Family Centered Services & Supports (FCSS)~ Request for Proposal (RFP) Release Date: October 26, 2012 Submission Deadline: November 16, 2012
Overview: As the convener of children s programming, Family and Children First Council (FCFC) is recognized as the lead organization relative to the formation and coordination of children s programs and services starting at birth up to 21years of age within Cuyahoga County. As such, their challenge is to promote a collaborative system across the children s continuum that conveys resilience and recovery for children and families. Since its inception in the early nineties, the Ohio Family & Children First initiative has been the catalyst for the unification of communities and systems to coordinate and streamline services for families and children needing or seeking assistance. FCFC integrates services/supports through planning, coordination and management across all of the children s systems inclusive of the educational system. This type of coordination and care requires precise matching of the needs identified in the community to seal the gap for efficient service execution. Furthering their commitment to the children s system, through the System of Care (SOC) initiative guided by the state, FCFC provides support from Family Centered Services and Supports (FCSS) formerly known as Families and Systems Together (FAST). FCSS is one of the service components encompassed within the broad continuum of SOC that is family focused and centered through the provision of community based services. The overall concentration of FCSS is to maintain children and families in their respective communities by providing non-clinical supports that are strength based and family driven. The founding principle of FCSS is that family involvement, in the coordination of services and planning, is critical in adhering to the SOC initiative. FCSS funding lends families the opportunity to function effectively optimally leading to successful outcomes that enhance communities at large. This is achieved through creative interventions deriving from behavioral health services. As identified above, family involvement is germane to the process of recovery. The concept of parents as partners is a notion that is fully embraced through the tentacles of wraparound. Parent advocacy is a crucial component to wraparound. It is an available resource and service when accessing FCSS funds to assist parents and families in achieving their goals. The service coordination mechanism and FCSS guidelines are intimately linked. FCSS guides are based upon the Service Coordination mechanism, which is a mandate of the state and upheld through the local office of FCFC. In Cuyahoga County, Service Coordination ensures that families receive services they need to resolve a chronic problem or to address a crisis for children who are multi-system involved. Service Coordination is a family driven process for systems and community providers to assist families with planning, organizing, and linking to services or resources, which fits hand and glove with the SOC initiative and FCSS funding inclusive of wraparound. As a component of the Service Coordination Mechanism, FCSS funding supports the 1 P age
wraparound principle that embodies the approach which promises successful outcomes to improve lives. As a long-standing partner of FCFC, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board is awarded funds to support the needs of youth with multisystemic needs as well as their families. This past fiscal year 2012, FCSS funds served over 900 families and supported 1,487 non-clinical services to sustain children and families in their communities. The ADAMHS Board is issuing a for contract providers licensed singularly or dually through the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH) or the Ohio Department of Alcohol Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) to act on behalf of the ADAMHS Board as the liaison for coordination and gate-keeping of FCSS funds to ensure non-traditional interventions are offered to the community through behavioral health services and programming. Responsibilities will include: monitoring of flexible funds and services for gatekeeping, administration and fiscal oversight of the Family Centered Services & Supports (FCSS) funds. Programmatic Goal & Objectives The primary goal of FCSS funds is to build family advocacy and service capacity for multi-need children and youth with behavioral health disorders across all child-serving systems. Optimally, these funds will reduce placement admissions or length of stays as well as correctional commitments. The objectives of the FCSS funds can be achieved through creative utilization through allowable expenditures which include non-clinical home visits; non-clinical parent support groups; parent education and mentoring; respite care (including summer camp); transportation; tutoring; and vocation/employment interventions and programs. Target Population Under the System of Care (SOC) Initiative, the target population for Family-Centered Services and Supports (FCSS) are those children birth to 21 with multi-systemic needs, receiving service coordination through the local Family and Children First Council (FCFC). FCSS funding is designed to support the FCFC service coordination process, as described in the service coordination mechanism; and/or the unique needs of children and families documented on an individualized service plan identified and developed through the process. Children may be identified as having difficulty living at home, at high risk of out-of-home placement or returning home from placement. Additionally, they may be having difficulty in school and/or involved with the juvenile justice or child welfare systems and not in the custody of those systems. Funds are available for youth whose parents would have otherwise relinquished custody to obtain necessary levels of intensive behavioral healthcare services. 2 P age
