1-BAFO 3A.pdf

Request for Proposal Solicitation No. BPM006842

Description: Fostering Sustainable Connections

State of Arizona

Department of Child Safety

Office of Procurement & Contracts

3003 N. Central Avenue, 20th Floor

Phoenix, AZ 85012

Solicitation Instructions

Part 2

SECTION 2-D: Offer Forms, Attachment 3-A

Page 47 of 65 2 A v a i l a b l e o n l i n e a t : A P P . A Z . g o v

Attachment 3-A

Method of Approach

The offeror is cautioned that it is the offeror's sole responsibility to submit information related to the evaluation categories and that the State of Arizona is under no obligation to solicit such information if it is not included with the offeror's proposal. Failure of the offeror to submit such information may cause an adverse impact on the evaluation of the Offeror's proposal. It is strongly discouraged for you to copy the Scope of Work in lieu of providing unique responses below.

OFFER MAY BE DETERMINED AS NON-RESPONSIVE IF ALL QUESTIONS ARE NOT ANSWERED FULLY.

Question 1: Describe any barriers to training completion within the prescribed timelines outlined in the

Scope of Work and how many staff will need to be trained.

Offeror Response:

Clarvida has already begun to discuss and strategically plan how the Fostering Sustainable

Connections Program will be adapted into the training schedule and how to ensure staff meet the requirements of the training. Staff who are already hired with Clarvida who make the transition to the program, will immediately begin training in Seneca’s Family Network Building Approach and the 3-5-7 Model by Darla Henry. Staff who are hired on as part of the program will follow the Clarvida training program and then begin to follow the trainings outlined by the Fostering

Sustainable Connections Scope of Work.

Training is heavily emphasized at Clarvida and thus all staff begin working at Clarvida with the knowledge of the importance of training and meeting deadlines. All staff are entered into the training programs on their first day of work and are required to complete trainings by the deadlines. Clarvida’s employee evaluations have a section dedicated to training compliance.

Clarvida’s Operations Manager also conducts monthly audits of all programs, and includes the training completion scores as part of their monthly key performance indicators. Clarvida is anticipating training one (1) supervisor and six (6) staff but will train more as referrals increase.

Clarvida does not anticipate any barriers to training. Within the forty-three (43) years of experience that Clarvida has, training has never been a concern and all programs have met the training components of each contract, including the evidenced based trainings. Clarvida will ensure that the timeframes outlined in the Scope of Work are met by each worker by ensuring that these training modules are scheduled at the beginning of their time as an FES so that they are trained either before go-live or soon thereafter, and well exceeds the timeframes outlined in the scope.

Clarvida anticipates that seven (7) staff will be trained and ready to accept referrals at go-live.

Clarvida will then bring on additional staff as referrals grow. With the assumption of two hundred (200) referrals in a year, Clarvida anticipates the training of at least fourteen (14) staff which includes direct workers and a supervisor. Additionally, the Program Director and https://procure.az.gov/bso/

Description: Fostering Sustainable Connections

State of Arizona

Department of Child Safety

Office of Procurement & Contracts

SECTION 2-D: Offer Forms, Attachment 3-A

Page 48 of 65 2

Operations Manager will complete the training to ensure an understanding of the program to ensure the program is being delivered to fidelity. Clarvida is prepared to grow their team, should the need increase. If this is the case, Clarvida would train additional staff.

Though staff are expected to be trained in Seneca’s Family Network Building Approach withing six (6) months, Clarvida plans to immediately identify the staff that will be a certified trainer, and also train the seven (7) staff that will be ready at go-live. Additionally, though the 3-5-7 model is not required until twelve (12) months, Clarvida will strive to have all staff trained as close to go-live as possible, based on training schedules.

Question 2: Describe how Seneca’s Family Network Building Approach will be implemented by the Entity, including strategies used to engage, use of the Collective Viewpoint Meetings and follow-up tasks. Describe how the 3-5-7 Model® developed by Dr. Darla Henry and administered via The Academy for Child Welfare

Practice, LLC will be implemented including engagement techniques to help the child/youth.

Offeror Response:

Human Resource Training, Inc. dba Clarvida 2 will utilize Seneca’s Family Network Building

Approach along with the 3-5-7 Model developed by Dr. Darla Henry will be implemented by golive.

