[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6612275,"mediaKeyId","2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067","parentId",2891919,"title","Council proclaims April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month; young advocates brief council on local statistics and events","audioSeconds",294,"startMs",1442000,"endMs",1736000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067&start=1442&end=1736","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067/thumbnail_1442000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6612275/Ohio/Council-proclaims-April-as-National-Child-Abuse-Prevention-Month-young-advocates-brief-council-on-local-statistics-and-events","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612275-590b68c8a8792f76e0be35c5efcc2085/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136688&Signature=RUpxklBpQFPcLkaScXnWzgSVXVcV687s7xHUxXIL0VmH4HQFJyditU548qxCqXodwtMs7E7vefDpJAV8V~J3RPzKzWLXvvJz7L4KbG8kOR~gP6-r5kRyGtoBr9hBIDgpiKBqlWEkms1MRe7pn7xCnwYSfGpuRFju2uEdS9cju5uzcGr1G9QcuTDgFCgVwWvSMi5fl9TmzIh8MiMM~nsGM8gMkxTJYk647MZNIXtLN8r8QI18hxZzva2c5tL4n5RB4hY3m1hrV-Y~dorBvV7pTBjDCDENLhgn9tUMbul9KjBKQKZ5gKIZL7lFjpea5MQKC5rqNVyKyMKXLYJKSRmfsw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Columbus","date","2025-04-07T23:15:31.43Z","article","Columbus City Council adopted a resolution recognizing April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard testimony from youth advocates and local service providers.

Councilmember Green introduced the resolution and invited members of the Center for Healthy Families’ Black Girls and Young Women’s Collective, Franklin County Children’s Services and other local advocates to speak. Several young people from the center and partnering organizations described outreach activities planned for April and urged residents to report suspected abuse.

Speakers provided data the city cited from Franklin County Children’s Services: about 28,000 reports of child abuse to the county hotline in 2023, which the presenters described as an average of roughly 76 reports per day. The presenters said over half of those reports involved concerns of physical abuse, roughly one in six alleged sexual abuse and roughly one in eight involved domestic violence in the home; they also said in 2021 there were more than 7,200 incidents concerning Black girls, which they said highlights disproportionate impacts.

The advocates outlined a calendar of awareness activities discussed at the meeting: a public display of blue pinwheels and a solidarity walk to be held at City Hall (meeting remarks corrected a published pinwheel date during remarks), citywide illumination of blue lights during the week of April 7, a request that residents wear blue on April 9 and an invitation to Franklin County Children’s Services’ annual Child Abuse Prevention Breakfast on April 9. The center also described kiosks in Short North and downtown that will display prevention advertisements and encouraged social-media sharing of those spots.

Following presentations and councilmember remarks thanking the young advocates, the council adopted the resolution by roll call.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Columbus City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Columbus City Council adopted a resolution recognizing April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Student and youth advocates from the Center for Healthy Families and Franklin County Children's Services described local outreach activities and cited child-abuse reporting statistics.","taxTitle","Columbus City Council, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio","taxId",75950,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612281,"Council approves HOME-ARP loans for two permanent supportive housing projects on Near East Side and Jenkins Avenue",173,2866000,3039000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067&start=2866&end=3039","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067/thumbnail_2866000.jpg","/articles/6612281/Ohio/Council-approves-HOME-ARP-loans-for-two-permanent-supportive-housing-projects-on-Near-East-Side-and-Jenkins-Avenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612281-633e2a1bbdc78ffda7b438d4cc798082/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136688&Signature=QG3UF8ILnbr2KIPLrexAKz5uSHj304mpOLux-sSEtR-wyVmtHUX2dj204NxMeChldAWIrRpuekxt1quT9~~Ke2pwfdj7oUU2qjy-7UgqvkXicOyYAf~U0mFt1yHisqyAohhXSdfSY3e-zdrFgKQYIma4NH2PEG1rsTLD8Pnyiq5ol1qkfRbC~MF5vVpckzp9d~G61PzhtYAmCA2fyt~yxaSfJXKxc7BoLrUqJM0jtxt0XPNI~fZkEDSZXFE7CnrSHOl-bNFA3O7P5Pb59Z8t8cVZKNA92zjtCWnbHVB6-lQnKZdTkJ6hWLQhM2p4XRLM7lsWCN2pgpyLXT0t5hKzjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Columbus City Council approved two HOME-ARP funding commitments to support development of permanent supportive housing projects in the city.

