AFPRR18-99004 RFP.docx

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Grants and Purchasing

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Proposal Submission

All proposals with related material must be submitted electronically using the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website. For technical assistance when entering proposals, contact the State of Michigan VSS Support Center at (888) 734-9749 or SIGMA-Vendor@michigan.gov.

The Contractor (awarded bidder) must deliver human services to referred clients in the above geographic area and have direct service providers based within 75 miles of the geographic area for the duration of the contract.

Disqualifying Criteria:

The bidder will be disqualified, and the proposal will not be reviewed if there is failure to:

Submit a complete proposal to the SIGMA VSS website on or before the bid closing date and time specified.

Stay at or below the maximum award amount per contract year, if provided.

Proposals from bidders who are current state of Michigan employees are also disqualified and will not be reviewed.

Bidder must submitt a separate proposal for each region.

RFP Number: 180000001435

From this point on, DO NOT USE TAB. Unprotect the format and press CONTROL F to move to the next typing location (stop code). Protect the format again after the last stop code. The last stop code is at the end of Category E in Section IV. If Category E is not used, the last stop code is at the end of Category D in Section IV.

Additional Information:

Transportation is at bidder’s discretion and should be calculated into the unit rate. Specific assistance will not be provided for any of the services in all regions. In addition to the unit rate, but included in the total dollar amount, MDHHS shall compensate the contractor for additional recruitment events, up to the maximum amount as identified in column E. in Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be served.

Authority:

Completion:

Penalty:

P.A. 2080 of 1939.

Mandatory.

Agreement Invalid The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will not discriminate against any individual or group because of race, religion, age, national origin, color, height, weight, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political beliefs or disability. If you need help with reading, writing, hearing, etc., under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are invited to make your needs known to a MDHHS office in your area.

Table of Contents

This Request for Proposal (RFP) provides interested bidders with sufficient information to prepare and submit proposals for consideration by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and contains the following sections:

Section I Proposal Instructions

Section II Description of Service Specifications

Section III Instructions for Bidders

Section IV Proposal

Section I

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Questions/Inquiries

Questions regarding the content of this RFP must be made by email to Jessica Sweet at sweetj2@michigan.gov on or March 16th, 2018. MDHHS staff will not respond to questions regarding the content of the RFP that are telephoned in. Questions may be discussed verbally at the pre-proposal conference, if one is scheduled. MDHHS will compile all relevant questions and answers and post these as well as any other clarifications or revisions to the initial RFP onto the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website. Interested bidders are advised to monitor the website regularly.

2. Amendment to the RFP

MDHHS may modify this RFP at any time. Modifications will be posted on the SIGMA VSS website via a “proposal amendment.” This is the only method by which the RFP may be modified. Amendments posted before the deadline submission date may include documentations such as questions and answers, revisions, and/or clarifications to the initial RFP. Amendments posted after the deadline submission date may include documentation such as the award recommendation letter.

3. Response Preparation

Bidders must follow these proposal instructions and provide a complete response. Uniform Resource Locator (URL) links to information will not be considered for evaluation. Bidder should include its company name in the header of all response documents.

4. Delivery of Proposal

The bidder must submit its proposal, all attachments, and any modifications or withdrawals electronically through the SIGMA VSS website. The price proposal should be saved separately from all other proposal documents. The bidder should submit all documents in a modifiable (native) format (examples include but are not limited to: Microsoft Word or Excel and Google Docs or Sheets). In addition to submitting documents in a modifiable format, the bidder may also submit copies of documents in PDF. Bidder’s failure to submit a proposal as required may result in disqualification. The proposal and attachments must be fully uploaded and submitted prior to the due date identified on the SIGMA VSS website. Do not wait until the last minute to submit a proposal, as the SIGMA VSS system requires the creation of an account and entry of certain information, in addition to uploading and submitting the materials. The SIGMA VSS system will not allow a proposal to be submitted after the due date and time, even if a portion of the proposal has been uploaded.

Questions on how to submit information or how to navigate in the SIGMA VSS system can be answered by calling (517) 373-4111 or (888) 734-9749.

5. Evaluation Process

In awarding the contract, proposals will be evaluated by a committee chaired by the MDHHS Bureau of Grants and Purchasing (BGP). Only those proposals receiving a score of 80 points or more will be considered for award. All qualified proposals will be evaluated on the basis of rating criteria identified in the RFP.

MDHHS may utilize all bidder information, without regard to a proposal’s technical score, to determine fair market value for goods or services sought. MDHHS is not obligated to accept the lowest price proposal. If applicable, MDHHS’ evaluation will include consideration of a bidder’s qualified disabled veteran (QDV) status under MCL 18.1261(8). Additional information on the QDV preference is available at the Contract Connect website.