Seneca’s Family Network Building Approach

First, Clarvida will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the child’s existing support systems, including family, friends, and community resource. In doing so, Clarvida will help identify potential members who can be part of the network to provide ongoing support. Clarvida’s experience in the field has given them the advantage to work with families to identify supports.

These same methods will be utilized for the youth receiving services through Fostering

Sustainable Connections. Clarvida will utilize personalized engagement techniques to connect with family members and other significant individuals in the child’s life. The initial meetings will be utilized to establish trust and to explain the goals of this approach. Additionally, Clarvida will ensure culturally responsive practices to ensure inclusivity and respect for diverse family dynamics. Clarvida has over forty (40) years of experience utilizing similar practices to be of the most support to the individuals and the families that they serve.

Part of building rapport is ensuring that the youth understand why they are meeting with the

FES. Clarvida staff are trained to ensure that the individuals and families that they work with have a clear understanding of the services. This includes explaining the program and processes in easy-to-understand language and ensuring the programmatic jargon is not utilized. When

Clarvida FES staff meet with the youth for the first time they will utilize their skills to communicate thoroughly, build trust with the youth through both spoken and unspoken communication, and promote a vested interest in the youth’s future. Engagement efforts are one of the most important components of the program which is why Clarvida staff will be trained

Description: Fostering Sustainable Connections

State of Arizona

Department of Child Safety

Office of Procurement & Contracts

SECTION 2-D: Offer Forms, Attachment 3-A

Page 49 of 65 2 thoroughly on appropriate methods of engagement that address the core components of the

Fostering Sustainable Connections program.

Clarvida staff recognize that engagement includes connection which is why they are prepared to spend their time getting to know the youth and dedicating their time to listen versus talking.

Often times, youth in care report not feeling like they have a say in what has happened to them.

By flipping this narrative, and ensuring that the youth feel heard, their overall buy-in and success will increase drastically.

The collective viewpoint meetings will be utilized for the team to come together to share perspectives and collaborate on the youth in care’s service plan. Clarvida staff will encourage open communication and collective problem-solving to address challenges and set achievable goals. Clarvida staff will be building rapport with the youth and team from the initial meeting and will continue to reinforce the commitment to the youth’s well-being and safety.

Clarvida staff are trained from hire on strength-based outcomes. Placing the emphasis on the youth’s strengths immediately provides them with a feeling of autonomy and individuality that is necessary when not only building rapport with them but also helping them to transition to a family setting. The collective viewpoint meetings will be strengths-based and focus on the shared commitment and connection between the youth and their identified kin. Clarvida will utilize this meeting to ensure that all parties feel supported and that they are given all the tools at their disposal to ensure maximum success. It is important that Clarvida staff remain diligent about understanding the youth’s needs so that proper support can be outlined in this meeting. These skills will be taught at the beginning of the staff’s employment when they complete motivational interviewing training.

Clarvida staff will develop a clear action plan outlining responsibilities for each member of the team to support the child. Regular meetings and check-ins will be scheduled to monitor progress and adjust as needed. In addition, ongoing training and resources will be completed to ensure everyone is equipped to handle emerging issues.

The most important part of developing follow-up tasks is ensuring that they are completed. Often times, tasks that are identified in meetings are written down but not followed up with unless there is a problem. Clarvida staff are trained to ensure that follow up tasks are not just discussed but are planned, scheduled, and followed up on. Having clear documentation of the tasks is important. Clarvida will have a dedicated section in their EHR for follow-up tasks with outcome goals so that these tasks can be properly tracked. Additionally, the EHR will send alerts for follow up on meetings and additional tasks that may be necessary.

Darla Henry’s 3-5-7 Model

Clarvida will utilize Darla Henry’s 3-5-7 model to enhance family engagement and ensure that children in care have meaningful connections with their families and communities. In Stage 1, Description: Fostering Sustainable Connections

State of Arizona

Department of Child Safety

Office of Procurement & Contracts

SECTION 2-D: Offer Forms, Attachment 3-A

Page 50 of 65 2

Clarvida will work with youth to identify three (3) key connections. FES staff will work with youth to identify three (3) connections in their life by understanding who matters most to the child and why. FES staff will be trained to ensure they recognize that connections do not have to be family, but adults who are significant in their life. n Stage 2, FES staff will identify five (5) potential resources that can support the child’s needs and connections. This includes not only family members but also community resources, organizations, and services that can provide assistance and support. In Stage 3, FES staff will identify seven (7) specific action steps to strengthen the child’s connections with their identified key connections and resources. These steps will be attainable and tailored to the child’s unique situation and relationships.

