RFQ - Mental Health_DESD-MH-2025-01~1.pdf

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Request for Qualification (RFQ) School-Based Mental and Behavioral Health Services

Issued by: Douglas Education Service District (Douglas ESD)

RFQ Number: DESD-MH-2025-01

Issue Date: November 26, 2025

Qualification Submission Deadline: December 11, 2:00 PM PT

I. Purpose Create partnerships with qualified mental and behavioral health providers to deliver embedded school-based services across its partner districts. The selected provider will supply licensed professionals (QMHPs or LPCAs) to support students with Tier I–III needs, in alignment with Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBIS) frameworks.

II. Strategic Objectives

▪ Integrate licensed mental health professionals into schools, employed through a

Medical Partner.

▪ Coordinate behavioral health services with school-based MTSS and PBIS structures.

▪ Increase access to services for high-needs students.

▪ Reduce crisis situations through preventative care and data-informed interventions.

▪ Facilitate tier transitions to support long-term student stability and inclusion.

III. Scope of Services This partnership is expected to be cost-neutral to the school district, with the selected provider responsible for billing services through Medicaid and other eligible insurance sources under Oregon's School-Based Health Services (SBHS) program. The ESD/District may, at its sole discretion, contract with more than one provider to meet its service goals.

The provider will:

▪ Employ and supervise Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHPs) or Licensed

Professional Counselor Associate (LPC-A’s).

▪ Deploy licensed mental health professionals across designated school sites.

▪ Provide clinical oversight and billing via Medicaid/insurance.

▪ Deliver trauma-informed training, skill-building groups, and 1:1 therapy.

▪ Collaborate with student support teams, school counselors, families, administrators, and community agencies.

Maintain compliance with HIPAA, FERPA, and Oregon SBHS Medicaid billing guidelines.

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▪ Conduct Medicaid and third-party billing for reimbursable services.

▪ Participate in ESD/District coordination meetings and provide documentation and reporting.

▪ Provide supervision, documentation, and reporting in accordance with legal and ethical standards

▪ Implement aligned crisis response protocols with school and community partners.

Douglas ESD will:

▪ Develop and manage District Service Plans

▪ Coordinate with districts and medical providers on scheduling and service provision

▪ Not provide direct funding for services - the provider is expected to manage all billing and revenue through Medicaid and eligible payers

▪ Oversee use of Case Acuity Surveys and tier placement tools

▪ Monitor tier movement and service fidelity.

▪ Facilitate referrals and ROI collection.

▪ Provide space and integration support with SPED/IEP systems.

Districts will:

▪ Provide office and meeting space in each assigned school building

▪ Assist with onboarding, staff introductions, and scheduling support

▪ Coordinate referrals and communication between school staff and assigned therapists

▪ Not provide direct funding for services - the provider is expected to manage all billing and revenue through Medicaid and eligible payers

▪ Identify students for services based on need and referral process.

▪ Provide space, scheduling support, and integration with SPED/IEP/504 systems.

▪ Facilitate team-based planning meetings and staff collaboration

IV. Qualification Requirements Please include:

• Executive Summary

• Organization Profile

- Experience with school-based mental/behavioral health services

- Licensure and qualifications of staff

• On Site Service Delivery Model

- Description of how services will be scheduled, triaged, and delivered

- Description of collaboration model with school staff

- Sample caseload expectations and workflows

• Billing & Compliance

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- Details of Medicaid and third-party billing process

- Documentation and compliance protocols

• Implementation Timeline

• References (minimum two K–12 or youth-serving organizations)

• Insurance & Compliance Documentation

- Proof of liability insurance and professional licensure

- HIPAA/FERPA compliance assurance

V. VI. Submission Instructions Submit package electronically to:

Veronica Van Drimmelen, Operations Coordinator Email: Veronica.VanDrimmelen@DouglasESD.K12.or.us Subject Line must indicate: RFQ DESD-MH-2025-01 Deadline: refer to section “VI Timeline”

Sealed Proposals may be sent by USPS, common carrier, or hand delivered to:

Douglas ESD, attention: Veronica Van Drimmelen 1409 Diamond Lake Blvd, Suite 110, Roseburg, OR 97470 RFP number must be printed on the outside of the package. Package must be received before 2:00PM of submission deadline.

VI. Evaluation Criteria Qualifications will be evaluated based on:

- Relevant experience and qualifications

- Capacity to staff all required school sites by start of service period

- Understanding of Medicaid billing requirements and school-based service contexts

- Strength and clarity of service delivery model

- Alignment with Douglas ESD’s whole-child approach

VII. Timeline

• RFQ Issued: November 25, 2025

• Deadline for Questions: December 2, 2025, 4PM PT

• Question Response Posted: December 4, 2025

• Submissions Due: December 11, 2025, 2:00 PM PT

• Bid Opening Date: December 11, 2025, 3:00PM PT

• Selection Notification: December 18, 2025

• Start of Services: February 1st, 2026

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VIII. Term The initial term of any contract that may result from this request for proposals shall be nineteen months, ending June 30, 2027. With up to three one-year extensions upon mutual consent of the parties.

IX. Additional Information Douglas ESD reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive minor informalities, and to negotiate modifications to any proposal with the selected provider. Submission of a proposal does not guarantee selection.

X. RFP Evaluation Scoring Rubric Service: School-Based Mental & Behavioral Health Providers Total Possible Points: 100

1. Experience & Qualifications Demonstrated experience providing school-based mental/behavioral health services. Staff hold appropriate licensure (e.g., LCSW, LPC, LPCA).

History of effective collaboration with schools.

0-25

2. Service Delivery Model Clear, realistic plan for how therapists will be deployed, triaged, and supported. Demonstrates a strong understanding of school contexts and student needs. Includes caseload management and crisis response.

0-20

3. Billing & Compliance Demonstrates capacity to manage Medicaid and third-party billing. Familiarity with the Oregon SBHS program. Includes documentation, HIPAA/FERPA compliance, and billing safeguards.

0-20

4. Implementation Capacity Clear plan to recruit, onboard, and deploy up to 13 licensed therapists by agreed timeline.

Demonstrate operational readiness and capacity for full implementation.

0-15

5. Reference & Fit Positive references from K-12 school districts or similar settings.

0-20

Scoring Key (for each category):

▪ Excellent (90-100% of category points): Exceeds expectations, fully addresses requirements with strong evidence and added value.

▪ Good (70-89%): Meets expectations with solid detail and supporting information.

▪ Fair (50-69%): Partially meets expectations; minor gaps or unclear details.

▪ Poor {below 50%): Does not meet expectations or lacks essential components.

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Total Scoring Guide:

▪ 90-100 points: Strong candidate, ideal fit.

▪ 75-89 points: Good candidate, meets most needs.

▪ 60-74 points: Adequate proposal, some concerns to address.

▪ Below 60 points: Not recommended for award.