Explanation
Background
In October of 2018, the City of Columbus received three U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP) awards. COAP funding will enhance and expand critical prevention, intervention and data driven action designed to promote successful implementation of justice strategies outlined in the Franklin County Opiate Action Plan for the period of October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2021. In February of 2019, BJA approved using a total of $95,438 in COAP funds from two of these three grant awards to support Prosecutor Impact (PI) training for Columbus City Attorney Prosecution Division. This ordinance authorizes the City of Columbus to enter into a sole source contract with Third Sector New England, Inc., doing business as Prosecutor Impact, to bring the PI’s innovative and unique prosecutor training to Columbus, Ohio June 2019 through September 2021.
PI will train prosecutors to better understand root causes motivating non-violent, misdemeanor criminal behavior (i.e. poverty, mental health and substance use disorders with specific focus on opioid addiction) and to develop diversion and prevention strategies that connect individuals with the proper systems for support, treatment and/or rehabilitation. PI training includes one week of immersive, highly interactive learning experiences followed by weeks of online lessons and virtual discussion forums and twelve months of technical assistance from PI staff. Training is experiential by design to ensure prosecutors not only learn background information, but also have opportunities to apply and practice skills throughout the training period. As part of the PI experience, a peer to peer training team will be established within the Prosecution Division to train new prosecutors and provide ongoing “booster sessions” for existing staff. Thirty City prosecution staff will complete PI training in 2019. In addition to training frontline staff, PI will work with the unit to track and analyze data to assess impact of PI on social, economic and justice outcomes overtime.
Prosecutor Impact is the only organization providing this type of socially minded, immersive prosecutor training the United States. Total cost for PI training, follow up technical assistance and project evaluation is $300,000. PI has secured $204,562 in public and private contributions to support the training. $95,438 in federal COAP grant funding from two grants awarded to the City will make up the balance ($50,536 from Columbus Public Health’s COAP grant G501914 and $44,902 from Franklin County Municipal Court’s COAP grant G251902 -total $95,438).
Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact to the City of Columbus budget. U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP) grant dollars will be used to pay PI implementation fees. Ordinance 2883-2018 accepted and appropriated COAP grant funds.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to ensure planning for PI training and evaluation begins in a timely manner to meet projected project timeline.
Title
To authorize the City Attorney to enter into contract with Third Sector New England, Inc., doing business as Prosecutor Impact, to provide specialized training and follow up technical assistance for City Attorney Prosecution staff from June 2019 through June 2020; to waive competitive bidding provisions of Chapter 329 of Columbus City Codes; to authorize the expenditure of $95,438.00 from U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance grant project funds; and to declare an emergency. ($95,438.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City Attorney has a need for specialized prosecution training services to promote and sustain critical justice reform initiatives;
WHEREAS, Prosecutor Impact is the only organization providing comprehensive training, technical assistance and impact analysis for this type of prosecutor-lead reform, it is in the best interest of the City to waive competitive bidding to enter into contract with Third Sector New England, Inc., doing business as Prosecutor Impact for this service; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the City Attorney in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Attorney to enter into contract with Third Sector New England, Inc. for Prosecutor Impact Training to ensure PI implementation will begin in a timely manner to meet the projected project timeline and thereby preserving the public health, peace, safety, and welfare; now, therefore;
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Attorney is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Third Sector New England, Inc., doing business as Prosecutor Impact, to provide specialize prosecutor training with follow-up technical assistance and project evaluation.
SECTION 2. That Council finds it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to waive the provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code relating to competitive bidding to permit the aforementioned service contract.
SECTION 3. That for the aforesaid purpose the expenditure of $95,438, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from grant project funds according to the attached accounting document.
SECTION 4. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.