HOMEBUILDERS Proposed Services Response Form-FINAL.docx

RFP# 202605083

Statewide HOMEBUILDERS® Program

PROPOSED SERVICES RESPONSE FORM

Bidder Name:

INTRUCTIONS: Bidder must complete this form to discuss the Services to be Provided referenced in Part II of the RFP and what the Bidder will offer, including:

· A description of the methods and resources the Bidder will use and how each task involved will be accomplished.

· A description of how the expectations and/or desired outcomes as a result of these services will be achieved.

· If subcontractors are involved, Bidders must clearly identify the work each will perform.

Bidders may expand each of the response (white) spaces within this document in order to provide a full response to each requirement.

A. Facilities and Operational Requirements

1. Operate one (1) Statewide administrative office Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except during State holidays and administrative closings.

2. Provide HOMEBUILDERS® services in each of the Department’s Districts, excluding Central Office Intake (District 9).

0. Receive referral cases, based upon the Family’s geographic location, from the Department’s Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS).

0. Ensure HOMEBUILDERS® services are available to eligible Families:

i. Fifty-two (52) weeks per year.

ii. Using a flexible schedule: traditional hours, after-hours, weekends, and holidays at the convenience of the Family.

iii. Primarily within the Family’s home and/or other locations convenient to the Family.

c. Ensure HOMEBUILDERS® specialists, supervisors, and program managers are available 24/7/365.

i. HOMEBUILDERS® services provided after normal business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) may occur through phone contact or in-person, depending on the emergent nature of the case circumstances.

ii. Ensure HOMEBUILDERS® specialists (or the supervisor serving as back up) respond in person or via phone within thirty (30) minutes, if required by emergent case circumstances

B. HOMEBUILDERS® General Requirements

1. Deliver and implement HOMEBUILDERS® in each of the Department’s Districts.

2. Develop Department-approved tools, including site monitoring tools, to ensure coordinated and effective implementation of the Statewide HOMEBUILDERS® Program:

a. Conduct two (2) Site Monitoring visits per year in each of the Department’s Districts.

i. Provide results of each Site Monitoring visit to the Department within ninety (90) days of the scheduled Site Monitoring visit.

3. Provide HOMEBUILDERS® at full capacity and full fidelity in accordance with the HOMEBUILDERS® Standards included in Appendix I (Provider Packet Report Template) under the Supporting Documentation tab.

4. Develop policies and inclusionary practices to ensure Children at Risk of disparities, and/or living with disabilities, and/or experiencing trauma are best served.

5. Ensure the HOMEBUILDERS® Program and staff implementing the program are Trauma-informed and culturally sensitive and inclusive.

6. Develop and administer Department-approved satisfaction surveys for clients and referents.

7. Documentation - maintain a case record for each Family for at least five (5) years.

8. Reporting Requirements

a. Use HOMEBUILDERS® ECM (Exponent Case Manager) Client Documentation/Data System.

b. Upon request, provide data such as plans and Assessments or Child and Family-specific data to OCFS.

9. Quality Assurance

a. Develop, within thirty (30) days of the start of the resulting contract, and implement throughout the contract cycle, a Department-approved Quality Assurance Plan outlining policy and procedure, including activities intended to ensure the quality of the services provided, as well as monitoring of fidelity.

b. Collaborate closely with the HOMEBUILDERS® Consultant and the Department’s Family First Evaluation vendor and cooperate with record reviews and on-site visits.

c. Participate in quality assurance activities as directed by OCFS and the Institute for Family Development.

d. Cooperate with a HOMEBUILDERS® Consultant, annually, to ensure program implementation data is complete.

i. The HOMEBUILDERS® Consultant will review the data and provide feedback to awarded Bidder.

ii. The Institute for Family Development will conduct a site-visit twice per year, and a full-site fidelity review (including client file reviews) will be completed annually.

10. Maintain accounting systems and financial records, including:

a. Internal control: Accountability for all grant and sub-grant cash, real and personal property, and other assets;

b. Budget control: Comparison of actual expenditures with budged amounts for each award and sub-award;

c. Allowable costs: If applicable, assist in following federal cost principles, agency program regulations, and the terms pursuant to the contract resulting from this RFP;

d. Source documentation: Backup documentation regarding payments (e.g., cancelled checks, paid bills, payrolls, etc.); and

e. Subrecipient monitoring support: Monitoring of cash drawdowns by subrecipients.