Council authorized the Department of Development to commit up to $1,250,000 in HOME-ARP funds for a project called Knoll View Place, located on Mound Street, and up to $1,500,000 for Scioto Rise Place on Jenkins Avenue. The measures passed after presentations from the Department of Development and Community Housing Network representatives.

Ryan Castle, chief real estate development officer for Community Housing Network (CHN), told council that CHN develops, owns and manages permanent supportive housing for people with mental illness or who have been homeless. He described a resident example of a person who had been undiagnosed, became homeless and later stabilized after entering CHN housing, securing employment and services. Castle said CHN has received approximately $16.6 million in city funds since 2004 and that Knoll View Place is expected to cost about $16.9 million to develop. He said the funding from the council will be leveraged with other sources.

Council president Harden said the Knoll View Place parcel had earlier been the site of an unhoused encampment and that the project demonstrates use of Land Bank property and partnership with CHN to provide permanent homes. At the meeting, council described Knoll View Place as a 51-bedroom project that will prioritize residents experiencing chronic homelessness and include units serving people with severe mental illness; the sponsor described Scioto Rise Place as a 61-bedroom development prioritizing chronically homeless residents and people with serious mental illness or substance use disorders.

Both ordinances passed on the floor by roll call. Council also noted a related resolution recognizing the long service of a CHN leader who recently retired and attended the meeting. City staff said the HOME-ARP funds will be used through standard commitment letters, loan agreements and associated documents and that the city will act as lender for the projects.","Columbus City Council authorized HOME-ARP funding commitments to support two permanent supportive housing developments — Knoll View Place and Scioto Rise Place — intended to add dozens of units prioritizing people experiencing chronic homelessness and people with serious mental illness.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612284,"Council approves $1.375M in contracts for community violence intervention programs",242,1077000,1319000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067&start=1077&end=1319","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067/thumbnail_1077000.jpg","/articles/6612284/Ohio/Council-approves-1375M-in-contracts-for-community-violence-intervention-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612284-61e82d74986129099a8cf361b05230e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136688&Signature=E9fWBIw0UH39R71LpuE~nsKuWd5h7WomNbXk93X9~19KvjCD0x9epMRnDrHoYWkeU4f428JFrwjEryZ2o1w3jKq7~nvAw6XFx~R0BrueEommTVLqtpV0gUrxgMH67SSg~b0OSM5lBBJCR~NER-Bxavh-~i1grObdjb9O-PC5GPfAgFccZpFKmasPBc4zS~gkiU8AHjvp23WyQ8YsSO3vW1WUFQBoBjTK16jk8YZug4norKtzGz1cte7lYJIftwBuWmOV3GlS2OuNK2WW0-YXBSVwixBtYq86chuIvqzX1sCmxI9Djsfn7dseNdlIcN13HL4vokHqtJfbQA6FDBCvjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Columbus City Council voted to approve two contracts administered by the Office of Violence Prevention to expand community-based violence-intervention programs.

Council approved a contract authorizing up to $725,000 to the Columbus Urban League and a second contract authorizing up to $650,000 to Community for New Direction. Both contracts waive competitive-bidding requirements and were declared emergency expenditures; the council approved both measures in committee and by roll call.

Director Rena Shaq, of the Office of Violence Prevention, said the contracts will expand intervention staff and broaden the footprint of each organization’s work. She described the city’s aim to develop a comprehensive community violence intervention ecosystem that includes school-based programs, family-oriented case management, street-level response and 24/7 crisis response in high-risk locations.