Funding Parameters Family Centered Services and Supports (FCSS) funds are a combination of federal and state general revenues from ODMH, ODYS, DODD, and ODADAS, which are allocated under Ohio s Biennial Budget to Family and Children First Council (FCFC) and subcontracted to the ADAMHS Board. The contract period to disperse funds is January 1, to June 30,. All expenditures of these funds must reflect the actual costs of services delivered and must be spent by June 30,. The allocation award for FCSS is $282,526.03 and should not exceed the allocation amount. Upon contract award, the selected provider may access 5% of the total allocation for their agency s eligible clientele while supporting the efforts in assisting other community agencies in accessing the remaining allocation. FCSS funds cannot be used to pay for any administrative costs, which include all indirect expenses, such as payroll, fringe, and operating costs of person not involved in the direct delivery of services, rent, utilities, equipment, construction, renovation, public awareness, professional development, and all other overhead expenses. Funds cannot be used to supplant existing funds allocated to support the multiple needs of children and families. However, eliciting services of a parent /family advocate is an allowable use of funds as it is considered a resource within the guidelines. Nor can funds be used for out of home placements identified in the definitions below as well as clinical interventions. Definitions Care Coordination: Defined as a process that facilitates the linkage of appropriate services and resources on the behalf of an individual and/or family in a coordinated effort. System Collaboration: Defined as two or more systems working together in a coordinated fashion to achieve a common goal. Service Coordination: A family driven, strength based, culturally sensitive process that is collaborative, coordinated, cross-system team planning process to address the needs of families with multiple and complex problems. Gate Keeper: Defined as the monitor and distributor of goods or resources on behalf of an entity. Out of Home Placement: Defined as psychiatric hospitals, detention centers, residential treatment facilities, local or state correctional facilities, foster care and group homes. Team Decision Making Process: Defined as a process that includes the thoughts and opinions of everyone designated on the team in which a decision is made. 3 P age
Multi-systemic Needs: Defined as a child with needs in two or more of the following service systems but not necessarily enrolled in both systems such as substance abuse, child welfare, education, juvenile justice, mental health, mental retardation, developmental disabilities. Family Advocate: Defined as a family or community member who has a particular interest, demonstrated knowledge, and skill to work collaboratively with families in need of services. This could include friends and family members recruited by the family to serve in the role of an advocate, mentor or support person. Service Requirements Project Deliverables: We are seeking an agency singularly or dually certified by ODMH and/or ODADAS to provide the following: o Administer FCSS funds per the guidelines/criteria as of January 1, ; o Determine eligibility criteria i.e. county of residence, established parent/guardianship, age, multiplicity of needs, risk for out of home placement, etc.; o Ability to access the MACSIS system and or any claims/payment adjudication software system utilized by the ADAMHS Board to input client information and to obtain a Unique Client Identifier (UCI) and affiliation code; o Utilize FCSS funds per guidelines/ criteria in particular determining if a service plan is in place and inclusive of the service coordination mechanism ensuring that expenditures are consistent with home, school, community and family preservation services; o Reconcile FCSS account monthly to the ADAMHS Board for accuracy of remaining funds for full community access; o Upon a request of funds, ensure that a parent/family advocate is available if requested by the family; o Ensure funds are not used for out of home placements; o Issue vouchers relative to the approval of services and/ or the expenditure of FCSS funds; 4 P age
o Develop a monitoring system to manage data of youth enrolled capturing the type of service, age, and if community sustainability efforts were successful for reporting purposes for the ADAMHS Board and FCFC; o Submit reports quarterly to the ADAMHS Board including a roster listing the child s name, UCI, description of services, vendor, value of all authorized services, dates including the date of determination as well as the date of access to FCSS funds; o Target age groups that have minimal access to funds to ensure funding is available across the age continuum; o Provide training to providers and vendors to ensure funding is accessed in a timely fashion for full spending execution; o Cooperate with ADAMHS Board and FCFC procedures and protocols; Agency Selection Criteria: This section allow the agency to better understand exactly what criteria will be of most importance during the RFP process and how to best address needs and concerns. Prospective agencies will be selected based upon the following criteria: o Current certification from either the Ohio Department of Mental Health or Ohio Department of Alcohol Drug Addiction Services; o Understanding of RFP: Describe pertinent issues and potential problems related to the project. Describe understanding of FCSS funds and capability of managing requests throughout the community. Ability to meet the project deliverables and timeline of January 1,. Agency s history and ability to work within the guidelines of the service coordination mechanism to expend FCSS funds. o Description of Project Schedule describing timeline of implementation as well as activities associated outlining time frames. Ability to divert out of home placements. Evaluation Plan for tracking services, clients, etc. 5 P age
