Request for Applications (RFA) Internal Program # CORRECTIONS TO COMMUNITY CARE CONTINUUM

Transcription

1 RFA # Grants Gateway #: DOH01-AICORA-2017 Component A Grants Gateway #: DOH01-AICORB-2017 Component B Grants Gateway #: DOH01-AICORC-2017 Component C Grants Gateway #: DOH01-AICORD-2017 Component D Grants Gateway #: DOH01-AICORE-2017 Component E New York State (NYS) Department of Health (DOH) AIDS Institute (AI) Division of HIV, STD and HCV Prevention Services Bureau of Community Based Services Request for Applications (RFA) Internal Program # CORRECTIONS TO COMMUNITY CARE CONTINUUM COMPONENT A: Corrections to Community Care for HIV Positive Women and Women Who Engage in High Risk Behaviors COMPONENT B: Corrections to Community Care for HIV Positive Men and Men Who Engage in High Risk Behaviors COMPONENT C: Corrections to Community Care for HIV Positive Men and Men Who Engage in High Risk Behaviors in the New York City (NYC) HUB COMPONENT D: Community Reentry Coordination for HIV Positive Women and Men Released from a Correctional Facility to the New York City (NYC) Area COMPONENT E: Hotline Promotion, Information, and Resource Services for Incarcerated Individuals Questions below were received by the deadline announced in the RFA. The NYSDOH is not responsible for any errors or misinterpretation of any questions received. The responses to questions included herein are the official responses by the State to questions posted by potential bidders and are hereby incorporated into the RFA # In the event of any conflict between the RFA and these responses, the requirements or information contained in these responses will prevail. RFA #

2 GRANTS GATEWAY: APPLICATION SUBMISSION; APPLICATION DOWNLOAD Question 1: How do I determine if my agency is pre-qualified through the Grants Gateway? Answer 1: To be registered and prequalified through the Grants Gateway, an organization must have submitted a registration form, identified a grantee delegated administrator, entered required documents into the document vault, and submitted the document vault for review. Please note the documents in the vault must be submitted with sufficient time to be reviewed and approved - waiting until the last minute is not advised. If your agency vault is in review status and not yet prequalified, please send an to the mail log for this solicitation at CorrectionsRFA@health.ny.gov in order to request expedited handling of your document vault. Your organization s status can be viewed by accessing your document vault and observing the current status noted in the details panel at the top of your document vault main menu. The status can also be obtained by running the State Prequalification Application Status Report under the Management Screens section of your vault. Question 2: Can an agency apply if they are not prequalified through the Grants Gateway? Answer 2: Applicants must be prequalified (if not exempt) by the date and time applications are due. Exemptions for prequalification are limited to governmental organizations. If an organization is not prequalified the application will be rejected. Please refer to Section V. Administrative Requirements, M. Vendor Prequalification for Not-for-Profits on page 51 of the RFA. Question 3: What does the asterisk * mean in the Grants Gateway on-line application? Answer 3: The asterisk* alerts applicants that a response is mandatory. Applicants will not be allowed to submit their application without completing all mandatory questions. Question 4: I am trying to get a copy of the RFA. Can you advise me on how to get it? Answer 4: The RFA is located in the Grants Gateway system. You can access the Grants Gateway through the following link: Once you are in the Grants Gateway, you can access the RFA by clicking on Browse Opportunity. Select the Opportunity from the list of RFAs. Once in the Opportunity, click on View Grant Opportunity in order to view the RFA. Question 5: I would like to submit my application via . Is this acceptable? Answer 5: As stated in the RFA on page 44, Section V. E. How to file an Application, Applications must be submitted online via the Grants Gateway by the date and time posted on the cover of this RFA. Applications will not be accepted via fax, , hard copy or hand delivery. RFA #

