RFP 240000001128.docx

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Grants and Purchasing

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

The Contractor (awarded bidder) must deliver human services to referred clients in the above geographic area and have direct service providers based within 75 miles of the geographic area for the duration of the contract.

Disqualifying Criteria:

The bidder will be disqualified, and the proposal will not be reviewed if there is failure to:

Submit a complete proposal, as indicated in the RFP Structure and Documentation, to the SIGMA VSS website on or before the identified solicitation closing date and time.

Stay at or below the maximum award amount, if provided.

Proposals from bidders who are current state of Michigan employees are also disqualified and will not be reviewed.

Additional Information:

The unit definition is modified from previous Requests for Proposals. See updated Unit Definition in section 2.3.Services to be Provided, b. Volume of Service.

For the purpose of this RFP, the number of units proposed shall be based on $358,500.00 ($119,500.00 per year). In addition to the amounts listed above, $22,500.00 is allocated for Transportation ($7,500.00 per year) and $9,000.00 is allocated for Specific Assistance ($3,000.00 per year) and should be billed as actual cost components and shall not be included in the unit rate.

Unit rate calculations must take into consideration all direct and indirect costs relating to performing the service, including mandated insurance costs.

Authority:

Completion:

Penalty:

P.A. 280 of 1939.

Mandatory.

Agreement Invalid The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of race, national origin, color, sex, disability, religion, age, height, weight, familial status, partisan considerations, or genetic information. Sex-based discrimination includes, but is not limited to, discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, and pregnancy. If you need help with reading, writing, hearing, etc., under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are invited to make your needs known to a MDHHS office in your area.

RFP Number: 240000001128

RFP Format (Rev 3-23) Page 1 of 44

RFP Format (Rev 3-23) Page 18 of 44

From this point on, do not use the Tab key to advance through the format. Unprotect the format and if there will not be a maximum award, delete the maximum award row. Then press the Ctrl and F keys simultaneously to move to the next typing location (stop code). Protect the format again after the last stop code at the end of Category D in Section III.

Section I

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Proposal Preparation

The State recommends reading all RFP materials prior to preparing a proposal, particularly these Proposal Instructions and the Vendor Questions Worksheet. Bidders must follow these proposal instructions and provide a complete response to the items indicated in the table below. References and links to websites or external sources may not be used in lieu of providing the information requested in the RFP within the proposal. Include the bidder’s company name in the header of all documents submitted with your proposal. Note that all documents and information submitted as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received by the State may be posted on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

Refer to the instructions on how to respond to a solicitation included with this RFP in SIGMA VSS.

Bidders must complete Section III electronically and attach additional pages if necessary. If additional pages are added, the related category should be indicated at the top of the page with an attachment number. The pages should be numbered in sequence under each attachment. (For example, Category: Bidder Experience & Past Performance, Attachment A, page 1 of 4, page 2 of 4, etc.)

Bidders are expected to use the form and format provided in Section III to complete the proposal. Under each category in Section III, there is a box titled “Bidder Response” for bidders to respond to each question. Font size should be no smaller than 12 point. Each box will automatically expand according to the amount of text entered. The shaded boxes that are titled “Evaluator Comments” should not be completed by the bidder.

RFP Structure and Documentation

2. Reserved

3. Modifications

MDHHS may modify this RFP at any time. Modifications will be posted on the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website via a “proposal amendment.” This is the only method by which the RFP may be modified. Amendments posted before the deadline submission date may include documentations such as questions and answers, revisions, and/or clarifications to the initial RFP. Amendments posted after the deadline submission date may include documentation such as the award recommendation letter.

4. Questions

Bidder questions about this RFP must be emailed to Jeannetta Johnsonenter program manager/contract administrator name at johnsonj68@michigan.goventer program manager/contract administrator email address on or before February 23, 2024. In the interest of transparency, only written questions are accepted. Questions may be discussed verbally at the pre-proposal meeting if one is scheduled. MDHHS will compile all relevant questions and answers and post these as well as any other clarifications or revisions to the initial RFP on the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website. Interested bidders are advised to monitor the website regularly.

