CTR078035_Contractor_Proposal_Response.pdf

Offeror Submittal Documents

Solicitation No.: BPM006628

Description: Refugee Program – Refugee School Impact

RFP Solicitation Instructions (04-24) Available Online at https://app.az.gov Page 17 of 36

Attachment 1 - Offer and Acceptance

TO THE STATE OF ARIZONA:

The Undersigned hereby offers and agrees to provide Refugee Program – Refugee School Impact in compliance with all Terms, Conditions, Specifications, and Amendments in the Solicitation and any written exceptions in the Offer.

Company Name Signature of Person Authorized to Sign Offer

Address Printed Name and Title

City State Zip Contact Name and Title

: Contact Email Address Contact Phone Number CERTIFICATION: By signature in the above, Offeror certifies that it:

1. Will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment in violation of Federal Executive Order 11246, [Arizona] State Executive Order 2023-09, 2023-01, 2009-9 or A.R.S. §§ 41−1461 through 1465;

2. Has not given, offered to give, nor intends to give at any time hereafter any economic opportunity, future employment, gift, loan, gratuity, special discount, trip, favor, or service to a public servant in connection with the submitted offer. Failure to provide a valid signature affirming the stipulations required by this clause will result in rejection of the Offer. Signing the Offer with a false statement will void the Offer, any resulting contract, and may be subject to legal penalties under law;

3. Complies with A.R.S. § 18-132 when offering electronics or information technology products, services, or maintenance;

4. Has submitted this Offer as a firm offer for 180 days following the Solicitation due date and time. After 180 days, the Offer will remain open unless revoked by Offeror via written withdrawal of Offeror’s proposal in accordance with the Arizona Procurement Code;

5. Did not and will not involve collusion or other anti-competitive practices;

6. Is not debarred from, or otherwise prohibited, from participating in any contract awarded by federal, state, or local government; and

7. For use in Request for Quotation only, certifies that the above referenced organization ____IS/ ____IS NOT a small business with less than

100 employees or has gross revenues of $4 million or less.

ACCEPTANCE OF OFFER

The Offer is hereby accepted.

The Contractor is now bound to sell the services listed by the attached contract and based upon the solicitation, including all Terms, Conditions, Specifications, Amendments, etc., and the Contractor’s Offer as accepted by the State.

This Contract shall henceforth be referred to as Contract No. ________________________________________.

The effective date of the Contract is ________________________________________.

The Contractor is cautioned not to commence any billable work or to provide any material or service under this contract until Contractor receives purchase order, contract release document or written notice to proceed.

State of Arizona Awarded this ________ day of ________________________ 20______

Procurement Officer Signature

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest

2502 E University Drive, Suite 125

Phoenix AZ 85034

Connie Phillips, President & CEO

Karen Bamford, Chief Program Officer grants@lss-sw.org 520-748-2300 https://app.az.gov/

1. Which County is your organization’s offer for?

Maricopa

2. Describe the Offerer’s experience in providing similar human services. Include years in business, core areas of expertise with outcome program data to support your experience in serving clients.

Founded in 1970 by Lutheran congregations in Arizona that recognized the great needs in their community, LSS-SW creates a future where all people thrive. Our mission is to stabilize people during crisis and transition, build a foundation where people can thrive, and preserve dignity and respect for the most vulnerable. LSS-SW responds to our community’s changing needs by offering quality services and resources that improve the well-being of the most vulnerable Arizonans. In partnership with over 100 faith communities and 500 volunteers statewide, LSS-SW supports 27,000 Arizonans in 4 counties with vital services and resources each year.

Resettling more than 40,000 refugees in Phoenix and Tucson over the last 40 years, LSS-SW has built a reputation of excellent and responsive service provision, collaboration with other resettlement agencies and community partners, and successful completion of ORR-funded programs. We have resettled approximately 1,400 refugees in Maricopa County and 850 refugees in Pima County over the past five years and have served thousands more ORR-eligible populations. We accomplish this through employment, case management, and immigration services, as well as other supportive services such as

Women’s Empowerment, Health Promotion, Career Pathways, and Refugee Children’s Education programs.

Refugee youth, especially those entering school, face enormous challenges from learning a new language and navigating a new education system, to adapting to a new culture and rebuilding social connections. The experience of resettling in the US can be isolating, especially for youth. Many refugees have experienced interrupted formal education and extreme trauma, which further complicates school success and social adjustment. To support these vulnerable youth, LSS-SW has developed many refugee youth-focused programs including Refugee Youth Mentoring, Refugee School Impact, and

Refugee Career Pathways.