3 WORK PLAN QUESTIONS: Question 6: On the Work Plan Attachments - Should applicants enter into Grants Gateway the Objectives and Tasks (Activities) for applicable service components exactly as written in the attachments, or are applicants expected to modify the objectives and/or tasks that are specific to the proposed program delivery design? Answer 6: Applicants are not required to enter the performance measures for each work plan objective in the Grants Gateway Work Plan. Applicants should review the performance measures as they are listed in the Work Plan Attachment. Funded applicants will be held to the performance measures as listed in the Work Plan and will be required to enter the performance measures into the Grants Gateway if funding is awarded. PROGRAM QUESTIONS: Question 7: I am just making sure that an applicant can apply for one or more of the components and that they need not apply for all. Can we apply for two Geographic Service Areas under Component D? If we submit two applications must we submit two separate applications with two separate budgets? Answer 7: Agencies may submit multiple applications under a Component of this RFA and may apply for multiple components; however, applicants may not submit more than three (3) applications in total in response to the RFA. If submitting more than one application in response to this RFA, applicants must submit a separate application per Component/each HUB for which funding is sought. Please refer to page 13 of the RFA. Question 8: For Wende Component B: Livingston Correctional Facility is not listed on the Facility Chart on pages of the RFP. Should Livingston be included? If so, do the target numbers to be reached change for the HUB? Answer 8: Livingston Correctional Facility is a facility within the Wende HUB/Geographic Service Area and should have been included in the list of correctional facilities within that HUB. Inclusion of this facility does not change the service target numbers for the HUB, however all applicants are expected to conduct recruitment/engagement activities at each correctional facility within the HUB/Geographic Service Area as the primary mechanism for engaging the priority population(s) and promoting program services. (please refer to page 18 of this RFA) Addendum #1 dated 2/3/2017 has been issued/uploaded in the Grants Gateway for this RFA which modifies/updates the Component B Facility Chart on pages of the RFA to include Livingston Correctional Facility for the WENDE HUB/Geographic Service Area. RFA #

4 Question 9a: Question: For Wende Hub Component B: Lakeview is listed on the Facility Chart. According to the Facilities Map, it is a minimum facility for men and women. Are the expectations for this facility to reach both men and women housed there? Would we be expected to provide the full scope of services including Peer Education training? We have found in minimum security facilities, the residents have very full and structured schedules. Question 9b: Question: Are the proposed services and activities associated with the Great Meadow HUB applicable to the Hudson correctional facility now that this facility works with adolescents? Answer 9a and 9b: Applicants are required to implement the program model, as described, within the Component and HUB/Geographic Service Area targeted and are expected to conduct recruitment/engagement activities at each correctional facility within the HUB/Geographic Service Area as the primary mechanism for engaging the priority population(s) and promoting program services. You are not expected to provide the full scope of services at every correctional facility listed within a HUB/Geographic Service Area; all services provided need to be negotiated by the applicant with each New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS) correctional facility served. Please refer to Section IV. Program Models and Required Services Elements on pages 15 and 18 of this RFA. Question 10: We are in the process of applying for a CLIA waiver. The application will be mailed shortly. The RFP states the CLIA permit should be uploaded. If we do not have approval before 2/23/17, are we still eligible to apply? What should we do? Answer 10: If an applicant is in the process of securing registration, the application submitted to the Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program should be uploaded in place of the actual CLIA permit. Question 11: HIV testing has not been part of the scope of services offered in the Wende HUB before now. Are you able to share with us if there are any tests more applicable than others in NYSDOCCS facilities? Answer 11: Applicants must use rapid test technology as stated on page 26 of the RFA. It is the applicant s responsibility to negotiate access to correctional facilities, including what is allowed to be brought in through security clearance. Current Criminal Justice Initiative contractors who provide anonymous HIV testing within NYSDOCCS correctional facilities have successfully negotiating the use of oral fluid rapid testing technology in the general population as well as access to NYSDOCCS medical units for blood sample confirmatory test collection. Question 12: In Attachment 3, the list of MSA Providers Linda King-Bronner is listed as the contact person. It is now Rudy Rivera, Action Front Center Director and his is rrivera@abcinfo.org. Linda is no longer a contact person for the program. Answer 12: The directory will be updated. RFA #

5 Question 13: Who are the current or past awardees? Answer 13: Current awardees/contractors can be found at: Question 14: In the Grants Gateway Project Site/Address section, Grants Gateway provides places for Address 1 and Address 2 options, but there is not a space for a third address. In applying for Component C, which requires services in Queensboro, Edgecombe and Lincoln, how should we list those three addresses? Or, should the Address be the address of our main office? Answer 14: The address listed should be the main office where program staff are located, not the correctional facility addresses. Question 15: Can you explain how the Component D awardee will get referrals/recruit participants if this is the only component we are applying for? Who initiates the referrals? Answer 15: Component D awardees are expected to coordinate referrals/recruit participants from: Component A, B, and C awardees; NYSDOCCS Medical/Discharge Planning Units; NYSDOCCS Transitional Services; and, NYSDOCCS Community Supervision staff. (Please see page 36 of the RFA). It is incumbent upon the awardee to establish a referral process that ensures service coordination. Question 16: Are there any restrictions on incentives used as retention tools (e.g., metro cards, gift/store cards, personal health/hygiene products, etc.)? Answer 16: Incentives cannot be used within NYSDOCCS correctional facilities. Incentives used during community linkage and navigation services (Component D) must comply with state and Health Research Inc. guidelines. The use of personal health/hygiene products, if proposed, should be included as program supplies within the budget and justified. Current guidance allows for the following incentives: RFA #