5. Delivery of Proposal

The bidder must submit its proposal, all attachments, and any modifications or withdrawals electronically through the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website. The price proposal should be saved separately from all other proposal documents. The bidder should submit all documents in a modifiable (native) format (examples include but are not limited to Microsoft Word or Excel and Google Docs or Sheets). In addition to submitting documents in a modifiable format, the bidder may also submit copies of documents in PDF. Attachment file size is limited to 6 MB per document. Bidder’s failure to submit a proposal as required may result in disqualification. The proposal and attachments must be fully uploaded and submitted prior to the due date identified on the SIGMA VSS website. Do not wait until the last minute to submit a proposal, as the SIGMA VSS system requires the creation of an account and entry of certain information, in addition to uploading and submitting the materials. The SIGMA VSS system will not allow a proposal to be submitted after the proposal deadline identified in the solicitation Closing On/Closing Date fields (Summary view/Detail view), even if a portion of the proposal has been uploaded.

Questions on how to submit information or how to navigate in the SIGMA VSS system can be answered by contacting the State of Michigan (SOM) VSS Support Center at SIGMA-Vendor@michigan.gov or 1-888-734-9749. The SOM VSS Support Center office hours are 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM EST, Monday-Friday. MDHHS will not provide assistance related to the submittal of the proposal and all attachments on the day of the proposal deadline. Responsibility for a complete submission lies with the bidder. Note that all documents and information submitted as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received by the State may be posted on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

6. Evaluation Process

In awarding the contract, proposals will be evaluated by a committee chaired by the MDHHS Bureau of Grants and Purchasing (BGP). Only those proposals receiving a score of 80 points or more will be considered for award. All qualified proposals will be evaluated based on rating criteria identified in the RFP.

MDHHS may utilize all bidder information, without regard to a proposal’s technical score, to determine fair market value for goods or services sought. MDHHS is not obligated to accept the lowest price proposal. If applicable, MDHHS’ evaluation will include consideration of a bidder’s qualified disabled veteran/service-disabled veteran owned business (QDV/SDVOB) status under MCL 18.1261(8). Additional information on the SDVOB preference is available at Michigan.gov/SDVOB.

MDHHS strongly encourages strict adherence to the standard contract terms. MDHHS reserves the right to deem a proposal non-responsive for failure to accept the standard contract terms. Nevertheless, the bidder may submit proposed changes to the standard contract terms in track changes (i.e., visible edits) with an explanation of the bidder’s need for each proposed change. Failure to include track changes with an explanation of the bidder’s need for the proposed change constitutes the bidder’s acceptance of the standard contract terms. General statements, such as that the bidder reserves the right to negotiate the standard contract terms, may be considered non-responsive. Failure to respond timely to requests for proposed changes to the standard contract terms during ongoing negotiations may be cause for disqualification.

MDHHS reserves the right to establish the criteria by which it will evaluate each bidder’s response, and by which it will determine the most responsive, capable, and qualified bidder(s). In addition to cost, other principal factors may be considered in evaluating proposals relative to:

. Reliability . Bidder’s past performance . Bidder’s ability to respond to all requirements outlined in the RFP . Bidder’s ability to maintain a presence in providing services . Financial stability . Continuity and stability in provision of service . Knowledge transfer activities

If MDHHS determines in its sole discretion that contracting with or awarding a contract to a bidder presents an unacceptable financial risk to MDHHS, MDHHS reserves the right to not award a contract to that bidder.

MDHHS may but is not required to conduct an on-site visit to tour and inspect the bidder's facilities; require an oral presentation of the bidder's proposal; conduct interviews, research, reference checks, and background checks; and request additional price concessions at any point during the evaluation process.

7. Notice of Deficiency

MDHHS reserves the right to issue a Notice of Deficiency to bidders if MDHHS determines after the proposal deadline that a portion of the RFP was deficient, unclear, or ambiguous. Failure to respond to a Notice of Deficiency timely may be cause for disqualification.

8. Clarification Request

MDHHS reserves the right to issue a Clarification Request to a bidder to clarify its proposal if MDHHS determines the proposal is not clear. Failure to respond to a Clarification Request timely may be cause for disqualification.