MDHHS strongly encourages strict adherence to the standard terms. MDHHS reserves the right to deem a proposal non-responsive for failure to accept the standard terms. Nevertheless, the bidder may submit proposed changes to the standard terms in track changes (i.e., visible edits) with an explanation of the bidder’s need for each proposed change. Failure to include track changes with an explanation of the bidder’s need for the proposed change constitutes the bidder’s acceptance of the standard terms. General statements, such as that the bidder reserves the right to negotiate the standard terms, may be considered non-responsive.

MDHHS reserves the right to establish the criteria by which it will evaluate each bidder’s response, and by which it will determine the most responsive, capable, and qualified bidder(s). In addition to cost, other principal factors may be considered in evaluating proposals relative to:

. Reliability . Bidder’s past performance . Bidder’s ability to respond to all requirements outlined in the RFP . Bidder’s ability to maintain a presence in providing services . Financial stability . Continuity and stability in provision of service . Knowledge transfer activities

If MDHHS determines in its sole discretion that contracting with or awarding a contract to a bidder presents an unacceptable financial risk to MDHHS, MDHHS reserves the right to not award a contract to that bidder.

MDHHS may conduct an on-site visit to tour and inspect the bidder's facilities; require an oral presentation of the bidder's proposal; conduct interviews, research, reference checks, and background checks; and request additional price concessions at any point during the evaluation process.

If it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false information, the bidder will not be considered for award, MDHHS may pursue debarment of the bidder, and any resulting contract that may have been established may be terminated.

6. Notice of Deficiency

MDHHS reserves the right to issue a Notice of Deficiency to bidders if MDHHS determines after the proposal deadline that a portion of the RFP was deficient, unclear, or ambiguous. Failure to respond to a Notice of Deficiency timely may be cause for disqualification.

7. Clarification Request

MDHHS reserves the right to issue a Clarification Request to a bidder to clarify its proposal if MDHHS determines the proposal is not clear. Failure to respond to a Clarification Request timely may be cause for disqualification.

8. Reservations

MDHHS reserves the right to:

a. Disqualify a bidder for failure to follow these instructions.

b. Discontinue the RFP process at any time for any or no reason. The issuance of an RFP, preparation and submission of a proposal, and MDHHS’s subsequent receipt and evaluation of a proposal does not commit MDHHS to award a contract, even if all the requirements in the RFP are met.

c. Consider late proposals if: (i) no other proposals are received; (ii) no complete proposals are received; (iii) MDHHS received complete proposals, but they did not pass the evaluation process; or, (iv) the award process fails to result in an award.

d. Consider an otherwise disqualified proposal, if no other proposals are received.

e. Disqualify a proposal based on: (1) information provided by the bidder in response to this RFP; (2) the bidder’s failure to complete registration on SIGMA VSS; or (3) if it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false or misleading information in response to this RFP.

f. Consider bidders’ prior performance with the State in making its award decision.

g. Consider overall economic impact to the State when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation. This includes but is not limited to: considering principal place of performance, number of Michigan citizens employed or potentially employed, dollars paid to Michigan residents, Michigan capital investments, job creation, tax revenue implications, and economically disadvantaged businesses.

h. Consider total-cost-of-ownership factors (e.g., transaction costs and training costs) when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation.

i. Refuse to award a contract to any bidder that has failed to pay State taxes or has any outstanding debt with the State.

j. Enter into negotiations with one or more bidders on price, terms, technical requirements, or other deliverables.

k. Award multiple, optional use contracts, or award by contract activity.

l. Evaluate the proposal outside the scope identified in Section 5, Evaluation Process, if MDHHS receives only one proposal.

m. Evaluate proposals using a method that establishes the relative importance of each deliverable.

9. Award Recommendation

The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who offers the best value to the State, as determined by the State. Best value will be determined by the bidder meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of price and quality, as demonstrated by its proposal and other principal factors. MDHHS will post a Notice of Recommendation for Award on the SIGMA VSS website, which will appear as an “amendment” to the original solicitation.

10. Debrief Meetings and Protest

MDHHS will post a Notice of Recommendation for Award, which will provide instructions on how to request a debrief meeting.

Bidders who wish to initiate a protest of the award must submit the protest in writing no later than 3:00 p.m. on the fifth business day after the notice of recommendation for award is published on the SIGMA VSS website. MDHHS reserves the right to adjust this timing and will publish any change on the SIGMA VSS system.

Submit protests via email to MDHHS-BGP@michigan.gov. Include “Protest” in the email subject line. All protests must include the bid number.

Additional information about the protest process is available at the Contract Connect website under the “Programs and Policies” link.

