25-83916 Att M - Scope of Work.docx

RFP 25-83916

Indiana Early Intervention Coaching Model Attachment M – Scope of Work

Section 1: Purpose The goal of this Early Intervention Coaching Model RFP is to secure a contractor to provide training and implementation support of a provider coaching framework (train the trainer model) and routines-based family coaching within the First Steps system, a core component of the Bureau of Child Development Services’ (BCDS) Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) and State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP).

Indiana First Steps is committed to statewide implementation of a caregiver coaching framework. Caregiver coaching in early intervention is highly effective and empowers families to support their child's development in natural settings. Rather than relying solely on professionals, caregivers learn strategies tailored to their child's needs, fostering continuous learning through everyday interactions. This model enhances confidence, strengthens parent-child bonds, and ensures interventions are embedded in daily routines, making them more impactful. By equipping caregivers with skills, children receive consistent, meaningful support beyond scheduled therapy sessions.

To implement caregiver coaching, First Steps providers require professional development that is also delivered via a coaching model. A coaching model for professional development ensures service providers gain the skills needed to effectively support caregivers in early intervention. By engaging in reflective practice, hands-on learning, and ongoing guidance, providers enhance their ability to empower families in integrating strategies into daily routines. This approach fosters collaboration, adaptability, and confidence, resulting in more sustainable developmental outcomes for children. As providers refine their coaching techniques, they create lasting impact beyond structured sessions. Ongoing mentorship and collaboration improve adherence to intervention methods, leading to more meaningful outcomes for children and families.

Section 2: First Steps Background First Steps is Indiana’s early intervention program, authorized under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which brings together families and professionals from education, health, and social service agencies to provide children who have disabilities or are experiencing delays and their families an array of locally available early intervention services and resources. Indiana First Steps provides approximately 30,000 children and their families annually with services provided by over 2,000 early intervention credentialed providers.

The Indiana First Steps program structure includes System Points of Entry (SPOE), which serve as regional hubs managing referrals, eligibility assessments, and service coordination. SPOEs ensure families receive timely support and develop Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs).

Provider Agencies are organizations with agreements with the BCDS to deliver intervention services, including speech, occupational, physical, and developmental therapy. These agencies employ credentialed professionals who work directly with families to implement IFSP goals. Additional Independent Providers deliver less frequently utilized services such as audiology, nutrition, psychology, social work, vision services, and other early intervention services. Providers deliver home and community-based services, ensuring children receive support in natural environments.

Section 3: Respondent Required Experience First Steps is seeking to contract with a vendor that meets the following minimum requirements:

A. Previous experience implementing and coordinating a provider coaching model framework for routines-based caregiver coaching for an IDEA Part C, early intervention program B. Five (5) years of experience delivering services to an IDEA Part C, early intervention program

Section 4: Delivery of Professional Development The Respondent shall complete the following activities in their entirety to ensure comprehensive implementation of a provider coaching framework that utilizes a routines-based caregiver coaching model. The Respondent will participate in recruitment of providers, deliver comprehensive training, and administer ongoing professional development support to providers who have completed the framework. The Respondent’s proposed model/framework must be an evidence and data-informed promising practice.

A. Recruitment To ensure provider participation in the training, the Respondent shall:

i. Recruit and train no fewer than 100 providers annually to participate in one of two cohort types:

a. Agency Cohort - Recruit and select a provider agency/agencies to train a majority of their providers in the coaching model framework

b. Traditional Cohort (all other providers) - Recruit any enrolled providers from the First Steps program to participate in and complete the training

ii. Utilize recruitment activities including but not limited to:

a. Marketing emails

b. Participation in Local Planning and Coordinating Councils (LPCCs), the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC), and other local/state meetings

c. Presentations at System Point of Entry (SPOE) offices and provider agency staff meetings to share resources and materials

d. Newsletter articles written for the First Steps Newsletter

B. Training Delivery The Respondent will be responsible for completing all aspects of the coaching model training program, which include the following activities:

i. Initial asynchronous, online foundational curriculum modules

a. Provide access to these modules

b. Implement and analyze pre and post test surveys

c. Monitor provider program completion data

d. Identify barriers to completing modules

ii. Welcome/orientation webinar detailing the following (but not limited to) information:

a. Training processes

b. Timelines/calendars

c. Expectations and requirements

iii. In-person learning communities

a. Facilitate learning communities for each professional development cohort

b. Maintain trained coaching professionals who facilitate learning communities

c. Maintain staffing ratios appropriate to meet learning community objectives

d. Maintain attendance and participation records and offer make-up sessions as needed.

iv. Collect and review data around individual provider implementation fidelity which could include, but is not limited to the following:

a. Observation of child/family service delivery

b. Provider fidelity data

c. Written and verbal feedback to participants in learning communities

v. Post-training surveys for providers and families

a. Providers - Develop and implement surveys for providers to collect satisfaction levels and implementation data.

b. Families – Develop and implement surveys for families whose providers participated in the learning community as the providers exit the training program.

c. Review data collected and propose implementation adjustments, as necessary.