9. Reservations

MDHHS reserves the right to:

a. Disqualify a bidder for failure to follow these instructions.

b. Discontinue the RFP process at any time for any or no reason. The issuance of an RFP, preparation and submission of a proposal, and MDHHS’s subsequent receipt and evaluation of a proposal does not commit MDHHS to award a contract, even if all the requirements in the RFP are met.

c. Consider late proposals if: (i) no other proposals are received; (ii) no complete proposals are received; (iii) MDHHS received complete proposals, but the proposals did not pass the evaluation process; or (iv) the award process fails to result in an award.

d. Consider an otherwise disqualified proposal if no other proposals are received.

e. Disqualify a proposal based on: (1) information provided by the bidder in response to this RFP; (2) the bidder’s failure to complete registration on SIGMA VSS; or (3) if it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false or misleading information in response to this RFP.

f. Consider prior performance with the State in making its award decision.

g. Consider overall economic impact to the State when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation. This includes but is not limited to considering principal place of performance, number of Michigan citizens employed or potentially employed, dollars paid to Michigan residents, Michigan capital investments, job creation, tax revenue implications, and economically disadvantaged businesses.

h. Consider total-cost-of-ownership factors (e.g., transition and training costs) when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation.

i. Refuse to award a contract to any bidder that has failed to pay State taxes or has outstanding debt with the State.

j. Enter into negotiations with one or more bidders on price, terms, technical requirements, or other deliverables.

k. Award multiple, optional-use contracts, or award by contract activity.

l. Evaluate the proposal outside the scope identified in the Evaluation Process section of this document if MDHHS receives only one proposal.

10. Award Recommendation

The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who offers the best value to the State, as determined by the State. Best value will be determined by the bidder meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of price and quality, as demonstrated by its proposal and other principal factors. MDHHS will publish an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis on the SIGMA VSS website or in the manner that the solicitation was originally published.

11. Debrief Meetings and Protest

MDHHS will publish an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis which will provide instructions on how to request a debrief meeting.

Bidders who wish to initiate a protest of the award must submit the protest in writing no later than 3:00 p.m. on the fifth business day after the Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis is published. MDHHS reserves the right to adjust this timing and will publish any change.

Submit protests via email to MDHHS-BGP@michigan.gov. Include “Protest” in the email subject line. All protests must include the bid number.

Additional information about the protest process is available at DTMB - Programs and Policies (michigan.gov) under the “Bidder Protests” link.

12. State Administrative Board

Contracts equal to or greater than $250,000 require approval by the State Administrative Board. The State Administrative Board’s decision is final; however, its approval does not constitute a contract. The award process is not complete until the awarded Contractor receives a contract fully executed by all parties.

13. General Conditions

The State will not be liable for any costs, expenses, or damages incurred by a bidder participating in this solicitation. The bidder agrees that its proposal will be considered an offer to do business with the State in accordance with its proposal, including the Standard Contract Terms, and that its proposal will be irrevocable and binding for a period of 90 calendar days from date of submission. If a contract is awarded to the bidder, the State may, at its option, incorporate any part of the bidder’s proposal into a contract. This RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract. This RFP may not provide a complete statement of the State’s environment or contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached. The bidder understands that their proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Other than verified trade secrets, proposals submitted via SIGMA VSS are the State’s property.

14. Confidential Treatment Form and the Freedom of Information Act

As a public record, all portions of the bidder’s proposal and resulting contract are subject to disclosure as required under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231, et seq. However, the State may exempt some information from disclosure as permitted by law. Under MCL 18.1261(13)(b), records containing “a trade secret as defined under section 2 of the uniform trade secrets act, 1998 PA 448, MCL 445.1902,” are exempt from disclosure under FOIA. In addition, “financial or proprietary information” submitted with a bidder’s proposal is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. A bidder’s failure to comply with this Section is grounds for rejecting a bidder’s proposal as non-responsive. As a part of its proposal, each bidder must follow the procedure below.

a. SUBMIT A COMPLETED “CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM” (CT FORM) WITH YOUR BID. Completion and submission of the CT Form is required regardless of whether the bidder seeks confidential treatment of information. Failure to submit a completed CT Form may be cause for disqualification from the solicitation process. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow CT Form instructions, the proposal may be publicly disclosed in its entirety without redaction after an award recommendation.

i. Complete and sign Section 1 of the CT Form if the bidder does NOT request confidential treatment of information contained in its proposal; or

ii. Complete and sign Section 2 of the CT Form if the bidder requests confidential treatment of certain information. Bidder must also submit a “Public Copy” of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly labeled as the “Public Copy.”

