DCF S&S25 NOTICE - Responses to Written Inquires 5.31.24 to 6.7.24.pdf

MAURA T. HEALEY

GOVERNOR

Central Office 600 Washington Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02111 Tel.: 617-748-2000 • Fax: 617-261-7435 www.mass.gov/dcf

KATHLEEN E. WALSH

SECRETARY

KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

STAVERNE Y. MILLER

ACTING COMMISSIONER

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES

DCF S&S25 Responses to Written Inquiries Received Between 2:01 PM May 31st, 2024, and 2:00 PM June 7th, 2024

Note: This document references the PowerPoint presentation used at the Bidders’ Conference and posted on COMMBUYS. Several questions below reference specific slides in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024.” To navigate to the referenced slide, locate where the slide number is displayed. The location of this may change depending on your PDF viewer. The blue arrow points to the location in the example below. Either advance the slides by scrolling or type a specific slide number into the text box and press “enter” on your keyboard.

DCF Support & Stabilization Services RFR 2025

Is it possible to remove the text boxes in the response sheets to allow for various types formatting (bullet points, etc.)

Bidders may remove or ignore the text box and instead respond directly below the question to which they are responding. Please note that submissions must still comply with the requirements stated in the DCF S&S25 RFR, including sections 6.5 Electronic Proposal Submission Format, 6.6 Page Limits and Attachments, and 6.7 Bidder’s Response and Related Contract Documents.

Is it possible to re-format the response sheets to allow for underlining and bolding? I tried to do both in Response Sheet Part A; instead of underlining or bolding one word, it underlined or bolded the whole excerpt. Also, it’s hard to make a paragraph break by hitting return. One must put in a bunch of spaces until the text moves to a new line.

Bidders may remove or ignore the text box and instead respond directly below the question to which they are responding. Please note that submissions must still comply with the requirements stated in the DCF S&S25 RFR, including sections 6.5 Electronic Proposal Submission Format, 6.6 Page Limits and Attachments, and 6.7 Bidder’s Response and Related Contract Documents.

I am wondering if there is a text limit to the boxes in the Appendix E response sheets for DCF Support & Stabilization Services RFR 2025.

No, there is not a text limit within the boxes in Appendix E. Response Sheets. There are, however, Response Sheet page limits listed in the DCF S&S25 RFR Section 6.7 Bidders Response and Related Contract Documents.

Emergency Referrals and 24/7 Responding

Questions on these topics were grouped to provide an opportunity for a lengthy written response to clarify standard vs. emergency referrals as well as the difference between emergency referrals and 24/7 responding.

A. Please clarify whether the Comprehensive Services-Family model requires response to emergency referrals within 2 hours even on the weekend.

B. Please clarify the expectations regarding responses for emergency referrals, time to contact the family, and intake.

C. Regarding referrals received over the weekend, will those be coming from the lead agency like regular referrals do?

D. Which service models will make referrals on weekends?

E. In Comprehensive Services Model there is an expectation that if an emergency referral is accepted “contact must be made with the family within 24 hours”. Does this need to be in-person contact?

Responding to Referrals – PRIOR to initiation of service

Standard Referrals

The standard expectation is that providers will respond no later than three business days from referral receipt to either accept or decline the referral. The following service models will follow the standard expectation for responding to referrals:

Safe and Stable Family Services – All service models Substance Use Interventions for Child Welfare o Substance Use Interventions – Parent/Caregiver Substance Use Specialty Group o Substance Use Interventions – Youth Substance Use Specialty Group

Therapeutic Family/Child Support for Child Welfare – All service models Evidence-Based Practices for Child Welfare o Evidence-Based – BSFT® o Evidence-Based – MST®

Preparation Support for Child Welfare – All service models Youth Support and Stabilization o Youth Support – Enrichment o Youth Support – Educational & Vocational o Youth Support – Non School Hours for Children with Disabilities o Youth Support – Group

Mediation for Child Welfare Assessment for Child Welfare

Emergency Referrals

The expectation for emergency responding to service referrals is to accept or decline the referral within 2 hours from receipt of referral and to initiate contact with the family within 24 hours of receipt of referral. All service models where providers respond to emergency referrals will also include responding to standard referrals.

For the following service models, providers may propose to offer emergency responding to referrals, but are not required to do so.

Substance Use Interventions for Child Welfare o Substance Use Interventions – Parent/Caregiver Substance Use o Substance Use Interventions – Peer Support Specialist Substance Use o Substance Use Interventions – Youth Substance Use

Respite for Child Welfare Youth Support and Stabilization o Youth Support – Transition-Aged Youth

For the following service models, providers will be expected to respond to emergency referrals:

Family Crisis/Trauma Intervention Comprehensive Services for Child Welfare – All service models Evidence-Based Practices for Child Welfare o Evidence-Based – Intercept®

For all service models except Family Crisis/Trauma Intervention, emergency referrals will be sent during the business week, with the understanding that responding to emergency referrals sent late in the afternoon may extend into the next business day.

