Explanation
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with Healthcare Collaborative of Greater Columbus in support of the Help Understanding Barriers (HUB) diversion program in the City Attorney’s Office. City Attorney Zach Klein established this pilot diversion program in May 2019 to start identifying the root causes of crime and address those causes by connecting those accused to community services and treatment.
As part of the program, the City Attorney’s office begins with an internal review of the cases to determine eligibility for the program. A trained community health worker from a local provider administers a 36 question screening tool to address social determinants barriers and provide linkage to resources to address needs. This confidential information is stored in a HIPAA compliant database managed by the Healthcare Collaborative of Greater Columbus. The community health worker keeps the defendant on the health worker’s caseload throughout the diversion process to assist with any outstanding issues.
Upon successful completion of the program, prosecutors ask the court to dismiss the criminal case and agree to have the record sealed. The City Attorney piloted the program with petty theft charges only. As of today, twenty people have entered the program and many more who have future court dates have been screened in as potentially eligible. The City Attorney’s office is addressing needs including: food, employment, car repairs, and furniture assistance. The City Attorney’s office is working with the Franklin County Public Defender, Franklin County Municipal Court, Franklin County Clerk of Courts, and several social service agencies to effectuate the program.
The grant agreement between Columbus City Council and Heathcare Collaborative of Greater Columbus will serve to add supplemental funds to the diversion program. The agreement will expressly prohibit the sharing ...
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