11. State Administrative Board

Contracts in excess of $500,000 require approval by the State Administrative Board. The State Administrative Board’s decision is final; however, its approval does not constitute a contract. The award process is not complete until the awarded Contractor receives a contract fully executed by all parties.

12. General Proposal Conditions

The State will not be liable for any costs, expenses, or damages incurred by a bidder participating in this solicitation. The bidder agrees that its proposal will be considered an offer to do business with the State in accordance with its proposal, including the Standard Terms, and that its proposal will be irrevocable and binding for a period of 90 calendar days from date of submission. If a contract is awarded to the bidder, the State may, at its option, incorporate any part of the bidder’s proposal into a contract. This RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract. This RFP may not provide a complete statement of the State’s environment, or contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached. Other than verified trade secrets, proposals submitted via SIGMA VSS are the State’s property.

13. Freedom of Information Act

All portions of the bidder’s proposal and resulting Contract are subject to disclosure as required under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 1976 PA 442. However, please note the following:

a. Under MCL 18.1261(13)(b), records containing “a trade secret as defined under section 2 of the uniform trade secrets act, 1998 PA 448, MCL 445.1902, or financial or proprietary information” are exempt from disclosure under FOIA. And under MCL 18.1470(3), “proprietary financial and accounting” information is also exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

b. If information within a bidder’s proposal falls under the aforementioned exemptions, and the bidder seeks to have it withheld from disclosure under FOIA, then by the proposal deadline, the bidder must: (1) save exempt information in a separate file (i.e., document); (2) name the file/document “FOIA-EXEMPT”; (3) label the header of each page of the file/document “Confidential–Trade Secret,” “Confidential–Financial,” or “Confidential–Proprietary” as applicable; (4) clearly reference within the file/document the RFP schedule, section, and page number to which the exempt information applies; and (5) verify within the FOIA-EXEMPT file/document that the information meets the FOIA exemption criteria.

c. The State reserves the right to determine whether information designated as exempt by a bidder falls under the FOIA exemptions.

d. Resumes, pricing, and marketing materials are not trade secrets or financial or proprietary information.

e. Do not identify your entire proposal as “FOIA-EXEMPT,” and do not label each page of your proposal “Confidential.” If a bidder does so, the State may require the bidder to resubmit the proposal to comply with subsection (b) above.

f. If the State requires a bidder to resubmit a proposal for failure to follow these instructions, the State reserves the right to disqualify the bidder if the proposal is materially changed upon resubmission. In other words, amendments to the proposal should be restricted to that which is necessary to separate confidential from non-confidential information.

14. Rights to Information Contained in Proposals

All proposals will be considered the property of MDHHS.

15. Independent Price Determination

a. By submission of a proposal, the bidder certifies:

1) The prices of the proposal have been arrived at independently without consultation, communication, or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other bidder or with any competitor;

2) Unless otherwise required by law, the price quotation in the proposal has not and will not be knowingly disclosed by the bidder to any potential bidder;

3) No attempt has been made or will be made by the bidder to induce any other person or agency to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition;

4) The price quoted is not higher than that given to the general public for the same service.

b. The person who submits the proposal certifies that:

1) She or he is the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to prices being offered in the proposal, and that she or he has not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above; or

2) She or he is not the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to the prices being offered in the proposal, but that he or she has been authorized in writing to act as agent for the persons responsible for such decision in certifying that such persons have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above, and as their agent does hereby so certify; and that he or she has not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above.

c. A proposal will not be considered for award if the bidder is found to be noncompliant with any part of Item 6., Independent Price Determination, unless the bidder furnishes a signed statement with the proposal, which sets forth in detail the circumstance of the disclosure and the BGP determines that such disclosure was not made for the purpose of restricting competition.

16. Subcontracting

Subcontractors shall be subject to all conditions and provisions of the contract including Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) and Central Registry background checks when applicable.

If subcontracting, the Contractor must obligate the subcontractors to maintain the confidentiality of MDHHS’ client information in conformance with state and federal requirements.

If portions of the services are being subcontracted, the bidder must identify the services the subcontractor will perform and provide all information requested, as it applies to both the bidder and the subcontractor(s).

MDHHS may, at its discretion, require information on the process of an awarded subcontractor proposal.

A Contractor is responsible for the performance of any subcontractors who are held to the same standard of quality and performance as the Contractor. Evaluators of proposals will consider the qualifications of both the Contractor and subcontractor when making contract award recommendations.

17. Price

Prices quoted are firm for the initial term of the contract.

18. Standard Terms

Awards made as a result of this RFP will require execution of a contract with MDHHS. The contract will contain standard terms. A copy of the standard terms was posted on SIGMA VSS as a separate attachment with this RFP.

