To submit to the electors of the city of Columbus at a special election to be held concurrently with the regular primary election on May 5, 2026, the question of amending the Charter of the City of Columbus, such question to be known as "Proposed Charter Amendment No. 2, Community Crisis Response Services.”

This proposed charter amendment, "Proposed Charter Amendment No. 2, Community Crisis Response Services," will be submitted to the electors of Columbus at a special election on May 5, 2026. If approved, it will establish a comprehensive community crisis response system designed to handle calls that do not involve substantial risk of death or bodily harm, focusing on behavioral health, homelessness, and other nonviolent crises.

Key Components:

• New System: Creates a dedicated office, division, or department to manage crisis response services.
• Unarmed Response: Mandates the availability of unarmed response services for appropriate calls.
• Advisory Board: Establishes an advisory board with diverse representation to oversee the system, meeting at least quarterly.
• Mandated Funding: Requires sufficient annual funding for personnel, services, and resources, with reductions only permitted proportionally to overall city budget decreases and with public justification.
• Proactive Engagement: Mandates proactive community engagement to keep residents informed.
• Collaboration: Emphasizes collaboration with community partners, crisis hotlines, and various government agencies.
• Training & Standards: Prioritizes person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally competent training and safety standards.
• No Impact on Existing Agreements: Clarifies that the amendment will not diminish existing collective bargaining agreements or employee rights.