Congregate Care Network Bidders Conference on 2.26.2021.docx

Bidders’ Conference Document DCF Congregate Care Network RFR, CCNET22

DCF Congregate Care Network RFR, CCNET22 Bidders Conference Document

As indicated in DCF Congregate Care Network RFR section 7.13(F), DCF used submitted questions to guide what topics were covered at the Bidders’ Conference, held via WebEx on February 26, 2021. This document contains information shared at the Bidders Conference and is posted to assist prospective bidders in their submission of responses to the RFR.

I. Welcome Cristina Tedstone, Deputy General Counsel at DCF, welcomed participants to the Bidders’ Conference held pursuant to Sections 7.13 and 7.15 of the RFR.

Purpose of Bidders’ Conference:

· To address the questions submitted by potential bidders in advance of this conference; and

· To respond, time permitting, to questions posed in the Q&A during this conference.

Katherine Canada, DCF Assistant Commissioner, Services Network thanked participants for submitting questions, attending the conference, and the interest in partnering with DCF to create a congregate care network.

II. Introductions of Other Panel Members

· Ditte Sayers, DCF Director of Procurement and Contracts

· Andrea Cosgrove, DCF Director of Program Operations

· Jennifer Hampton, DCF Services Network Team

III. Three Categories of Submitted Questions

· Category 1: Questions that revealed an error or an unclear statement. Written responses to these questions, in the form of an amendment to the RFR, will be posted in approximately 7 calendar days.

· Category 2: Questions about other state agencies and their responsibilities related to the RFR. This category included questions about DESE, EEC, DPH, DMH and EOHHS rate setting issues. DCF is engaging with sister agencies about the RFR. Should any of that interagency work yield changes to the RFR, they will be posted as amendments to COMMBUYS. Issues regarding EOHHS rate setting for the program models and add-on services in the RFR must be addressed through the EOHHS rate setting procedures.

· Category 3: These will be addressed in today’s conference. These questions:

· Ask about the intent of the RFR, or

· Ask a question about something in the RFR that does not need to be corrected. The question is a request for a comment or an example that will aid understanding.

IV. Intent of the RFR Through this RFR, the Department seeks to drive innovation in congregate care programming that will yield a congregate care network with capacity to meeting the diverse and complex needs of children, adolescents, and young adults who require 24/7 therapeutic milieu available in congregate care programs. DCF seeks Bidders motivated to: 1) collaborate with DCF in meeting children’s, adolescents’, and young adults’ needs through both the direct provision of treatments and services and the coordination of behavioral health treatments across providers and systems, and 2) implement CQI to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children, adolescent, and young adults served in the congregate care network.

V. Questions about Differences between Caring Together the DCF Congregate Care Network Procurement

· There are no Joint Standards in the new procurement. General specifications that apply to all program models are in the primary, 120 page RFR document. Program models specifications which are specific to each of the 13 possible program models are in Appendices A-M.

· Can the same group residence that was submitted to DMH for their procurement be submitted to DCF under this procurement?

· A: No.

· Is the Intensive Emergency Residence model essentially replacing the STARR program model?

· A: In addition to the Intensive Emergency Residence, STARR will be replaced by Emergency Residences and the Emergency Intake Add-On for Intensive Treatment Residences.

· Would a Pre-Independent Living Program be similar to the Youth and Young Adult Group Residence Model?

· A: Yes.

· Are the services with the titles “Outreach Independent Living and Independent Living with Stepping Out Services” included in the new RFR?

· A: No.

· Can a Statement of Work created under Caring Together be used in the new procurement?

· A: No.

· Why is staffing different for Community Treatment Residences than for the Intensive Group Home 1:3 in Caring Together.

· A: Because they are different program models.

VI. Shared Space Add-On

· Is there an expectation that only certain program models will be able to apply for the Shared Space Add-On?

· A: Yes. The Shared Space Add-On and all of the programs eligible for Shared Space are in Appendix Q.

· Will Shared Space programs have to have separate entrances?

· A: No.