19. Options to Renew

At the discretion of MDHHS, an awarded contract may be renewed in writing by an amendment not less than 30 days before its expiration. The contract may be renewed for up to five additional one-year periods.

20. Criminal Background Check

If the resulting contract will be with an individual, MDHHS will complete the criminal background check on the Contractor, and the following language will be included in the contract:

The Contractor shall notify MDHHS in writing of criminal convictions (felony or misdemeanor), pending felony charges, or placement on the Central Registry as a perpetrator, at hire or within 10 days of the event after hiring.

If the resulting contract will be with an agency, the following language will be included in the contract:

As a condition of this Contract, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor shall, prior to any individual performing work under this Contract, conduct or cause to be conducted an Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) check and a national and state sex offender registry check for each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee or volunteer who, under this Contract, works directly with clients or has access to client information.

Information about ICHAT can be found at http://apps.michigan.gov/ichat.

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry website address is http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us.

The National Sex Offender Public website address is http://www.nsopw.gov.

As a condition of this Contract, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor shall, prior to any individual performing work under this Contract, conduct or cause to be conducted a Central Registry (CR) check for each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee, or volunteer who, under this Contract, works directly with children.

Information about CR can be found at http://www.mi.gov/dhs/0,1607,7-124-5452_7119_48330-180331--,00.html.

The Contractor shall require each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee, or volunteer who, under this Contract, works directly with clients or who has access to client information to notify the Contractor in writing of criminal convictions (felony or misdemeanor), pending felony charges, or placement on the Central Registry as a perpetrator, at hire or within 10 days of the event after hiring.

The Contractor further certifies that the Contractor shall not submit claims for or assign duties under this Contract to any new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee, or volunteer based on a determination by the Contractor that the results of a positive ICHAT and/or a CR response or reported criminal felony conviction or perpetrator identification make the individual ineligible to provide the services.

The Contractor must have a written policy describing the criteria on which its determinations shall be made and must document the basis for each determination. The Contractor may consider the recency and type of crime when making a determination. Failure to comply with this provision may be cause for immediate cancellation of this Contract. In addition, the Contractor must further have a clearly defined written policy regarding acceptable screening practices of new staff members and volunteers who have direct access to clients and/or client’s personal information. These screening practices serve to protect the organization and its clients. The Contractor must also assure that any subcontractors have both of these written policies.

If MDHHS determines that an individual provided services under this Contract for any period prior to completion of the required checks as described above, MDHHS may require repayment of that individual's salary, fringe benefits, and all related costs of employment for the period that the required checks had not been completed.

21. State of Michigan Employees

State of Michigan employees may not act as bidders. Proposals from bidders who are current state of Michigan employees will be disqualified and will not be reviewed.

Policy in Civil Service Rule 2-8, Ethical Standards and Conduct, states an employee cannot represent or act as an agent for any private interests, whether for compensation or otherwise, in any transaction in which the state has a direct and substantial interest and which could reasonably be expected to result in a conflict between the employee’s private interests and official state responsibilities.

22. E-Verify

Section 291 of the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus Budget, PA 107 of 2017, requires verification that all new employees of the Contractor and all new employees of any approved subcontractor, working under this contract, are legally present to work in the United States. All Contractors shall perform this verification using the E-verify system (http://www.uscis.gov).

Section II

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS

Introduction

MDHHS is seeking Regional Resource Teams (RRT) to provide regional recruitment, retention and training for foster and adoptive parents. The Regional Resource Teams (RRT) will focus on recruiting and supporting foster families to meet annual non-relative licensing goals, to retain a higher percentage of existing foster families, to appropriately prepare families for the challenges associated with fostering and to develop existing foster family skills to enable them to foster children with more challenging behaviors.

1. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

1.1. Client Eligibility Criteria

a. Definition of Eligibility normally by funding source or program standards

i. Any prospective families or relatives, who have applied or inquired about becoming a licensed foster or adoptive parent, through a public or private child placing agency.

ii. Any current foster families who are licensed through a public or private agency.

iii. Any relative families who currently have placement of or are seeking placement of a relative placed through Michigan’s child welfare system.

b. Determination of Eligibility

i. The Contractor shall determine eligibility of the person or persons through consultation with MDHHS.

ii. Eligible clients are determined based on the number of prospective Foster Care/ Adoptive homes needed to meet the goals outlined in the counties Adoptive and Foster Parent Retention and Recruitment (AFPRR) Plan.

1.2. Referral Process

Use the referral process below or enter an appropriate referral process.

The referral process is identified in each service, as applicable.

2. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1. Geographic Area

The Contractor shall provide services described herein in the following geographic area: See Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served.

