Explanation
The Franklin County Municipal Court currently operates one Specialty Docket to process cases specifically for defendants who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. The mission of this Specialty Docket, or the Mental Health Program Docket, is to provide a collaborative delivery program that focuses on providing comprehensive services to address all aspects of the lives of those defendants who have been diagnosed with a mental illness and who qualify for the program. Following the Mental Health Program Docket court model, it is estimated that the City of Columbus can realize a substantial savings by expanding the Specialty Docket.
This expansion of the Specialty Docket will consist of two programs, the Solicitation Program and the Addiction Program. The Solicitation Program Specialty Docket, Changing Actions To Change Habits (CATCH Program), is intended to provide a mechanism to promote effective treatment as an alternative to incarceration for a person whose multiple solicitation arrests, summons and charges have negatively impacted the person's quality of life and community safety. Many of these individuals have a history of multiple arrests, criminal behavior, drug addiction, poverty and being victimized as a result of soliciting. The CATCH Program requires limited court involvement in treatment planning and compliance, which should result in more effective utilization of other court and county resources.
The Addiction Program Specialty Docket(APSD) is intended to provide a mechanism to promote effective treatment as an alternative to incarceration for a person whose arrests, summons and charges are associated with alcohol and/or chemical dependence (AOD), which negatively impact the person's quality of life and community safety. Many of these individuals have a history of multiple arrests, typically OMVI, criminal behavior, drug addiction, poverty and transient housing. The APSD requires limited court involvement in treatment planning and compliance, which should result in more effective utilization of other county and court resources.
This ordinance creates a subfund within the Special Projects Fund for the Municipal Courts Specialty Dockets and transfers $100,000 from the Public Safety Initiatives Fund to the new subfund as established in this ordinance.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds were transferred on 6-01-09 from the Hotel/Motel Excise Tax Fund to the Public Safety Initiatives Fund in ordinance 0782-2009 for purpose of funding the Municipal Court's Specialty Docket Program .
Title
To authorize and direct the City Auditor to establish a new subfund within the Franklin County Municipal Court's special project fund for the receipt of monies related to the Court's Specialty Docket Programs and to authorize the appropriation and transfer of $100,000 from the Public Safety Initiatives Fund . ($100,000)
Body
Whereas, The Franklin County Municipal Court currently operates one Specialty Docket to process cases specifically for defendants who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, and;
Whereas, Following the Mental Health Program Docket court model, it is estimated that the City of Columbus realize a substantial cost savings by establishing an Addiction Program and Solicitation Program; and
Whereas, it is in the best interest of the Franklin County Municipal Court to establish a fund/subfund to receive funds related to the Court's Specialty Docket Programs; and
Whereas, Ordinance 0782-2009 passed on June 1, 2009 transferred $100,000 from the Hotel/Motel Excise Tax Fund to the Public Safety Initiatives Fund to be allocated to the Municipal Court Judges in order to fund the Specialty Court Docket Expansion; and
Whereas, it is the intention of City Council to continue to support the expansion of the Specialty Docket Program , now;
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to establish a subfund, within the Franklin County Municipal Court, special project fund, fund number 226 to account for revenues that relate to the Municipal Court Judges Specialty Docket Programs.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor be authorized to appropriate and transfer $100,000 as follows:
From:
Fund 016 Public Safety Initiatives, Div 44-01, OCA 441601, OL3 5501
To:
OCA codes and subfund number for Fund 226 to be issued by the City Auditor upon creation of a new subfund.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.