· Bidders considering Shared Space for a non-competitive contract that will serve youth from referral sources other than DCF are responsible for determining whether Shared Space is acceptable to those other referral sources. The Shared Space information in this RFR applies to youth referred and funded by DCF.

VII. Commitment to Cultural Humility and Racial Justice DCF is committed to working towards racial equity and there are sections throughout the RFR that describe expectations for DCF providers to promote equity through delivering services in a manner that respects the broad range of human diversity and experiences.

VIII. More Venues for Collaborative Problem-Solving The new RFR creates new infrastructure for collaborative problem-solving. At the Area Office level, there will be Area Office Service Resolution Meetings facilitated by a DCF Area Director or designee. See Section 4.07 (B)(i). There will also be five, standing groups – one in each Region, called a “Regional Service Resolution Group.” See Appendix P and Appendix 4P.

IX. Out of State Providers

· Are out of state providers eligible to propose programs under this RFR?

· A: Yes

X. Questions about Program Models in the new RFR

· Who will decide which program model a youth would be referred for?

· A: DCF Area Office

· Please clarify the distinction between an Intensive Residential Treatment and a Residential School.

· A:

· The Residential School program model includes both a residential program and an educational program.

· The Intensive Treatment Residence is a residential program only.

· As an educational program, Residential Schools must be approved as a special education school by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as well as licensed by EEC.

· An Intensive Treatment Residence must be licensed by EEC but there is no DESE approval.

· Rates for Residential Schools are set by the MA Operational Services Division.

· Proposed rates for Intensive Treatment Residences are set by EOHHS and are posted at mass.gov/regulations website 101 CMR 413.00 https://www.mass.gov/regulations/101-CMR-41300-payments-for-youth-intermediate-term-stabilization-services

· If we want to operate both a Residential School and an Intensive Treatment Residence, do we have to complete Response Sheets 1 and 2 for both Intensive Treatment Residence and for Residential School?

· A: Yes.

· If we want to propose a program that serves both children and adolescents in the same location, do we have to submit two separate Program Model Response Packages?

· A: No. Submit only one Program Model Response Package and Indicate the proposed range of ages to be served on Response Sheet 1 in the section that asks for genders of youth to be served.

· Please clarify use for Young Parent Living Program —does DCF host the contract but both DCF and DTA accesses beds?

· A: Yes, that is correct.

· For the Young Parent Program, is the stated bed count for the parent and child together or just the parent?

· A: It is only for the parent.

· Also, would a provider need to accommodate additional children or if a parent had more than one child?

· A: No, it is not required but it is a desirable feature.

· Appendix K Young Adult Supported Living states there isn't a maximum program size. What does that mean?

· A: It means that the Dept is not setting a cap on the total number of apartments or townhomes that a Bidder may propose for this model.

· Can there be roommates or shared apartments for Young Adult Supported Living?

· A: Yes, there can be roommates. There must be single bedrooms.

· Are there minimum educational standards/requirements for Supported Living personnel under this procurement? For instance, Program Manager, Life Coach, Case Manager?

· A: No. The minimum qualifications for those particular positions are proposed by providers.

· As a Supported Living Provider, may I use the lease as evidence that a property meets occupancy and fitness standards for habitation and fire safety?

· A: No. A lease would not serve as evidence that all required inspections, approvals, and licenses to ensure safe housing have been met.

· In the Youth and Young Adult Supported Living Community model, is one apartment in the multi-occupancy housing site supposed to be for live-in staff who will serve the youth?

· A: Yes.

· Specialty Treatment Residence (STR) CSEC says the max program size is 9. Will the Department consider larger programs?

· A: No. Promising practices working with this group of young people indicates that smaller programs achieve better results.

· Without the STR CSEC being eligible for the Shared Space option, what assurance is there regarding enough referrals to be able to financially sustain this program model?

· A: There are not assurances for Contracts with daily rates about number of beds that will be purchased. See Appendix S for the Department’s anticipated need for STR CSEC.

· Emergency Residence and Intensive Emergency Residence will not be owned by a single DCF Area Office but there will continue to be a close working relationship between DCF Area Offices and the Emergency Residences and Intensive Emergency Residences that are geographically close.

