This moment has been years in the making. Thanks to the relentless organizing of residents like you, the Columbus City Council has officially referred the collaboratively written Community Crisis Response Amendment to the May 5th, 2026 primary election ballot!
For half a decade, the Columbus Safety Collective has fought to reimagine public safety. Because of the nearly 30,000 signatures collected by our incredible volunteer canvassers, we reached a historic compromise with the Mayor, City Council, and labor leaders to put forward a common-sense, life-saving proposal.
Why We Fight:
This campaign is for the people and by the people. As our Co-Chair Chana Wiley shared, this work is deeply personal. It is rooted in the tragic loss of her brother, Jaron Thomas, who lost his life after calling 911 during a mental health crisis.
Mental health stigma is real, and the wrong response can be fatal. All of us, no matter where we live or what we look like deserve the right help when we experience an emergency. This amendment ensures that what happened to Jaron never happens to another family.
What the Amendment Does:
By enshrining alternative crisis response into the Columbus City Charter, we are making non-police crisis response the presumptive first response where appropriate. Specifically, this amendment will:
- Integrate a new system into 911: Create a community crisis response system that is fully integrated into the City’s existing triage and dispatch network.
- Send the right experts: Dispatch non-police workers including trained social workers, behavioral health professionals, peer supporters, and EMTs to mental health and substance abuse crises.
- Guarantee 24/7 care: Ensure these healthcare-based services are fully implemented and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by 2030.
- Ensure accountability: Establish an advisory board to work with and evaluate the entire crisis response system.
We Need Your Help to Win in May:
Polling shows that 68% of Columbus voters support this amendment, but we cannot take this for granted. We are officially entering the Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) phase of this campaign, and we need the grassroots power of our community to get us across the finish line.
Can you chip in to help us reach every voter in Columbus?
Every dollar goes directly toward educating voters, printing campaign materials, and funding our field program.
Donate to the Columbus Safety Collective Campaign
Join our Volunteer Team!
We need door-knockers and community advocates to help spread the word. You don’t need any experience, just a passion for a safer, more just Columbus. Reply to this email and let us know what you’re comfortable doing!
Together, we are transforming our city for the better, saving lives, and ensuring the right response for every call. Let’s make history on May 5th.