6 Type of Incentive Gift Cards Metro Cards Gasoline Cards Bus Passes Phone Cards Theater Tickets Cash Allowable? NO YES YES YES YES NO NO Question 17: We need clarification on the number released from each HUB, the number of HIV+ incarcerated and whether these numbers are represented as a numerator and denominator. We would also like to clarify the target numbers for Component D. Are service targets listed to be completed within 12 months or 24 months? Answer 17: The population estimates given in the tables for Component A, B, and C on pages of the RFA represent general population and those who are HIV+ on any given day for the facilities listed. The # of HIV positive released/discharged in each of those tables represents the annual number released from 2014/15 NYSDOCCS data. The table for Component D includes the annual HIV+ reentrants as per NYSDOCCS data (2014/2015) for each of the Geographic Service Areas listed; however, the data is an estimate and may only represent a snap shot of the reentry count at a point in time. Annual service target numbers for key interventions are included in the definitions of services elements, indicators and expected targets section of each component. Please refer to each section beginning on page 16 of this RFA. Question 18: It is often difficult to get inmates to tell program staff that they are at-risk. How do we determine they are at-risk? Answer 18: The purpose of this RFA is to support NYS s implementation of Ending the Epidemic (ETE) goals and ETE Blueprint recommendations for incarcerated individuals particularly those who are HIV positive and returning to the community. The primary goal is to improve the health care outcomes of HIV positive individuals and those who engage in HIV related high risk behaviors. As such, it is expected that prior to enrollment in a clientlevel service a client is assessed to determine their current HIV status and/or if they have a history of engaging in high-risk behaviors. Question 19: It appears that Linkage and Navigation services under Component B is meant to replace Positive Pathways. Those contracts end 3/31/17 but this new grant is not anticipated to begin until 8/1/2017 how will the 4-month gap be addressed? Does this new RFA encompass Positive Pathways and Project START? RFA #

7 Answer 19: The Positive Pathways pilot project is separate from the services our Criminal Justice Initiative (CJI) contractors provide within correctional facilities. Client enrollment in Positive Pathways ended 7/1/16, and after that date clients should be referred to a CJI contractor, however, the AIDS Institute intends to extend the Positive Pathways contracts to 7/31/17. Elements of Positive Pathways that were successful were included in this RFA. Project START is an evidence-based intervention model for Linkage and Navigation services, but it is designed for individuals who engage in high risk behaviors (HIV- and HIV+); this RFA only supports Linkage and Navigation services for HIV+ individuals. Even if provided as Project START+ for HIV+ individuals, a core element of this intervention is that the same staff person must provide all sessions, in the facility and in the community. Question 20: Are multiple session groups for peer education and training not expected to be conducted? Are they allowable if this is not an expectation of this RFA? Answer 20: The proposed training plan should address peer recruitment, retention, initial and ongoing training, and oversight of peer-delivered activities. As such, a peer training program may include group and individual, single or multiple session interventions. Question 21: Is it the expectation of this RFA that Condom Promotion, Education and/or Distribution be woven in to all other services? Answer 21: Condom promotion and education should be integrated into all funded service elements. Condom distribution is only required for Component D, as the distribution of condoms is prohibited in NYSDOCCS facilities. Question 22: The RFA mentions that it was developed in collaboration with NYSDOCCS. Has this or will this be communicated to the facilities by the NYSDOCCS central office? Answer 22: The AIDS Institute has a close and collaborative relationship with NYSDOCCS central office medical services and they are aware of our current contractors and the services provided within each correctional facility. They will also be made aware of who is awarded as a result of this RFA and the associated services proposed at each facility. Question 23: How do I submit two proposals under a Component? Answer 23: Please refer to Section V. Administrative Requirements, E. How to file an Application on page 45 of the RFA. To apply for this opportunity: 1. Log into the Grants Gateway as either a Grantee or Grantee Contract Signatory. 2. Click on the View Opportunities button under View Available Opportunities. RFA #