Because crises can occur at any time, on any day, DCF is seeking providers with capacity for 24/7 responding to emergency referrals to bid for the Family Crisis/Trauma Intervention service model. Bidders are encouraged to describe their capacity for 24/7 responding to emergency referrals in Appendix E.11 Response Sheet Part B Family Crisis/Trauma Intervention in response to question 3 under Staffing and Experience. These responses will inform DCF’s planning for use of this new, desirable service.

Responding to Family Request – AFTER initiation of service

After a service has been initiated, providers of the following services will be expected to respond to families’ service needs on a 24/7 basis. These requests for assistance will come from the family to the provider.

Comprehensive Services – all service models Evidence-Based Practices for Child Welfare o MST® o Intercept®

Family Crisis/Trauma Intervention

Regarding the question about whether contact with families needs to be in-person, the goal is to meet the need for family-focused services that will respond day or night when families need timely crisis management. The Department understands that providers offering this service will use their judgement about when in-person responding is needed to keep children safe at home without the need for out-of-home placement.

In regards to the question within Youth Support Services “Is your organization proposing to respond to DCF emergency referrals?”, would this be a similar expectations to those in the comprehensive model, where there is an expectation to respond 24 hours/ day and on weekends? Or is the expectation different for this other model?

Emergency referrals and 24/7 responses are different. After receiving an emergency referral, providers will be expected to accept or decline the referral within two hours of receipt of referral. If the referral is accepted, the provider is expected to connect with the family within 24 hours of receipt of the referral.

In the Youth Support and Stabilization category, the Youth Support – Transition-Aged Youth service model the expectation is for responding to standard referrals, with an option for providers to accept emergency referrals. The Department will send emergency referrals for this service model during business hours with adequate time for the provider to reply with an accept or decline.

For certain services (all Comprehensive Services models, Family Crisis/Trauma Intervention Services, MST®, Intercept®), once a provider has started working with a family, the provider must be available to respond to the family on a 24/7 basis depending on the family’s needs for support. After initiation of the Youth Services – Transition-Aged Youth service model, 24/7 responding to youths’ needs is not required, but would be optional based on provider’s capacity.

In Comprehensive Services Model there is an expectation that if an emergency referral is accepted “contact must be made with the family within 24 hours.”Does this need to be in-person contact?

Please see slides 103 Questions about Comprehensive Services and 106 Questions about Emergency Referrals in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

As stated on slide 103, “The goal is to meet the need for family-focused services that will respond day or night when families need timely crisis management. The Department understands that providers offering this service will use their judgement about when in-person responding is needed to keep children safe at home without the need for out-of-home placement.”

Please provide a definition of what will be considered “initial contact” after a referral is accepted.

Please see slides 103 Questions about Comprehensive Services and 106 Questions about Emergency Referrals in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

As stated on slide 103, “The goal is to meet the need for family-focused services that will respond day or night when families need timely crisis management. The Department understands that providers offering this service will use their judgement about when in-person responding is needed to keep children safe at home without the need for out-of-home placement.”

What additional activities are eligible for billing under the hourly rate (e.g., care coordination, travel time)?

For a description of billable activities for all service models billed on an hourly basis, please see slide 122 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on

COMMBUYS.

On page 32 of the RFR, it indicates that the Safe & Stable service model will be billed at an hourly rate. However, on page 36, the rate unit is listed as daily. Can you please provide clarification on the rate for this service model?

See slide 124 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on

COMMBUYS.

Would any funding be available to support the implementation of relevant psychoeducational curriculum for the Group service models?

This funding would fall under the category of Start-up Costs. See section 4.7 Start-up Costs in the DCF S&S25 RFR.

How will the billing rate be affected by offering Motivational Interviewing within a service model?

See slide 45 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on

COMMBUYS.

Who will determine the corresponding service model within the Service Category a consumer receives a referral to? What factors will be considered when making this decision?

See slide 136 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS. Multiple factors influence these decisions, including but not limited to a family’s or youth’s unique strengths and needs, assessment of child safety and risk, history of use of other services, and desired outcomes.

If the agency does not have the capacity to take on a new consumer, can a referral be declined?

See slide 141 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on

COMMBUYS.

What will be considered acceptable reasons to decline a referral?

Possible reasons that a referral might be declined include lack of capacity, scope of service not a match for consumer’s needs, or a conflict of interest in which a personal relationship could compromise ability to deliver service.