2.2. Credentials

The Contractor shall assure that appropriately credentialed or trained staff under its control, including Contractor employees and/or subcontractors, shall perform functions under this Contract.

a. Supervisor must have a minimum of three years relevant experience, as a licensing worker or supervisor, reached within the previous six years in the State of Michigan.

b. Recruiters/Support Coordinator must have a minimum of one year of experience in recruiting Foster Care families, and/or Adoptive families, demonstrated knowledge of the child welfare system and previously demonstrated success speaking to large and small groups.

c. Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) trainers must have demonstrated success as a parent trainer as verified through references, and knowledge of the child welfare system and licensing rules and have obtained PRIDE trainer certification from the Office of Workforce Development and Training (OWDT) prior to conducting any training sessions.

i. One of the two required trainers in each session must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in human services.

ii. One of the two required trainers in each session must be a current foster care or adoptive parent.

d. Foster Care Navigators must have either a current foster care license or a closed in good standing license; an ability to support and encourage other families; knowledge of child welfare policy and procedures; and involvement in their local foster family community and groups.

i. Navigators must attend licensing certification and complete training within six months of hire.

e. Minimum staffing levels should be maintained by region. See Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served for the minimum staffing levels required by region. (Each number represents the quantity of staff that must be maintained.)

Insert any required credentials

2.3. Services to be Delivered

The Contractor shall be housed within the geographical area they serve, or 75 miles of the geographic area.

Service #1 of 6: Recruitment of Foster and Adoptive Families.

The Contractor shall:

1. In collaboration with the Business Service Center Director (BSC) or their designee, local MDHHS offices, faith-based communities, and key foster/adoptive/kinship parents (as determined by the Contractor and approved by MDHHS) implement recruitment services prepared by the county offices to meet the county's overall recruitment needs, goals, and the actions steps as outlined in the annual Adoptive and Foster Parent Retention and Recruitment (AFPRR) plans provided by MDHHS for each county.

2. Recruit foster and adoptive families that meet service area specific placement needs, and address gaps in available homes. Recruitment of foster/adoptive families will take into consideration the following:

a. Race and ethnicity of the children in care in the service area; including Native American children.

b. Capability of families to take on sibling groups of two or more; especially large sibling groups.

c. Capability of families to parent older children, especially teens.

d. Capability of families to parent children with disabilities and behavioral issues who have suffered multiple traumas from neglect and abuse.

e. Geographic location of family to allow children to remain in their current neighborhoods and schools.

f. Identified placement resources for children coming out of more restrictive placements, to reduce the number of children in shelter care and residential facilities.

3. Recruit foster and adoptive families for children who exhibit difficult behaviors or have significant needs such as:

a. sexually acting out

b. physical aggression

c. mental health needs

d. moderate to severe developmental disabilities

e. medically fragile

4. Recruit foster/adoptive families who:

a. Can take children for short term placements

b. Can assist children in the transition to permanency either through reunification, adoption, guardianship or to adulthood

c. Can provide a continuum of care from foster care to adoption

d. Can provide permanency through adoption when a child must transition from a foster care home to an adoptive home

5. Recruit foster care families who will work collaboratively with and mentor birth families and who will support family interaction by following the MiTEAM practice model throughout placement. More information about the MiTEAM practice model can be found at (http://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-1551_11120_77826_77828---,00.html).

6. Recruit foster care families who will help children in their care maintain connections with family, school, culture and community.

7. Collaborate with community partners including faith-based organizations, federally recognized tribes, LGBT community, schools, hospitals, and other community-based stakeholders interested in supporting foster/adoptive family recruitment that reflects the diversity of their community.

8. Send contact information for prospective foster and adoptive parents to the appropriate local county office or statewide recruitment telephone number as appropriate.

a. This process shall be established in collaboration with the Business Service Center (BSC) director, local MDHHS offices, and approved by the Contract Administrator.

9. Utilize recruitment material produced and/or approved by MDHHS External Affairs and Communications Administration.

a. New materials produced by the contractor must be submitted to MDHHS – Recruitment and Retention Program Office to be reviewed and submitted to the External Affairs and Communications Administration for approval.

b. The statewide recruitment phone number must be used on all recruitment material.

10. Participate in committees, meetings, and advisory councils as deemed necessary by MDHHS.

11. Recruit foster care and adoptive homes by coordinating and engaging in activities outlined in the Adoptive and Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention plan for each county.

a. The contractor is responsible for ensuring that all the activities in each county AFPRR plan are implemented.

b. County offices shall provide copies of their specific AFPRR plans which includes recruitment activities.

12. Provide the list of recruited homes to the appropriate county office and navigators for follow-up and support within one business day of a recruitment event or activity.