· If beds will no longer belong to a single Area Office, how will intakes be prioritized?

· A: Providers will be able to reach out to DCF to discuss prioritization of intakes. If the issue becomes a significant problem, it can be taken to a Regional Service Resolution Group for problem solving.

· If a provider holds a contract for an Emergency Residence and a contract for an Intensive Emergency Residence, can an Emergency Residence bed be used for a referral to an Intensive Emergency Residence if there are no Intensive Emergency Residence beds available?

· A: No. Emergency Residence beds and Intensive Emergency Residence beds will be procured as competitive contracts with a certain number of beds. Should a pattern occur in which Emergency Residence beds are underutilized while there is a shortage of Intensive Emergency Residence beds, the issue will be discussed in a Regional Service Resolution Group for problem solving, which may include DCF following the regulations for changes to competitively bid contracts.

XI. Program Size

· Is there a minimum program size?

· A: No minimum size is set by the Department.

· When there is a maximum program size, could a provider propose a smaller program size?

· A: Yes.

· Will the Department approve program sizes larger than the maximum program sizes listed in the RFR?

· A: No.

XII. Programs Paid Using an Accommodation Rate

· Which program models will be paid using an accommodation rate?

· A:

· Emergency Residences

· Intensive Emergency Residences

· Young Parent Living Programs

· What is the utilization rate for Emergency Residences, Intensive Emergency Residences, and Young Parent Living Programs?

· A: There is not a utilization rate for programs paid an accommodation rate.

· The accommodation rate for Emergency Residence and Intensive Emergency Residence is shown as a daily rate. What is the monthly rate for these programs if there are different bed sizes?

· A: The rate shown for Emergency Residences and Intensive Emergency Residences is a daily accommodation rate. To calculate the daily accommodation rate for the entire program, multiply the daily rate by the total number of beds in the program. To calculate the monthly accommodation rate for the entire program, multiple the daily accommodation rate for the entire program by the number of days in a month.

XIII. Programmatic Add-On

· A Programmatic Add-On is described in Appendix N. To apply for a Programmatic Add-On, use Appendix 4N.

· Is a Programmatic Add-On the same as a 1:1 used for an individual child?

· A: No. A programmatic add-on differs from a 1:1 staff person dedicated to the care and supervision of one youth. A programmatic add-on staff must support all or most of the youth in a program. A 1:1 add-on is for only one child.

· Can a Programmatic Add-On be used to propose a different staffing ratio or a CQI staff person?

· A: No. The questions on Appendix 4N must be answered when proposing a Programmatic Add-On. Those questions are about the services or treatments that will be directly delivered to youth in the program as a result of a Programmatic Add-On.

· If a provider wishes to propose a more intensive Youth and Young Adult Group Residence ratio, should that be proposed using the staffing forms on Response Sheet 3 or should the increased staffing ratio be added through the Appendix N Programmatic Add-On?

· A: To propose a staffing ratio for the Youth and Young Adult Group Residence model, use Response Sheet 3.

· Appendix N speaks to a programmatic add-on that can be proposed “one at a time.” What does “one at time” mean?

· A: It means that for a congregate care program, the Department will only consider a proposal for one programmatic Add-On at a single time. The Department will not review two or three programmatic add-ons for a single program.

XIV. Intake Timeframes

· Where are the referral processing and intake timeframes located?

· A: In Appendices A – M.

· Is the Emergency Intake Add-On available for all program models?

· A: No. It is available only for the Intensive Treatment Residence. The Emergency Intake Add-On is described in Appendix 1D.

XV. Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP)

· Is QRTP status required?

· A: No.

· What models are eligible for QRTP?

· A: See Appendix O.

· If our program will not be accredited by the April 12, 2021 when the response is due, are we able to apply for QRTP status?

· A: Yes, you are able to apply for QRTP status when the response is submitted, noting on Appendix 4O when the accreditation certificate is expected. The program will not be designated a QRTP or receive a QRTP rate until all QRTP standards are actually met and approved by DCF.

· What are the differences between QRTP and non-QRTP rates?