Historically, we have received a very low volume of referrals for group services. What support will DCF provide to ensure referrals for these services?

Please see the note for all Groups that appears in Section 2.2 Tables in the Referral Response:

“Providers are expected to cultivate relationships with DCF Area Offices to keep Area Offices notified of upcoming availability of groups and to gather appropriate referrals. Within three business days of receipt of referral, providers will respond to the Department with status and timeline of upcoming groups and accept or decline the specific referral.”

What are the expectations associated with providing a 24/7 response? Is connection to a Mobile Crisis Response team an acceptable avenue to meet the expectations of these service models?

See slides 104-107 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS. The 24/7 response is required to be provided by the S&S provider.

Although partnering with a Mobile Crisis Response team might occur depending on the circumstances, Mobile Crisis Responding is a separate service, a separate team, and funded differently than services DCF seeks in this procurement.

A feature that distinguishes S&S services from services available through other funding sources is prioritization of issues relevant to child safety and risk, including family functioning, parent-child attachment, and assistance with day-to-day family tasks.

Aside from the level of education/experience of staff, what are the differences between the Comprehensive Services-Intensive Family service model and the Comprehensive Services– Therapeutic service model?

See slide 125 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on

COMMBUYS.

How will services provided by a masters-level clinician differ from those provided by a bachelors-level clinician in the Substance Use Interventions – Parent/Caregiver Substance Use service model?

Consumers will vary in terms of their need, readiness, and willingness to engage with therapy.

Clinical services should be available to consumers when needed. All consumers will need assistance with family functioning responsibilities, with identifying and navigating substance use services, and with making connections to community-based organizations.

When consumers are ready and willing to engage in therapy, the therapy needs to be delivered by clinicians with training and experience who have a master’s degree or are enrolled in a master’s degree program.

Will groups be expected to be ongoing and referred to as needed, or can they be limited session offerings?

Groups may be either ongoing or delivered on a limited session basis.

Can a consumer be enrolled in a group that operates within a separate division and a different primary funding source, assuming the group meets the criteria set forth by the DCF service model?

DCF consumers are often eligible for and benefit from groups funded and delivered by different public and private sources. This is an historic practice that will continue into the future even after procurement of S&S services and this practice will continue to be funded as it has in the past.

With regard to the groups that are described in the DCF S&S25 RFR, these groups will only serve children and families with an open DCF case and be paid on a session basis.

For more information on groups, please see slide 110-115 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

Within the Youth Support – Enrichment service model, what does it mean that staff delivering services must have skills in the enrichment activity being delivered?

Please see slide 101 Questions about Staffing in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

What assessments will be conducted within the Assessment Service Model?

Please see slide 65 Assessment Services in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

Please provide a definition of “training program” as it relates to staffing requirements.

Please see slide 100 Questions about Staffing in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" posted on COMMBUYS.

What role should the person listed on the application cover sheet hold that is provided as the contact person? Will this person be listed as the contract manager if/when the organization is awarded a contract?

The person listed as the Contact Name on the DCF S&S25 RFR Cover Sheet is the person who DCF would reach out to if more information is needed about the response. This person will not automatically be listed as the Contract Manager if/when an organization is awarded a contract;

this person will be determined at a later date.

Our current contract is for Comprehensive Services; Model E Direct Care and Clinical High Intensive services. My question is we want to transfer this contract which is under our name registered as a Non-profit to be registered under a new name in 2025, we have already submitted our contract renewal for 2024. When we submit the paperwork for 25 would we use the same vendor number and a different bank account along with the name change? What would we have to do to make this change in 2025, please advise.

To provide clarity about the difference between annual contract renewals and responding to the DCF S&S25 RFR, please be advised of the following:

Contract renewals for FY2024 occurred in the spring of 2023.

Contract renewals for FY2025 are currently underway and require providers to sign the renewal and return it to the DCF person from whom the renewal paperwork came.

All providers interested in delivering S&S services under the DCF S&S25 RFR must submit a proposal in response to the DCF S&S25 RFR.

The time to address name changes is in the response to the DCF S&S25 RFR. If submitting a response as an LLC, that LLC must be registered with the Commonwealth.

To register with the Commonwealth, complete the financial package forms included in the Required Forms folder that is posted on COMMBUYS with the DCF S&S25 RFR.

A name change will result in a new vendor number.

Virtual Gateway Requirement in 2025: After reading the RFR the responsibility appears now to fall on each provider to do assessments, treatment plans, schedule review meetings, etc, my question is will providers be uploading the referral into the Virtual gateway as well?