iii. Failure to complete and sign a CT Form may result in disqualification of the bidder. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow the CT Form instructions, the proposal, in its entirety, will be treated as a “Public Copy” and may be publicly disclosed by the State without redaction after bidders have been notified of an award recommendation.

b. FOIA REQUESTS. If a FOIA request is made for a bidder’s proposal, the Public Copy may be distributed to the public along with the bidder’s CT Form. The CT Form is a public document and serves as an explanation for the redactions to the Public Copy. Do not put any trade secret, financial, or proprietary information in the CT Form. Do not redact the CT Form itself.

c. NO ADVICE. The State will not advise a bidder as to the nature or content of documents entitled to protection from disclosure under FOIA or other laws, as to the interpretation of such laws, or as to the definition of trade secret or financial or proprietary information. Nothing contained in this provision will modify or amend requirements and obligations imposed on the State by FOIA or other applicable law.

d. FAILURE TO REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT. Failure to request material be treated as confidential as specified herein relieves the State, its agencies, and personnel from any responsibility for maintaining material in confidence.

e. Bids containing a request to maintain an entire proposal as confidential may be rejected as non-responsive. Bidders may not request confidential treatment with respect to resumes, pricing, and marketing materials. The State reserves the right to determine whether material designated as exempt by a bidder falls under MCL 18.1261 or other applicable FOIA exemptions. If a FOIA request is made for materials that the bidder has identified as trade secret, financial, or proprietary information, the State has the final authority to determine whether the materials are exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

f. Bidder forever releases the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees from all claims, rights, actions, demands, damages, liabilities, expenses and fees, which arise out of or relate to the disclosure of all or a portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP. Bidder must defend, indemnify and hold the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees harmless, without limitation, from and against all actions, claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, attorney fees, and expenses (including those required to establish the right to indemnification), arising out of or relating to any FOIA request, including potential litigation and appeals, related to the portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP that bidder has identified as a trade secret, or financial or proprietary information. The State will notify bidder in writing if indemnification is sought. The State is entitled to: (i) regular updates on proceeding status; (ii) participate in the defense of the proceeding; (iii) employ its own counsel; and to (iv) retain control of the defense, or any portion thereof, if the State deems necessary. Bidder will not, without the State’s written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise, or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, action, or proceeding. If a State employee, official, or law is involved or challenged, the State may control the defense of that portion of the claim. Any litigation activity on behalf of the State, or any of its subdivisions under this Section, must be coordinated with the Department of Attorney General. An attorney designated to represent the State may not do so until approved by the Michigan Attorney General and appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General.

15. Rights to Information Contained in Proposals

All proposals will be considered the property of MDHHS.

16. Independent Price Determination

a. By submission of a proposal, the bidder certifies:

1) The prices of the proposal have been arrived at independently without consultation, communication, or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other bidder or with any competitor;

2) Unless otherwise required by law, the price quotation in the proposal has not and will not be knowingly disclosed by the bidder to any potential bidder;

3) No attempt has been made or will be made by the bidder to induce any other person or agency to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition;

4) The price quoted is not higher than that given to the general public for the same service.

b. The person who submits the proposal certifies that:

1) She or he is the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to prices being offered in the proposal, and that she or he has not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above; or

2) He or she is not the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to the prices being offered in the proposal, but that he or she has been authorized in writing to act as agent for the persons responsible for such decision in certifying that such persons have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above, and as their agent does hereby so certify; and that he or she has not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to a. 1 through 4 above.

c. A proposal will not be considered for award if the bidder is found to be noncompliant with any part of Item 16., Independent Price Determination, unless the bidder furnishes a signed statement with the proposal, which sets forth in detail the circumstance of the disclosure and the BGP determines that such disclosure was not made for the purpose of restricting competition.

17. Subcontracting

Subcontractors must be subject to all conditions and provisions of the contract including Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) and Central Registry background checks when applicable.

If subcontracting, the Contractor must obligate the subcontractors to maintain the confidentiality of MDHHS’ client information in conformance with state and federal requirements.

If portions of the services are being subcontracted, the bidder must identify the services the subcontractor will perform and provide all information requested, as it applies to both the bidder and the subcontractor(s).

MDHHS may, at its discretion, require information on the process of an awarded subcontractor proposal.

A Contractor is responsible for the performance of any subcontractors who are held to the same standard of quality and performance as the Contractor. Evaluators of proposals will consider the qualifications of both the Contractor and subcontractor when making contract award recommendations.