8 3. In the Search Criteria, enter the Grant Opportunity name CORRECTIONS TO COMMUNITY CARE CONTINUUM and select the Department of Health as the Funding Agency. 4. Click on Search button to initiate the search. 5. Click on the name of the Grant Opportunity form the search results grid and then select the APPLY FOR GRANT OPPORTUNITY button located bottom left of the Main page of the Grant Opportunity Question 24: For Attachment 17 Facility Services Table, are applicants only required to complete the table for one year of services? Answer 24: Yes, for the first year of the proposed program. Question 25: Will any post-release follow-up be supported by the grant other than verbal verification with the CBO the reentrant is being referred to (as outlined on page 21 of the RFA)? Answer 25: The Linkage Specialist working with the client prior to release must verify connection with the community based organization the reentrant is being referred to within three business days following release. Follow-up should also occur again within two weeks to ensure the client has successfully accessed (or is in the process of accessing) care and services identified in the action plan. Verification can occur either with the referral organization or the client. No additional post-release follow-up is required. Question 26: Can the AIDS Institute clarify Peer Training? Can any incarcerated individual who completes the CJI Peer Training curriculum become a Peer Educator, or can only individuals living with HIV/AIDS or HCV, or having experienced accessing Harm Reduction services become Peer Educators? Answer 26: Incarcerated individuals interested in being trained to become a Peer Educator can participate in the CJI Peer Training if they meet eligibility requirements, if any, set by the awardee. These peers in turn provide general HIV/STD/HCV related information to other incarcerated individuals. Experience living with HIV/AIDS, or Hepatitis C, or experience with Harm Reduction services is an eligibility requirement for anyone to become Peer Certified as part of the AIDS Institute s Peer Certification program. The CJI Peer Training and any follow-up activities provided by trained peers can be considered part of the Foundational Training requirement to become certified in their home community. The CJI Peer Training curriculum only meets certain components of Foundational Training requirements of Peer Certification. For more information: Question 27: Has DOH AIDS Institute received any indication from NYSDOCCS that funded organizations and their Peer Educators will be granted access to do presentations during Phase I and/or Phase III? RFA #

9 Answer 27: It is the applicant s responsibility to establish relationships with key NYSDOCCS staff within each correctional facility to negotiate access to clients and the provision of services proposed within their application. Question 28: What services should be provided to those individuals who receive support services for 12 months and never be released? Should they ever be re-engaged? Answer 28: Engagement and support services provided during Linkage and Navigation services should assess and monitor continued engagement in medical care, encourage treatment adherence, establish a plan to maintain engagement in treatment, and/or provide education and tools that support continued engagement. Please refer to page 21 of this RFA. If a client no longer needs or wants Linkage and Navigation services or has been enrolled for more than 12 months and is treatment adherent, the program should reach out to the client every three months to ensure engagement in medical services and adherence is maintained. Question 29: Is it the expectation that NYSDOCCS will be referring all known HIV+ inmates to the program? If not, how are programs expected to meet the targets listed? Answer 29: Applicants should propose strategies to engage the priority population in interventions/services within the program model for the HUB/Geographic Service Area. Strategies should incorporate appropriate messaging and be responsive to the priority population(s). Suggested strategies are listed on page 18 of the RFA. Linkage and Navigation services must be provided to HIV+ individuals whose HIV status is known and unknown to NYSDOCCS. Applicants should also develop and sustain strong relationship with NYSDOCCS staff to facilitate referrals and ensure service coordination. Question 30: Under Group II individuals (status not know to NYSDOCCS), letter a states: Number and % of HIV positive individuals who are referred from DOH staff with a documented first meeting/call out. Who from DOH staff will be referring HIV positive individual not know to NYSDOCCS to our program? Answer 30: Letter a under Indicators to measure program success for Group II refers to referrals an awardee may receive from NYSDOH HIV/STD Field Services staff. There are many strategies that can be utilized for the recruitment/engagement of HIV+ individuals whose status is not known to NYSDOCCS (formal or informal); a referral from HIV/STD Field Services is only one of these strategies. The expectation is that all referrals (via formal and informal networks) must be acted upon to ensure HIV+ incarcerated individuals are supported at any point during incarceration and release. Question 31: What documentation must the program provide to the peer so that they may apply for Peer Certification? Answer 31: The CJI Peer Training and any follow-up activities provided by trained peers can be considered part of the Foundational Training requirement to become certified when released. All peers who complete CJI peer training and any subsequent training should RFA #