Please see section 4.2 Referrals for Services in the DCF S&S25 RFR, “Contractors shall accept referrals from DCF in hard copy or electronic formats until an online referral process in Virtual Gateway becomes available.” DCF does not anticipate that this acceptance process will require providers to upload referrals to the Virtual Gateway.

COMMENT from Q&A at Bidders’ Conference: Many provider agencies are now using person first language and are eliminating use of terms like: client, patient, resident, customer, consumer, etc. We are now using terms like: youth, children, families, individuals, persons served. When referring to all of the people we serve, we say “people we serve,” or “individuals served.” Sometimes, “the children, youth and families we serve.” It may be clunkier but we believe it is important to recognize their humanity/personhood first, and the fact that they find themselves in need of support/assistance/guidance second.

Comment received.

Which models will be competitively procured? Which ones will be non-competitively procured?

(RFR, p. 111) In other words, which models can an applicant propose at a later date?

Please see slides 74 Calendar Rule Type, P. 111 and 76 Questions about Competitive vs. Non- Competitive Procurement in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" posted on COMMBUYS.

Can you do a crosswalk between current and new (2025) models?

There is not a crosswalk. The best way to map current programs into the DCF S&S25 RFR is to rely on Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the DCF S&S25 RFR. In the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" posted on COMMBUYS, Slide 28 Questions about Existing vs. New

S&S Services provides a table to assist with thinking about new models. The table is intended to stimulate thinking and should not limit the service categories that a provider is considering.

Is it possible to respond to questions prior to June 26?

Written responses to all inquiries submitted by 2 PM on May 31, 2024, were provided during the Bidders’ Conference and are posted on COMMBUYS in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024”.

Written responses to inquiries submitted after 2 PM on May 31, 2024, will be provided by June 28, 2024. See “DCF S&S25 NOTICE - Update on Written Q&A Dates 6.4.24.pdf” posted on

COMMBUYS.

Does DCF have a grace period/time cut off from being "in the system" for a peer support person to work with individuals/families?

DCF does not have a grace period or time cut off in regards to peer support staff, or other staff with lived experience, and their involvement with DCF.

Providers considering submitting a proposal for a Peer Support Specialist service or submitting a proposal that includes staff with lived experience, should review DCF S&S25 RFR Section 1.1 Procurement Vision Statement, Intentional Strategies to Engage and Retain Children and Families in Services. This information should be incorporated into the hiring decisions, training and supervision of these staff.

Does DCF make a distinction between staff who have lived experience (e.g., relevant experience any time in the past) vs. living experience (e.g., current caregiving of a child in their home) for peer services? Is one preferred over the other?

DCF does not make distinctions between different types of lived experiences. Providers considering submitting a proposal for a Peer Support Specialist service or submitting a proposal that includes staff with lived experience, should review DCF S&S25 RFR Section 1.1 Procurement Vision Statement, Intentional Strategies to Engage and Retain Children and Families in Services. This information should be incorporated into the hiring decisions, training and supervision of these staff.

Does each model need to include all the components?

When considering an evidence-based practice, please see slides 39 and 43 in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

For other models, please refer to the tables in section 2.2 of the DCF S&S25 RFR for descriptions of required components of each service. Regarding staffing for all other models, please see slide 97 Questions about Staffing in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

If an agency applies for Comprehensive Family with MI (for example) and are not selected in the competitive selection, would they still be qualified to provide Comprehensive Family without

MI?

For bids that include Motivational Interviewing, the review process will evaluate responses to questions about the S&S service by itself and will evaluate responses to questions about Motivational Interviewing. The reviews of MI will be competitive, with a cap on the number of awards. The reviews of the other S&S service, in this question the Comprehensive – Family service, will be non-competitive. Depending on the total number of responses received and the scores for those responses, there may be a situation in which DCF would request that a provider who proposed to deliver MI embedded in an S&S service deliver the S&S service by itself without the embedded MI component.

There could be circumstances in which it would not be possible for DCF to make this request to a provider that proposed to deliver MI embedded in an S&S service. These circumstances would be 1) the scores to the questions about the S&S service by itself are not high enough to earn a passing score, or 2) the responses to the questions about the S&S service are written to indicate that the S&S service could not be delivered without the embedded MI.

Are the reimbursement rates for Groups for Child Welfare listed in 101 CMR 451.00 per session rates or some other unit?

Groups for Child Welfare will be paid as a session rate. Please see slide 110 in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

How is this different from mobile crisis? (asked during Bidders’ Conference during presentation of the Family Crisis/Trauma Intervention service model)

See slides 104-107 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS. The 24/7 response is required to be provided by the S&S provider.

Although partnering with a Mobile Crisis Response team might occur depending on the circumstances, Mobile Crisis Responding is a separate service, a separate team, and funded differently than services DCF seeks in this procurement.

