Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with The Ohio State University (OSU), in an amount up to $27,968.00, to create opportunities for healing with a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention with justice-involved Black girls and their parents and caregivers.
In light of the tragic death of Ma'Khia Bryant several weeks ago, there is an urgent need to provide specific, targeted support for criminal justice system-involved and at-risk Black girls. These girls are experiencing more stress due to the coronavirus and its effect on their mothers (parents/caregivers), with 57% noting that their mental health was worse due to the virus and its affects. In partnership with the Columbus City Council (CCC), Franklin County Juvenile Court (FCJC) FCJC staff will refer interested parent/caregiver-dyads to the OSU program. This intervention will help reduce stress among all participants and promote restoration and healing that will reduce the potential for law-breaking behavior.
The targeted constituents include court-involved Black girls aged 14-17 who are also disproportionality affected by PTSD, with 70% of girls with histories of sexual or physical abuse as well as their parents/caregivers. The parent/caregiver-child dyads will undergo a stress reduction intervention, i.e., Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR). MBSR may improve PTSD symptomatology, which is linked to delinquency and other risky behaviors. MBSR may help modulate the dysregulated stress response in the body to improve physical and mental health concurrently.
The project will be led by Dr. Camille R. Quinn, a licensed, independent social worker in Ohio and Assistant Professor at the OSU College of Social Work. Her work draws on over 20 years of prior experience in social and health services as a practitioner and administrator. She is a funded researcher and has substantive expertise to develop and tailor interventions to improve the well-being of Black youth and their families, especially girls and young women in the community and correctional settings, which are all needed to carry out this project.
These services provided by OSU cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current staffing capacity and expertise to provide.
Emergency action is necessary to address the urgent needs facing criminal justice system-involved and at-risk girls.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available in the General Fund, Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 006163. Contract compliance is pending.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to execute a grant agreement with The Ohio State University, in an amount up to $27,968.00, to create opportunities for healing with a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention with criminal justice system involved Black girls and their parents and caregivers; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $27,968.00 from the General Fund Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($27,968.00)
Body
WHEREAS, in light of the tragic death of Ma'Khia Bryant several weeks ago, there is an urgent need to provide specific targeted support for criminal justice system involved and at-risk girls; and
WHEREAS, Franklin County Juvenile Court staff will refer interested parent/caregiver-dyads to the intervention program that will help reduce stress among all participants and promote restoration and healing that will reduce the potential for law-breaking behavior; and
WHEREAS, the targeted constituents include criminal justice system involved Black girls aged 14-17 who are also disproportionality affected by PTSD, with 70% of girls with histories of sexual or physical abuse as well as their parents/caregivers; and
WHEREAS, the project will be led by Dr. Camille R. Quinn, a licensed, independent social worker in Ohio and Assistant Professor at the OSU College of Social Work; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University to create opportunities for healing with a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention with criminal justice system involved Black girls and their parents and caregivers; 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 execute a grant agreement with The Ohio State University to address the urgent needs facing criminal justice system involved and at-risk girls thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the sum of $27,968.00 is appropriated in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Subfund 100018, Dept-Div 44-01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with The Ohio State University to create opportunities for healing with a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention with criminal justice system involved Black girls and their parents and caregivers in an amount up to $27,968.00.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $27,968.00 or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), subfund 100018, Dept-Div 4401 (Administration) Object Class 03 (Services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the agency identified in Section 2 is awarded a grant agreement pursuant to Columbus City Codes, 1959 Section 329.29.
SECTION 5. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 7. That for the 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.