Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Office of the Secretary 300 E. JOPPA ROAD SUITE 1000 TOWSON, MARYLAND 21286-3020 (410) 339-5000 FAX (410) 339-4240 TOLL FREE (877) 379-8636 V/TTY (800) 735-2258 www.dpscs.maryland.gov STATE OF MARYLAND LARRY HOGAN GOVERNOR BOYD K. RUTHERFORD LT. GOVERNOR STEPHEN T. MOYER SECRETARY WILLIAM G. STEWART DEPUTY SECRETARY ADMINISTRATION Q & A #2 INMATE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES RFP SOLICITATION NUMBER Q0017059 May 23, 2017 J. MICHAEL ZEIGLER DEPUTY SECRETARY OPERATIONS 74.PlT These questions represent a portion of the questions that have been submitted regarding the RFP. These answers will not be posted in the Q and A section of emaryland Marketplace. 12. Are there any discussions occurring related to the adding of a facility or a change in mission? If so, please provide information related to either of these areas. A new infirmary is planned for the Jessup SDA which would include approximately 80 mental health beds and safe cells. However, this project has not yet been approved for planning or construction funding and is not anticipated to be completed for at least 4 years. As noted in Section 1.1.1 of the RFP, during the Contract term, the Department may close existing facilities and may add new facilities and may change the services provided at any facility. As of this date, no additions or changes are contemplated. 13. What level/degree/license should a person hold to be acceptable to perform evaluations for competency? Either a Psychiatrist or a licensed Psychologist would be acceptable to perform competency evaluations. 14. Section 3.6.6.3 indicates that time for continuing education required by professional licensing board does not count toward the hours required by the contract. Section 3.10.9 says in order to attend training in lieu of working normal hours, Contractor s staff shall submit a written request to the appropriate Department Manager at least thirty days in advance of the proposed training date. If approval by the Department Manager is granted will time away count toward the hours required by the contract? 05/23/2017 Page 1 of 6
Section 3.6.6.3 of the RFP governs continuing education required to maintain professional licenses. Training for this purpose may not be substituted for work hours. Section 3.10.9 governs orientation and refresher training that are contractually required. Item 4 of Section 3.10.9 of the RFP requires that a plan must be included with the request that addresses how services will continue to be provided during the absence of the Staff attending the training. If approved by the DPSCS Manager/Director, the person attending training may attend in lieu of working but substitute staff must be provided to assure adequate coverage. 15. Please provide the staffing plan for the current contract (by site and by position). Attached as Attachment QA-1 is the current mental health contractor staffing plan. 16. Is the MBE participation goal of 14% currently being met? The current Mental Health Contract MBE Goal is 10% and the MBE participation percentage achieved as of April 30, 2017 is 11.4%. 17. Who are the MBE companies being used by the current provider? Hope Health Systems, Inc. is the Contractor s MBE firm. 18. Please provide a copy of the Department s Telehealth Policy that is referred to in section 3.36.5 Telemedicine. Attached as Attachment QA-2 is the Department s Telehealth Policy. 19. Special Needs Units are defined as units for inmates that suffer from a mental disorder, have demonstrated difficulty functioning within a general population setting and require services beyond chronic care clinics but less than that required for inmates in CMHC s. How many inmates are housed in each of the SNU at NBCI, RCI, MCI-W and BCBIC? BCBIC 40 MCIW 4 NBCI 40 RCI 32 20. Structured Housing units are defined as controlled environments for the most violent and dangerous inmates in which inmates are provided services in an effort to modify their behavior to assure a successful transition into general population or the community. How many inmates are housed in each of the structured housing units at WCI, NBCI, and MCI- W? These programs are expected to begin in July 2017. Following are approximate numbers: 05/23/2017 Page 2 of 6
MCIW 12 NBCI 40-50 WCI 30 21. The RFP indicates that telemedicine for mental health services has been implemented at WCI. Under the new medical contract additional telemedicine units are to be established at ECI, JCI, NBCI, and Patuxent. The RFP further states that the contractor shall utilize the Department s existing telemedicine equipment for telepsychiatry and other specified uses. Please clarify the following: a. Is telemedicine currently being utilized at any other facility in addition to WCI? If so, please provide the number of telemedicine encounters per month at each facility. Telemedicine is currently utilized only at WCI. b. Is telemedicine used for psychiatry and other appropriate mental health services permitted at all facilities or only those facilities identified for expansion? Telepsychiatry may be available at facilities not identified for expansion with approval from the Department. 22. Attachment P provides the listing by facility of the 68 DPSCS Mental Health Staff. Please clarify the following: a. What are duties and responsibilities of DPSCS staff at each facility? DPSCS Mental Health Staff oversee all mental health services at the facilities. DPSCS Mental Health Staff see seriously mentally ill and mentally ill, collaborate with psychiatry and attend meetings as required. b. The total number of positions authorized is 68 (15 PhD/53 Masters) with 42 positions filled (12 PhD/30 Masters). Does the Department intend to fill the vacant positions? Yes. 23. Section 1.2.36 indicates that the Statewide Contract Manager is responsible for overall management and administrative responsibilities. Section 1.2 does not include the function of the Statewide Assistant Contract Manager. If these positions are administrative do they require mental health degrees? The Contract Manager and Assistant Contract Manager are administrative positions that do not require mental health degrees but experience in the mental health field is desirable. 24. Is the Statewide Medical Director-Psychiatrist position in Attachment R the same as the Statewide Mental Health Director in Sec 3.8.10? Yes. 05/23/2017 Page 3 of 6
