Sec. 127-1. - Division of community crisis response.

The division of community crisis response is established as a division of the department of health and shall be under the authority of the city health commissioner. The health commissioner shall appoint an administrative head of the division who will be the chief of community crisis response. The division of community crisis response shall have as its primary duty to respond to and assist persons in crisis using the most appropriate and least invasive non-police intervention available, including the use of non-police, crisis response teams as presumptive first responders to 911 calls and other requests for assistance for situations that do not involve imminent danger, including mental health and substance abuse calls. For purposes of this Amendment, "imminent danger" means a substantial risk of death or bodily harm to a person or persons. The division is intended to supplement and work in coordination with other services and programs, including hotlines and other communication services providing person-to-person crisis intervention and support.

The division shall be responsible, at minimum, for the following:

Overseeing the development of curriculum and training on community crisis response for employees of the division that is focused on person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally competent community crisis responses, providing on-site screening and assessment, stabilization and de-escalation, and coordination with and referrals to health, social, and other services and supports as needed.

Overseeing the management and administration of services provided by the division and coordination of such services with other departments and programs, including providing staff within the City of Columbus Emergency Communications Center to assist call-takers in identifying, assessing, and routing calls where appropriate.

Training and overseeing crisis response teams, that are not police officers, to respond directly as first or sole responders to 911 calls and other requests for assistance that include at least one community crisis response worker, and emergency medical technicians, professional and paraprofessional staff, crisis intervention specialists, therapists, case managers, and trained peer and family support workers, as needed.

Training and overseeing outreach teams, that are not police officers, that canvass the community to interact with persons and engage with businesses and residents to resolve issues relating to the division mission, and to build relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness or experiencing issues with substance use or mental health to assist them in obtaining voluntary services.

Providing adequate resources for the community crisis response teams to fulfill their function, including, but not limited to, safety, transportation, communication, and other equipment necessary for carrying out the purpose of the division.

Establishing a training and hiring process for community crisis workers that will provide compensation for training and work, and that will use a hiring rubric that includes preferences for individuals with lived experience with one or more of the following: community violence, legal system contact, mental and substance abuse conditions, poverty, and housing instability or homelessness. This provision shall not be construed to conflict with any applicable professional education or accreditation standards, nor federal or state funding rules for such programs.

No provision of sections 127-1 through 127-8 shall be construed to diminish any existing or future collective bargaining rights of employees of the city of Columbus.

(Ord. No. 0649-2026, § 1, 3-2-2026)