Explanation
The City of Columbus, Columbus City Attorney’s Office received a $500,000 grant through the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), 2021 Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot (FTAP) program. Grant award period: July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
In 2020, the City Attorney partnered with the Franklin County Prosecutor, Columbus Division of Police, Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Franklin County Municipal Court Pretrial and Probation Services, Capital University Law School’s Civil Protection Unit, LSS CHOICES, and The Center for Family Safety and Healing to secure a National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges (NCFJCJ) Firearm Technical Assistance Program (FTAP) award. There was no funding attached to the initial NCFJCJ technical assistance award, but the project team was linked with professional consultants and national experts to improve compliance with firearm laws and regulations for domestic violence offenders. Through the successful work of the FTAP team, Columbus was selected to receive $500,000 in 2021 FTAP grant funds. 2021 FTAP funding will support the Domestic Violence Wrap Around Response pilot. This pilot embeds domestic violence advocates directly with Columbus Division of Police patrol first responders and in the Franklin County Domestic Relations Court's Family Protection Center. These advocates provide safety planning, resource referrals and direct advocacy for victims of domestic violence. Advocates also provide education for law enforcement and court staff on the complexity of domestic violence, domestic violence risk factors and the power and control dynamics often keeping victims in violent and volatile relationships.
To achieve the goals and objectives of this pilot project, the City will accept the grant funding then subaward $500,000 to Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Institute’s (NCHRI- City of Columbus vendor # 006172) Center for Family Safety and Healing. The Center for Family Safety and Healing is a nonprofit dedicated to the wellbeing of children and families. Together with their partners and communities, the Center supports victims of family violence and advocates for social change to prevent abuse. The Center’s vision is to end family violence and create safe and thriving communities. The Center for Family Safety and Healing will work with the Columbus Division of Police and Domestic Relations Court to implement and measure the impact of a “wrap around response” for victims and system providers engaging in the pilot and is responsible for all reporting, training, compliance and other OVW grant requirements presented in the attached subaward contract.
EMERGENCY ACTION: This ordinance is submitted as an emergency as to not delay program services and to allow the financial transactions to be posted to the City’s accounting system as soon as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the acceptance and appropriation of $500,000 in OVW 2021 Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot funding from the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. This initiative does not generate any revenue nor require a City match.
Federal Grant Program: OVW Fiscal Year 2021 Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot Sites Initiative
§ Award number:15JOVW-21-GK-04700-HOMI
§ Award amount: $500,000
§ Match requirement: None
§ Award period: July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
Title
To authorize the City Attorney to accept $500,000.00 in 2021 Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot program grant funding from the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women; to appropriate award funds to the City Attorney for the Domestic Violence Wrap Around Response pilot; to authorize the appropriation of $500,000.00 from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grants Fund 2220; to subaward $500,000.00 to Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Institute’s Center for Family Safety and Healing to implement and manage the Domestic Violence Wrap Around Response pilot and achieve grant goals and objectives outlined by Office on Violence Against Women; and to declare an emergency. ($500,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women awarded the City of Columbus $500,000 in 2021 Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot grant funds; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to accept and appropriate these funds from the United States Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women to support the Domestic Violence Wrap Around Response pilot; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to accept said project award; and
WHEREAS, the award period is July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney’s Office received permission from the Office on Violence Against Women to subaward the $500,000 to Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Institute’s Center for Family Safety and Healing to achieve project goals, objectives and grant requirements; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the City in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Attorney to accept the $500,000 grant from the United States Department of Justice, so as to not delay program services and to allow the financial transactions to be posted to the City’s accounting system as soon as possible, thereby preserving the public health, peace, safety and welfare; now therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Columbus City Attorney is hereby authorized to accept $500,000 in grant funding from the United States Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, 2021 Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot to support the Domestic Violence Wrap Around Response pilot from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grants Fund No. 2220, the sum of $500,000 is hereby appropriated to Columbus City Attorney 2401 according to the attached accounting document for the budget period of July 1, 2022 through September 31, 2025 (final fiscal reports are due 90 days after the end of the formal grant period).
SECTION 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon order of the City departments named above and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
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 6. That, at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies, if applicable, may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originate in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 7. 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 8. That the Columbus City Attorney is hereby authorized to enter into a subaward agreement in the amount of $500,000 in Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, 2021 Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot funds with Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Institute’s Center for Family Safety and Healing (City of Columbus vendor # 006172). The subaward outlining award terms and deliverables is attached hereto.
SECTION 9. That for the aforesaid purposes the expenditures of $500,000 for Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Institute’s Center for Family Safety and Healing, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from grant project funds according to the attached accounting document.
SECTION 10. 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.