Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation of $1,000,000.00 from the unappropriated balance in the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund for Columbus Public Health's crisis response activity costs. These funds will directly affect the Department’s ability to develop and deliver services throughout the City.
The City's Mobile Crisis Response (MCR) program is a joint initiative pairing mental health clinicians with police officers to de-escalate behavioral health and addiction emergencies. This program directs individuals toward medical stabilization, care connection, and crisis centers rather than jail or the emergency room. Funds will also be used to support the purchase and up-fit of transfer vehicles related to the therapy dog program.
Emergency action is requested in order to not delay the appropriation of these funds so that they can be utilized for needed crisis response activities. As part of the City's dedication to alternative crisis response, service animals have been shown to decrease adverse interactions in a behavioral health crisis. Service animals require an appropriately equipped vehicle to be transported to these situations. This vehicle needs to be purchased first for the transportation of the service animal. Purchasing a vehicle is a lengthy process and the rest of the services will not be able to occur until this happens.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance will appropriate $1,000,000.00 available from the unappropriated monies in the Income Tax Set Aside Subfund.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $1,000,000.00 from the unappropriated balance in the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund to support crisis response activity costs; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $1,000,000.00 from the unappropriated balance in the Income Tax Set Aside (ITSA) Subfund to support crisis response activity costs; and
WHEREAS, funding is budgeted and avail...
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