A feature that distinguishes S&S services from services available through other funding sources is prioritization of issues relevant to child safety and risk, including family functioning, parent-child attachment, and assistance with day-to-day family tasks.

What is the need for this model? (asked during Bidders’ Conference during presentation of the Preparation Support service models)

The Department is frequently faced with the need to reunify a child after a period of out-of-home placement or the need to secure a family-based placement for a child who has been removed from home. The Preparation Support models are designed to promote enduring reunifications and to promote stable, family-based, out-of-home placements. Please see slide

56 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on

COMMBUYS.

Is the competitive submission date still 7.12.24 as stated on the slide?

Please see DCF S&S25 NOTICE - Update on Canceled Public Hearing.pdf posted on COMMBUYS.

Under Therapeutic Family, what can be billed for?

For a description of billable activities for the Therapeutic Family model and all service models billed on an hourly basis, please see slide 122 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

You just mentioned that travel alone to visits is not included. That is not equitable for rural areas? Travel time can be over an hour each way for visits in rural areas.

The statement that “time spent traveling alone to and from visits with consumers will not be billable” means that separate service units are not billable to the Department for this type of travel.

Rates for hourly-billed service models include travel and mileage. Providers may use their discretion in choosing how to reimburse staff mileage and travel time.

Per section 2.3 Under-resourced Communities in the DCF S&S25 RFR, providers serving under-resourced communities may request that the Department consider expanded start-up costs.

The Department will review these requests on a case-by-case basis and at the Department's discretion, may grant funding for expanded start-up costs, which could be used for multiple purposes, including extensive travel.

Emergency referrals state that intakes need to occur within 2 hours, please clarify if this means contact with youth, family and the Department or an actual intake? The concern is there are times that: a) Family is not responsive, b) Referral packet may be lacking information, and c) Family refuses to initially engage but may change their mind after multiple contacts and relationship is established.

To clarify, in the Referral Response row of each service model table in section 2.2 of the DCF S&S25 RFR, the requirement for emergency referrals is for a provider to reply with an accept or decline within two hours of the receipt of referral. Response to the family is expected to occur within 24 hours of receipt of the referral.

Please share examples of when a provider may end services with a family? Please share examples of when the Department may end services?

The intention is for the decision to end services to be a collaborative conversation that includes DCF, the Lead Agency, the family, and the provider. Situations that may lead to terminating services include but are not limited to consumers achieving service goals or the need to transition to a different service.

By working together when situations like this may arise, DCF and providers can partner to support children and families.

In regard to the Family trauma model – Are providers going to be on a list that the DCF hotline will have access to if an event occurs after hours ex: fire?

The process for connecting consumers to the Family Trauma/Crisis Intervention service model will be developed based on the number and locations of providers delivering this service model.

Once the process has been developed, it will be communicated to providers.

Family Trauma Model – Does the provider already have to be open with the family under another model to be contacted to respond?

No, the provider does not already have to be open with the family.

While responding to an event if the provider is awarded the Family Trauma Model, is the department involved in order to help place youth if there are not viable options to remain with family or no other safe or appropriate options? – Concern is what will happen to the child if there are no respite options available and is the Departments responsibility to place the child/children?

The Department will be involved with every case referred for S&S services because S&S services are exclusively for children or families with a DCF open case. A primary goal of the Family Trauma/Crisis Intervention service model is to assist families in keeping children safe at home without the need for out-of-home placement. When children cannot be maintained safely at home, it will be the Department’s responsibility to follow established policies and procedures related to home removal and child placement.

Can provider choose an area office to work with but not be able to provide services to specific areas ex: Cape and Islands, able to do the Cape but not Providence Town or the Islands?

Providers will have the opportunity to accept or decline referrals.

We are using a Youth support $68.84 hourly model for Family Partners in our CSA. Should this be a specialty model?

There is not a crosswalk between current S&S services and new S&S services. The best way to map current programs into the DCF S&S25 RFR is to rely on Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the DCF S&S25 RFR. In the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" posted on COMMBUYS, Slide 28 Questions about Existing vs. New S&S Services provides a table to assist with thinking about new models. The table is intended to stimulate thinking and should not limit the service categories that a provider is considering.

For almost all services the RFR notes under Staffing Levels: "Staff who work directly with parents/caregivers should have a minimum of a bachelor's degree or a minimum 5 years related experience." How does that work for our Therapeutic Mentoring or Family Partner staff, most of whom do not have a BA and may not have 5 years of related experience?

See slides 96-98 Questions about Staffing in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" posted on COMMBUYS.

Since you have extended the deadline, will you also extend the date of the Q and A as well?