LSS-SW has operated the Refugee School Impact Program (RSI) for more than 10 years preparing more than 2,500 refugee children to succeed academically and successfully integrate into the U.S. education system. Based on the success of our program, RRP asked LSS-SW to expand RSI services to Maricopa

County and serve Afghan and Ukrainian children and children aged zero to five in both Maricopa and

Pima counties. Since its expansion to Maricopa County in FY23, LSS-SW has served 900 refugee children in Maricopa County alone.

The Refugee School Impact program prepares refugee children to succeed academically in the United

States. We accomplish this through the following services:

- School orientations: LSS-SW hosts school orientations for both parents and students to help familiarize them with the U.S. school system. These orientations include an overview of the laws and requirements around child welfare and school attendance, accessing and understanding grades, who to contact if kids are sick or experience a challenge, what to expect from school, and how to communicate with teachers and administrators.

- Academic support: Trained staff and volunteers work in partnership with school districts and community organizations to provide after-school tutoring in areas where students need additional support. LSS-SW also offers English language literacy training for students who have experienced interrupted formal education and need more intensive language support.

- Integration activities: LSS-SW hosts integration activities for students and parents designed to familiarize newly arrived refugees with their community and help them build support systems.

Activities are based on the needs and interests of clients and include field trips to educational locations such as museums and the library; holiday events such as trips to the pumpkin patch and international Thanksgiving; hygiene events and classes to teach students about basic hygiene; sports activities such as soccer clubs and swimming lessons; nutrition classes; art therapy events, and other activities that students and families express interest in.

- School supply support: LSS-SW distributes backpacks, school supplies, and uniforms to refugee families to help mitigate the financial burden that can be associated with education.

- Behavioral health support: LSS-SW hosts behavioral health classes and events to teach students and parents about managing stress, positive parenting and discipline, identifying and avoiding substance abuse issues, managing trauma, and identifying and accessing resources available in the community.

- Access to childcare: LSS-SW staff assist families with identifying, enrolling, and paying for quality childcare.

- Early childhood development: Early Childhood Liaisons host early childhood development activities and classes to teach parents about early childhood development and how to become their children’s first teachers. These activities and classes help parents prepare their kids academically, socially, and emotionally for kindergarten.

- School staff and provider capacity building: LSS-SW works with school districts, childcare providers, and other education providers to educate providers about the unique strengths and challenges that refugee children bring to the school system and their specialized needs.

- Parent/School Liaisons: Education liaisons serve as a bridge between the school system and parents. They help parents understand the expectations and requirements that school districts have for students, help parents advocate for the needs of their children, help school districts understand the experiences of refugee families, and assist both parties in solving issues in the best interest of the students. Staff attend IEP meetings with families to help parents understand and advocate for the unique needs of their children.

LSS-SW also has a robust Children & Family Services division which partners with First Things First to provide services and activities designed to increase families’ protective factors and promote school readiness for families with children from birth to five years old. The Family Resource Centers (FRCs) offer group-based activities designed to increase family’s knowledge about parenting skills and child development, provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate play with their children, and give families the opportunity to meet other families to increase social connections. LSS-SW has operated the

Family Resource Centers since 2012 and serves approximately 2,000 children and their caregivers each year.

Children & Family Services staff assisted in developing all Early RSI services to ensure the highest quality of services for children 0-5 and their parents. FRC and RSI staff meet regularly to share best practices, discuss challenges, and plan new programming.

LSS-SW designed RSI services to equip parents and students with the knowledge they need to successfully navigate the U.S. school system, integrate into their communities, and succeed academically. Our longstanding success in serving refugees through RSI, RSS, and other complimentary refugee programs as well as our experience and expertise in serving families with children 0-5 leaves us well-positioned to implement the Refugee School Impact program in Maricopa County.

3. Describe the offeror’s method of approach to provide Early RSI and RSI services to eligible client populations in a manner that ensures that services and support will be provided according to the Priority in Provision of Services.

LSS-SW recognizes that with limited resources, it is important to prioritize providing services to those clients who need them most. Families that have recently arrived in the United States, have very low income, or where parents are unemployed are likely to have less stability in their home lives. This instability can lead to less parental support, additional stress, and less successful outcomes in school.

Therefore, LSS-SW prioritizes newly arrived families, families receiving cash assistance, and unemployed families to receive RSI services.