25. Attachment V provides a listing of liquidated damages. What is the amount of liquidated damages assessed to the current Contractor in FY 15 and FY 16 not meeting required staffing levels and for not meeting thresholds for non-staffing items listed in Attachment V? Liquidated damages for failure to meet staffing levels for FY 15 totaled $185,000 and for FY 16 totaled $376,000. No other liquidated damages were assessed during FY 15 and 16. 26. Attachment Y indicates an increase in suicide attempts, successful suicides, and psychotropic medications from FY 15 to FY 16. During this same period the average daily population decreased. What facilities experienced these increases and what factors contributed to the increases? While the average daily population is decreasing, the mental health population is increasing. The increase in suicide attempts was Statewide and not specific to any one facility. The increasing mental health population contributed to the increase in suicide attempts. 27. During facility tours of CMHC it was indicated that the beds in these units are licensed. Please clarify if all CMHC, step down, and transition units are licensed. If licensed, how long are the licenses in effect until they are renewed and what are the expiration dates of current licenses at each facility? Who is the licensure authority and what is the methodology for licensure? CMHCs are licensed by the Office of Health Care Quality of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Information about licensing can be found at http://dhmh.maryland.gov/ohcq. The expiration date of the licenses for all of the CMHCs is February 1, 2018. Stepdown, Transition and Special Needs Units are not licensed. 28. Psychiatrist / Nurse Practitioner on Page 3 of Staffing Matrix Is the position one position or 2 positions base on the title of Psychiatrist / Nurse Practitioner The position is one position that may be filled either by a Psychiatrist or a Nurse Practitioner. 29. No shift is specified for the Nurse Practitioner at the Dorsey Run Facility position on Page 5 of the Staffing Matrix. Is the shift D, E, or N? The Contractor may provide the position either for the day or evening shift on Mondays and Fridays. 30. Section 3.34.9 provides that the contractor shall also provide "wraparound" services that include first appointment completion, substance abuse enrollment, mental health services, 05/23/2017 Page 4 of 6
and other health related re-entry services. Wraparound services is a continuous community based support health service provider system providing (a) access to medication and continued refill fulfillment; (b) Provide Primary physician and Psychiatric appointments; (c) Provide mental health services and follow up; (d) Provide substance abuse services and follow up; and (e) Psychiatric rehabilitation services and follow up. Is it expected that these functions be performed by the re-entry position added to the RFP. or may it be subcontracted to an entity that is qualified and presently doing this in the community? If in re-entry how will it be audited? The Contractor is to provide the wraparound services described in the RFP. The Contractor does not have a continuing responsibility to monitor released Inmates after first appointment for all services for which the released Inmate was scheduled and enrollment in re-entry services. The re-entry position is to provide coordination of reentry services by the Contractor. The Contractor may determine what other support is required to comply with the requirements of the Contract. The Department Contract Manager is responsible for monitoring Contract compliance. 31. The newly amended Attachment R shows an increase in reentry positions by 1.0 FTE. The increase is not highlighted in the amendment is this an error or is the position being added? A position is being added. The failure to highlight was an oversight. See Attachment R Second Revision issued with Amendment No. 2. 32. Attachment R allows for 6.0 FTE of LGPC/LCPC/LCSW-C for CMHCJ in Patuxent. The current staffing plan allows for 7.0 FTE of Mental Health Professional unlicensed. Is it the Department s intention to decrease the staffing level at CHMCJ in terms of Mental Health Professionals? Yes, the Department is decreasing the staffing level of Mental Health Professionals at CMHCJ. The Department has added to its staff a part-time Assistant Director of CMHCJ who is a licensed psychologist and is expected to provide clinical services. 33. Attachment V, Liquidated Damages, page 2: The minimum threshold and the liquidated damages amount columns are inconsistent for the item, Failure to submit reports, unless otherwise specifically provided in this Attachment V. The minimum threshold is given as 100%; the liquidated damages amount is given as $25 per occurrence below 99% threshold. Although we appreciate the difference is small, we would be grateful if the DPSCS would reconcile. In addition to the administrative and financial reports that are required by the RFP, in reviewing the RFP text, we counted approximately 30 types of reports related to service delivery, incidents, and staffing-related metrics or events. These reports are discussed throughout the RFP and must be submitted to the DPSCS. Please itemize the specific reports that are subject to the liquidated damages in the item above. See revised Attachment V issued as part of Amendment 2. Except for those reports for which specific liquidated damages are provided in Attachment V, all reports required by the RFP are subject to the liquidated damages provision. 05/23/2017 Page 5 of 6
34. It is customary within the Correctional industry to establish separate legal entities for each state contract. As such, any organization bidding on this RFP is likely using a subsidiary specifically set up for this bid. Therefore, can an Offeror provide information including, but not limited to references, financial reports, or experience and documentation (e.g. insurance policies, bonds, letters of credit) for its affiliated organizations in support of meeting the minimum qualifications? The information from the affiliated organizations would benefit the DPSCS by ensuring the strong support for and the financial viability of the Offeror. As provided by Section 1.22 of the RFP, all information submitted by the Offeror, including but not limited to references, financial reports, or experience and documentation (e.g. insurance policies, bonds, letters of credit) used to meet minimum qualifications, if any, shall pertain exclusively to the Offeror. 35. Pertaining to position Statewide Manager Reports, what are the specific skills and qualifications and summarized job duties for this position? The Reports Manager is responsible for assuring that all reports required under the Contract are accurate, timely prepared, submitted, electronically stored and retrievable and for managing and maintaining all databases (including assuring that the data is accurate and complete) required by the RFP and for assuring that both reports and databases are readily accessible to DPSCS employees. The Reports Manager shall extract data from the databases to provide reports that reflect trends in the delivery and need for mental health care. The Reports Manager should be a database manager, a registered health information administrator or a registered health information technician. 05/23/2017 Page 6 of 6