Flex Evaluation Tool RESTATED 1.1.19~2.docx

Department of Mental Health – Division of Child, Youth, and Family Services Flexible Support Services Request For Response DMH Document Number: DMH #2019-FLEX-3066-02

AMENDED AND RESTATED PROPOSAL REVIEW EVALUATION TOOL

BIDDER: ________________________________________________________________

MINIMUM SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST

Completed By:____________________________________________ Date Completed:___________________

Part I RFR Response Submission Format and Due Date (RFR Subsections 9.1 and 9.2):

___ Response was received by the ____ due date and ____ time ___ Electronic response: Submitted on COMMBUYS ___ Hardcopy response: One (1) original submitted ___ Hardcopy response: Submitted in a package/box with the ____ RFR Cover Sheet as a label ___ Hardcopy response: Each part of response is clearly labeled

Part II Response Format:

1. Proposal must be in the following format (Proposal Requirements):

___ type-written, 12 point Times New Roman font ___ 8 ½ x 11 inch paper (hard copy) ___ double-sided (hard copy) ___ fully justified (print fully abuts both margins) ___ one-inch margins ___ single-spaced ___ page numbers at bottom of each page

2. Supplier Diversity Plan must be in the following format (RFR Subsection 9.3):

___ Supplier Diversity Plan Form for POS is used

3. Page Limits and Attachments (RFR Subsection 12.4) ___ Page limits are within stated limits, OR ___ Page limits exceeded, excessive pages removed from the end of the Proposal ___ Attachments limited to those on the List of Permitted Attachments, OR ___ Extra attachments included, but removed by DMH.

Part III Response Requirements (RFR Subsection 9.3, Submission Requirements) A response must consist of the following parts:

___ Signed RFR Response Cover Sheet that includes a signed statement attesting to Flexible Funding Administration ___ Proposal ___ A completed Supplier Diversity Form for POS

(If by verification, initial ____)

Part VI Minimum Submission Requirements Summary

Meets__________________ Does Not Meet________________

Explanation:

The following actions (e.g. disqualification, penalties, etc.) were taken because the Response failed to meet the Minimum Submission Requirements:

ORGANIZATIONAL MINUTES

Review Committee Chair:

Review Committee Members:

Quorum:

Describe preliminary reviews, if any. Identify who conducted the preliminary review and attach input:

For the purpose of evaluating the Response, the sections of the Response have been divided into six (6) different Response Categories: Category I. General Qualification For All Responders; Category II. Modality(ies); Category III. Clinical Service Qualification; Category IV. Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Service Qualification; Category V. Young Adult Peer Mentoring Qualification; and Category VI. Therapeutic Support Services Qualification.

After Minimum Bid Submission requirements are met, there are two steps to evaluating the content of the Proposal:

Step 1: Assign Each Response Category an overall rating using the following criteria:

Excellent – The response:

· Is comprehensive, feasible, and appropriate.

· Satisfies all RFR requirements and exceeds many of the requirements.

· Demonstrates a solid understanding of the services to be provided.

· Demonstrates a solid understanding of issues/barriers that a Contractor may need to address when providing services.

· Exceeds the needs of DMH in many areas (meets preferences and/or has strengths)

Very Good – The response:

· is comprehensive, feasible and appropriate.

· Satisfies all RFR requirements and exceeds some of the requirements. .

· Demonstrates a solid understanding of the services to be provided.

· Demonstrates a solid understanding of issues/barriers that a Contractor may need to address when providing services.

· It exceeds the needs of DMH in a few areas.

Good – The response:

· Is comprehensive, feasible and appropriate.

· Satisfies all RFR requirements.

· Demonstrates a solid understanding of the services to be provided.

· Demonstrates a solid understanding of the issues/barriers that a Contractor may need to address when providing services.

· Meets the needs of DMH.

Fair – The response:

· Is not fully comprehensive, feasible or appropriate.

· Satisfies most, but not all of the RFR requirements.

· Has weaknesses, but they are not substantial.