LSS-SW will provide Early RSI and RSI services to eligible client populations based on the following

Priority in Provision of Services:

Priority 1: All newly arriving refugees and other ORR eligible beneficiaries during their first year in the U.S.

Priority 2: All refugee and ORR eligible beneficiaries who are receiving cash assistance.

Priority 3: All unemployed refugees and other ORR eligible beneficiaries who are not receiving cash assistance.

Priority 4: All employed refugees and other ORR eligible beneficiaries in need of services to retain employment or self-sufficiency.

RSI staff will receive extensive training on identifying the needs of clients, prioritizing services for clients based on their needs, and maintaining a waitlist for clients of lower priority. Prior to enrollment, staff conduct an intake appointment with each family seeking RSI services. During the appointment, staff will verify the eligibility of clients including date of arrival in the United States, ORR eligibility status, income and whether the family is receiving cash assistance, and employment status of the parents. They will also assess the needs of each family and child including education history and whether the children have experienced interrupted formal education, English language and literacy skills, any learning challenges children may have, and familiarity with the U.S. school system. Finally, staff will review the services we provide and the priority in which we provide services.

Staff members will immediately enroll all families who have arrived in the United States within the last year. They will then enroll families based on the capacity of the team, the availability of classes and activities, and the needs of each family. If there are more clients seeking services than the team has capacity to serve, staff will add clients to a waitlist and notify them when availability opens for the program.

RSI services are designed for children 5-18 and their parents and fall into four categories:

1. School orientations – RSI staff will provide one-on-one or group orientations to each family to help them understand laws around school attendance, expectations of school districts for both parents and students, how to use ParentVue, who to communicate with at each school, how parents can best support and advocate for their children, and the opportunity to ask questions.

2. Academic Support – RSI offers after-school and summer programs to support refugee students academically with one-on-one and group tutoring by trained volunteers and staff. RSI also offers

English literacy training for students who need additional support to build basic literacy skills.

Tutoring and literacy sessions are held in locations convenient to students such as at their school, local library, or apartment complex.

3. Integration Activities – RSI offers activities and events for both parents and students to help them learn about their new community, integrate into their school system, and build social supports and connections. Activities are designed with the unique needs of refugee students in mind and are planned quarterly based on the needs and interests of clients currently enrolled in the program.

Current activities include health and hygiene classes, parenting and behavioral classes, educational field trips, sports classes and leagues, art classes, and holiday events.

4. School collaboration and capacity building – RSI staff serve as a bridge between school staff and refugee families. LSS-SW host training and capacity development for school staff working with refugee students. Education Liaisons attend Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings, academic and behavioral meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and any other meetings requested by the parents or school. Their goal is to help parents understand and advocate for the unique needs of their children and assist school districts in communicating the academic or behavioral health concerns they may have with students.

Early RSI services are designed for children 0-5 and their parents and fall into three categories:

1. School preparation – RSI will host classes and activities to teach parents about early childhood development, help parents teach their children through play, and prepare children cognitively, linguistically, and socially for school.

2. Support for parents – RSI will support parents of preschool-aged children through pre-school and resource orientations, parenting classes, and connections to peer supports and social groups.

3. Facilitating access to childcare – RSI will assist parents in securing access to quality childcare.

RSI services are designed to prepare students to succeed academically and successfully integrate into the U.S. school system leading to long-term success. LSS-SW uses a holistic approach that integrates academic, emotional, and social support. Parents will learn how to support their children in their educational journey and become advocates for their needs.

4. Describe the Offeror’s method of approach in providing general language services to meet the needs of each Limited English Proficient (LEP) student and their parents.

LSS-SW recognizes how important it is for service providers to reflect the community they work in and strives to ensure that staff mirror the individuals and families they serve. We recruit staff from diverse backgrounds who can provide guidance and share perspectives on the unique challenges that families face in various cultures, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations. LSS-SW will ensure that all services and activities are accessible to individuals and families of diverse backgrounds. Language services will be made available to all Limited English Proficiency (LEP) people seeking services at no cost to them, regardless of the size of that person’s language group. LSS-SW Refugee & Immigration staff speak 32 languages and can provide in-person interpretation and translation services to clients in their native language. When a staff member is not able to provide interpretation and translation services, we use local contract interpreters. LSS-SW takes reasonable steps to ensure that persons with LEP have meaningful access and equal opportunity to participate in our services, activities, programs, and other benefits and timely language assistance is provided at all points of contact with clients. Language assistance is provided through competent bilingual staff, staff interpreters, contracts or formal arrangements with local organizations providing interpretation or translation services, or technology and telephonic interpretation services. All Refugee & Immigration Services staff are trained in how to access language assistance and secure interpretation prior to providing any services to clients. If a staff member does not speak the client’s language, another staff member who does speak their language is not available to translate, an interpreter is needed instantly, or a client speaks a language infrequently encountered by LSS-SW, staff will use telephonic interpretation services.