· A: The proposed rates for 101 CMR 413.00: Payments for Youth Intermediate-Term Stabilization Services are posted at https://www.mass.gov/regulations/101-CMR-41300-payments-for-youth-intermediate-term-stabilization-services

· Is a separate 4O QRTP response sheet required for each applicable model or only one per provider?

· A: The QRTP response sheet is required for each model because QRTP will be awarded at the program model level, not the agency level.

· If we want to provide aftercare – what is the expectation for what those services will look like?

· A: The Federal Family First Prevention Services Act did not define specifications for aftercare. Neither has the Department. For the aftercare requirement of QRTP, it is an opportunity to innovate. The requirement is to provide aftercare support for at least 6 months post-discharge for youth who reunify or transition to a home-based setting, such as a kinship or foster home.

· Could we partner with other organizations to deliver aftercare for youth who leave and go to a home in a different part of the Commonwealth?

· A: Yes.

· How will aftercare be funded?

· A: It is included in the higher QRTP rate.

· Will DCF offer guidance about which accreditation to pursue?

· A: No. The type of accreditation to pursue is a business decision left to providers.

XVI. Sites for Programs

· Please clarify what is meant by “housing density?”

· A: Housing density refers to how close houses are to each other. Urban neighborhoods with nearly all multifamily dwellings, little to no yards, have very high density. Rural areas have very low housing density.

· Some of the models say to place the programs in locations that promote youth safety and reduce risks for running behaviors, but they are also supposed to be close to youths’ families. How are providers supposed to do both?

· A: The Department recognizes the difficulty in balancing the need for locations that are close to families while also reducing risk for running behaviors and for promoting youth safety. The Department appreciates your consideration for all the factors that influence siting decisions and making decisions that balance priorities.

· Is an assured site required prior to submitting a proposal?

· A: No. Should the proposal be accepted, the start date discussion, which can include final arrangements for a site, will occur during contract negotiation.

XVII. Community Connections

· Response Sheet 1 asks about government officials that providers will build or deepen relationships with. What is the desired impact of these relationships?

· A: Working on relationships can improve communities’ opinions about congregate care programs and reduce conflict. Building relationships can make the community a more welcoming place for the youth who live there and the staff who work there. When a problem does arise, being able to work with people with whom a relationship has already been established makes it easier to collaborate and to develop effective solutions.

· Please define what you mean by “local government officials?” Does this refer to the town and city officials, state reps and senators?

· A: Yes.

XVIII. Continuous Quality Improvement

· How will safety, permanency and well-being be measured?

· A: These are multi-factored concepts that will be measured by a set of indicators. Please see the First Amendment to Notice of Intent to Procure for this RFR as well as Section 4.13 for examples of indicators.

· What is the expected length of stay for each of the program models?

· A: A length of stay has not been set for each program model.

· Please explain how the data will be collected and reviewed at each of the CQI levels.

· A: As described in Section 4.13, each program will develop and implement a CQI policy for collecting and tracking data. After programs are launched, Network Specialists will work with programs granted contracts to set up schedules for submitting any data that is required to be sent to the Department for use in creating a feedback loop.

· Are there more CQI data collection and reporting responsibilities for QRTPs vs. non-QRTPs?

· A: Yes.

XIX. Size of the Congregate Care Network

· What do the numbers in the Appendix S signify?

· A: Historic utilization of Caring Together program models.

· What do the numbers in Appendices T and U signify?

· A: Appendix T shows projected need for Emergency Residence and Intensive Emergency Residence beds. Appendix U shows projected need for Young Parent Living Program beds. Appendices T and U are provided as estimates. Bidders may choose to propose any number of beds for these programs.

XX. Provide Direct Behavioral Treatment and Coordinate Behavioral Health Treatments

In Caring Together, congregate care programs are expected to be the primary or only provider of behavioral health treatment. EOHHS released a Behavioral Health (BH) Roadmap this week that describes a multiyear process for funding improvements in access to and quality of behavioral health treatments for Massachusetts citizens covered by both public (i.e., MassHealth) and private insurance.

