Explanation
BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health (CPH) has been awarded a grant from The Ohio Department of Health. This ordinance is needed to accept and appropriate $416,866.00 in grant monies to fund the STI Prevention grant program, for the period March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027. The total amount funded for this period is $416,866.00.
The STI Prevention grant program enables Columbus Public Health to identify and prevent sexually transmitted diseases through implementing partner services and then screening for HIV and syphilis. In 2025, CPH DIS interviewed all 846 individuals diagnosed with syphilis. As a result of timely intervention, 71% received this interview within 21 days, 88% received treatment in 21 days, and 100% of named partners received treatment in 30 days. All activities are conducted with special emphasis on populations at high risk such as community sites serving LGBTQ communities, persons experience human trafficking, and other vulnerable populations.
The Ohio Department of Health has tasked CPH to improve the efficiency of the reallocation of funds as necessary in order to minimize unused funds to the greatest extent possible and to maximize the available services and avoid potential penalties as future funds may not be permitted by Ohio Department of Health. For this reason, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept any additional awards for the STI Prevention grant program; to authorize the appropriation of any additional awards for the STI Prevention grant program; to authorize the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between both object classes and grant numbers for STI Prevention grant program.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency in order to ensure that quality STI Prevention care continues to be and to ensure timely payment to providers.
FISCAL IMPACT: The STI Prevention grant program is entirely funded by the Ohio Department of Health and does not generate revenue or require a city match...
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