5. Describe how the offeror will provide culturally responsive services and Meaningful

Access to Eligible Clients. Include how your organization’s strategies ensure that all clients receive the same level of and access to services with strategies to identify and eliminate barriers to access.

LSS-SW is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. The core values of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest include Dignity, Diversity, and Social Justice and as an organization we recognize, accept, and celebrate the differences among people, fostering an environment inclusive of everyone. All services provided by LSS-SW are culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate to the population served. We serve all people regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation in a way that is comfortable and appropriate to each person’s background. Cultural competency is built into each program plan and every program has an operations manual with cultural competency, client grievance, and staff grievance policies. LSS-SW recently adopted an updated Cultural Competency and DEI Policy which outlines, in detail, expectations and guidelines on how employees can work through an equity lens including maintaining a culturally competent workforce, commitment to DEI, and how to deliver services through a DEI lens. All staff must review and acknowledge this policy. Staff will work to ensure that program activities are developed and evaluated with the importance of culture, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation in mind. LSS-SW ensures that all clients have meaningful access and equal opportunity to participate in our services, activities, programs, and other benefits.

LSS-SW has developed strong relationships with service providers in the areas of education, child welfare, law enforcement, courts, behavioral health, healthcare, employment, legal services, housing, and other sectors that serve refugee families. Staff regularly work with these providers to educate them about the needs of refugee clients, how to secure interpretation, cultural differences that may affect the provision of services, and how to resolve challenges that may arise. LSS-SW staff serve as liaisons between these agencies and refugee families to advocate for the needs of the families we work with and ensure they receive meaningful access to all services. LSS-SW often provides interpretation and translation for clients if agencies do not offer their own interpretation and translation. Staff will translate all documents and materials presented to clients into their primary language or use an interpreter to read documents and materials to clients to ensure they understand the information. Staff will request that clients or legal guardians sign documentation attesting that they fully understand all components of documents and materials presented to them and request that they repeat information back to them to confirm understanding.

All staff are trained in identifying and removing barriers to access for clients. When a client faces an obstacle in meaningful access to programs, staff will work with the clients and service providers to resolve the obstacle. If a covered entity fails to provide interpretation and translation services, LSS-SW will assess the situation to determine whether the client’s health and safety is at risk. If necessary, staff members will step in to provide interpretation and translation services and will recommend implementing clear policies and procedures around providing responsive interpretation and translation services. If an agency fails to offer meaningful access to clients on more than one occasion, LSS-SW leadership will consult with leadership of the organization and offer feedback around their practices and support in revising procedures to ensure all clients receive meaningful access to services. LSS-SW staff offer many supports to providers working with refugee families including cultural competency training, technical assistance, interpretation and translation services, and mediation services. Staff are always available to work through any obstacles that providers face in providing meaningful access to refugee clients and are happy to consult on policies and procedures surrounding interpretation, translation and cultural competency. LSS-SW RSI staff recently hosted presentations for staff at three elementary schools that recently enrolled refugee students for the first time and were unfamiliar with the strengths and needs of refugee students and parents.

6. Describe the offerors capability to develop and maintain professional relationships with mainstream service providers, community-based organizations, ECBO’s, faith-based organizations and other relevant entities to facilitate collaboration and advocacy for clients. Include any existing partnerships that the offeror has developed and would utilize for RSI services.

Community Partnerships are one of the six core values of LSS-SW. We build collaborative partnerships to strengthen, individuals, families, and communities. Creating community is a key component of the RSI program and community integration is a core goal of refugee resettlement in general. Community integration focuses on fostering productive interactions between refugees and other community members, as well as helping to educate all members of the community to become more understanding of each other regarding their cultural norms and commonalities. LSS-SW’s decades of experience working with and for refugees is respected in the community and has allowed us to build a strong resource network of collaborators. LSS-SW relies on community partners to provide client referrals, recruit volunteers, provide resources and referrals for children, host educational events, and provide opportunities for students and parents to explore and learn about their new home. LSS-SW works with other local resettlement agencies, ethnic community-based organizations, and other community partners serving refugees to share information on programs and avoid duplication of services. Key partners include:

- Other resettlement agencies: RSI works closely with the International Rescue Committee, Catholic Charities, and Arizona Immigrant and Refugee Services. LSS-SW regularly shares information about RSI, program activities, and services that are available for students and parents, encouraging the resettlement agencies to refer any families with children 0-18. LSS-SW also works with the other resettlement agencies to solve challenges and address needs for any shared clients.

- Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs): LSS-SW has strong relationships with ECBOs working in Arizona including the Somali Association of Arizona, ICNA Relief, American Muslim

Women’s Association, Ukrainian American Cultural Center, Arizona Syrian Community Network, Congolese Community of Arizona, Afghan Community Organizations, and Congolese Community

Organizations. LSS-SW regularly shares information about RSI, program activities, and services that are available for students and parents, encouraging ECBOs to refer any families they work with children 0-18 to enroll in RSI services. LSS-SW also works with the other resettlement agencies to solve challenges and address needs for any shared clients. LSS-SW also partners with ECBOs to host events and activities such as the recent Ukrainian Refugee Event.

- Faith partners: LSS-SW works with many generous faith partners that make financial and in-kind contributions, provide volunteers, host activities and events,

- School districts: LSS-SW works closely with school districts in Maricopa County to enroll students, identify student needs, host tutoring, host activities, host summer programs, and provide language support. LSS-SW also hosts cultural competency and refugee 101 trainings with teachers and other staff members to help them understand how to best serve refugee clients. LSS-SW staff act as liaisons between parents and teachers helping parents advocate for their children and resolving challenges students and school staff face. LSS-SW currently has formal MOUs in place with Fowler School District, Madison School District, Alhambra School

District, Imagine Desert West School, and works closely with many other area schools that enroll refugee students. We are currently in discussions with Creighton School District and Washington

School District to expand RSI services there as well.

- Behavioral Health Providers: LSS-SW partners with behavioral health providers to host classes and activities designed to support the overall health and well-being of refugee parents and students as they navigate the challenges of integration into a new culture and environment.

Classes also equip clients with practical strategies to address behavior challenges in a proactive and responsible manner. Topics include positive parenting and discipline, substance abuse awareness and avoidance, managing stress and anger, identifying signs of trauma and strategies for coping with trauma, and art therapy.

- Law Enforcement Agencies: Phoenix police department hosted classes on drug abuse, sexual harassment, and gun violence. LSS-SW staff work with Maricopa County police departments to resolve any issues relating to students and help families advocate for their children.

- Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology (AZStRUT): hosted computer classes teaching students about the components of a computer by helping them disassemble and reassemble laptops. Students were able to keep their refurbished laptop at the end of the class.

- AZ Soccer Lab: provides soccer training, practices, and leagues free of charge to refugee students.

- Onstage Dance Academy: hosted dance classes for students.

- Gathering Humanities: Donates school supplies and uniforms.

- Welcome to America Project: Donated bikes to students.

- Friendly House: provides ELT training and support for parents and students.

- Unlimited Potential: provides ELT training and support for parents and students.

- Bankers Trust: hosts financial literacy classes for parents and students.

- Phoenix Children’s Hospital: hosted a water safety class for students and parents to help teach them about safely accessing apartment complex pools.

- YMCA: hosted swimming classes for children.

- ASU: hosted a high school transition class to help high school students understand how to apply for colleges and universities, understand financial aid, and apply for scholarships.

7. Describe how the offeror will ensure that there is no gap in client services within 30 days of the contract award.

LSS-SW has been operating the RSI program in Tucson for more than ten years and in Phoenix since

2023. As the current service provider, we will offer a seamless transition resulting in no gap in client services upon contract award. We have trained and experienced staff already in place who will continue to provide services to clients without interruption. LSS-SW is a well-known and trusted organization within the refugee community. Refugees are familiar with our programs, know our staff, and trust us to provide quality and responsive services. We have built strong relationships with school districts, service providers, and community partners with MOUs already in place to provide services to refugee children and parents.

Within five days of contract award, the Community Integration Manager, Education Services Supervisor, and Education Coordinator will meet with the Program Development and Evaluation Coordinator to review the scope of work and make any necessary changes to the operations manual, policies, and procedures.

Within five days of contract award, the Associate Director and Community Integration Manager will assess current staffing, review job descriptions, and post positions for any additional staff needed for the program.

Within ten days of contract award, the Associate Director will schedule a meeting with RRP to discuss program implementation.

Within fifteen days of contract award, the Community Integration manager and Education Services

Supervisor will schedule meetings with resettlement agencies and ECBOs to inform them of contract renewal and provide staff with information on RSI services, how to refer clients, and discuss needs of their refugee children and parents.

