Explanation
BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health has been awarded a grant from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners to continue a partnership with Equitas Health and Columbus Public Health for a harm reduction program, called Safe Point. The funds will allow a modification to the existing contract with Equitas Health to continue to provide harm reduction services. This ordinance is needed to accept and appropriate $100,000.00 in grant monies to help supplement the Safe Point Program for the period of October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
Harm reduction services provided by Equitas Health allow clients who are at high-risk of accidental overdose death to access the lifesaving drug, Naloxone. During 2017, Safe Point provided services to 3,139 individual clients. A total of 1,315 lives were known to have been saved from Naloxone that was acquired at the Safe Point program. Clients who participate in the Safe Point program are provided access to many types of care that address both their active substance use disorder as well as other social determinants of health. Throughout 2017, Safe Point provided 1,518 referrals for Alcohol and Drug Treatment, 1,029 linkages to medical care, and 472 referrals for behavioral or mental healthcare services.
Emergency action is requested in order to ensure Columbus has a harm reduction program through 12/31/2019.
FISCAL IMPACT: The grant program is fully funded ($100,000.00) by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and does not require a City match.
Title
To authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept a grant from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners to supplement the Safe Point program in the amount of $100,000.00; to authorize the appropriation of $100,000.00 in the Health Department Grants Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($100,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, $100,000.00 in grant funds have been made available through the Franklin County Board of Commissioners to supplement the Safe Point pro...
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