· Demonstrates a reasonable understanding of the services to be provided.

· Demonstrates a reasonable understanding of the issues/barriers that a Contractor may need to address when providing services.

· Has a limited ability to meet the needs of DMH.

Poor – The response:

· Is not fully comprehensive, feasible or appropriate.

· Does not satisfy most of the RFR requirements.

· Does not demonstrate a reasonable understanding of the services to be provided.

· Does not demonstrate reasonable understanding issues/barriers that a Contractor may need to address when providing services.

· Does not meet the needs of DMH.

Step 2: Give the entire Response an Overall Rating based on the sum of the ratings given to each Response Category (during Step 1).

Comments:

· Base your comments on the evaluation criteria set forth above.

· The evaluation section must be completed for all applicable Categories.

· If the Response Category is rated “Excellent,” “Very Good” or “Good”, you must, where applicable, indicate which requirements were met and describe all identified strengths and weaknesses.

· If the Response Category is rated “Fair” or “Poor”, you must indicate what requirements were not met and how it was not responsive or failed to meet the needs of the Department.

· Provide details. Be specific as to what was missing and/or how the Responder failed to meet the specified requirement. Indicate if any identified weakness is minor or substantial and the reasons why. Indicate all strengths and how they exceeded the requirements of the RFR. It is not enough to say the requirements were not met or that they were exceeded or that there were weaknesses or strengths.

RESPONSE CATEGORY I. GENERAL QUALIFICATION FOR ALL RESPONDERS

b. Organizational Expertise: Describe your organization’s major areas of expertise and services it provides to children, youth, and young adults who have experienced serious emotional disturbance or other mental health challenges, and their families. Include your organization’s length of time serving this population. Give examples of how your organization has responded to and how it will respond to youth/families with specialized needs outside your organization’s described areas of expertise (such as but not limited to eating disorders, co-occurring medical conditions, co-occurring autism spectrum disorder, and co-occurring substance use/addictions). Describe how your organization’s expertise will be applied to and reflected in the delivery of DMH Flexible Support Services.

c. Family Collaboration: Describe how your organization’s mission and therapeutic practices are family driven, youth guided and consistent with DMH’s Family Collaboration Principles set forth in Section 3. Describe how you include parent/caregiver and youth voice in your organization’s governance and operations. Describe the role they will have, if any, in the design and implementation of Flexible Support Services.

d. Transition Age Youth (TAY): Describe your expertise and experience working with and capacity to serve transition age youth. Include a description of any particular models or frameworks you use with the TAY population.

e. Hours of Operation Describe your hours of operation and whether and how your hours of operation will be flexed and/or extended to accommodate youth and family schedules.

Provides a description of the bidding Organization and provides a description of the why the organization is capable of providing the flexible support Services included in the response that reflects both an understanding of the services; the client population, and of potential barriers.

Describes relevant experience providing services to youth with serious emotional disturbance or other mental health challenges and their families.

Describes how they have or will meet the needs of youth/families that are outside their described area of expertise.

Describes how they will meet the particular needs of DMH Youth and families.

Describes experience with family driven and youth guided service delivery. [Preference] Describes inclusion of parents/caregivers and Youth on advisory committees/boards or other means of regularly soliciting caregiver and youth input into the development of policies, procedures, and/or quality improvement activities. Describes inclusion of families and youth in the design and implementation of Flexible Support Services.

Describes expertise and experience working with TAY. Describes capacity to serve TAY.

Describes hours of operation that reflect staff availability during school hours, after school, evening, and on weekends.

2. Information Technology & Protection of Healthcare Information

a. Information technology: Describe your information technology systems and how they conform to industry best practices, meet the IT requirements in this RFR, and provide for accurate and timely gathering of information and data, including but not limited to:

· Person-level data

· Billing Requirements

· Other data and information needed for contract administration

b. Privacy and Security: Describe your internal security and privacy procedures and policies applicable to personal information maintained electronically and on paper. Indicate if the bidding organization is a HIPAA Covered Entity and if so, if your organization meets the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. If not, indicate what privacy and security laws or standards your organization is subject to and if your organization is in compliance with laws and standards. Attach a copy of your Privacy Notice and provide the names of your Privacy and Security Officers, or the individuals whose job descriptions include responsibility for privacy and security. Attach an Organizational Chart showing where these positions are located within your organization.

c. Describe the training provided to employees and other persons regarding confidentiality and security.

d. Describe any circumstance over past five years in which your organization was involved in a breach or complaint regarding security, confidentiality, or the integrity of individual data. Include explanation of how your organization will prevent breaches in the future.

Describes ability to integrate with the technology employed by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), including but not limited to the functionality of the Virtual Gateway (VG) and the automated POS billing service known as Enterprise Invoice Management/Enterprise Service Management (EIM/ESM).

Contractor demonstrates an IT infrastructure that adheres to industry best practices and standards, including, but not limited to the use of an HL7 compliant Electronic Health Record (EHR) in order to promote interoperability and share information electronically with other service providers as needed.

Describes a reasonable plan and infrastructure for data collection and billing.

Procedures and policies address confidentiality and security for both paper and electronic personal information.

Describes having policies and procedures as required to meet HIPAA, FIPA, and DMH Regulations, as applicable. Indicates that it is in compliance with HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules or other applicable privacy and security laws and standards. Has a designated Privacy and Security Officer(s). Such Officer(s) is included in the Organizational Chart in such a way that illustrates the importance of such. The Privacy Notice is comprehensive and duly reflects that individuals’ protected health information will be used by the organization in a manner consistent with applicable laws.

Demonstrates that staff are adequately trained on confidentiality and security and that such training occurs on hire and periodically thereafter

If any breach or complaint is reported, the Review Committee determines if the breach was substantial and if the Responder has taken actions in response to it to ensure that such a breach will not occur again.

e.

3. Debarment and Corrective Action

a. Debarment/CAP/ARA: Indicate whether your organization is now or has ever been subject to a state or federal debarment. Indicate whether your organization is currently under a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) or Audit Resolution Agreement (ARA) Status.

If your organization has ever been subject to a state or federal debarment order, specify the date and the circumstances surrounding it. If your organization is currently under a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) or Audit Resolution Agreement (ARA), indicate the current status, circumstances surrounding it, and why this should not be considered in determining whether your organization can successfully undertake a Contract to provide Flexible Support Services.

The Responder is not subject to a Federal or state Debarment Order.

b. Other Complaints: Attach your proposed process for youth/families to file a non-human rights complaint with your organization.

Attached Human Rights and Complaints policies and procedures:

· Ensure the rights of Youth as set forth in the Human Rights handbook.http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dmh/human-rights-handbook.html

· Ensure that staff support and protect the rights of Youth and help identify and provide assistance to Youth who need assistance in exercising their human rights.

· Include a process for staff, youth and parents/LARs to be informed and educated regarding human rights of Youth and the process to file a Human Rights Complaint with DMH.

· Describe Human Rights training plans for staff that train them at initial onboarding orientation and at least annually thereafter.

· Outline a procedure for filing a complaint with DMH that is consistent with 104 CMR 32 https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/12/xk/reg-104cmr32.pdf

· Ensure staff compliance with DMH regulations, policies and procedures.

To the extent DMH is permitted to waive regulation provisions under 104 CMR 28.00, Providers are not required to meet 104 CMR 28.11.

b. Describe the framework (such as the CLAS standards) you use to ensure the provision of culturally and linguistically responsive services and attach any organizational self-assessments (such as the CLAS self-assessment).

c. Describe how the cultural and ethnic diversity of your organization’s staff reflects the diversity of the populations served.

d. Describe your organization’s process for obtaining and utilizing interpreters for non-English speakers and those who use American Sign Language (ASL)/Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART).

Responder has the capacity and experience to provide Flexible Support Services in accordance with the specifications and standards of the RFR to culturally and linguistically diverse populations [Preference].

Describes a sound and reasonable framework to ensure care for all youth and families with different cultural, ethnic, linguistic, religious, sexual orientation and gender identities.

Demonstrates that the cultural and ethnic diversity of their organization reflects the diversity of the populations served [Preference].

Demonstrates that their Information Systems and other data collection tools ask for information on race, ethnicity, and preferred language of youth and families.

Describes policies that emphasize recruiting and maintaining a culturally and linguistically competent staff reflective of the needs of the population to be served.

Describes feasible process for ensuring linguistic access to services through the use of interpreters and CART when needed.

b. Quality Improvement: Describe your organization’s quality improvement philosophy, approach, and priorities. Describe how you will implement Quality Improvement in the Flexible Support Services you are proposing to provide. Describe how you will include Youth and families in your quality improvement activities. Give two (2) examples of quality improvement strategies your organization used that resulted in measurable and sustainable improvement in a comparable behavioral health service to Flexible Support Services.

c. Records Describe how you will create a central record of each Youth enrolled in Flexible Support Services and maintain records in a manner so that staff can readily access information. Also describe how you will ensure that the note requirements set forth in Subsection 6.6 and 7.1 of the RFR will be met.

Describes collection of data relative to client goal attainment and outcomes.

Describes reasonable strategies for implementing Quality Improvement in the Flexible Support Services being proposed.

Describes efforts and reasonable strategies for including Youth and families in quality improvement activities.

Describes two quality improvement strategies and their measured results demonstrating improvement.

Describes a reasonable process for creating a central record of each Youth enrolled in Flexible Support Services and maintaining records in a manner so that staff can readily access information.

Attached resumes reflect the specifications in the RFR.

b. Timeline: Attach a timeline indicating the expected time period in which the identified programmatic, administrative, fiscal, training, and workforce development actions must occur.

Proposed activities and associated timelines for completion reflect programmatic, administrative and fiscal actions that must occur for the Responder to negotiate a Statement of Work with DMH.

Describes anticipated barriers and a feasible plan to address them.

Describes a sound and reasonable plan and timeline for implementation activities.

Category I Evaluation

Do not rate the separate parts of the Category independently. Assign only one rating to the Category as a whole.

Step One: Determine if all the RFR Requirements set forth in the Category were met:

Note the Requirements that were not met:

Step Two: Determine strengths (ways by which the Responder exceeds the needs of DMH)

Note the strengths:

Step Three: Note weaknesses

Indicate weaknesses (other than not meeting a RFR requirement) and if the weakness is substantial or not. If substantial, describe why.

Note all weaknesses:

Step Four: Determine Rating

___ Excellent: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = Response exceeds the needs of DMH in many ways (strengths)

___ Very Good: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = Response exceeds the needs of DMH in some ways (strengths)

___ Good: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = No strengths identified

___ Fair: Step One = Most RFR requirements were met and Step Two = No strengths identified

___ Poor: Step One = Most RFR requirements were NOT met and Step Two = No strengths identified

All weaknesses are to be addressed in contract negotiations.

RESPONSE CATEGORY ll MODALITY QUALIFICATION FOR ALL RESPONDERS

(PAGE LIMIT – 1 PAGE)

· Flexible Support Team

· Specialty Team

· Flexible Support Group, and/or

· Individual Practitioner

Complete only those remaining Items (2 – 4) for those Modalities for which you are seeking qualification.

Describes all modalities checked off on cover sheet.

b. Describe how you will ensure that the services provided to each youth in the cohort are integrated and coordinated across Team members

c. Identify challenges you anticipate that may impact cohesive Team functioning and describe solutions you will implement to mitigate these challenges.

d. Describe how your staff will adjust the type and intensity of Flexible Support Services provided by the Team to match changes in needs and strengths of all Youth in the Team cohort while continuing to meet the service standards. Describe how you would work with DMH has part of this process.

e. If proposing to provide the Teams in different DMH Sites, describe enhancements that will be made to address any unique or differing needs of each of the communities that will be served. Include a description of the management oversite structure for each site location.

Response demonstrates that the Responder has the capacity to provide the Flexible Support Services for which they are seeking qualification as a Team; and describes a reasonable plan to ensure that the Flexible Support Services provided to each youth in the cohort will be integrated and coordinated across Team members.

If Responder has indicated they will develop the capacity to provide Flexible Support Services through a Team, they describe a reasonable plan for establishing this capacity and ensuring that the Flexible Support Services provided to each youth in the cohort will be integrated and coordinated across Team members.

It is reasonable to expect that the solutions described for mitigating challenges to cohesive Team functioning will be successful.

Describes strategy(ies) that Team staff will use to effectively adjust the type and intensity of Flexible Support Services provided by the Team to match changes in needs and strengths of all Youth in the Team cohort while continuing to meet the service standards.

It is reasonable to expect that the approaches described for addressing differences across Sites will be successful in meeting the needs of the different Sites.

b. Describe your clinical framework (model) for working with this population. Include the following in your response, but do not limit your response to these three items:

· Describe how you will incorporate evidence based practice(s) for this specific population into your model

· Describe how each position on the specialty team plays a role in your clinical model

· Describe how your model will integrate with other services in the community to address a comprehensive and specialized approach to serving this specific population.

c. Write a case vignette that describes how your specialty team will work with youth/families using the clinical model you describe above. Describe all aspects of team functioning and service provision from access to and entry into the service to discharge and post-discharge activities for this youth/family.

Describes a clinical framework that is specifically designed to meet the needs of the population Bidder specifies serving with the Specialty Team.

Proposed model incorporates applicable evidence based practice(s); specific EBPs are identified in the response.

Describes how each position on the specialty team plays a role in the proposed clinical model.

Proposed staffing of the Team is appropriate and sufficient to meet the needs of a cohort of DMH youth experiencing the unique challenges that the specialty team proposes to address.

Describes how the proposed model integrates with other services in the community to address a comprehensive and specialized approach to youth/family’s needs.

Vignette describes all aspects of team function and service provision, including:

· Access to service

· Assessment and clinical formulation

· Treatment and service planning, including goal setting

· Safety and risk planning

· Transition/discharge planning

· Post-discharge follow-up

· Collaboration and partnership with youth/young adult

· Collaboration and partnership with the family of the youth as appropriate

Vignette reflects effective collaboration among all disciplines working with the youth/family.

Vignette demonstrates that Responder will be able to provide a specialty team in a manner that is clinical sound and consistent with DMH service principles and service standards.

b. Attach a sample group agenda or curriculum(s).

Gives detailed description of the Flexible Support Group(s) being proposed, including the type of group(s), theme/topics to be covered, target population, and staff positions needed to successfully provide the groups to target population to be served.

Sample agenda(s)/curriculum are attached.

Category Il Evaluation (one has to be done for each Modality)

Do not rate the separate parts of the Category independently. Assign only one rating to the Category as a whole.

Step One: Determine if all the RFR Requirements set forth in the Category were met:

Note the strengths:

Step Three: Note weaknesses

Indicate weaknesses (other than not meeting a RFR requirement) and if the weakness is substantial or not. If substantial, describe why.

Note all weaknesses:

Step Four: Determine Rating

___ Excellent: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = Response exceeds the needs of DMH in many ways (strengths)

___ Very Good: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = Response exceeds the needs of DMH in some ways (strengths)

___ Good: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = No strengths identified

___ Fair: Step One = Most RFR requirements were met and Step Two = No strengths identified

___ Poor: Step One = Most RFR requirements were NOT met and Step Two = No strengths identified

RESPONSE CATEGORY III. CLINICAL SERVICE QUALIFICATIONS

2. Service Delivery

a. Engagement: Describe the practices and competencies your clinicians will use during initial and ongoing engagement with DMH Youth and families. Include a description of potential engagement challenges and strategies to overcome these engagement challenges. Describe differences in any practices when working with a transition age youth versus a child or adolescent.

b. Assessment: Describe the practices and competencies your clinicians will use during the assessment process with DMH youth and families. Describe differences in any practices when working with a transition age youth versus a child or adolescent. Attach any relevant assessment and screening tools that will be used.

c. Community Service Plan (formally known as Individualized Action Plan): Describe the practices and competencies your clinicians will use during the treatment planning process. Include how clinicians set goals and monitor treatment progress and transition indicators in collaboration with Youth and parent/caregiver. Explain the process your clinicians use to communicate progress to Youth and parent/caregiver. Describe differences in any practices when working with a transition age youth versus a child or adolescent. Attach any relevant progress monitoring and transition indicator tools that will be used.

d. Crisis and safety: Describe the practices and competencies your clinicians will use while safety planning with DMH youth and parent/caregivers, as well as responding to crisis. Describe differences in any practices when working with a transition age youth versus a child or adolescent. Describe any difference in the way urgent needs and crises are responded to and addressed when they occur outside of scheduled appointment times. Describe the staffing structure and availability of staff at times of crisis.

e. Clinical interventions: Give examples of clinical competencies, interventions, and approaches your clinicians will use with DMH youth and their families to provide ongoing treatment to them, and to support their life and service transitions. Describe how clinicians select and match interventions to the needs of youth and families including whether the interventions are evidence-based or promising practices. Describe the evidence-based practices and/or promising practices your clinicians will sue when working with youth receiving DMH Flexible Support Services. Describe differences in any practices when working with a transition age youth versus a child or adolescent.

f. Coordination: Give examples of your staff’s experience with and expected approach for working with Family Partners, Young Adult Peer Mentors, state agency staff, school staff, group homes, prescribers, outpatient therapists, medical treaters, hospitals, crisis teams, etc. on the Youth’s team.

g. Discharge Planning: Describe the practices and competencies your clinicians will use when working with DMH Youth and parents/caregivers to develop and implement transition and discharge plans. Describe differences in any practices when working with a transition age youth versus a child or adolescent.

Demonstrates the ability to effectively engage youth and families according to the RFR specifications and expectations.

Demonstrates the ability to conduct assessments according to the RFR specifications and expectations.

Youth and parent/caregiver are described as equal and active partners in the co-development and on-going review of treatment goals and transition indicators. Goals address areas of need and strengths identified in the assessment.

Describes an individualized crisis and safety planning process resulting in a safety plan that contains practical information that the family will use.

Describes clinical interventions that match the service population’s needs.

Demonstrates use of evidence-based or promising practices and interventions that fit the needs of the service population.

Demonstrates ability to effectively engage, assess, plan treatment, and provide clinical interventions that effectively serve and support transition age youth.

Describes how clinicians coordinate with other providers in the youth’s life including coordination of treatment interventions across settings. Describes using information from these conversations to inform the ongoing assessment, treatment, crisis planning, and transition planning processes.

Demonstrates ability to effectively work with youth and families to plan for and provide support during times of transitions and/or discharge from services.

Demonstrates an understanding of the potential differences in transition/discharge planning for transition age youth.

3. Barriers

b. Training: Attach a proposed training plan that is unique and specific to the core elements and competencies Clinicians will be expected to exhibit in the provision of DMH Flexible Support Services.

Describes clinicians receiving 1 hour [Preference given to greater than 1 hour] of individual supervision per week from individual(s) with clinical experience and knowledge above and beyond that of the supervisee.

Training plan includes training specific to:

· Developing and documenting a family driven/youth guided comprehensive assessment, Community Service Plan (formally known as Individualized Action Plan), Safety Plan, transition indicators, and progress notes.

· Comprehensive assessment and treatment planning that targets serious emotional disturbance, mental illness, substance use disorders, and traumatic stress.

· Evidenced based or promising practices in mental health interventions including those for Youth with co-occurring disorders.

· Trauma informed practices.

· Family driven and Youth guided service delivery philosophy and practices.

· Family Partner and Young Adult Peer Mentoring roles.

· Strengths based interventions.

· Strategies to enhance resiliency.

· Service delivery that is culturally informed by Youth, parent/caregiver and family’s values, beliefs, attitudes, traditions as well as their racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socio-economic affiliations and informed by practice attunement to potential cultural misalignment among family members.

· Services, supports and other resources that are relevant to the needs of children/Youth/young adults and families served

· Provider’s policies and procedures

· DMH and its regulations and policies, as well as Massachusetts statutes regarding mandated reporting of abuse and neglect.

a. Clinical Formulation: Describe a clinical formulation of a child, youth or young adult who could benefit from the activities and supports provided by a Clinician in your Flexible Support Services team, group or as an individual practitioner. Include the reason for referral, the goal(s) the clinician will help the youth/family with, and progress indicators that will show whether interventions are effective.

b. Clinical Practice: Describe the Flexible Support Service modality (Team, Group, Individual) this family is receiving and the essential elements of exemplary clinical practice that your organization would provide within this modality to support the youth and family described. Give specific examples of how the clinician will complete the assessment with youth/family, develop treatment goals, choose/provide treatment interventions and determine readiness for transition out of services. Describe how the clinician will address any challenges in engaging the youth/family as well as any lack of consensus across team members such as school, outpatient therapist, residential providers.

Vignettes are included for each modality Responder is seeking qualification.

Each vignette describes a clinical formulation includes youth diagnosis as well as youth and family’s strengths, needs, culture and a hypothesis describing factors driving any symptoms or maladaptive behavior. Description reflects target population of DMH Flexible Support Services.

Each vignette describes assessing youth and family by reviewing the referral information from DMH, talking with the youth, caregiver/LAR and talking with/reviewing records from collaterals in youth’s life (i.e. DMH, school, prescriber, therapist, etc.).

Each vignette describes co-creating goals with youth and caregiver. Goals are specific, measurable and responsive to the reason for referral and needs described in the formulation and assessment. Describes using interventions that are in line with goals. Describes transition readiness indicators that are in line with goals and established with youth/family and DMH.

Category III Evaluation

Do not rate the separate parts of the Category independently. Assign only one rating to the Category as a whole.

Step One: Determine if all the RFR Requirements set forth in the Category were met:

Note the strengths:

Step Three: Note weaknesses

Indicate weaknesses (other than not meeting a RFR requirement) and if the weakness is substantial or not. If substantial, describe why.

Note all weaknesses:

Step Four: Determine Rating

___ Excellent: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = Response exceeds the needs of DMH in many ways (strengths)

___ Very Good: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = Response exceeds the needs of DMH in some ways (strengths)

___ Good: Step One = All RFR requirements were met and Step Two = No strengths identified

___ Fair: Step One = Most RFR requirements were met and Step Two = No strengths identified

___ Poor: Step One = Most RFR requirements were NOT met and Step Two = No strengths identified

RESPONSE CATEGORY lV. PARENT/CAREGIVER PEER SUPPORT SERVICE QUALIFICATION

b. If you do not currently provide a Family Partner or Parent/Caregiver Peer Support service, explain why your organization has decided to develop capacity to do so now and how this service fits into your organizational mission.

c. Framework: Describe your organization’s practice framework and guiding principles for Family Partner/Parent/Caregiver Peer Support services. Describe the Family Partner role, responsibilities and skill sets critical to the provision of this service. Describe any ways you intend to change, enhance or augment this framework in order to deliver Parent/Caregiver Peer Support under the DMH Flexible Support Services contract.

Describes experience providing Parent/Caregiver Peer Support type services to parents/caregivers of youth with mental health needs that are delivered by individuals with lived experience raising a child with mental health needs. In the absence of experience, describes a mission that supports the peer delivered services. [Preference given to Responders with experience]

If Respondent intends to develop capacity for providing a Parent/Caregiver Peer Support service, it is consistent with their organizational mission and it is reasonable to expect that their organizational infrastructure is sufficient to ensure successful and effective practice by the Family Partner workforce.

Describes a framework for Family Partner/Parent/Caregiver Peer Support services that addresses the RFR specifications and expectations for the service.

· Educate parents/caregiver about DMH and other services and supports they utilize

· Support parent caregiver’s role in their child’s treatment

· Support parent/caregiver informed and empowered decision making

· Support parent/caregiver navigation of services and conflict resolution with team members

· Strengthen family network of natural supports

b. Engagement: Describe the practices and competencies Family Partners use during the initial and ongoing engagement process.

c. Strengths Needs Cultural Discovery: Describe the Strengths Needs Cultural Discovery (SNCD) process and the practices and competencies your Family Partners (will) exhibit during the SNCD.

d. Family Action Plan: Describe the practices and competencies Family Partners will use during the action planning process to develop the Family Action Plan. Describe Family Partners role in setting goals, monitoring progress and transition indicators. Explain who, how, and when Family Partners will regularly communicate progress to Youth and parent/caregivers. Attach any relevant progress monitoring and transition indicator tools that will be used.

e. Crisis and Safety: Describe the practices and competencies Family Partners will use during times of safety planning. Also describe their practices during times when the youth/family experience a crisis as well as times when an urgent response to the youth/family is needed.

f. Collaboration: Give at least three examples of your Family Partner’s experience with and the practices and competencies they use for working with community-based providers, state agency staff, school staff, group homes, prescribers, medical treaters, crisis teams, hospitals, etc. on a youth and caregiver’s team.

g. Describe any differences in approach or practices when engaging in the above service delivery practices with parent/caregivers of transition age youth versus children or adolescents.

Activities: Describes helping families understand DMH and the DMH service delivery system as well as other service options. Demonstrates an understanding of DMH and its services.

Describes supporting families and youth as equal and critical team members in the treatment planning process and the ongoing development of youth’s treatment plans and other relevant documents.

Describes assisting parents in understanding the family’s rights to information about their child(ren) and supports parent’s leadership skills to strengthen their ability to act as their own and their child’s advocate.

Describes assisting parents with strengthening informal supports needed to address the youth’s emotional and behavioral needs by (re)connecting with faith groups, friends, family, and other important people in their lives; and building reciprocal relationships with informal supports.

Engagement: Describes engagement as an ongoing process of establishing common understanding and rapport. Describes orienting the family to Flexible Support Service(s)received, discussing the purpose of the service(s) and developing a mutual understanding about what the service will look like. Describes using an approach that is respectful of the perspectives, needs, and wishes of the family. Describes effectively sharing personal experiences with purpose and intent of engaging and supporting families through challenges.

Strengths Needs Cultural Discovery: Describes a dynamic, on-going, family-driven process of inquiry and discovery between the Family Partner and the parent to ensure the full understanding of the parent’s strengths, needs, preferences, culture(s), beliefs, values, and life circumstances throughout the service delivery process and use of this information to inform and document the Strengths, Needs and Culture Discovery.

Family Action Plan Describes a process in which Family Partners and parents use the Strengths Needs and Culture Discovery to guide the development of goals/action steps and transition indicators.

Crisis and safety: Describes a process in which Family Partners support parents in conveying their needs, points of stress, and their family's position on what safety looks like in their home.

Collaboration: Provides at least 3 examples of their Family Partners’ experience with and the practices and competencies they use for collaborating with a variety of other providers/supports in a youth/family’s life for the purpose of understanding the goals and strategies of those services, promoting continuity across services and discussing and supporting the family in addressing any conflicts directly with those individuals.

Demonstrates an understanding of the need for using different approaches/practices when working with the parent/caregivers of transition age youth.

Describe the most significant challenges your organization faces in supervising and supporting the Parent/Caregiver Peer Support workforce in your agency, and the strategies you will implement to address these challenges.

b. Training:…