13. Present and distribute information on the foster home licensing process at civic clubs, organizations, churches, and community events:

a. A minimum of six presentations lasting a minimum of one hour in length shall occur per county or as outlined in the county’s Adoptive and Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention plan annually.

i. Presentations shall include, but shall not be limited to:

1. Explanation of the need for foster/adoptive families

2. Discussion on the challenges/benefits of becoming a foster/adoptive family

3. Information on the minimum eligibility requirements for becoming a licensed foster parent

ii. Maintain a list of all attendees at each presentation, including a list of individuals interested in additional information and/or training on foster care/adoption, and those given informational packets.

b. A minimum of 12 community events shall occur per county (bi-county or tri-county grouping) or as outlined in the county’s Adoptive and Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention plan annually.

c. Input and maintain contact information in the appropriate county recruitment outcome tracking spreadsheet, developed in collaboration with the contract administrator.

14. Develop and facilitate community events focused on recruitment of foster homes for adolescents. These events must be planned in addition to the county’s Adoption and Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention Plan.

15. Work in collaboration with the recruitment and retention program office including the community and faith-based initiative on foster care and adoption.

16. Volume of Service:

a. Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of recruitment services as outlined above in service #1 of 6: Recruitment of Foster and Adoptive Families

b. Number of Units: Refer to Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served

c. Actual Cost: In addition to the unit rate, but as a part of the total dollar amount of this Agreement, MDHHS shall reimburse the Contractor up to a maximum amount outlined in Attachment A - Regional Geographic Areas to be served for costs associated with additional recruitment events outside of the local counties AFPRR plan and budget.

Service #2 of 6: Supportive Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Family Services

The Contractor shall:

1. Implement retention services to meet the county's overall retention needs and the actions steps to ensure needs are met in collaboration with the Business Service Center Director (BSC) or their designee, MDHHS local offices, faith-based communities, and key foster/adoptive/kinship parents (as determined by the Contractor and approved by MDHHS), as identified in the county’s annual (AFPRR) Plan.

2. Increase foster family satisfaction and build capacity of current foster families through utilization of retention strategies including, but not limited to:

a. Identify and/or strengthen foster, adoptive, and kinship parent support groups:

i. Research each identified service area or region to determine if a successful support group already exists. If a support group exists, the contractor shall meet with the existing support group to see if any additional services can be provided. If a support group does not exist in the identified service area or region, the contractor shall assist MDHHS and private child placing agencies in the identified service area or region to implement and coordinate a successful support group.

ii. Maintain a schedule of all support group meetings.

iii. Contact all new foster/adoptive/kinship families and invite the families to a support group.

b. Distribute surveys created in collaboration with MDHHS Recruitment and Retention Program Office to foster, adoptive and kinship parents to ensure services being provided meet the parents’ needs.

c. Create and distribute a quarterly, regional foster, adoptive, and kinship parent newsletter. The newsletters shall at minimum include:

i. Highlight a foster, adoptive and/or kinship family success story

ii. Highlight a worker who has gone above and beyond to help a foster, adoptive or kinship family

iii. Include a schedule of upcoming trainings offered in the region

iv. Include a schedule of support group meetings

v. Include contractor contact information on quarterly newsletters

All publications must be submitted to MDHHS Recruitment and Retention Program Office for approval.

d. Coordinate and host appreciation events.

i. There shall be an annual foster, adoptive, kinship parent appreciation event per county or county configuration (i.e. banquet, picnic). The event shall be coordinated in collaboration with the local county office and other relevant community partners.

ii. Events shall be designed to show appreciation for foster, adoptive and kinship families and include a provision to honor families who have demonstrated exceptional service.

e. In collaboration with the local MDHHS office, coordinate additional retention activities as indicated on each approved county AFPRR plan. These additional events may include, but are not limited to;

i. Movie nights

ii. A day at the zoo

iii. Outings at local sporting events

iv. Outings at local parks, skating rinks, community activities, etc.

f. Create and maintain a list of community support services by county or area, that will help foster, adoptive and kinship families identify and access available community services.

g. Support coordinators shall participate in committees, meetings, and advisory councils as deemed necessary by MDHHS.

3. Volume of Service:

a. Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of support services as outlined above in Service #2 of 6: Supportive Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Family Services.

b. Number of Units: Refer to Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served.