Bidders will surely have additional questions once the rates are released.

Please refer to slide 2 in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" and the “DCF S&S25 NOTICE - Update on Canceled Public Hearing” PDF, both posted on

COMMBUYS.

What does it mean for COMMBUYS submission – check No-bid?

Please see section 3.4 COMMBUYS Market in the DCF S&S25 RFR for available resources to support quote submission and to provide technical assistance.

For group sessions, what is the expectation for the number of meetings in a session and the length of time suggested for each group (60 minutes?)

The term “session” refers to one meeting of at least eight participants for at least one hour.

Please refer to slides 110-112, 114 Questions about Groups in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS. Providers determine the length of curriculum to be delivered in groups, e.g., four meetings/sessions, five meetings/sessions, six meetings/sessions, etc.

When we offer groups – does the rate include childcare or just facilitators?

Providers determine how to allocate funds paid by DCF.

Do we get paid by the group or by the participant?

Groups are paid by session.

Can groups include other participants not paid for through this funding?

With regard to the groups that are described in the DCF S&S25 RFR, these groups will only serve children and families with an open DCF case and be paid on a session basis.

Will this be considered a parenting group or are other formats allowed?

The provider will determine what type of group to submit in response to the DCF S&S25 RFR.

Do we decide the length of the groups by the curriculum? Can we arrange our own cycles and weeks off?

The term “session” refers to one meeting of at least eight participants for at least one hour.

Please refer to slides 110-112, 114 Questions about Groups in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS. Providers determine the length of curriculum to be delivered in groups, e.g., four meetings/sessions, five meetings/sessions, six meetings/sessions, etc.

Providers may arrange their own cycles and weeks off for groups.

Can we assign a DCF-referred person to an existing group we already have running?

DCF consumers are often eligible for and benefit from groups funded and delivered by different public and private sources. This is an historic practice that will continue into the future even after procurement of S&S services and this practice will continue to be funded as it has in the past.

With regard to the groups that are described in the DCF S&S25 RFR, these groups will only serve children and families with an open DCF case and be paid on a session basis.

For more information on groups, please see slide 110-115 in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

Is Safe/Stable Social Connections/Permanency Support a replacement for Youth Permanency Connection contract?

The Safe & Stable – Social Connections and Permanency Support service model is a new model.

It does not replace or correspond to any existing DCF services.

Do all these referrals go through Family Networks?

Consistent with current practice, the DCF clinical team, in consultation with the Lead Agency, will make decisions about service referrals.

How will referrals be made? What is the source of the referrals?

Consistent with current practice, the DCF clinical team, in consultation with the Lead Agency, will make decisions about service referrals.

Questions about Daily Rate

A. Is the daily rate meant to include any or all the services listed? Do we need 1 person to do the entire list of services being paid for each day of the month? Does the daily rate encompass all the services or are we paid specifically/separately for each service?

B. What’s the minimum service provision to bill the daily rate?

C. What are the billing expectations for daily rate – on contact?

D. Please explain what encompasses the daily rate.

E. Is the daily rate payable only on days contact has been made with the participant, or is it payable daily, for the length of the service?

Please see slide 123 Questions about Daily Rates in PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

There is an expectation that providers of services billed at a daily rate be available to the family throughout the life of the service, even if there is no scheduled contact/meeting on a given day.

Service delivery may look different throughout the service period (e.g., week to week) depending on the family’s needs.

Is there one daily rate to be assigned to a family?

The daily rate corresponds to the service being delivered. This could be for a family or an individual.

Can one provider bill for multiple services assigned to one family?

Billing is contingent upon receiving a service referral from the Department. If the Department requests multiple services for one family from a single provider, there may be billing for multiple services assigned to one family.

Consistent with current practice for the S&S service array, the process of determining which referrals will be sent to a provider will be managed by DCF in collaboration with the Lead Agency.

Does Transitional Age Youth include the family as well as youth?

The Youth Support – Transition-Aged Youth service model supports older adolescents and young adults with being safe, having healthy connections (permanency), being healthy, and gaining skills for community living and life. Supporting healthy connections with family and other important adults can be part of the service.

Is Transitional Age Youth earmarked for an agency already doing (Options for Youth, Youth Villages Intercept program, for example)?

All providers interested in providing the Youth Support – Transition-Aged Youth service model are able to submit a proposal.

I am curious about if the new RFR would work to provide DCF clients Supervised Visitation as well as parenting classes for families who are experiencing domestic violence? What specific model would I categorize this under?

Providers experienced serving families experiencing domestic violence are encouraged to respond to the DCF S&S25 RFR.