11. Serve Families for whom English is not their primary language (including American Sign Language).

a. The awarded Bidder’s staff are not required to be bilingual, but the awarded Bidder must have an established plan in order to meet the needs of all Families.

C. HOMEBUILDERS® Eligibility Requirements

1. Accept Family referrals for HOMEBUILDERS® services only from OCFS.

a. Determine if the referral can be accepted based on current program capacity.

i. Ensure rejections to HOMEBUILDERS® are only based upon eligibility criteria when there is program capacity.

ii. Notify OCFS immediately when program capacity is met.

b. Determine if the Family is willing to participate in the HOMEBUILDERS® service.

i. Notify OCFS immediately if a Family refuses to participate in services.

c. Ensure Families meet the eligibility criteria of:

i. At least one (1) Child from birth to seventeen (17) years of age is at imminent Risk of Placement based on the identification of a Risk Factor; and

ii. The referral has been approved by an OCFS supervisor.

iii. Other eligibility factors include:

1) The Child is a Candidate for Foster Care;

2) At least one (1) parent is willing to meet with the HOMEBUILDERS® specialist;

3) The Family is available to participate in an intensive eight to ten (8-10) hours per week, four- to six- (4-6) week intervention; and

4) Less intensive services would not sufficiently reduce the Risk of Placement, are unavailable, or have been exhausted.

d. Ensure HOMEBUILDERS® supervisors confirm the Family’s eligibility.

i. If the referral does not meet the eligibility criteria notify OCFS immediately.

ii. If OCFS supports the Family referral for HOMEBUILDERS® program, consult with the HOMEBUILDERS® developer and OCFS to determine the final decision.

e. Contact eligible Families and schedule a first face-to-face visit within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of the initial referral.

i. Engage the Family within two (2) hours if a crisis designation is determined and address all immediate concerns and build a sustainable relationship.

2. Implement HOMEBUILDERS® services immediately as part of the Family's Safety and/or Prevention Services Family Plan to support the Child’s ability to remain safely in the home.

3. Provide HOMEBUILDERS® Reunification to OCFS-identified cases, specifically if OCFS determines:

a. There is a specific and immediate plan for the Child's return home within seven (7) calendar days; and/or

b. The Family requires intensive In-home Services for Reunification to occur successfully.

i. Complex needs may include but are not limited to:

1) Parents in the early stages of recovery from substance use;

2) Children with challenging/difficult behaviors and parents' inability to manage such behaviors effectively;

3) Unresolved Risk Factors including mental health and domestic violence concerns;

4) Parental/Child ambivalence about Reunification; and

5) Parents' inability to effectively respond to the special needs of their Children.

D. HOMEBUILDERS® Services for Eligible Families

1. Assessment and Treatment Planning

a. Conduct behaviorally specific, interactive, and holistic assessments of the Family.

b. Develop a service plan, in collaboration with the Family and other service providers that includes behaviorally specific intervention goals that focus on remediating the Risk contributing to the needs for Placement or barriers to Reunification and promote skill development and behavior change which;

i. Must be updated when needed to reflect changes in Family circumstances and/or functioning and incorporate Safety planning; and

ii. Must be completed with the family and initial draft submitted to the supervisor within seven (7) calendar days and a final draft submitted to the referent within fourteen (14) calendar days of service start.

iii. Must be consistent with the Family plan developed through Case Conferencing and Teaming with the Department.

c. Utilize/complete the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale (NCFAS) to identify Family strengths and needs to inform the Assessment and the development of intervention goals and a written service plan.

d. Provide or assist Families with accessing supports, services, and items (e.g., food, housing, transportation, financial assistance, and childcare) to reduce the likelihood of Placement.

2. Integration with the Department’s Case Conferencing and Family Team Meeting processes

a. Participate in any Case Conferencing with the Department and/or Family Team Meeting processes.

NOTE: While some implementation details will evolve as the two (2) processes work together, the awarded Bidder must be prepared to learn about and be incorporated into the Department’s practice of implementing any Case Conferencing and/or Family Team Meetings with Families.

b. Ensure the Family has the opportunity to invite Natural Supports into the home when meeting with HOMEBUILDERS® and the OCFS caseworker.

i. Natural Supports may be involved in the development of the Service Plan and be included in the discussion specific to the outcomes the Family will need to address within the thirty (30) calendar days timeframe in order to have a team of supports in place to help build upon the strengths of the Family

3. Engagement and Motivation Enhancement

a. Utilize a strength‐based approach to partner with Families in the identification, development, and prioritization of goals by drawing upon the Family's strengths and resources.