The Darla Henry 3-5-7 Model aligns closely with the evidenced based practices that Clarvida staff are already trained in. Clarvida’s emphasis on trauma-informed care allows for their staff to immediately understand how to implement the program while incorporating theoretical underpinnings from youth development, attachment, trauma, grief, family systems, and relationship development. Engagement within the 3-5-7 model will look similar to the engagement with Seneca. The primary focus during this stage will be building trust and rapport with the youth and understanding the wants and needs of the youth, with respect to their culture, trauma, and self-identity. Youth in congregate care are used to having multiple different staff on a daily basis that they interact with. Knowing this, Clarvida will strive to ensure that youth do not have multiple FES that they will engage with. Relationship building takes consistency and continued showing up.

With both frameworks, Clarvida staff will take a child-centered approach and ensure that the child’s voice is prioritized and that their preferences are heard and valued throughout the process. Clarvida staff will ensure ongoing support with the youth and frequent communication and collaboration with members that are part of the youth’s team. Notes will be taken and completed in an EHR within two (2) business days of a visit and all reports will be sent by the required timeframes.

Question 3: Describe the strategies that will be utilized to collaborate with DCS and the community to promote Fostering Sustainable Connections and identify or establish connections/natural supports for children.

Offeror Response:

Human Resource Training, Inc. dba Clarvida has experience across the entire continuum of care for children involved in the child welfare system. This unique experience allows Clarvida to have insight from a foster care perspective, an in-home services perspective, and a behavioral health perspective. The linkage of these programs and understanding how to bridge the gap for children and youth in care is essential in providing the Fostering Sustainable Connections program. Effective and consistent communication among Family Engagement Specialist (FES)

Description: Fostering Sustainable Connections

State of Arizona

Department of Child Safety

Office of Procurement & Contracts

SECTION 2-D: Offer Forms, Attachment 3-A

Page 51 of 65 2 staff and DCS is vital to success in services. This collaboration begins with the FES Supervisor emailing the assigned DCS Specialist with identification and contact information of the assigned

FES worker on a new referral. The FES continues this communication by phone, email, and/or the monthly report. The FES collaborates with the DCS Specialist on the Blended Perspectives

Meeting (BPM) and the Team Decision Meetings. If challenges arise in engaging or keeping a family engaged are experienced, the FES staffs these issues with the DCS Specialist to brainstorm addition information or ideas. Clarvida staff regularly request and participate in professional only staffings, case staffings, and Team Decision Making (TDM) meetings. For the

Fostering Sustainable Connections contract, Clarvida staff will also collaborate on BPMs. Staff stay in constant communication with the DCS Specialist throughout the duration of service delivery. Clarvida’s position within the community sets them up for success to promote the program as well as establish connections and natural connections for youth in care. Clarvida has a national marketing team that they collaboratively work with to develop content, strategic plan marketing initiatives, and promote their programs. Clarvida’s Executive Director and multiple staff also completed Clarvida Marketing Academy which was an intensive training on understanding the market and how to properly and effectively promote the program. Clarvida will utilize their decades worth of historical data to provide the community with information regarding the benefits of the program. In addition, due to their place within the foster care and child welfare community, Clarvida has developed relationships with community partners.

Additionally, Clarvida is part of the Regional Child Abuse Prevention Council. This contract requires frequent social media and community event presence to market prevention and the benefits of supportive parenting.

Clarvida will utilize Seneca, social media, and online search engines to help locate natural connections. The most important aspect within the program is ensuring that the youth are not only given a voice but have the opportunity to see the positive outcome of doing so. Should a youth identify a potential connection, Clarvida staff will work immediately to foster the connection and provide the resources necessary to ensure a smooth transition.