The extent to which use of health insurance, i.e., third party billing, will enhance behavioral health treatments available for youth in congregate care programming will change as the BH Roadmap is funded and implemented. DCF will work with all providers selected for contracts in the congregate care network to ensure understanding of available external behavioral health treatments, how to access them, how they correspond to responsibilities described in the RFR, and most importantly how they correspond to the Medicaid Rehab Option program and, for Res Schools, the Medicaid in Schools reimbursement process. All of this will be an ongoing part of our work together and will take place during the multiyear rollout of the BH Roadmap.

For today, the emphasis is on what is essential to understand as you plan the program models that you will propose. The RFR covers expectations for DCF referred youth. Providers who will operate programs that will serve youth from other referral sources will need to understand other referral sources’ expectations.

These are examples of sections from the RFR that state the expectation for congregate care providers to both deliver direct behavioral health treatments and to coordinate behavioral health treatments across systems and providers:

· Section 4.01 B Local Medical and BH Resources

· Section 4.05 Treatment Plans

· Section 4.10(C)(vi) Behavioral Health Care Coordination

· Section 4.10 (B) Behavioral Health

· Section 4.10(C)(x)(2) Emergency Behavioral Health Services To summarize - The RFR states expectations for the delivery of behavioral health (BH) services and treatments within the program, including the sustained delivery of a 24/7 trauma-informed therapeutic milieu.

When a youth’s BH needs cannot be met by internal capacity, programs are expected to supplement internal services with BH treatments available across systems and providers, including providers paid by insurance. Services that may exceed a program’s internal capability might include Substance Use Disorder Treatment, psychiatric assessment, psychopharmacology prescribing and monitoring, family therapy.

The delivery of BH treatments by external providers does not replace the services and treatments delivered by internal program staff. External BH treatments are a supplement to, not a replacement for, BH services and treatments delivered by the program.

The expectations in this RFR are for youth referred and funded by DCF. After congregate care programs are up and running, the Services Network Team will work with all providers on the implementation of these new opportunities for enhancing BH treatments for youth and for coordinating with Medicaid programs such as Rehab Option.

XXI. Staffing

· Are the FTE percentages and staffing education levels for positions in the Chapter 257 rate development worksheets suggestions or mandates?

· A: They are suggestions. See also the First Amendment of the Notice of Intent to Procure for examples.

· Are there specific required staff-to-client ratios for the various Program models?

· A: No. Response Sheets 2 and 3 are Bidders’ opportunity to propose the staff-to-client ratio that will allow you to achieve outcomes of safety, permanency, and well-being for the youth in the program. DCF will review and assess the proposals.

· If we choose to bid for a specific program, are we able to omit some of the staffing. For example, some of the models include an OT. Would we be able to justify not using that position?

· A: Yes. To propose a staffing model that does not include an Occupational Therapist (OT) use Response Sheet 3 and provide the justification on Response Sheet 2. An OT is included because emotional self- regulation is an important goal for youth in congregate care and there is research evidence that rich sensory diets developed and overseen by trained OTs help modulate sensory processing and promote relaxation, tolerance, and increased self-regulation. OT is not the only discipline that can contribute to decreases in behavioral health symptoms and increases in self-regulation. Bidders are able to propose alternative staffing patterns. Justification is needed to explain how the outcomes of safety, permanency, and well-being will be achieved with a proposed staffing pattern.

· How can an increased number of staff and increased rate be shown in Response Sheet 3?

· A: Bidders will be responsible for the cost of the staffing pattern proposed in Response Sheet 3. The rate that will be paid for each program model is established through the EOHHS rate-setting process.

· Can staff be shared amongst programs?

· A: Yes.

· What if utilization falls below 90% on per diem contracts? What flexibility does a provider have in the required staffing models?

· A: Bidders are responsible for proposing a staffing ratio by using Response Sheets 2 and 3. After a contract has been awarded, providers will be responsible to maintain the staffing ratio that was agreed to in the contract.

· Is an LSW considered a licensed professional?

· A: Yes.

· What are the credentials of a Life Coach?