4. Collaboration and Advocacy

a. Ensure specialists:

i. Collaborate with formal and informal community resources, services, and systems to increase the level of supports available to the Family; and

ii. Assist the Family in effectively navigating multiple systems and advocating for themselves to access services and supports within their own community.

b. Establish and maintain frequent contact and communication with OCFS through phone calls, email, and conferences, and at minimum, at least one (1) weekly update for each family.

c. Provide OCFS with updates, progress towards goals, change in status, updates in service delivery, targeted interventions, and other issues identified for each Family.

i. Provide written reports and summaries at the request of OCFS.

ii. Ensure appropriate personnel is available to appear in court for the purpose of testifying to facts regarding a client’s or awarded Bidder’s involvement in provided services.

1) Upon request from OCFS, provide a written summary, to the Department, in preparation for a juvenile court hearing.

d. Facilitate successful Statewide implementation of HOMEBUILDERS® and maintain consistent communication and shared problem solving with OCFS and the Institute for Family Development, to identify and address any issues or adaptations that will need to be considered as the model is implemented within the context of the State’s Child welfare system.

5. Cognitive and Behavioral Approach

a. Ensure specialists provide the HOMEBUILDERS® model to fidelity to promote behavior change in the Family.

6. Teaching and Skill Development

a. Ensure specialists teach Family members a variety of skills based on the assessment and service plan including but not limited to:

i. Child behavior management;

ii. Effective discipline and the use of non-physical discipline;

iii. Positive behavioral support;

iv. Communication skills;

v. Problem‐solving skills;

vi. Safety planning;

vii. Helping the Family develop/establish daily routines;

viii. Emotion Management / Regulation; and

ix. Relapse Prevention Household Management;

x. Teach all of these skills using strategies such as:

1) Direct teaching;

2) Role playing/practice;

3) Coaching and prompting;

4) Audio/visual aids:

5) Written materials; and

6) Homework.

7. Provision of Concrete Services

a. Ensure specialists provide a wide range of services to help Families meet their Basic Needs by helping the Family access concrete goods and services that are directly related to achieving the Family’s goals, while teaching them to meet these needs on their own, including but not limited to:

i. Access to transportation services;

ii. Housing and heating assistance; and

iii. Access to food and/or clothing.

b. Assist each Family in accessing funding for concrete goods and services to assist in meeting their Basic Needs.

i. Ensure Families are not provided more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) of emergency funding per calendar year to support their Basic Needs and/or expenditures related to specific HOMEBUILDERS® goals and service plan.

8. Transition and Service Closure

a. Prior to the conclusion of services:

i. Ensure the Family and specialist assess progress, develop a written plan to maintain progress achieved, and identify unmet and/or ongoing service needs of the Family;

ii. Ensure specialist, in consultation with OCFS, assists the Family in connecting to needed resources and services to support them following case closure;

iii. Conduct a Teaming meeting with an aim toward agreement and accountability by all Family members and that the Family has supports in place and understands next steps related to maintaining Child Safety in the home and participation in any other recommended services.

iv. Ensure a HOMEBUILDERS® Service Summary (which includes the NCFAS post ratings) is completed and forwarded to OCFS within one (1) business day of case closure.

E.

1. Obtain and maintain insurance as outlined in the current State of Maine IT-Service Contract (IT-SC), Rider B-IT, Section 19. Insurance Requirements. The current IT-SC may be obtained on the Office of State Procurement Services Forms & Templates webpage.

2. Implement risk assessment and vulnerability scanning policies and procedures for collecting sensitive information electronically (PII, PHI, and/or other confidential data) as part of the services provided as a result of the contract awarded under this RFP, at minimum to be equivalent to current MaineIT Policies & Standards for:

a. Risk Assessment Policy & Procedures; and

b. Vulnerability Scanning Procedure.

3. Comply with all current State and Federal laws regarding the protection of confidential and/or sensitive information that is collected or maintained by the awarded Bidder, including, as applicable, notification to individuals in the event of unauthorized access or disclosure.

4. The State will not consume (use) any awarded Bidder application, nor will the awarded Bidder consume (use) any State application.

F.

1. Provide eight (8) HOMEBUILDERS® Teams, one (1) for each of the Department’s Districts (except District 9).

0. Ensure each Team consists of four to five (4-5) specialists and one (1) supervisor.

0. Each specialist must serve a minimum of twelve to fifteen (12-15) Families during their first year of employment and seventeen to eighteen (17-18) Families annually thereafter.

