Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Office of the Mayor to modify three contracts by adding additional funding and utilizing Federal CARES Act proceeds in the amount of $200,504.79 collectively. These modifications are needed to fund the Enhanced Maternal Health Program and to provide community initiatives in Franklin County aimed at the reduction of infant mortality.
Additional Funding
Contract Amount End Date
Moms2B/Ohio State University $ 43,754.79 12/30/2020
Physician’s CareConnection $ 76,750.00 12/30/2020
Restoring Our Own Through Transformation $ 80,000.00 12/30/2020
CelebrateOne has been awarded funding to provide prenatal and parenting supports in Franklin County aimed at the reduction of infant mortality. Projects include the City of Columbus servicing pregnant and parenting families through the Community Health Workers (Community Connectors) and an Evidence Based Home Visiting program. Community partners will provide Community Health Worker support and Evidence Based Home Visiting, as well as assistance with scheduling their first prenatal appointments and providing weekly educational and nutritional sessions (Moms2B).
Before COVID-19, Moms2B provided in person services and support to roughly 100- 130 pregnant and post partum women each week in all 8 CelebrateOne priority neighborhoods. At these weekly sessions, healthy meals were served because over 80% of Moms2B participants were food insecure. As a result of the pandemic, sessions are being conducted virtually and this means that mothers are not receiving nutritious meals to support a healthy pregnancy or first year of life. These funds will allow Moms2B to contract with LifeCare to provide food delivery services to participants who are food insecure.
Furthermore, Physicians CareConnection staff are not able to all work in the office at the same time due to COVID-19. Staggered schedules and rearranged office space have helped, but there is a need to invest in its remote work capabilities to ensure uninterrupted operations as their clients are the most vulnerable in the community. In order to accommodate these changes, hardware and software had to be updated or replaced which limited resources for the purchase of personal protective equipment and other safety measures such as more frequent office cleaning. There is a greater need for their services during the pandemic for essential items such as diapers, wipes and formula as well as assist those who require rental assistance due to financial impact.
Also, Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT's) home visitors and doulas provide guidance and support throughout their pregnancy. This type of work is reliant on in person, face to face contact with clients. Funds from the CARES Act will be used to mitigate increased costs resulting from the pandemic such as administrative and equipment costs due to a shift to remote work and safety measures put in place by health care providers. Additionally, healthcare facility restrictions are negatively impacting revenues because remote services are reimbursed at different rates, while some services cannot be provided to clients as they normally would in order to protect the health of the patients.
Finally, the reduction of infant mortality will include hiring Community Healthcare Workers and Home Visitors. Community partners will provide neighborhood prenatal care, coaching for first time moms and weekly educational and nutritional sessions. These additional funds will come from the Federal CARES Act in the amount of $200,504.79 collectively across the three individual contracts with Moms2B at Ohio State, Physician's CareConnection, and Restoring Our Own Through Transformation.
The original contracts were established with Ordinance 3165-2019 which passed on December 18, 2019.
Emergency action is requested so that these contracts can be modified quickly to ensure that these service can be provided without delay. In addition, Federal CARES Act funds are currently set to expire by December 30, 2020. Therefore, there is an urgent need to encumber these funds prior to the expiration date.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $200,504.79 from the CARES Act Fund 2207, Subfund 220701.
Title
To authorize the Office of the Mayor to modify, by increasing, three existing contracts to provide neighborhood prenatal care, coaching for first time moms, and weekly educational and nutritional sessions in support of the CelebrateOne Enhanced Maternal Health Program through December 30, 2020; to authorize the expenditure of $200,504.79 from the CARES Act Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($200,504.79)
Body
WHEREAS, $200,504.79 in additional funds are needed for the continuation of Community Health Workers and Home Visitors in the Enhanced Maternal Health Program and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to modify three contracts by increasing the contract amount from the CARES Act fund so that needed to Community Health Workers and Home Visitors can provide neighborhood services in connection with the Enhanced Maternal Health Program; and,
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal processes for providing neighborhood prenatal care, coaching for first time moms, and weekly educational and nutritional sessions and therefore Federal CARES Act funds are necessary to augment and modify the delivery method for these services in support of the CelebrateOne program: and
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2020 budget; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is being submitted as an emergency measure so that timely services can proceed without interruption; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Office of the Mayor, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, in that it is immediately necessary to modify three current contracts so that such services can be provided quickly before the Federal CARES Act deadline of December 30, 2020, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; Now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Office of the Mayor is hereby authorized to modify, by increasing, three current contracts through December 30, 2020 as follows:
Contract Amount End Date
Moms2B/Ohio State University $ 43,754.79 12/30/2020
Physician’s CareConnection $ 76,750.00 12/30/2020
Restoring Our Own Through Transformation $ 80,000.00 12/30/2020
SECTION 2. That, to pay the costs of said modification; the expenditure of $200,504.79 is hereby authorized from the CARES Act Fund , Fund No. 2207, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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.