o Project Management Staff qualifications and capabilities. Risk Management consideration relative to the undertaking of the project. Ability to manage community referrals for funds. Ability to track allotment of funds at 5% of allocation. o Agency is in full compliance with applicable rules, regulations and laws including, but not limited to, provisions controlling a consumer s confidentiality and privacy. o Demonstration of the agency s willingness to work in cooperation with the ADAMHS Board, Family and Children First Council, and the ADAMHS Board agencies. RFP PROCESS: Contact Person: William M. Denihan, Chief Executive Officer Alcohol Drug Addiction Mental Health Services Board 2012 West 25 th Street, 6 th Floor Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Identity and Contact Information of Potential Agency: Agency shall provide the name of a contact person, their telephone number, complete mailing address and email upon receipt of the RFP. Written Questions: Please send your written questions to Linda Torbert at Torbert@adamhscc.org by November 2, 2012. Questions received by November 2, 2012 shall be answered by the ADAMHS Board by November 9, 2012. Submission of qualifications: The agency s qualifications and all required documents shall be submitted to the ADAMHS BOARD Contact Person by Friday, November 16, 2012 at 4:00 P.M. Daylight Savings Time. Time will be determined by the clock in the reception area of the ADAMHS Board. Proposals received after that date and time shall be rejected and returned unopened to the Agency. Final Review: A. All valid proposals will be reviewed, evaluated, and rated by the RFP Committee. The Review Committee will be composed of ADAMHS BOARD staff and non-competing entities. a. The RFP Committee will evaluate each proposal against the criteria requested. b. The RFP Committee members may request information from sources other than the written proposal to evaluate an Agency's 6 P age
programs. Other sources of information may include oral presentations by Agency, written responses clarifying questions posed by the RFP Committee, and the Agency s history/experience in providing similar services. c. The Review Committee will complete evaluation rating sheets for discussion. In awarding the contract, the ADAMHS BOARD s evaluation will include, but will not be limited, to: i. Ability and experience of the Agency to provide the requested services; ii. Stability of business operations of Agency; iii. Quality of proposal; iv. Overall responsiveness and completeness of the proposal as well as the likelihood that, in ADAMHS BOARD s opinion and at ADAMHS BOARD s discretion, the proposal best meets or exceeds ADAMHS BOARD s specifications; v. Any other factors considered relevant by ADAMHS BOARD and demonstrated by the proposal. B. If the successful Agency fails to execute the contract, ADAMHS BOARD may award the contract to another Agency whose proposal met the requirements of the RFP. C. ADAMHS BOARD reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in which the Agency takes exception to the terms and conditions of the request for qualification; fails to meet the terms and conditions of the Request for Proposal, including but not limited to, the standards, specifications, and requirements specified in the Request for Proposal; or submits prices that the contracting authority considers to be excessive, compared to existing market conditions, or determines exceed the available funds of the contracting authority; ADAMHS Board reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any proposal that the ADAMHS Board has determined, using the factors and criteria the ADAMHS Board develops pursuant to ORC section 307.862(A)(1), would not be in the best interest of the ADAMHS Board. D. The ADAMHS Board shall have no liability whatsoever to any Agency whose qualifications are not accepted. E. Acceptance of the proposal of any Agency by the ADAMHS BOARD shall not constitute an agreement between the ADAMHS BOARD and such Agency, and shall not be binding upon the ADAMHS BOARD unless and until an agreement covering all conditions and provisions of the work to be performed by the successful Agency has, at the time of or after the acceptance of such proposal, been reduced to writing and executed by both the ADAMHS BOARD and the successful Agency. Agency(s) may 7 P age
not withdraw a proposal within sixty (60) days after the actual date of the opening thereof. PREPARATION OF PROPOSAL A. The proposal must be responsive to each criteria included in this RFP and must not exceed 10 pages. B. Text must be legible. Pages must be typed in black ink, single-spaced, using a font of Arial 12, with all margins (left, right, top, bottom) at least one inch each. C. Paper must be white paper and 8.5 inches by 11.0 inches in size. Black ink should be used throughout your application, including charts and graphs. Pages should be typed single-spaced with one column per page. Pages should not have printing on both sides. D. Pages should be numbered consecutively from beginning to end so that information can be located easily during review of the application. E. Proposal must be signed by the agency s Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair. F. The Agency shall submit six (6) copies of the proposal to the ADAMHS Board. G. Each proposal must be submitted in a sealed envelope bearing on the outside the name of the Agency, mailing address, and the name of the project. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT The successful Agency shall, upon award of contract, agree to make no assignment and/or transfer of any duties or rights under this contract in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the ADAMHS BOARD. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Agencies are prohibited from discrimination and intimidation due to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability. 8 P age
RFP Vendor Checklist This checklist will help vendors to submit complete proposals. Proposals missing required elements will be considered incomplete. Please include the required components listed below in your submission. Cover Letter: o Identity and Contact Information of Agency o Name of Contact Person o Address and Telephone number of contact person o Identify agency certification (s) o Brief organizational history o Years of experience o Rationale for application submission Submission Requirements: o Proposal signed by Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair o Six copies submitted o All pages are numbered sequentially o Ten (10) pages o Text is single-spaced, black ink, one sided, 1 inch margins, Arial font of 12 o Proposal sealed with the name of agency, mailing address, and the name of the project Proposal Deadline: November 16, 2012 @ 4 p.m. 9 P age