Service #3 of 6: Training Foster and Adoptive Families

The Contractor shall:

1. Coordinate and provide all group Foster/Adopt PRIDE training for each proposed service area/ region.

a. Upon receipt of the referral form submitted by the licensing Child Placing Agency (CPA), the contractor shall contact the prospective foster/adoptive parent within two business days to register the participant in an upcoming PRIDE training session.

b. All Foster/Adopt PRIDE training sessions must be conducted in - person.

c. Foster/Adopt PRIDE training (sessions 1-9) must occur, at minimum, once per month in each county, bi-county or tri-county grouping.

d. PRIDE session 9 is required and trainers are responsible for coordinating an appropriate panel to conduct this session effectively. Efforts should be made to include the following participants on the panel: Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative (MYOI) youth, biological parent, guardian ad litem, a foster care worker, and a CPS worker.

e. In multiple county configurations, efforts should be made to rotate the location to assure no families are having to travel more than 40 miles to attend training.

f. All PRIDE sessions must have an experienced child welfare worker and foster parent co-trainer to deliver the training.

g. One - on - one PRIDE training may be utilized for families that are having difficulty attending the group PRIDE training sessions.

i. This should only be offered by the contractor if the licensing agency is not able to offer individual PRIDE training.

h. All sessions of PRIDE must have provisions to address day care needs for all relative providers attending.

i. A second session with a similar schedule must be offered within the same month to accommodate all families needing training when PRIDE sessions reach 30 attendees.

j. PRIDE sessions should be offered at varied times to accommodate attendee’s schedules.

k. PRIDE trainers will be responsible for administering pre, and post-tests to all participants.

i. The results of these tests should be given to the licensing agency along with an applicant impressions worksheet outlining any strengths, concerns or barriers identified during the sessions and a certificate of completion.

ii. These forms will be developed in consultation with MDHHS contract administrator.

l. PRIDE schedules should be finalized at least six months in advance and will need to be approved by the MDHHS contract administrator.

m. The contractor shall incorporate any additional topics into the training curriculum as requested by the MDHHS contract administrator.

2. Provide and coordinate a conference for foster, adoptive and kinship families annually:

a. Conference shall be either one, two-day conference in the region or two one-day conferences in different areas of the region.

b. The conference must be developed in collaboration with and approved by the MDHHS Contract Administrator who must be included on the planning committee.

c. These trainings shall occur on a Friday and a Saturday, or Saturday only to meet the needs of foster, adoptive and kinship families.

d. Topics shall be relevant to the intended audience and may include, but are not limited to:

i. Parenting traumatized children and how trauma affects children’s behaviors

ii. Parenting skills to handle difficult behaviors

iii. Coping with grief and loss as children return to birth families

iv. Foster parent roles with quality parent-child visitation

v. Parenting transracially

vi. The Nurtured Heart Approach

vii. Special Investigations

viii. Attachment issues

ix. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

x. Special Education (IEPs)

xi. How to receive available services such as daycare, Medicaid, dental, Youth in Transition (YIT), Education and Training Voucher (ETV), Women Infants and Children (WIC), etc.

xii. Managing a relationship with birth parents

xiii. Understanding the court process

xiv. Responsibilities of CPS, Foster Care, and Licensing

3. Create and maintain a listing or calendar of all applicable agency orientations.

a. Information for the orientation listing shall be actively obtained from each Child Placing Agency (CPA) providing services within the designated geographical region.

b. Orientation listings shall be submitted no later than the 15th of each month for the following month to the MDHHS contract administrator in order to allow for accurate information available on the Navigator website.

4. Participate in committees, meetings, and advisory councils as deemed necessary by MDHHS.

5. Obtain prior approval by MDHHS for any exceptions to the training requirements.

6. Volume of Service:

a. Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of training services as outlined above in service #3 of 6: Training Foster and Adoptive Families.

b. Number of Units: Refer to Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served.

Service #4 of 6: Managing New Inquiries

The Contractor shall:

1. Respond to inquiries from prospective foster families and provide appropriate information.

2. Operate the MDHHS 855-Mich-Kids toll-free telephone line, on a monthly rotation with all other Regional Resource Team (RRT) Contractors.

a. The toll-free telephone number must be listed in the telephone directories of targeted communities and publicized in marketing promotions.

b. Send the inquiry list to all other Regional Resource Team (RRT) Contractors each business day no later than 6:00 PM to allow for follow-up by navigators in the appropriate regions.

3. Respond to inquiries about becoming a foster parent.

a. Maintain appropriate staffing to answer calls weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and one weekday until 7:00 pm (excluding public holidays and agency holidays approved by MDHHS).

i. The contractor shall ensure staffing is sufficient to manage the projected call volume.

b. Return voice mail messages within 24 hours of receipt. If a message is received on a weekend or holiday or on a day preceding a weekend or holiday, messages will be returned during the following business day.

4. Utilize the MDHHS developed tool for tracking information about all new inquiries.

5. Volume of Service:

a. Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of inquiry services as outlined above in service #4 of 6: Managing New Inquiries.

b. Number of Units: Refer to Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served.