Description: Fostering Sustainable Connections

State of Arizona

Department of Child Safety

Office of Procurement & Contracts

SECTION 2-D: Offer Forms, Attachment 3-A

Page 52 of 65 2

Question 4: Describe in detail, the Agency’s readiness plan to provide Statewide services when the contract goes live to include:

O Office locations

O Number of employees

O Organizational chart

O Anticipated caseloads

O Access to technology

Offeror Response:

Clarvida has an office located centrally in Maricopa County. This is the main office and where

Clarvida Arizona’s corporate location is located. Additionally, Human Resource Training, Inc.

(HRT) dba Clarvida’s sister company Pathways of Arizona dba Clarvida, is located in Tucson

Arizona. They have three offices located in Tucson and Yuma. HRT dba Clarvida is able to utilize the Pathways of Arizona dba Clarvida’s offices. Additionally, Clarvida staff have operated in satellite locations across the state for over forty (40) years. All staff are equipped on their first day with a company issued cell-phone and laptop. All of which are managed by

Clarvida’s corporate IT company to ensure they are up to date and running quickly and smoothly. The devices are equipped with zoom and jabber so staff can attend any zoom meetings as well as have an internal communication system to communicate with all staff across the agency. Clarvida currently has ninety (90) staff across all of their programs. HRT dba Clarvida operates under one Executive Director. There are two Program Directors who oversee Foster

Care and In Home Programs. There is also a Behavioral Health Supervisor. The remainder of the staff report in two those three (3) leadership positions in addition to the Operations Manager who reports to the Executive Director. An attachment with the agency’s org chart will be attached.

Fostering Sustainable Connections will be a new program for Clarvida and thus the teams will need to be hired. Clarvida has multiple qualified staff who will be eligible to apply for the supervisor position. All staff who qualify will have been with the agency for at least one (1) year, have at least five (5) years of experience in child welfare, and have a Bachelor’s degree. Upon notification of award, Clarvida is positioned to post the position and promote a supervisor within five (5) business days. Once the Family Engagement Specialist (FES) Supervisor is hired, Clarvida will post for the Family Engagement Specialist (FES) position. Clarvida anticipates that there will be internal staff that will apply and transfer in addition to new staff hired. Clarvida will have six (6) FES hired and ready to accept referrals at the go-live date. Each new staff will start at seven (7) youth for their first ninety (90) days. Their performance will be evaluated and changes to the caseload prior to ninety (90) days will be communicated to DCS but will only occur with trained staff who demonstrate exceeds expectations on their performance. Staff will receive additional youth after ninety (90) days but will not exceed a caseload of fifteen (15).

Should the need arise, Clarvida will work with DCS to increase their capacity to take additional

Description: Fostering Sustainable Connections

State of Arizona

Department of Child Safety

Office of Procurement & Contracts

SECTION 2-D: Offer Forms, Attachment 3-A

Page 53 of 65 2 youth. Clarvida will ensure that staff are hired throughout the state to ensure youth can be met with by individuals who are from their region. The Operations department will monitor the fidelity of the program to ensure as the program grows the fidelity does not waver. Supervising remote teams does not come without challenges, however Clarvida has been doing so for many years and ensures frequent supervision and in-person meetings.

Due to the expected quick turnaround from submission of BAFO to go-live, Clarvida has begun creating their EHR, should they be awarded the contract. The EHR will be ready at go-live and will include all of the activities, reports, and alerts necessary to ensure a smooth delivery of services. The day that Clarvida is notified of receiving the contract, they will post for the supervisor position as well as six (6) FES positions. Once the supervisor is promoted internally, they will begin to interview their FES staff. A team of seven (7), including the supervisor, is expected to be ready at go-live. The supervisor will also be trained and able to take cases, should the need ever arise, though it is not expected that they will carry a caseload otherwise.

These staff will begin their training and Clarvida will identify a master trainer. All Clarvida staff receive a laptop and cellphone and will immediately be trained on the tools necessary to promote family finding.

Once Clarvida begins receiving referrals, they will continue to hire additional staff. Knowing that the expected number of referrals is 200 in a year, Clarvida anticipates hiring an additional six to seven (6-7) staff in increments of thirty to sixty (30-60) days after go-live. If at any time the need arises, Clarvida will also grow their team to meet the needs of the community. Clarvida staff are located throughout the state and are able to meet the referral needs across the state.

End of Attachment 3-A