· A: Bidders propose credentials. Credentials will depend on the role the Life Coach will have in the program. If you decide that the youth in the program will benefit most from a peer mentor who can provide encouragement and serve as a role model for youth – lived experience similar to that of youth served might be the most important credential. If you decide that youth in the program would benefit most from vocational and career coaching – look for someone with great networking skills who can line up volunteer opportunities for youth and match them up with professionals in jobs that interest them for some career mentoring.

XXI. Start Up Funds

· What is the process for applying for start-up funds in Section 8.09?

· A: The process for applying and the allowable purchases will be discussed as part of initial contract negotiation for program models eligible for start-up funds.

XXII. Continuum

· What are the plans for transitioning out of Continuum?

· A: The Services Network Team, in coordination with Area Offices, will be reaching out to Continuum providers to discuss continuity of care arrangements for youth being served.

XXIII. Extension

· Why is Section 7.07 included to extend to other Departments?

· A: For DMH use with Residential Schools.

XXIV. Virtual Sessions

· Provisions are made for virtual sessions throughout the RFR. Who has authority to make decisions about whether virtual sessions can be used?

· A: Rather than frame this as either DCF or the provider has the ultimate authority, it could be helpful to consider ways for providers and DCF to communicate about use of technology for virtual sessions. A quick email to say – Mother wants two of her sisters to participate in the treatment planning meeting. Transportation is a barrier for mother and her sisters. To support their participation, we’re going to facilitate a virtual meeting for this. This type communication will provide a rationale for why a virtual session will be used.

XXV. Intake Timeframe

· What is the timeframe for intake to Emergency Residences?

· A: Please see Appendices A – M for the intake timeframes for each program model. Emergency Residence is Appendix E.

XXVI. Assessment and Service Provision

· Are providers responsible for taking care of all a youth’s medical and mental health needs, including those that may occur prior to intake?

· A: Yes. Youth are placed in congregate care due to mental health needs that developed prior to intake.

XXVII. Permanency Planning

· Who holds ultimate responsibility for permanency planning? It sounds like DCF is primarily responsible and providers act more to funnel information to them not to do the permanency work of reaching out to possible contacts.

· A: The answer to who holds ultimate responsibility for permanency is DCF. But let’s do a reframe. Contractors collaborate closely with in permanency work and it takes combined efforts to succeed on behalf of youth. Section 4.09 on Permanency has several sections:

· Preparation of youth and family for permanency, including support through this deeply emotional process

· Exploration of permanency options

· Development of permanency plan

· Implementation of permanency plan

The submitted question focused exclusively on the part of permanency planning that requires exploration of permanency options. The expectations around permanency are much broader. Collaboration is required between the provider and DCF throughout all the phases of permanency planning.

Section 4.09 Permanency emphasizes that there are aspects of preparing youth for permanency that are uniquely assigned to congregate care programs – e.g., helping youth self-regulate strong emotions and intense behaviors, gaining life skills and positive social skills that contribute to a youth’s ability to live successfully in a family setting or to develop and maintain relationships that offer life-long emotional support and family membership status that lasts well into adulthood.

XXVIII. Sense of Normalcy There were two questions about who will pay for activities that support normalcy.

The intent of the RFR is to emphasize a focus on what resources from other systems and providers can be brought to enhance the experiences of youth and to promote achievement of safety, permanency, and well-being.

Connections with family are essential for supporting normalcy and connecting with family in person requires transportation. Section 4.10(G)(iv)(1) describes planning for transportation to see family that is less than one hour one way as compared to planning for transportation that is more than one hour one way.

· Will the Department pay for community and school-based activities in which the youth want to be involved?

· A: Sometimes, but not always. Activities can develop social skills, build character, self-esteem, and improve well-being. For school activities, inquire about scholarships and sliding fees available through the school. Explore Family and youths’ faith community. Consider Youth’s own resources if they receive SSI. It may be possible to use a portion of a youth’s Personal Needs Account (PNA) after the youth’s involvement in the decision making.

XXIX. Discharge Planning

· Why does the discharge planning section list tasks three months prior to discharge, two months prior to discharge, and one month prior to discharge?