Service #5 of 6: Navigator Inquiry Support Services

The Contractor shall:

1. When responding to all inquiries, provide general information about becoming a licensed foster parent and the process to become licensed.

a. The Contractor shall provide a listing of agencies during the initial client contact.

b. If a relative is inquiring about a specific child, the Foster Care Navigator (FCN) will also direct the prospective family to the appropriate child placing agency.

c. The Contractor shall follow-up and contact all relative providers from a monthly list provided by MDHHS.

2. Establish communication in person or by phone within one business day following an inquiry by an individual who expresses an interest in becoming a foster parent.

a. Contact may be made by mail or e-mail if a telephone number is not provided.

b. Both the type of contact and the frequency of the contact shall be as requested by the prospective foster parent. However, the frequency shall not be less than bi-weekly unless an increase/decrease in frequency is requested by the prospective foster parent.

3. Clarify the person’s level of interest and status (i.e. new inquiry, completed orientation, made application to an agency, completed training, what prompted him or her to inquire).

4. In consultation with MDHHS, send informational packets within two business days to any inquiring person who meets the basic eligibility requirements for foster parenting.

a. The packet must also be available for download from the program’s website.

b. The packet shall include information on the foster care licensing process with a minimum of information on the purposes of foster care, characteristics and needs of children placed, licensing process, and the roles and responsibilities of foster, adoptive, and relative families.

5. During initial contact, ensure the FCN provides contact information regarding upcoming foster parent orientation classes.

a. The FCN shall follow up within seven days to determine if the family has registered for a foster care orientation class and at which agency.

6. Ensure the FCN follows up within seven days of the orientation to determine if the family has chosen a Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) training date.

a. Any licensed private agency may deliver one - on - one PRIDE training.

i. This should only be recommended if the prospective foster parent cannot attend group PRIDE training.

7. Ensure the FCN follow-up within 30 days of the initial inquiry to determine where the family is in the licensing process.

8. Ensure the FCN is available to prospective foster families as requested. The FCNs shall be able to provide support to the family and provide answers to the family’s questions throughout the licensing process.

9. Track prospective foster parents who inquire and have been referred for foster parent orientation.

a. All case entries shall be kept current and accurate

b. The Contractor shall update case entries and reflect dates/types of contacts by the FCNs with prospective foster families, and the current licensing status of the families

10. For each family, the Contractor shall track and record:

a. Date of inquiry and all follow-up contacts

b. How the prospective foster parent/family heard about becoming a foster parent/family

c. The demographics of the family

d. Dates of orientation referral

e. Orientation completion

f. Application submission

g. PRIDE training completion

h. Licensing agency

i. Assessment completion

j. Licensure received date

k. Any barriers in the licensing process

l. When applicable, the reasons a family did not follow through with the licensing process

11. Send a satisfaction survey in regard to the FCN services that includes source of contact, demographics, level of satisfaction with services provided and any problems or concerns at the conclusion of services

a. The survey shall include a stamped return envelope addressed to the Contractor

b. A monthly summary of survey results must be provided to MDHHS along with an annual roll-up report

c. The surveys will aim to measure the overall satisfaction of the contact with the Contractor

12. Navigators shall participate in committees, meetings, and advisory councils as deemed necessary by MDHHS

13. Volume of Service:

a. Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of Navigator Inquiry Support Services as outlined above in service #5 of 6: Navigator Inquiry Support Services.

b. Number of Units: Refer to Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served.

Service #6 of 6: Program Evaluation

In collaboration with MDHHS and the other Regional Resource Team (RRT) contractors, the Contractor shall:

1. Conduct research on:

a. Program effectiveness

b. Best recruitment/retention practices on a statewide and national level

c. Regional versus local county recruitment/retention activities:

i. Effectiveness

ii. Benefits

iii. Barriers/challenges

d. Family resource pre-service training effectiveness

e. Additional research topics may be added following service implementation

2. Provide a Regional Resource Team (RRT) supervisor to participate in committees, meetings, and advisory councils as deemed necessary by MDHHS

3. Volume of Service:

a. Unit Definition(s): One unit equals one hour of Program Evaluation as outlined above in service #6 of 6: Program Evaluation.

b. Number of Units: Refer to Attachment A – Regional Geographic Areas to be Served.

2.4. Expected Performance Outcomes

During the Contract, the Contractor shall demonstrate measurable progress toward the achievement of the outcomes listed below:

1. The Contractor shall implement at least 90% of the recruitment and retention activities outlined in each counties’ Adoptive and Foster Parent Retention and Recruitment Plan.

2. 90% of all prospective foster, adoptive and kinship families in the proposed service…