0. Three (3) team leads must oversee implementation for specific Districts of the State.

1. Provide three (3) HOMEBUILDERS® Team Managers to oversee the eight (8) teams Statewide, with each Manager overseeing no more than three (3) teams.

1. Ensure each Team consists of:

Required and/or FTE Required

1. Ensure staff listed in the staffing plan meet the HOMEBUILDERS® staffing requirements, specifically:

i. Specialists must:

1) Have a master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a closely related field; or a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a closely related field.

2) Have at least two (2) years of experience working with Children and Families.

3) Live within proximity (within sixty (60) minutes travel) of the Families being served.

4) Not have a second job unless it can be demonstrated that the position will not impact the individual's twenty-four (24) hour per day availability and is pre-approved by the Department.

ii. Supervisors must:

1) Have a master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a closely related field; and

2) Have at least two (2) years of experience working with Children and Families; or

3) Have a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a closely related field; and

4) Have at least four (4) years of related experience as a HOMEBUILDERS® Specialist; and

5) Have at least one (1) year of supervisory experience.

6) Receive referrals 24/7 and be available 24/7 to Families and specialists for consultation and support, as well as to provide back-up case coverage.

iii. Program Managers must:

1) Have at least two (2) years’ supervisory/management experience.

2) Have at least four (4) years providing direct services to Families, preferably intensive In-home Services.

3) Be available to the supervisor 24/7 for consultation and support, as well as to arrange coverage when the supervisor is unavailable.

4) Provide back-up case coverage for supervisor whenever needed.

1. Fully vet any staff hired to provide direct services to Families under the HOMEBUILDERS® model to include:

i. Background Checks: Adhere to the Department’s requirements outlined in the current DHHS Subrecipient Service Cost Settled Service Contract, Rider D, Section 13. Background Checks. The current Cost Settle Service Contract may be obtained on the Department’s Contract Documents webpage.

1) Receive written permission from the Department before making any changes to background check methods.

1. In collaboration with the HOMEBUILDERS® Consultant, utilize the HOMEBUILDERS® guided interview tools, including role-play opportunities, for hiring (or considering reassignment of) staff.

G. Staff Training and Development Expectations

0. Ensure all staff providing direct services to Families complete the initial HOMEBUILDERS® core skills training workshop, initial training workshop, initial HOMEBUILDERS® ECM webinar, and initial client documentation and paperwork webinar before a specialist or supervisor can be assigned their first case.

0. Participate in all training sessions/workshops and/or HOMEBUILDERS® consultation and fidelity activities as directed by OCFS and the Institute for Family Development.

0. Establish, with the HOMEBUILDERS® consultant, an individual, professional development plan for all staff providing direct services to Families.

0. Ensure all staff providing direct services to Families receive periodic and regular training regarding relevant Child welfare topics including but not limited to:

a. Substance use;

b. Adolescent development;

c. Psychotropic medication and medication management;

d. Working with Families;

e. Concurrent Child welfare permanency planning;

f. Domestic violence;

g. Teen relationship Abuse;

h. HIV/AIDS;

i. Behavior modification and management;

j. Child development disorders;

k. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ), gender identity and expression;

l. Sexually acting out;

m. Crisis intervention; and

n. Trauma theory.

o. Provide training regarding the recognition and Assessment of Child Safety and Risk Factors.

0. Provide worker Safety training to the HOMEBUILDERS® Teams.

H. Performance Measures

1. Perform all services proposed in response to this RFP by achieving all Performance Measures listed in Table 1.

0. Submit data to support the performance measures utilizing the Appendix I (Provider Packet Report Template), utilizing the Performance Measure Report tab or via a third-party data source, as indicated within the performance measure data source column of Table 1.

0. Provide additional supportive documentation as indicated in Table 1, for Department validation of the summary data submitted on the Performance Measures Report as requested by the Department.

Table 1 Mandatory Performance Measures

Office Goal/Initiative: Improve Safety of youth, Families, and communities.

I. Reports

1. Track and record all data/information necessary to complete the required reports listed in Table 2:

Table 2 – Required Reports

i. Coversheet and Instructions;

ii. Performance Measure Report;

iii. Quarterly Narrative Report;

iv. Staff and Training Report;

v. Federal Required Report; and

vi. Supportive Documentation.

2. Submit all the required reports to the Department in accordance with the timelines established in Table 3:

Table 3 – Required Reports Timelines

DHHS RFP Proposed Services Response Form (Rev. 10/2025)