Within fifteen days of contract award, the Education Services Supervisor and Education Coordinator will train staff on the new scope of work including changes to program requirements and objectives.

Within twenty days of contract award, the Education Services Supervisor and Education Coordinator will schedule meetings with school districts and community partners to discuss contract renewal, any changes to the scope of work, and plans for the next 18 months.

Within thirty days of contract award, LSS-SW will hire all staff positions listed in the ISB and be fully operational.

With our current contract experience, established and trained staff, deep knowledge of the program, and dedicated community partners, LSS-SW is fully prepared to implement RSI upon contract notification resulting in no gap in client services.

8. Describe how the offeror will ensure that early RSI and RSI services are only provided to the clients that meet the eligibility requirements as specified in section 3.4, 6.1, and 7.1.

LSS-SW will ensure that RSI services are provided only to clients meeting ORR eligibility criteria. Within two days of receiving a referral, the Family Support Liaison will schedule an intake appointment with each referred family. During the intake appointment, the Family Support Liaison will collect documentation and information confirming each client’s eligibility for RSI services. The Family Support Liaison will collect documentation confirming ORR eligibility such as I-94 forms or asylum letters. They will review the documentation to determine the date of arrival in the United States and ensure that the client has been in the United States for less than five years. The Family Support Liaison will also collect documentation verifying the age of children in the household including birth certificates and other legal documents. For children 0-5, the Family Support Liaison will enroll them in Early RSI services, for children 5-18, the

Family Support Liaison will enroll them in RSI services. If there are any children in the household older than 18, the Family Support Liaison will inform the family that the child is not eligible for RSI services and will refer them to other programs they may benefit from including Employment, Youth Mentoring, or

Refugee Career Pathways. The Family Support Liaison will save all documentation in AARPODS and will note the intake and enrollment within five days of intake. Each year, the Family Support Liaison will review documentation to confirm eligibility and notify RSI staff and the client if there is any change in eligibility. If any client is determined not to be eligible for RSI services, the Family Support Liaison will notify them of the determination of eligibility and refer them to other community partners to receive services.

9. Describe the offeror’s experience and strategies in providing assistance, facilitating childcare access by removing barriers, improving systems, training and increasing childcare provider’s knowledge of clients’ needs.

LSS-SW has extensive experience in providing culturally sensitive services, assessing and removing barriers, improving systems, and increasing childcare providers’ knowledge of clients’ needs. With our longstanding experience serving refugees, children 0-5, and foster children, LSS-SW staff have developed relationships with childcare providers, expertise in identifying and removing barriers surrounding childcare access, strategies for improving systems, and training modules and resources for childcare providers working with diverse families.

Early Childhood Liaisons have developed relationships with school district preschools, Head Start programs, and local childcare providers. During program enrollment, Early Childhood Liaisons discuss childcare needs with families who have children 0-5. They conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to determine the types of childcare that would be appropriate for each child, identify barriers to accessing childcare, and develop a plan to remove barriers. Common barriers that refugee families face are:

- Lack of knowledge about available childcare options: many families do not know how to search for childcare and are not aware of the resources available to them.

- Financial challenges: childcare can be prohibitively expensive and many recently arrived refugee families have very limited incomes. While childcare subsidies are sometimes available, the application process for these can be extremely confusing and complex. Additionally, refugee clients often work low wage or temporary jobs with irregular schedules making it difficult to afford consistent childcare.

- Logistical barriers: families face many logistical challenges including transportation challenges, irregular work hours such as night and weekend shifts, and limited availability of childcare.

- Complexity of childcare applications: childcare enrolment processes and applications are often lengthy and can be confusing for families not familiar with them.

- Language accessibility: many childcare providers lack translated materials or interpreters to assist LEP families.

- Lack of culturally competent providers: many families find it challenging to trust providers who do not share their cultural and religious values and practices. Few childcare providers are culturally competent and reflect the cultural and religious backgrounds of refugee families.

Early Childhood Liaisons share the benefits of developmentally appropriate childcare and develop a plan with each family to access childcare that best fits their needs. Based on these common challenges, staff have developed resources and community partners that help families overcome the barriers to accessing quality childcare. Solutions they’ve developed include creating a list of trusted childcare providers, assisting families in applying for childcare subsidies and vouchers, recommending carpooling for families that access childcare at the same location, assisting families with enrolling in childcare, and providing interpretation and translation for meetings and documents.

