Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with The African American Male Wellness Agency in support of the Real Men Real Talk Initiative.
Mental Health is now more than ever an issue that needs to be addressed in the African American community, as it can be traced to be the foundation of a lot of the issues in the black community. From violence, unemployment, and lack of educational achievement these issues all stem from some sort of trauma affecting the mental health of the members of the community, especially African American men who are often at the bottom of the disparity gap in many of these areas. By going directly into the Linden community and engaging the hardest to reach and underserved African American men with resources as well as hosting community conversations with mental health professionals, we can collectively build stronger neighborhoods.
Over the past 4 years, AA Wellness has been addressing mental wellness from various educational perspectives through the Real Men Real Talk Initiative, previously known as Barbershop Talk. The primary objective of the Real Men Real Talk Initiative is to facilitate conversations with African American men around mental health and opioid addiction in places such as barbershops, churches, restaurants and recreation centers. Utilizing evidence-based results, the agency finds it valuable to implement an “out of the box” approach to host conversations and provide supportive services with over 250 African American men over an 8 month period. Within the program design, the agency uses a collaborative approach with local faith-based organizations, barbers, mental health specialists, drug counselors and community stakeholders.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delay in providing the resources necessary to sustain the Real Men Real Talk Initiative.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with The African American Male Wellness Agency in support of the Real Men Real Talk Initiative; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($85,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, mental Health is now more than ever an issue that needs to be addressed in the African American community; and
WHEREAS, from violence, unemployment, and lack of educational achievement these issues all stem from some sort of trauma affecting the mental health of the members of the community; and
WHEREAS, over the past 4 years, African American Male Wellness has been addressing mental wellness from various educational perspectives through the Real Men Real Talk Initiative; and
WHEREAS, within the program design, the agency uses a collaborative approach with local faith-based organizations, barbers, mental health specialists, drug counselors and community stakeholders; and
WHEREAS, utilizing evidence-based results, the agency expects to host conversations and provide supportive services with over 250 African American men over an 8 month period; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Clerk's Office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with African American Male Wellness Agency in order to avoid any delay in providing the resources necessary to sustain the Real Men Real Talk Initiative; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with The African American Male Wellness Agency in support of the Real Men Real Talk Initiative.
SECTION 2. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $85,000.00 to Columbus City Council in the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That per the action authorized in Section 1 of this ordinance, the expenditure of $85,000.00 or so much thereof as needed within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, is hereby authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 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 ordinance.
SECTION 6. 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.