Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with the Community Shelter Board (CSB) for the homelessness prevention program for pregnant women. Pregnant women experiencing homelessness are less likely to have adequate prenatal care and more likely to have a baby born premature and low birth weight. In a recent study, the stress of homelessness, “was more strongly predictive of preterm birth and low birth weight than even smoking and substance abuse.” Unfortunately, homelessness affects Black women disproportionately in Columbus and elsewhere, further contributing to the high infant death rates experienced by Black families.
For pregnant women who already have children, another concern is the stress and negative effects that homelessness and shelter stays have on children. Homeless children are four times more likely to experience delayed development and two times as likely to repeat a grade compared to non-homeless children. They also attend an average of two different schools in a single year, affecting the continuity of their academic attainment. Housing is an effective healthcare intervention. Fifty percent of school-age homeless children experience anxiety, depression, or withdrawal compared to 18% of non-homeless children.
The program will serve pregnant women at imminent risk of becoming homeless and provide them with the services they need to become self-sufficient, prevent them from becoming homeless and help provide a safe, healthy home for their baby. CSB will work directly with service providers to identify pregnant women who are in an unstable housing situation that endangers them or the health of their baby.
Emergency action is requested in order to immediately provide the Community Shelter Board with the resources necessary to avoid any delay in serving pregnant women at risk of homelessness.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into contract with the Community Shelter Board for the homelessness prevention program for pregnant women; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($75,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, pregnant women experiencing homelessness are less likely to have adequate prenatal care and more likely to have a baby born premature and low birth weight; and
WHEREAS, homelessness affects Black women disproportionately in Columbus and elsewhere, further contributing to the high infant death rates experienced by Black families; and
WHEREAS, the Community Shelter Board (CSB) will work directly with service providers to identify pregnant women who are in an unstable housing situation that endangers them or the health of their baby; and
WHEREAS, the program will serve pregnant women at imminent risk of becoming homeless and provide them with the services they need to become self-sufficient, prevent them from becoming homeless and help provide a safe, healthy home for their baby; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a contract with the Community Shelter Board to avoid any delay in the provision of services to pregnant women at risk of homelessness, for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into contract with the Community Shelter Board in support of the homelessness prevention program for pregnant women.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $75,000.00 in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $75,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the actions authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, in Object Class 03 - Contractual Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this contract is awarded pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 329 that relate to not-for-profit service contracts.
SECTION 5. 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 legislation.
SECTION 6. 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 7. That for the reason stated in the preamble here to, 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.