LSS-SW offers training and support to childcare providers, helping them understand the needs and strengths of refugee families including understanding refugee cultures, trauma-informed care, and strategies for fostering inclusive environments. LSS-SW staff assist them in developing practices that support meaningful access for LEP families such as hiring bilingual staff or offering interpretation and translation to families. RSI staff also work with childcare providers encouraging them to offer culturally competent options for children such as accommodating religious practices like prayer times and dietary needs. These trainings are offered on a one-on-one or group basis.

These strategies will help ensure improved access to high-quality childcare for refugee families, increased capacity among providers to serve diverse populations, and strengthened childcare systems that promote equity and inclusion of refugee families.

10. Describe how the offeror will provide services and/or resources that support early childhood education for children’s academic and social preparation for formal schooling.

The early years of a child’s life lay the foundation for lifelong success. Approximately 90% of a child’s brain grows before they turn five. Therefore, establishing an environment that promotes children's education and learning is critical in those early years. Children exposed to high-quality early childhood experiences develop stronger language, math, and social skills. Children require a solid and healthy start to increase their opportunities to stay in school, graduate, and succeed in adulthood. LSS-SW will help refugee families build a strong foundation for their children, ensuring they are ready for school and equipped with the tools and strategies needed to succeed in life.

With the expansion of RSI services to include early childhood services for Afghan and Ukrainian clients, LSS-SW partnered with our Children and Family Services to develop classes and events for refugee children and families. Children and Family Services partners with First Things First to provide Family

Resource Centers and the Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregiver Institute to parents and caregivers with children 0-5.

Family Resource Centers (FRCs) are welcoming, safe, flexible, and easily accessible community centers that provide resources and support for families with children from birth to age five. FRCs are designed to respond to the unique needs of each family and build protective factors to stabilize families, build foundations for healthy child development, and reduce child abuse and neglect. Parent educators trained in early childhood education teach parenting education classes that increase families’ knowledge about positive parenting practices, early childhood development, and the use of early language and literacy practices. Staff host parent and child learning opportunities that offer a fun, engaging, and stimulating environment where children can develop their physical, cognitive, and emotional skills through play.

Parents learn about their child’s development and how to facilitate developmentally appropriate play. The interactions are facilitated by trained Parent Liaisons who guide and model positive techniques for parents to practice with their children.

The Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregiver Institute is a research-informed training program for caregivers who are providing childcare outside of traditional childcare settings. The program provides caregivers with essential resources to improve care and support young children’s development. These components help prevent caregiver burnout, foster community, and provide ongoing support and learning opportunities to strengthen caregiving skills. Caregivers engage in services to improve the quality of their caregiving, interactions with children, and early childhood learning environments. These services include workshops, socialization opportunities, networking, and resources.

Having an established, successful early childhood education program uniquely positions LSS-SW to successfully implement the Eary RSI programming. LSS-SW will continue to build the partnership between Refugee School Impact and Children and Family Services to develop comprehensive and culturally appropriate Early RSI services for children birth to age five. Early RSI will host parent and child activities for refugee families creating a fun and engaging space for parents to learn about their child’s development, how to create early childhood learning environments in their home, and how play leads to school readiness. Early Childhood Liaisons will encourage refugee parents to be their children’s first teachers, showing them how to help their children learn through developmentally appropriate play.

Parents will implement the skills they learn and engage in hands-on learning with their children. Children and Family Services staff will share the evidence-based activities they’ve developed for use in the Family

Resource Centers with RSI Early Childhood Liaisons. Liaisons will review each curriculum and revise as necessary to fit the cultural and linguistic needs of refugee families. Activities will include topics such as:

- Emotional learning through play

- Observing milestones

- Developing fine and gross motor skills and school readiness using household materials

- Developing fine motor skills, encouraging creativity, and promoting language development through messy play

- Kids in the kitchen and eating healthy

- School readiness starts at birth

- Literacy in the community

- Wiggles, Scribbles, and Letters

- STEAM

These activities will equip refugee parents with strategies to support their children’s development, activities and resources they can use at home, and tools to create a healthy learning environment to ensure their children are ready for formal schooling. Partnering with our Children and Family Services division will allow RSI to use their established knowledge and expertise in early childhood education to provide quality early childhood interactions with refugee parents and children.

RSI will host educational field trips to help refugee children and parents learn about their community, educational opportunities for young children, and resources that are available to them. Field trips will include the zoo, aquarium, library, children’s museum, and other areas of interest for families with young children.

