Columbus' Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging is becoming an independent, regional office.
Columbus City Council on Monday approved giving the organization $6 million for payroll, retirement contributions and insurance for employees, who officially start under the independent organization on Jan. 1.
Councilwoman Nancy Day-Achauer said the money is not from the city's general operating fund. Rather, it comes from state and federal grants that the city accepted on COAAA's behalf.
COAAA provides services to aging adults and people with disabilities. It was formed in 1974 with 10 employees, who were under the city's Department of Recreation and Parks.
Now, more than 400 COAAA case managers, healthcare providers and other staff members serve more than 14,000 older adults in eight counties. COAAA is set to break from the city in 2026 to better reflect its regional status and to comply with the MyCare Next Generation service model mandated by the Ohio Department of Medicaid.
In July, city council members gave the new COAAA $1 million for startup costs. Day-Achauer, who chairs the city's neighborhoods, recreation and parks committee, said that money came with stipulations that employees be "put first" during the transition.
"It's been a confusing and stressful year for our employees as they learned that they would be leaving the city and would begin working under the new COAAA-COG," Day-Achauer said.
Day-Achauer admitted to colleagues at Monday's council meeting that the process had, "at times unfortunately lacked the transparency many were hoping for, mostly on account of legal necessity."
"I believe that there are many lessons that we as the city have learned during this process to better prepare for these situations and ease transitions for employees," Day-Achauer said.
With union agreements for COAAA employees nearly finished, Day-Achauer said it was time to give the new COAAA the funds needed to pay employees in the new year.
Columbus City Councilmember Rob Dorans had been critical of the transition process, but was happy to see union agreements on the horizon. He said he appreciated Day-Achauer "taking these matters very seriously," even through difficult conversations.
COAAA has said that as its own entity, it will increase services and better prepare the region for the future of older adults and people with disabilities.
Kate White, a COAAA administrator, will become the executive director of the agency next year.