Regarding the question about Supervised Visitation, please see slides 56 Preparation Support Preparation Support – Supervised Family Time and 58 Questions about Preparation Support in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

Regarding the question about parenting classes, please review the following service models for consideration of what type of parenting group you are interested in proposing:

Safe & Stable – Group Therapeutic – Parent/Caregiver Specialty Group Preparation Support – Group

For information on how to communicate a specialization in serving families experiencing domestic violence, please see slides 91-92 Questions about Responding to RFR in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

For programs that use the Transition Age Youth daily rate, would involved clients still receive YAS payments?

Provision of S&S services will have no effect on YAS payments.

Can you give any guidance on this question: If a service you want to offer fits into multiple categories should you choose just one (like comprehensive) or put the same service in multiple categories (comprehensive and safe/stable – for example)

Although the purposes of many S&S services are the same (e.g., behavior changes to achieve safety, stability, permanency), the requirements for the service models themselves differ. This question specifically compares the Comprehensive category with the Safe & Stable category.

Please note differences between these two categories, including the requirement in the Comprehensive category to be delivered by a team and to be available on a 24/7 basis.

Please see section 2.2 of the DCF S&S25 RFR for the requirements of each service model.

Providers are allowed to bid for multiple, different service models.

Do you envision Comprehensive to be inclusive of activities that are in some of the other categories, e.g., a Youth Support service? Or would a provider be able to provide (and bill for) comprehensive services AND youth support services for the same family/child during the same time period? Eg can these be stacked? Or is that not allowed?

Per the DCF S&S25 RFR Comprehensive Services description on page 43, “Providers delivering services in the Comprehensive service category are expected to have an approach of doing “whatever it takes” to meet the needs of the parents/caregivers and children, both through what is delivered to family and by connecting them to their communities, so families can take advantage of community-based services.” As a result, there may be activities of other service models that are incorporated into the Comprehensive Services model.

Billing is contingent upon receiving a service referral from the Department. If the Department requests multiple services for one family from a single provider, there may be billing for multiple services assigned to one family.

Consistent with current practice for the S&S service array, the process of determining which referrals will be sent to a provider will be managed by DCF in collaboration with the Lead Agency.

For mediation services, are you looking at mediation for all stages of a child welfare case?

Please see Section 2.2 Service Models, Mediation for Child Welfare on page 99 of the DCF S&S25 RFR, “The problem-solving approach of mediation can be applied to a variety of challenges that may occur at any point in the life of a case.”

Would this include when a consumer has an issue with what DCF is requiring of them or only after a C&P?

This service is for all stages of a child welfare case.

For the S&S RFR, are there any character limits for specific sections, or is it just a total page limit?

No, there are no character limits for specific sections. There are, however, page limits listed in the DCF S&S25 RFR Section 6.7 Bidders Response and Related Contract Documents.

Regarding Youth Support-Transition Aged Youth: Would these services be available for young parents residing in the DCF/DTA Young Parent Living Program? Unlike other CCNET contracted programs, this service model does not necessarily include the opportunity for intensive transitional age service delivery built into the program design.

Consistent with current practice, the DCF clinical team, in consultation with the Lead Agency, will make decisions about service referrals for all S&S services including Youth Support – Transition-Aged Youth.

During the bidders’ conference that is underway at this time, you indicated that the RFR due date will be approximately 4 weeks from the rescheduled rate hearing. It seems that providers need to know what the rates will be to complete our responses. Given that it will likely take the state time to integrate the input from the hearing and finalize rates for the services under procurement, I’m wondering if the RFR due date might be approximately 4 weeks from the announcement of rates rather than 4 weeks from the hearing?

Given the delay in establishing a new response due date, additional weeks have been granted for preparation of responses to the DCF S&S25 RFR. All service models, except for two, will be procured non-competitively on a rolling basis. Any providers requiring additional time for preparation of responses may submit bids after the initial response period.

Are there step-by-step instructions for submitting a quote on COMMBUYS? What tech support line should we call if we have questions while in the process of submitting a quote?

Please see section 3.4 COMMBUYS Market in the DCF S&S25 RFR for available resources to support quote submission and to provide technical assistance.

Does this RFR require an established unit rate, budget, or specific amount of funding that is requested, or does that come during the contracting phase?

For all of the service models except Other, the corresponding rates will be posted on Mass.gov in 101 CMR 451.00.

If proposing the Other Child Welfare Services category, bidders will need to respond to the following prompt in the appropriate Response Sheet Part B:

“Under Chapter 257, rates for each service are primarily driven by the number and qualifications of the staff for the service. The Department’s approval of the actual rate for this service will occur during negotiation. To prepare for this negotiation, indicate whether the rate unit will be hourly, daily, or by session, and suggest an estimated rate for this service.”