1. Resources for providers and families

d. Providers

1. Certificates of completion administered to providers to recognize accomplishments

2. Develop materials and handouts for providers to share with families so they understand how their provider will be utilizing and implementing a coaching model

e. Families

1. Develop materials and handouts for families to better understand and utilize a coaching model

2. Develop an incentive plan to encourage family participation

vi. Support to provider agencies

a. Host meetings with participating agencies to provide necessary support to complete a training sequence:

1. Prepare meeting agendas and keep meeting notes

2. Support integration of coaching model framework across agency initiatives and agency culture.

C. Ongoing Professional Development Support The Respondent will be responsible for providing ongoing support to providers who have successfully completed the training program. To ensure continuity of coaching model framework, the Respondent shall:

i. Provide written training resources for provider use in the field

ii. Maintain an Indiana-specific library related to best practices and model fidelity

iii. Deliver live and recorded webinars to provide ongoing professional development opportunities for early intervention providers

iv. Share monthly updates or newsletters with relevant information

v. Arrange panels or sessions during early intervention conferences to promote professional learning

Section 5: Statewide Implementation Support/Partnership Activities To create a statewide foundational culture of a coaching model framework and ensure consistent messaging and utilization across all aspects of the First Steps System, the Respondent shall:

A. Create and host a First Steps stakeholder group that meets biannually to assist in determining how presented data will guide future implementation. This group should include, at a minimum, the following participants:

i. SPOE staff/leadership

ii. Provider agency staff/leadership

iii. Training program participants

iv. Training program coaches

v. BCDS staff

vi. Families in (or recently in) the First Steps program B. Provide a biannual report to the First Steps stakeholders group that includes:

i. Identified coaching model implementation issues and barriers

ii. System Successes

iii. Recommendations for future cohorts C. Collaborate with the BCDS Professional Development System vendor to develop trainings and professional development for service coordinators to increase awareness and understanding of the coaching model and ensure consistent messaging to families.

D. Host in-person or webinar trainings for service coordinators

Section 6: General Contract Requirements A. Reporting/Business Reviews The Respondent shall:

i. Meet monthly with the BCDS state implementation lead(s) to provide programmatic updates

ii. Meet quarterly with the BCDS for business reviews, reports to include:

a. Recruitment Activities

b. Training Delivery Activities

c. Post Completion Ongoing Professional Development Support Activities

d. Data listed below in Data Report

B. Data Requirements

i. Data Report The Respondent shall provide a Data Report to be shared with BCDS staff and stakeholders that includes but is not limited to:

a. Attendance and percentage/number of providers who completed each step of direct training process

b. Provider and family feedback survey results as described in Section 3.B.v.

c. Data on fidelity of providers to coaching model

d. First Steps stakeholder group– attendance, meeting content and agenda, and any recommendations made by stakeholders

e. Description of all support given to provider agencies

f. Description of all outreach activities

g. Presentation to SSIP stakeholder group, ICC, and any other group requested by the BCDS

1. Emails, presentations, staff meetings, etc.

ii. Data Security Maintenance

a. The Respondent shall be responsible to ensure that any device which has access to the State’s systems has been protected by up-to-date Anti-virus software and does not pose a risk to other users of the network.

b. If the Respondent has access to the public Internet, that access shall be protected with a firewall.

c. The Respondent shall be required to attend any State security and privacy training(s) if requested by the State.

d. The Respondent will comply with the privacy provisions of 34 CFR 303.401-417 and the Family Educational Records Privacy Act (FERPA).

iii. Data Confidentiality The Respondent shall:

a. Maintain all information in a manner compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and that safeguards against any potential breach of Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

b. Ensure that any PII is sent via secure and encrypted email.

C. Staffing

The Respondent shall assign qualified, productive, and professional staff members to work under this Contract. The Respondent shall submit a staffing plan that outlines how it will fulfill all job duties required by this Scope of Work, which could include developing Indiana master coaches to sustain future coaching implementation. The Respondent shall ensure that all staff receive ongoing professional development training in order to remain up to date on research-based best practices in Early Intervention.

At a minimum, the Respondent shall employ and provide the resumes for the staff positions outlined below, which shall be approved by the BCDS. Please note that multiple roles may be filled by the same staff member, if approved by BCDS.

i. Project Director – provides leadership for the project in all elements; fiscal and high-level project updates

ii. Project Coordinator – recruitment, logistics, facilitation, coordination, delivering reports and presentations

iii. Certified Coach(es) – the number of proposed coaches must be sufficient and maintained to meet the implementation plan and all coaching requirements within the scope of work

D. Financial Management

i. Fiscal Management/Billing and Invoicing

a. The Respondent shall submit monthly actual cost invoices for deliverables outlined in this Scope of Work with supporting data and evidence of work completed.

b. Submit an annual sustainability report based on review of data, providers trained, and stakeholder input