PCE RFR Amendment Letter 2.28.2022.doc

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Executive Office of Health and Human Services

Department of Children and Families

600 Washington Street, 6th Floor

Boston, MA 02111

Tel.: 617-748-2000 Fax: 617-261-7435 www.mass.gov/dcf

To: All Approved Bidders for the Parenting Capacity Evaluation RFR (DCF PCE22) From: Katherine Canada, Assistant Commissioner, Services Network Re: Amendment to Required Number of Days for Completion of Parenting Capacity Evaluation Date: February 28, 2022 The language in the Parenting Capacity Evaluation Request for Response (RFR) issued by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) details the number of calendar days by which the parenting capacity evaluation report must be submitted by the provider to DCF.

However, after meeting with DCF leadership, the Parenting Capacity Evaluation Procurement Management Team, and reviewing provider concerns regarding this qualification, changes are needed.

The required number of days is described as follows in Section 2.7.1 “Initiating and Completing Services” of the RFR:

· The provider must communicate acceptance or non-acceptance of the referral within three (3) business days of receipt of the referral.

· The provider must make contact with the family within seven (7) calendar days of acceptance of the referral.

· If the evaluator is unable to meet the timelines in A or B above for any reason, the evaluator must:

· Communicate this to the DCF referral source.

· Document each contact attempt, including the method of contact used.

· Contact the DCF referral source requesting alternate family contact information and document this request.

DCF will determine whether the referral should be sent to a different provider.

· The evaluation report must be submitted no later than 35 calendar days from receipt of referral. If, due to the number of youth in the family, or the complexity of the family’s circumstances, the evaluation cannot be completed within that number of days, the provider shall request an extension from the DCF referral source.

· If an evaluation is needed immediately, the provider must work with DCF to expedite service delivery whenever possible, at no additional cost to DCF.

This memorandum seeks to amend the maximum number of calendar days by which the provider must submit the parenting capacity evaluation report. Currently the language in Section 2.7.1 of the RFR (fourth bullet) states that the maximum number of days is 35 calendar days. The maximum number of calendar days, effective February 28, 2022, shall now be 45 calendar days.

This memorandum also seeks to amend the description of the allowable extensions described in the fourth bullet. The description is expanded to specify that the DCF referral source has the discretion to determine the duration of extensions requested because of the number of youth in the family or complexity of family circumstances. The description is further expanded to note that, if an extension is requested for any other reason, the extension’s duration is at the discretion of the DCF referral source or 15 calendar days, whichever is lesser.

Should you have any comments or questions, please feel free to send them to Ditte Sayers at ditte.sayers@mass.gov.