18. Price

Prices quoted are firm for the initial term of the contract.

19. Standard Contract Terms

Awards made as a result of this RFP will require execution of a contract with MDHHS. The contract will contain standard contract terms. A copy of the standard contract terms was posted on SIGMA VSS as a separate attachment with this RFP.

20. Federal Provisions Addendum Use this section if no federal funding will be used at the time of the solicitation, but you think federal funding might be used at a later time, after the contract is executed, or if you know at the time of the solicitation that federal funding will be used for this solicitation.

If no federal funding will be used, delete all language in the section, including the section title, and replace with Reserved.

Awards made as a result of this RFP will require execution of a contract with MDHHS. The contract will contain a federal provisions addendum. A copy of the federal provisions addendum was posted on SIGMA VSS as a separate attachment with this RFP.

21. Options to Renew

At the discretion of MDHHS, an awarded contract may be renewed in writing by an amendment not less than 30 days before its expiration. The contract may be renewed for up to two additional one-year periods.

22. Criminal and Children’s Protective Services Background Checks For approved CSA contracts use the alternative Criminal and CPS Background Check language below and delete section Criminal Background Check above.

As a condition of this Contract, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor shall, prior to any individual performing work under this Contract, conduct or cause to be conducted for each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee or volunteer who works directly with Clients and/or children under this Contract, or who has access to client information:

a. An Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) check and a National and State Sex Offender Registry check.

Information about ICHAT can be found at www.michigan.gov/ichat.

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry web address is http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us.

The National Sex Offender Public Website address is http://www.nsopw.gov.

b. A Central Registry (CR) check.

Information about CR can be found at http://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-73971_7119_50648_48330-180331--,00.html

c. A Children’s Protective Services confirmed case background check.

A clearance shall be completed prior to the hiring of an individual to provide services within this contract. Prior to hire, the Contractor shall submit a request to clear any new employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee utilizing the CWL-4624 form. This form must be submitted to MDHHS-LASO-DCWL@michigan.gov. The results of the clearance will be returned to the Contractor.

The Contractor must have a written policy that requires employees to notify the Contractor when the employee has a Children’s Protective Services’ investigation in which the employee was found to have a confirmed case of child abuse or neglect, regardless of whether the employee’s name was placed on the Central Registry. The Contractor shall notify MDHHS, in writing, of the confirmed case within one business day.

The Contractor shall ensure the policies are implemented for the agency pertaining to adherence to the Central Registry changes. The policies at minimum shall include the following provisions:

1. All applicants are required to disclose CPS case history where the applicant was found responsible for the abuse or neglect of a child regardless of whether the case resulted in placement on CR. The applicant must provide a written narrative describing case/s as well as explanation of changes the individual has made to mitigate their previous actions.

2. All employees are required to disclose CPS cases where the employee was found responsible for the abuse or neglect of a child regardless of whether the case resulted in placement on CR immediately but no later than the beginning of the next business day after receiving notice. It is the employee’s responsibility to immediately communicate this information to their immediate supervisor and the applicable Human Resources (HR) department. The employee must provide a written narrative describing the case details as well as an explanation of changes the individual has made to mitigate their previous actions.

A staff member or unsupervised volunteer who has been confirmed by the department as a perpetrator of abuse or neglect that does not result in a central registry placement, shall not have contact with children until the appropriate entity has reviewed the CPS history, in addition to the current confirmation, and determines the staff member or unsupervised volunteer does not pose a substantial risk to children.

d. The Contractor shall require each employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee or volunteer who works directly with clients or who has access to client information, under this Contract to timely notify the Contractor in writing of criminal convictions (felony or misdemeanor) and/or pending felony charges or placement on the Central Registry as a perpetrator.

Additionally, the Contractor shall require each new employee, employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee or volunteer who works directly with clients under this Contract or who has access to client information and who has not resided or lived in Michigan for each of the previous ten (10) years to sign a waiver attesting to the fact that they have never been convicted of a felony or identified as a perpetrator, or if they have, the nature and recency of the felony.

e. The Contractor further certifies that the Contractor shall not submit claims for or assign to duties under this Contract, any employee, subcontractor, subcontractor employee, or volunteer based on a determination by the Contractor that the results of a positive ICHAT and/or a CR response or reported criminal felony conviction or perpetrator identification make the individual ineligible to provide the services.

f. If MDHHS determines that an individual provided services under this Contract for any period prior to completion of the required checks as described above, MDHHS may require repayment of that individual's salary, fringe benefits, and all related costs of employment for the period that the required checks had not been completed.

g. Upon request, Contractor must perform criminal and CPS background checks on all employees and subcontractors and its employees prior to their assignment. The scope is at the discretion of the State and documentation must be provided as requested. Contractor is responsible for all costs associated with the requested background checks. The State, in its sole discretion, may also perform background checks.

23. State of Michigan Employees

State of Michigan employees may not act as bidders. Proposals from bidders who are current state of Michigan employees will be disqualified and will not be reviewed.

Policy in Civil Service Rule 2-8, Ethical Standards and Conduct, states an employee cannot represent or act as an agent for any private interests, whether for compensation or otherwise, in any transaction in which the state has a direct and substantial interest and which could reasonably be expected to result in a conflict between the employee’s private interests and official state responsibilities.

Section II

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS

Introduction

Families with substantiated claims of neglect or abuse, face challenges or experience crises that may be addressed with supportive services. With services in place, concerns related to neglect or abuse can often be resolved and children can remain safely in their homes or returned to their homes safely. Families Together Building Solutions (FTBS) is designed to assist these families through strengths-based, solution-focused intervention techniques and support services that are tailored to each individual family’s needs and goals. Families Together Building Solutions seeks to reduce future maltreatment and prevent unnecessary placement in foster care.

Michigan’s Children’s Service Administration believes that children should live with their families whenever possible, and FTBS will support the department’s goal to reduce the number of children who experience out-of-home care and the associated trauma of being removed from their family. FTBS seeks to support the safety and wellbeing of these families such that risk to the child(ren) is reduced.

Successful Families Together Building Solutions service providers will:

a. Incorporate family voice into service plans and adjust services to meet the unique needs & goals of individual families.

b. Quickly & effectively motivate families to engage & sustain in services until the family’s goals have been achieved.

c. Closely collaborate with referral sources to connect families to services, design appropriate service plans, and support successful outcomes.

d. Closely collaborate with MDHHS to ensure delivery of high-quality services, measure outcomes, and track progress over time.

e. Coordinate with local community partners to support families in meeting the full spectrum of their needs during services and following FTBS case closure.

f. Use data to drive continuous improvement of service quality and outcomes for families.

1. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

1.1. Client Eligibility Criteria

a. Definition of Eligibility normally by funding source or program standards

1) MDHHS Child Protective Services can refer Parents or Primary Caregiver(s) who are responsible for the care and supervision of minor child(ren) and fit into one of the following categories:

A. Have had an open case with CPS within the last 18 months, including:

i. Open Category 3 cases.

ii. Closed Category 3 and 4 cases.

iii. Category 1 and Category 2 step-downs from more intensive services.

B. Foster Care reunification if the Family Reunification Program is not able to accept the referral.

C. MDHHS supervised delinquency cases.

2) For Child and Family Safety Stability and Permanency (CFSSP) Funding:

A. Families with an active Children’s Protective Services (CPS) investigation or open case.

B. Families with an open Prevention services case.

C. Families with minor children investigated by MDHHS CPS within the previous 18 months.

D. Families that do not have a preponderance of evidence of child abuse or neglect after a CPS investigation, but there is a risk of future harm to the child.

E. Families with one or more children in a MDHHS supervised out-of-home placement (inclusive of MDHHS supervised Foster Care, Juvenile Justice and relative placement).

F. MDHHS adoptive families for whom a need for post adoptive services has been identified by MDHHS to prevent disruption or dissolution.

3) For Strong Families Safe Children (SFSC) Funding:

A. Time – Limited Family Reunification Services must be provided to Parent(s) or primary caregiver(s) who are responsible for the care and supervision of minor child(ren) and who have a MDHHS supervised open case in out-of-home placement, with family reunification as the goal. Intent of funds is to mitigate barriers to reunification. In the case of a child who has been returned home, the services and activities must only be provided during the 15-month period that begins on the date that the child returns home.

B. Adoption Promotion and Support Services must be provided to:

C. Family Preservation– Placement Prevention Services must be provided to parents or primary caregivers who are responsible for the care and supervision of minor children and have an open MDHHS Children’s Protective Services investigation, a preponderance of evidence for abuse or neglect, foster care case, or delinquency case.

D. Family Support Services must be provided to parents or primary caregiver(s) responsible for the care and supervision of minor child(ren) and have one or more of the of the following:

b. Determination of Eligibility

Families Together Building Solutions eligibility is determined by MDHHS.

1.2. Referral Process

Use the referral process below or enter an appropriate referral process.

MDHHS

MDHHS shall provide, via telephone or in-person, the information in form (MDHHS 0524) “Families Together Building Solutions Referral”, including:

a. Date of referral.

b. Name of each client to be provided service.

c. Referring worker’s name, email, and emergency on call phone number.

d. MiSACWIS Case Name & Number.

e. Address and contact information of the referred client(s).

f. Reason for referral.

g. Reason for most recent placement.

h. Strengths, needs, and relevant history.

i. Whether a trauma screening has been completed, and if so, the most recent screening should be sent along with the referral.

j. Whether an infant plan of safe care has been completed, and if so, the plan should be sent along with the referral.

MDHHS does not guarantee a minimum number of referrals at any time during the Contract. Referrals from Private Agency Foster Care (PAFC) must be approved by

MDHHS.

CONTRACTOR

a. Receiving & Accepting Referrals:

1) The Contractor will accept referrals via telephone or in-person within the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM, seven days per week.

2) The Contractor must accept or reject referrals from MDHHS within one working day.

3) The Contractor must notify referring staff of vacancies (open slots) daily, Monday through Friday.

4) The Contractor must accept referrals on a first-come first-served, space-available basis.

5) The Contractor must submit the completed referral form (MDHHS 0524) to the referring working within 96 hours of the date of the referral for approval and signature.

b. Once a Referral is Accepted:

1) The Contractor must meet with the client face-to-face within 72 hours of accepting a referral.

2) The Contractor must attempt to make contact with the client in the following ways, at a minimum, in the 72 hours following the referral, until contact is successful:

i. Phone calls each day.

ii. Visit to family home.

iii. Call & email to Referring Worker by the end of day two.

iv. Call & email to Referring Worker Supervisor if Referring Worker not responsive.

3) If the FTBS worker is not able to meet with the family within 72 hours of referral, the family declines FTBS services, or safety issues are present such that FTBS staff are unable to safety plan with the family, contact is to be made informing the MDHHS referring staff and requesting withdrawal of the case from FTBS services within seven calendar days of referral, or direction on what further measures to take to make contact with the family must be provided.

2. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

2.1. Geographic Area

The Contractor must provide services described herein in the following geographic area: Monroe and Lenawee Counties.

2.2. Credentials

The Contractor must assure that appropriately credentialed or trained staff under its control, including Contractor employees and/or subcontractors, shall perform functions under this Contract. The Contractor shall provide staff sufficient to adequately fulfill the terms of the contract and demonstrate a good faith effort to recruit and employ staff reflecting the racial, ethnic, and cultural composition of the contractor’s client population.

a. Standard FTBS Teams:

A standard full team is defined as: one part-time Program Manager (0.2-.25 FTE), one full-time Supervisor (1 FTE), and four full-time FTBS Workers (4 FTE). The Contractor must maintain a supervisory/direct service worker ratio of one supervisor to four FTBS Direct Workers, pro-rated for partial or multiple teams. Each full-time supervisor with a team of four must carry a minimum caseload of two families per year. Part-time staff is only allowed in circumstances where the staff is 0.5 FTE designated as a Supervisor and 0.5 FTE designated as a FTBS Worker. A part time supervisor/worker must carry a percentage of a Direct Worker caseload and percentage of a supervisor load. Each full-time FTBS Direct Worker may be assigned a caseload of up to six (6) families at a time and must carry an average of eighteen (18) cases per year.

b. Contingent Staff Requirements:

Staff that work in other family preservation programs can fill in as contingent FTBS Direct Workers under the following conditions:

1) Contingent staff must have completed Core training and have 1-year experience in family preservation programs.

2) Contingent staff person must attend weekly team meetings when they are carrying a case. Additionally, they must attend at least 1 team meeting per month when they are not carrying a case.

3) Any case being served by a contingent staff person must have a documented 24/7 coverage plan.

4) The supervisor must meet with any family that is being served by a contingent staff person within the first 14 days.

c. Qualifications for each position are as follows:

1) Program Manager: requires a master’s degree in the field of human service, preferably in social work. Administrative and clinical work experience is required.

2) Supervisor: requires a bachelor’s degree in the field of human services, preferably in social work.

3) FTBS Direct Worker: requires a bachelor’s degree in the field of human services, preferably in social work.

4) Exceptions: Degrees other than those within the human services field, for any position who may work directly with families, must be approved by Family Preservation Program Office.

d. Training Requirements:

All FTBS staff are required to participate in initial and ongoing training provided by DHHS staff or trainers coordinated by DHHS. At a minimum, all FTBS staff must attend the Family Preservation Core Training within 30 days of hire. An exception to the 30-day requirement is limited to times when trainings are cancelled or full. New FTBS staff shall not take cases until Family Preservation Core Training (4 days) is completed. In addition, the following special topics trainings must be completed within one year of hire:

1) The Family Preservation Service (FPS) Domestic Violence Training

2) Working with Substance Affected Families training

3) Family Preservation Solution-Focused training

4) Self-Awareness Training

5) Mental Health Training

6) Trauma Checklist Training: this training must be completed within the first year of this contract term for existing staff. The Contractor will be responsible for accessing this training through the MDHHS Learning Management System (LMS).

Staff transferring from Families First or Family Reunification Program or staff who have left family preservation services and returned, only need to participate in the program specific portion of Core Training if they completed the entire Core Training within two years of their employment in FTBS.

2.3. Services to be Provided

Service #1 of 1: Families Together Building Solutions

a. Activities the Contractor must perform:

Service descriptions must be clear and specific so the contract is enforceable and can be appropriately monitored and audited.

The service description should clearly define:

a. The service title.

b. Service to be provided.

c. When service will begin.

d. Duration of service.

e. The referral process (if applicable).

f. How the provision of service is to be documented.

g. How the termination of service to a client is determined and documented.

h. How and when the contractor will communicate with MDHHS.

i. The expected time frames for performing tasks.

The Contractor must:

1) Provide intensive in-home services for 90-days in duration with a possible extension up to 90-days approved by a referring MDHHS or Private Agency Foster Care (PAFC) staff person based on consultation regarding goal progress with the family, workers, supervisor, and referral source. Services shall not exceed the maximum total of 180 days.

2) Make initial face-to-face contact within 72 hours of receiving referral information.

3) Hold an initial meeting between the referring caseworker and FTBS worker within 14 days of the referral to discuss case dynamics, family needs, and expectations of the FTBS intervention. Best practice for this meeting takes place face-to-face, but phone or videoconference is also allowable.

4) Complete mandatory MDHHS releases & authorizations.

5) Interview the family together and each family member individually prior to completion of the service plan.

6) Conduct an assessment of family history to include strengths, needs, and child development, and develop goals in coordination with the family. Regularly update service plan to reflect changes in the family’s circumstances, needs, and goal progress.

7) Review any previously completed trauma screenings and take appropriate next steps to address identified needs & work with the referring worker to secure appropriate trauma-specific treatment. If there is no prior screening, staff must conduct a trauma screening for all children in the referred family within the first month after referral. Staff may also conduct a trauma screening if observed behavior indicates a new screening is warranted. Staff must utilize the appropriate Children’s Trauma Assessment Center (CTAC) Trauma Screening Checklist based on the age of the child.

8) Submit an Updated Progress Report to the MDHHS referring worker once every thirty days within seven days of completion of the report period. If termination occurs within ten days of the end of the report period a single report can be submitted to cover the contents of both the Progress Report and Termination report.

9) Administer the Protective Factors Survey-2 with each family when commencing a case and again within seven days of case termination.

b. Contractor must teach, model, and document Infant Safe Sleep teaching and

11) Request the Infant Plan of Safe Care from the referring worker for referrals involving an infant exposed to substances, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Review the Infant Plan of Safe Care with the family and ensure the identified services of the individual and family household needs are indicated.

If there is not an Infant Plan of Safe Care, the Contractor must engage the family to:

a. Assess how the parental substance use has affected the child(ren)’s health.

b. Present safety issues for the child(ren) based on the substance use and environmental factors.

c. Identify the child’s medical needs and refer for any additional needed services.