According to the director’s description at the meeting, some contracted interventionists primarily provide school-based programming for high-risk youth; others provide whole-family case management, including referrals to city programs such as reroute and to public-health services. The director said Community for New Direction focuses heavily on school-based work, while the Columbus Urban League operates effectively in street-level, high-risk settings.

Councilmember Riemi led questions about specific activities; the director and staff answered that services include mediation and de-escalation, referrals to supportive services and crisis response to shootings, aggravated assaults and other serious incidents. The contracts were presented as expansions of an existing network of more than 100 violence-reduction professionals coordinated by the Office of Violence Prevention.

Both ordinances passed by roll call; one council member abstained on the Columbus Urban League vote and the Urban League contract passed with the abstention recorded. The Community for New Direction contract passed by voice and roll call.","Columbus City Council approved contracts that provide funding to the Columbus Urban League and Community for New Direction to expand violence-intervention staffing and street- and school-based services coordinated by the Office of Violence Prevention.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612289,"Columbus council welcomes members of new Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs",320,288000,608000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067&start=288&end=608","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2891919-142bf5553a99d2534bdb260d71a91067/thumbnail_288000.jpg","/articles/6612289/Ohio/Columbus-council-welcomes-members-of-new-Commission-on-Immigrant-and-Refugee-Affairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612289-32715826235670d37bf7f0475cd142ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136688&Signature=VdpFG00H3k4KPfFb88PNDw~hWMJTBGf-CdSt~YKj~aEFVTKeEclYLeffM0dFWhWkZ37hH6z5zpPh67QUYYPuJ9Os-MA1I7IXt3lrclJ4GIX9Yjl7tLEWFUvcyEZ8xvmmilSXFkn3CzvxSB6DPPxSLGxCaQF3La2vJEFyr5nWTYLbkvdKHWAZqVHmmeU--gKn8eyRGt1mw~3c06tXxgW48h7j1DgVvgTrtx95ziJSetnuHVLcIvOQnQ-yQjQKRyV2LkWUaIxDkDZ5y9Z2wfIP0BhD3URYAluU4hzJQ6gjJZ2HZYNHeFT8tDZi16Ve4S3Z49ERDE~J~sf0AIVxf4BgwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Columbus City Council on Monday approved appointments to the newly established Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and heard introductory remarks from the commission chair and several new commissioners.

Councilmember Barossa de Padilla said the commission grew from community listening sessions called “Immigrants Make Columbus,” and noted the council adopted city code language in November 2024 creating the commission. She introduced the new commissioners and invited the commission chair, Dr. Barth Shepkhan, to speak.

Dr. Barth Shepkhan said he emigrated to the United States about two decades ago and described the new commission as a vehicle to center immigrant voices in city policy. He said the commission will advise council and city departments and help bridge barriers that immigrants and refugees face when accessing services. Several new commissioners briefly introduced themselves, giving their country or community of origin — including representatives who identified as from the Yucatán Peninsula, Somalia, Ghana, Pakistan, Liberia, Korea, Palestine, Haiti, Mexico and India.

Councilmembers praised the appointments and encouraged commissioners to persist even when policy change takes time. Councilmember remarks highlighted the role immigrants play in entrepreneurship, cultural life and population growth in the region; Barossa de Padilla cited a statistic that immigrants accounted for more than a quarter of local population growth between 2014 and 2019.

The appointments were taken up on the consent agenda and included an introduction of the commission’s chair and vice chair at the meeting. Appointees present described priorities including policy recommendations, outreach and increasing residents’ sense of belonging.

The council thanked Department of Neighborhoods staff for assisting with the initiative and encouraged residents to follow the commission’s work as membership begins meeting.","Columbus City Council approved appointments to a newly created Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and heard introductory remarks from the commission chair and several appointees about representation, inclusion and plans to advise city departments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council proclaims April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month; young advocates brief council on local statistics and events

Council approves HOME-ARP loans for two permanent supportive housing projects on Near East Side and Jenkins Avenue

Council approves $1.375M in contracts for community violence intervention programs

Columbus council welcomes members of new Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs