Flex Response Requirements RESTATED 1.1.19~2.docx

AMENDED AND RESTATED RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

One Proposal must be submitted per organization submitting a Response. It should include all Flexible Support Services and Modalities a Bidder seeks to be Qualified to provide.

1. RFR Response Cover Sheet

The Responder must submit a completed RFR Response Cover Sheet that is located in the RFR’s COMMBUYS File. The Cover Sheet must be signed by an individual authorized to negotiate for and execute the contract on behalf of the Responder. The Cover Sheet must specify the Flexible Support Service services, modalities, and Areas/geographic catchment areas for which the Responder is proposing to deliver services. The Responder must attest in the Cover Sheet to their ability and willingness to serve as a Flexible Fund Administrator.

2. Proposal Response Format

The Proposal must contain a Table of Contents and be in the following format:

· type-written 12 point Times New Roman font

· 8 ½ X 11 inch paper

· double sided (hard-copy)

· fully justified (print fully abuts both margins)

· one-inch margins

· single-spaced

· page numbers at bottom of each page

3. Design of the Proposal

The Proposal Requirements Chart has been divided into Response Categories. A Responder does not need to complete all Categories unless applying for all Flexible Support Services (Clinical Services, Parent/Caregiver Peer Support, Therapeutic Support, Young Adult Peer Mentoring).

A Responder needs to complete Category I, General Qualification For All Responders and Category II, Modality(ies), plus the Flexible Support Service Categories III-VI for which it seeks to be Qualified to provide.

In completing a relevant Category, the Responder must provide the information in the order that it is asked for in the Category. The title of the Category being responded to must be inserted in bold on a separate line, before responding to any question/request for information in that Category. Similarly, the Responder is instructed to repeat the number and the header of the Items to which they are responding to. For example:

Response…….. [body/content of response]

2. Information Technology & Protection of Healthcare Information [Item 2] 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

Response……..[body/content of response]

Proposal Requirements Chart

A Responder’s Total Proposal Package must not exceed 15 pages and the number of pages in each Response Category section of the Proposal must not exceed the noted page limits in the Proposal Requirements Chart. This page limit does not include allowable attachments.

All Responders must complete all questions and requests for information in “Category I. General Qualification for All Responders” and “Category II. Modality(ies)”. In addition, Responders need to complete the other remaining Categories of the Requirement Chart that are applicable to the Flexible Support Services they want to be deemed Qualified to provide. The remaining Categories are as follows:

For example, a Responder wishing to provide Clinical Services regardless of the type of modality it intends to utilize or where it wants to provide Clinical Services must complete Category III in addition to competing Category I and Category II. A Responder who wants to provide Clinical Services, Parent/Caregiver Peer Support, and Therapeutic Support must complete Categories III, IV, and VI in addition to completing Category I and Category II.

It is important that the Responder’s Proposal demonstrates that the Responder understands and can meet the applicable requirements of the RFR. A Responder’s proposal must address all relevant requirements identified in this Proposal Requirements Chart.

RESPONSE CATEGORY I. GENERAL QUALIFICATION FOR ALL RESPONDERS (PAGE LIMIT – 2 PAGES)

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 of the RFR. 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. Describe how your expertise and experience will be utilized in the provision of Flexible Support Services.

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 should you provide Flexible Support Services.

· 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.

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

· 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.

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.

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

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. Describe what strategies you will utilize to facilitate that occurring with regard to the Flexible Support Services you are proposing to provide.

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). Indicate if you will use a similar process when an interpreter is needed in the Flexible Support services you provide.

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 that you are proposing to provide. Describe how you 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 of the RFR will be met.

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

b. Executed original Massachusetts Form W-9

c. Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing (1 original), both pages with second page notarized

d. Two Original executed Standard Contract Forms

e. Original Authorized for Electric Funds Payment

RESPONSE CATEGORY II. MODALITY QUALIFICATION FOR ALL RESPONDERS (PAGE LIMIT – 1 PAGE)

1. Proposed Modality(ies)

Indicate which Flexible Support Service modality(ies) for which you are seeking qualification:

· Flexible Support Team

· Specialty Team

· Flexible Support Group, and/or

· Individual Practitioner.

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

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

c. Identify challenges 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 Teams in different DMH Sites, describe any differences between Sites that you may need to address to accommodate unique or differing needs of each of the communities you propose to serve. Include a description of the management oversite structure for each site location.

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.

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

RESPONSE CATEGORY III. CLINICAL SERVICE QUALIFICATION (PAGE LIMIT – 3 PAGES)

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 with DMH Youth and their families. 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 use 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 of these practices when working with a transition age youth versus a child or adolescent.

3. Barriers

a. Barriers: Describe potential barriers to the successful delivery of DMH Flexible Support Services clinical services and strategies for overcoming these 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.

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, determine readiness for transition out of services, and plan for transition/discharge. 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.

RESPONSE CATEGORY IV. PARENT/CAREGIVER PEER SUPPORT SERVICE QUALIFICATION (PAGE LIMIT – 3 PAGES)

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.

· 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 will use during the initial and ongoing engagement process with DMH Youth and their parents/caregivers.

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 when working with DMH Youth and their parents/caregivers.

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.

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: Describe your onboarding process and training curriculum to meet the specific training needs of Family Partners who will provide the DMH Flexible Support Services Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Service and describe any changes, updates or enhancements you will make to ensure your organization’s Family Partners have the competencies needed to provide the DMH Flexible Support Services Parent/Caregiver Peer Support. Attach a proposed training plan that is unique and specific to the core competencies Family Partners and Senior Family Partners will be expected to exhibit in your DMH Flexible Support Services program(s).

b. Indicate the number of Family Partner FTEs you currently have on staff and whether you intend to use all or some of them to provide Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Services. If you do not have sufficient family Partners on staff what is your plan for recruiting the necessary staff.

5. Barriers

a. Describe potential barriers (other than workforce capacity) to the successful delivery of Flexible Parent/Caregiver Peer Support services and your strategies for overcoming these barriers.

a. Describe a child, youth or young adult and their parent/caregiver who could benefit from the activities and supports provided by Parent/Caregiver Peer Support service. Describe their strengths, needs and culture. Give an example of the goal(s) the Family Partner will help the parent/caregiver with and progress indicators that will show whether the interventions are effective.

b. Describe the Flexible Support Service modality (Team, Group, Individual) this family is receiving and the essential elements of exemplary Parent/Caregiver Peer Support provided within this modality to support the caregiver and family described. Give at least two specific examples of how the Family Partner will get to know this parent/caregiver and family, develop an action plan, choose and engage the caregiver in activities, and determine readiness for transition out of services.

RESPONSE CATEGORY V. YOUNG ADULT PEER MENTORING QUALIFICATION (PAGE LIMIT – 3 PAGES)

b. If you do not currently provide a Young Adult Peer Mentoring service, explain why your organization has decided to develop capacity to do so now and how this service fits into your organizational mission.

· Building relationships and collaboration (Engagement)

· Role modeling

· Supporting young adult vision and goals

· Promoting self-care

· Practicing cultural responsiveness

· Demonstrating safe and ethical professional behavior

b. Crisis and Safety: Describe any role or responsibilities a Young Adult Peer Mentor may have during times of youth/family crisis as well as times when youth/family are in need of an urgent response.

c. Activities Plan: Describe the practices and competencies Young Adult Peer Mentors will use during the action planning process with DMH Youth. Include how they will set goals and monitor progress. Describe the process they use to communicate with Youth and parents/caregivers regarding progress towards goals.

d. Collaboration: Give examples of your Young Adult Peer Mentors 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, hospitals, crisis teams and other’s in a youth’s life.

e. Describe any differences in approach or practices when engaging in the above service delivery practices with transition age youth verses children or adolescents.

Describe the most significant challenges your organization faces in supervising and supporting the Young Adult Peer Mentor workforce in your agency, and the strategies you will implement to address these challenges.

b. Training: Describe your onboarding process and training curriculum to meet the specific training needs of Young Adult Peer Mentors and any updates or enhancement you will make to ensure Young Adult Peer Mentors in your organization will have the competencies needed to provide DMH Flexible Support Services Young Adult Peer Mentoring. Attach a proposed training plan that is unique and specific to the core competencies Young Adult Peer Mentors will be expected to exhibit in your Flexible Support program(s).

b. Indicate the number of Young Adult Peer Mentors you currently have on staff and whether you intend to use all or some of them to provide Young Adult Peer Mentoring.

a. Describe a youth or young adult who could benefit from the activities and supports provided by Young Adult Peer Mentoring services. Describe the youth’s vision. Give an example of the goal(s) the Young Adult Peer Mentor will help the youth with and progress indicators that show whether their activities are effective.

b. Describe the Flexible Support Service modality (Team, Group, Individual) this youth is receiving and the essential elements of exemplary Young Adult Peer Mentoring provided within this modality to support the youth described. Give specific examples of how the Young Adult Peer Mentor will get to know this youth, develop an Activities Plan, choose and engage the youth in activities, and determine readiness for transition out of services.

RESPONSE CATEGORY VI. THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT SERVICES QUALIFICATION (PAGE LIMIT – 3 PAGES)

2. Service Delivery

a. Engagement: Describe the practices and competencies Therapeutic Support Specialists will use during the initial and ongoing engagement process working with DMH Youth and families.

b. Activities Plan: Describe the practices and competencies Therapeutic Support Specialists will use during the action planning process with DMH youth. Include how Therapeutic Support Specialists will set goals and monitor progress and transition indicators. Describe the process Therapeutic Support Specialists use to communicate with youth and parents/caregivers about progress towards goals. Attach any relevant progress monitoring and transition indicator tools that will be used.

c. Activities: Give examples of activities Therapeutic Support Specialists will engage in with DMH youth. Include competencies, activities, and approaches you expect Therapeutic Support Staff to utilize when providing therapeutic support to youth, parents/caregivers and/or other family members.

d. Crisis and Safety: Describe any role or responsibilities a Therapeutic Support Specialist may have during times of youth/family crisis as well as times when youth/family are in need of an urgent response.

e. Collaboration: Give examples of your Therapeutic Support Specialists experiences, practices, and competencies used when working with community-based providers, state agency staff, school staff, group homes, prescribers, medical treaters, hospitals crisis teams, etc. on a youth and caregiver’s team.

f. Describe any differences in approach or practices when engaging in the above service delivery practices with transition age youth versus children or adolescents.

b. Training: : Describe your onboarding process and training curriculum to meet the specific training needs of Therapeutic Support Specialists and any updates or enhancements you will make to ensure Therapeutic Support Specialists in your organization will have the competencies needed to provide DMH Therapeutic Support Services. Attach a proposed training plan that is unique and specific to the core competencies Therapeutic Support Specialists will be expected to exhibit in your Flexible Support Service program(s).

4. Barriers

a. Barriers: Describe potential barriers to the successful delivery of services and strategies for overcoming these barriers.

a. Describe a child, youth, young adult or family member who could benefit from the activities and supports provided by a Therapeutic Support Specialist. Give at least three examples of the goal(s) the Therapeutic Support Specialist will help with and progress indicators that will show whether their activities are effective.

b. Describe the Flexible Support Service modality (Team, Group, Individual) this family is receiving and the essential elements of exemplary Therapeutic Support provided within this modality to support the youth/family described. Give specific examples of how the Therapeutic Support Specialist will get to know the youth and parent/caregiver, develop an Activities Plan, choose and engage in activities, and determine readiness for transition out of services.