· A: Making arrangements for supportive services to be in place takes time. The intent is to improve the supportive services that will be confirmed at the time of discharge.

XXX. Virtual Gateway

· Currently, DCF tracks vacancies in congregate care programs. Will providers have to report vacancies?

· A: When functionality to track vacancies is built into Virtual Gateway, then providers will be expected to report vacancies in Virtual Gateway.

XXXI. Proposal Review Process

· Will there be training for proposal review team members?

· A: Yes.

XXXII. Page Limits and Forms

· What are the page limits?

· A: Page limits are inclusive of the DCF italicized questions and are:

· Response Sheet 1 – 20 pages

· Response Sheet 2 – 10 pages

· Can responses to scenarios on the Response Sheets be included as attachments?

· A. No.

· Some of the questions can be answered in one or two sentences. Do you want responses that are only one or two sentences?

· A: Yes, if the question can be answered with only one or two sentences.

· Are there budget forms?

· A: No.

· NB: Other comments about forms made during the Bidders’ Conference are reflected in the written amendment to the RFR posted to COMMBUYS.

XXXIII. Subcontracting

· Could any of the clinical and medical positions and activities be provided through a subcontract?

· A: Yes. See Sections 12.16 and 4.12 (C).

XXXIV. Health Care

· Do all programs have to use the Department of Mental Health’s Medication Administration Program (MAP)?

· A: All program models have expectations for the safe administration and storage of medication. The manner in which programs will be responsible for safely administering and storing medication is included in the Program Model Specifications in Appendices A-M.

· Will the Department provide Naloxone for the first aid kits?

· A: No.

· Is DCF stating that all program staff must have an annual flu vaccination?

· A: No. DCF cannot require all staff to have an annual flu vaccination.

XXXV. Duration of Procurement

· How long after the RFR due date will it remain open for non-competitive program models?

· A: Details of the Rolling Enrollment Procurement, which is open until 12/31/2032, are in Section 7.09.

XXXVI. Questions Submitted During Conference

· For the Young Adult Supported Living program, is rent included in the rate?

· A: DCF will research and follow up. [NB – after the Bidders’ Conference, DCF researched the answer, which is “Yes.”]

· Was Independent Living under Caring Together the precursor to Young Adult Supported Living?

· A: Yes.

· What are the needs for the different models?

· A: Appendix S provides historic utilization. Appendices T and U provide projected needs for Emergency Residences, Intensive Emergency Residences, Young Parent Living Program.

· NB: Questions about rates were referred to the EOHHS rate setting process.

· Is the current TPP program included in the new RFR?

· A: Yes. It is included in Young Parent Living Program.

· Will the Department be posting these questions and answers online?

· A: DCF does not intend to post the written questions/answers online. [NB – This document, summarizing the questions and answers, is posted online.]

· Where are the emergency beds for teen parents?

· A: The emergency beds are included in the Young Parent Living Program model.

· Can a Bidder propose to operate a program on the same campus where a DMH program will operate?

· A: Yes.

· STARR contract was built with higher rates for smaller models, acknowledging that admin/overhead/occupancy is not proportionate to bed number. Why has that not been reflected in the new accommodation rates?

· A: Questions regarding the rates should be addressed through the formal rate setting process for 101 CMR 413.00.

· Is an EOHHS New Group Home Request Siting Form required with a submission?

· A: The EOHHS New Group Home Request Siting Form is required for each site not in use as a group home prior to the RFR posting date.

XXXVII. Closing

· As a reminder, pursuant to Section 7.15 of the RFR, Bidders are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of DCF or any members of the procurement management team or review team regarding this RFR except as specified in Section 7.01 of the RFR. No other individual Commonwealth employee or representative is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this RFR. In addition, telephone calls, faxes, texts or emails regarding this RFR will NOT be accepted.

· Please make sure that you are registered in COMMBUYS so that you are able to receive any updates relative to this RFR. It is the bidder’s responsibility to monitor COMMBUYS for any updates or amendments that are posted.

· Thank you for interest in this RFR and in working with DCF to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for youth served in congregate care programs.