to answer some of these questions. CM Green asks about pipeline for possible education of crisis response workers.
* CP Hardin introduces Sue Villilo of ADAMH to discuss their programming and how they interface with other City and external partners
* CP Hardin introduces Jessica Michael of Nationwide Children's Hospital to discuss its program, MRSS, a state-mandated program that serves youth under 21 in crisis.
* CP Hardin introduces Heather Stumpf of Netcare Access to discuss their civilian crisis response and work with municipalities and Franklin County.
* Bonnie Maney of Mission Critical Partners gives a presentation on their scope of work for 2025. She points out main objectives, including giving recommendations for administering alternative crisis response programming, design of an unarmed response program, and recommendations for a community advisory committee for alternative response.
* CP Hardin and other CMs ask questions, related to how important community input is in the process, how an advisory committee might work.
* CP Hardin calls public speakers:
* Helen Anne Sweeney (BREAD) discusses asks for the coming consultant work, including that peer supporters be a requirement of programming, increasing connectivity with 911, and a permanent advisory committee
* Chana Wiley (OFUPAC) talks about need for an unarmed response program to avoid additional deaths of those in mental crisis
* Ramon Obey (JUST 614) discusses need for proactive solutions and community input
* Rebecca Duran shared thoughts on necessity of unarmed crisis response
* Dr. Leah Bevis cited several other cities with unarmed response programs and questioned the speed at which Columbus would be implementing such a program
* Bryanna Chambers (People's Justice Project) discussed need for alternative response to be non-carceral and not result in deaths of those in mental crisis
*CP Hardin and others thank speakers and adjourned meeting
Meeting adjourned at 7:04pm