Early Childhood Liaisons will teach parents about their children’s important developmental milestones and how to use the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQs) to monitor their children’s developmental milestones. The ASQ, helps parents assess how their child is doing in important areas like communication, social skills, motor skills, and problem-solving skills which are all vital to school readiness. Screening will help parents identify their child’s strengths, uncover new milestones to celebrate, and reveal areas where their child may need support.

Teaching children early literacy and developmentally appropriate English language training is vital to prepare refugee children for formal schooling. To build a foundation for literacy and prepare children linguistically, Early Childhood Liaisons will host play-based English language learning sessions using activities such as singing songs, playing games, and role-playing to encourage children to learn vocabulary and phrases. Staff will incorporate elements of literacy including numbers, letters, and phonics into play using hands-on activities. Activities will include arts and crafts, puzzles, and interactive games.

LSS-SW will also partner with local public libraries to engage parents in free events and activities for children birth to age five. RSI staff will facilitate access to these events by hosting LSS-SW days at the library to introduce families to library resources, teach them how to check out books, and promote library events. LSS-SW will provide interpretation so parents can learn about and access resources to promote literacy, ELT, and school readiness.

11. Describe how the offeror will provide support to the parents of preschool-aged children.

The support of parents is vital for the healthy development and school readiness of refugee children.

LSS-SW will provide comprehensive support to parents of preschool-aged children by integrating culturally responsive programming and evidence-based strategies. These efforts will ensure that refugee parents are empowered to support their children’s education and development while navigating U.S.

systems and laws.

LSS-SW will implement the following strategies designed to support parents of preschool-aged children:

- Orientations: Early Childhood Liaisons will host orientations specific to parents with children under five to familiarize them with their role in supporting their child’s development and resources that are available to them. Topics will include:

o U.S. laws surrounding child including appropriate discipline methods in the U.S., reporting obligations for school staff and medical professionals, and their rights and responsibilities as parents.

o Information on school system navigation including the importance of early childhood education and school readiness, how to access quality early childhood learning opportunities such as preschools and Head Starts, and what to expect for children and parents enrolling in school.

o Resources available in the community including partners such as libraries, the children’s museum, schools, Family Resource Centers, and other community organizations offering resources to support early childhood development.

- Parenting Education: RSI will host parenting education series to support school readiness, increase parents’ knowledge and skills about positive parenting practices, and increase parents’ understanding and use of early language and literacy practices. Children & Family Services Staff will train Early Childhood Liaisons and Family Support Liaisons in evidence-based parenting curricula such as Active Parenting, Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), and the Standards of

Quality for Family Strengthening and Support.

- School Enrollment: LSS-SW will encourage parents to enroll their children in early childhood education programs such as preschools and Head Start to ensure they receive the support they need and are ready for kindergarten. RSI staff will share the importance of quality early childhood education in children’s development and school readiness. Staff will assist interested parents in educational opportunities that best fit the needs of each family. Staff will also serve as a support for parents in communicating with the school and a resource for schools to ensure they are meeting the needs of refugee families.

- Resource Distribution: LSS-SW will provide resources for families to encourage quality early childhood opportunities such as books, materials for at-home play and learn activities, and supplies necessary for schools such as backpacks and uniforms.

- Parent Support Groups: RSI will offer the opportunity for parents with preschool-aged children to build connections with other families, learn together, and develop a support system. Parents will have the opportunity to discuss topics related to their child’s development, family’s well-being, and share successes and challenges. This will help families know they are not alone in their parenting journey and help them develop a support system they can turn to in times of need, reducing social isolation and promoting community integration.

- Childcare: RSI staff will provide quality and education childcare during all parent events and activities encouraging skill building, literacy development, and English language training for children while their parents build their skills and resources.

As a result of these activities, parents will feel more confident navigating school systems and advocating for their children’s education, families will build support networks, parents will gain knowledge of child welfare laws and expectations, and children will benefit from increased parental involvement and a strong foundation for educational success. Early RSI services will ensure that parents are empowered with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to ensure their children are ready to succeed academically and integrate into the U.S. school system.

12. If applicable, describe how the offeror’s subcontractors will meet client eligibility requirements, while ensuring subcontractor’s requirements are being met. In addition, include how subcontractors will be monitored.

N/A. LSS-SW will not be using subcontractors for this grant.

13. Describe how the offeror will compile and complete the annual client needs and strength assessment, as well as identifying current gaps and ongoing needs.

LSS-SW has extensive experience conducting annual assessments of the organization’s needs and strengths, which the organization calls environmental scans.