How do we determine if we are qualified to submit a quote? Can ServicesNetwork@mass.gov let us know?

Please refer to section 5.6 EOHHS Provider Qualification Policy for Provider Organizations in the DCF S&S25 RFR, which states that provider qualification must occur prior to contracting, not before submitting a quote.

Is there a preferred zip file application that is preferred when uploading our application on

COMMBUYS?

There is no preferred application. The requirement is that the submitted file has the .zip extension.

In regard to DCF S&S25, regarding service models under Motivational Interviewing. Do we need to submit multiple Part B response sheets-one Response Sheet showing we are applying for Motivational Interviewing and one Response Sheet showing we are not applying for Motivational Interviewing-in an effort to try to be funded one way or the other? Therefore, if we apply for a service model under Motivational Interviewing and it is not awarded, would we still be considered an applicant under the service model, just without Motivational Interviewing?

Bidders interested in applying for delivery of Motivational Interviewing embedded in another S&S service model will submit one Part B Response Sheet and complete the Motivational Interviewing section.

For bids that include Motivational Interviewing, the review process will evaluate responses to questions about the S&S service by itself and will evaluate responses to questions about Motivational Interviewing. The reviews of MI will be competitive, with a cap on the number of awards. The reviews of the other S&S service, in this question the Comprehensive – Family service, will be non-competitive. Depending on the total number of responses received and the scores for those responses, there may be a situation in which DCF would request that a provider who proposed to deliver MI embedded in an S&S service deliver the S&S service by itself without the embedded MI component.

There could be circumstances in which it would not be possible for DCF to make this request to a provider that proposed to deliver MI embedded in an S&S service. These circumstances would be 1) the scores to the questions about the S&S service by itself are not high enough to earn a passing score, or 2) the responses to the questions about the S&S service are written to indicate that the S&S service could not be delivered without the embedded MI.

I understand Background Record Checks will need to be done through the Department. Will that be for existing staff or only new hires?

All employees delivering S&S services directly to consumers must have completed background record checks in their employee files. Upon request from DCF, organizations must submit documentation of compliance with background check requirements in a timely manner.

Background record checks must occur at time of hire as well as other relevant times during the course of employment as described in section 5.8 Background Record Checks in the DCF S&S25 RFR, including 101 CMR 15.00.

I am wondering if the bidders conference is recorded/shared in this RFR, if I was not able to attend live?

The Bidders’ Conference was not recorded. However, all Q&A covered during the Bidders’ Conference has been posted to COMMBUYS in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024”.

Would you please explain the difference between a competitive and non-competitive bidder for this procurement, and application deadlines related to those?

Please see slides 74 Calendar Rule Type, P. 111 and 76 Questions about Competitive vs. Non- Competitive Procurement in the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" posted on COMMBUYS.

We can’t find the services we have now under Model D Clinical in the rate regulation list for next year at $91.20 per day. Has that model now been split among some of the new ones?

There is not a crosswalk between current S&S services and the new service models in the DCF S&S25 RFR. The best way to map current programs into the DCF S&S25 RFR is to rely on Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the DCF S&S25 RFR. In the PDF "DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024" posted on COMMBUYS, Slide 28 Questions about Existing vs. New S&S Services provides a table to assist with thinking about new models. The table is intended to stimulate thinking and should not limit the service categories that a provider is considering.

In the first service model under Safe & Stable Family Services, Safe & Stable—is that a daily rate or hourly? It is listed as Hourly in the RFR, Page 32, but Daily on Page 36.

The Safe and Stable service model has an hourly rate. The DCF S&S25 RFR will be amended to make this correction. See slide 124 Questions about Safe & Stable Rate Discrepancy in the PDF “DCF S&S25 RFR Bidders Conf Slide Deck from June 3 2024” posted on COMMBUYS.

Please consider posting answers sooner than June 26th to all questions submitted by June 5th as required. To complete proposals before the 30th, we will need those answers sooner for this complex application process. We understand that the deadline may be shifted due to postponement of the Rate hearing, but, for internal reasons, we may need to submit by late June anyway if possible. Is there any estimate of when the hearing will be rescheduled and final rates posted?

Please see the following website for information about EOHHS’ notices regarding rate regulation 101 CMR 451.00 - https://www.mass.gov/regulations/101-CMR-45100-rates-for-certain-youth-and-children-services

Would Parenting groups or Supervised Visits be considered an “Other” model? We could not find them here.

Please review the service model called “Preparation Support – Supervised Family Time,” which will be expected to include not only observations of parent-child interactions, but also a focus on coaching and supporting skill-based improvements in parenting that result in enhanced parent-child attachments and relationships.

Please review the following service models for consideration of what type of parenting…