10 receive a certificate of attendance that includes information about topic and the total number of training hours. Follow-up activities provided by trained peers, such as education or outreach, should be verified and documented. Peers should retain all evidence of attendance in trainings and participation in peer delivered activities as verification of meeting requirements of the Peer Certification program when they reach their home community. Please refer to for Peer Certification requirements. Question 32: Who is included in the high risk behavior population of non-hiv positive individuals? Answer 32: The purpose of this RFA is to support NYS s implementation of Ending the Epidemic (ETE) goals and ETE Blueprint recommendations for incarcerated individuals, particularly those who are HIV positive and returning to the community. As such, applicants should propose strategies to recruit/engage clients who are HIV+ or who engage in HIV related high risk behaviors. High risk behaviors include receptive or insertive anal or vaginal sex without a barrier (e.g., male or female condom) with someone whose HIV/STD/HCV status is positive or unknown, sharing syringes, or testing positive for an STD/HCV since last HIV test. Question 33: Is it permissible for the full-time Linkage Specialist to provide other services such as testing and training? Answer 33: No. At a minimum one full time employee must be hired as a Linkage Specialist to provide Linkage and Navigation Services only. The Linkage Specialist must work in coordination with NYSDOCCS Medical/DPU staff as well as NYSDOCCS reentry and transitional services staff to provide linkage to or support medical care engagement in the facility and address reentry needs of all HIV+ individuals within a HUB/Geographic Service Area. They will also need to establish relationships with those entities and implement recruitment/engagement activities to enroll HIV+ individuals in Linkage and Navigation services. More than one full-time Linkage Specialist may be necessary to implement the program and achieve the desired RFA outcomes depending on the size of the HUB/Geographic Service Area served. Question 34: Is the Linkage Specialist required to attend a client s medical appointment if the appointment is located outside the facility? Answer 34: No. The Linkage Specialist is not required to attend a client s medical appointment if the appointment is outside of the facility. Question 35: Are there specific guidelines for creating the Linkage Action Plan? If so, when will they be provided? What is the link to online information we should refer to? Answer 35: The Linkage Action Plan should be developed after a comprehensive assessment to eliminate/minimize barriers experienced by the client, motivate and support positive RFA #

11 change, and ultimately strengthen the individual s self-management skills. Guidance will be given to awardees upon initiation of contracted services. Question 36: Please confirm that MOU s with medical, prevention, and support services providers refers to services outside of NYSDOCCS services. Answer 36: Yes, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) s should be developed with community-based organizations for appropriate referrals in the community for incarcerated individuals reentering the community to access once released. However, it is the applicant s responsibility to establish relationships with key NYSDOCCS staff within each correctional facility to negotiate access to clients and the provision of services proposed within their application. Question 37: On page 58 it states Explain who will follow up with incarcerated individuals who test HIV positive and do not show up for a test result callout appointment. Please provide examples when this can occur. It is our understanding that callouts are mandatory, so we don t understand when this scenario will take place. Answer 37: There have been reported instances of incarcerated individuals refusing a callout submitted by a CJI contractor. Applicants should explain the process for following up with and incarcerated individual who does not show up for a test result callout appointment due to refusal, or any other reason. Question 38: On page 16 of the RFA, the required service elements Recruitment/Engagement, Peer Education, Training and Support, and Trauma Informed Intervention/Support Services are listed under the heading Individual Level Services. Does this mean these elements can t be provided in group settings? Answer 38: Since these service elements can include individual or group level services, an applicant can propose interventions that are individual, group, or a combination of individual and group level services that are single or multiple session and are tailored to meet the specific needs of incarcerated individuals. BUDGET QUESTIONS Question 39: We are a currently funded CJI provider who provides anonymous rapid and confirmatory HIV testing within NYSDOCCS facilities. The AIDS Institute currently provides rapid HIV test kits and supplies for confirmatory blood spot testing. Should we include HIV test kits and supplies for confirmatory blood spot testing in our proposed budget? Answer 39: Contingent upon available funding, the AIDS Institute will continue to support the provision the HIV test kits to funded contractors under this initiative. If funding is no longer available, contractors will be expected to budget for this expense, as appropriate. RFA #