HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Emergency assistance for the Richmond Center RESOLUTION NO. 08-492
RESOLUTION APPROVING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
TO THE RICHMOND CENTER MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
THROUGH COMMUNITY AND FAMILY RESOURCES
FOR THE CITY OF AMES
WHEREAS,the Council recently heard from representatives of the Richmond Center(RC)
Mental Health Center, Community an Family Resources (CFR), Story County, Mary Greeley
Medical Center(MGMC),and The United Way of Story County regarding the financial emergency
at the RC; and,
WHEREAS,CFR has been involved in managing the RC for over two months,and has been
involved in preparation of its 2007/08 audit as well as its ASSET budget requests for 2009/10; and,
WHEREAS,CFR and RC are exploring the possibility of eventually merging their services,
and RC has asked that the City,United Way,MGMC,and Story County provide emergency funding
of approximately$178,000 available immediately; and,
WHEREAS,without this additional funding,neither RC nor CFR were sure that the Center
could be kept open beyond the end of November; and,
WHEREAS,staff has met with CFR staff and discussed the City's current funding of RC and
service needs for Ames clients; and,
WHEREAS,City staff has met with Story County staff about the service areas which the City
and County may look at in order to complement,but not duplicate each other; and,
WHEREAS, on September 18, the Story County Board of Supervisors met and approved
funding for immediate and planning assistance in the amount of$48,000,and The United Way Board
met November 20 and approved an assistance package of$44,500; and,
WHEREAS, in meeting with representatives of CFR, City staff identified two areas of
service which the City Council may consider in providing assistance to RC—with those being nursing
services and information technology equipment and programming for the client information system;
and,
WHEREAS,it is staff s recommendation that the Council approve an emergency allocation
from the Local Option Sales Tax Fund balance to make available to RC/CFR up to$45,000 with the
following contingencies: a)$20,000 for reimbursement for nursing services on an hourly rate basis
of$79.28/hour;b)a forgivable loan of up to$25,000 for the purchase of equipment and software to
upgrade the RC's client tracking and billing system (with criteria being met before the Council
would consider forgiving the loan at some point after July 1, 2009); and, c) this action should be
contingent upon United Way, MGMC, and Story County providing a similar level of emergency
support of the Richmond Center; and,
WHEREAS, the following criteria would need to be met before the forgivable loan is to be
considered for the equipment and software upgrade purchase: a)the system provide information for
use in tracking the service provided to, and outcomes of treatment for, Ames residents; b) mental
health services be provided to Ames residents by either RC,RC and CFR together,or by CFR with
its own accreditation by July 1, 2009; and, c)mental health services be financially viable and able
to continue beyond July 1, 2009.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa,
that an emergency allocation of up to $45,000 from the Local Option Sales Tax Fund balance to
make available to the Richmond Center/Community and Family Resources with the aforementioned
stipulations is hereby approved.
ADOPTED THIS 25`h day of November, 2008.
`�,�� ���� Vim' �l•�s�v
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor
Introduced by: Mahayni
Seconded by: Popken
Voting aye: Goodman, Larson, Mahayni, Popken, Rice
Voting nay: None
Abstaining: Doll Absent: None
Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 25"' day of November, 2008.