SCH_CN_Spec_Sheet_-_2024.pdf

Crisis Nursery & Crisis Intervention Case Management Support Specifications

Overview

First 5 Sacramento is committed to funding strength-based, trauma informed and culturally responsive programs that aid in the prevention of child maltreatment and neglect in children ages 0 to 5 years. The Commission’s investment in prevention and early intervention represents one of the largest commitments to date.

To further the Commission’s prevention work, First 5 Sacramento will continue to fund concrete supports for families in crisis, including safe, emergency childcare and overnight care and crisis intervention case management for families. The Commission seeks to support parents and caregivers in resolving crisis situations that may put children at risk for abuse or neglect. Through these efforts, families are provided with direct support and service coordination needed to move beyond crisis into stability and build resiliency through culturally responsive interventions.

The Crisis Nursery Model is an effective promising practice that can strengthen and preserve families and help children thrive. The Crisis Nursery Model will be provided in two locations (North Sacramento and South Sacramento) serving Sacramento County families.

This strategy supports the goal of ensuring that services and resources are in place to reduce parental stress, help families resolve crises, and build family stability.

Focus of Funding:

Health & Well-Being Priority: Increase whole-child and family-centered services to support the well-being and safety of children and fortify family strengths.

Respond in detail to RFP questions and budget requirements. Services must be trauma informed and both culturally and linguistically diverse and reflective of the population served. Services must be provided in a familial environment in which children feel safe, supported, and nurtured through a time of parental stress.

Key strategies and guidelines are as follows:

Strategy 11: Emergency Childcare & Case Management

Parents are their children’s first nurturers, teachers, advocates, and buffers from stress.

As such, they are our most important partners for supporting the development and well-being of young children. Providing parents with temporary, safe emergency child care, overnight care and crisis supports will enhance their capacity to provide their young children with the sensitive and responsive care they need for learning and optimal development. Providing families with crisis intervention case management

RFA Specification Sheet Crisis Nursery & Crisis Intervention Case Management Support

First 5 Sacramento services offers the support needed to resolve their immediate crisis situation and move towards stability.

Safe, Emergency Childcare and Overnight Care

Utilizing the Crisis Nursery Model, provide dedicated crisis nursery services in a homelike environment with caring and compassionate staff engaged around the clock in providing the best care possible. Service must be accessible to families residing in geographically diverse locations in Sacramento County.

Requirements:

1. Provide access to temporary, safe, emergency childcare and respite care for families faced with emergencies such as a health crisis, unsafe housing or homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, legal crisis, or overwhelming parental stress.

Services must include overnight and day respite care for children to reduce the risk for child abuse and neglect and provide time for parents to stabilize their situation.

a. Provide daily slots for emergency childcare and overnight care for children, ages 0 to 5 (infants and preschool age) in need of immediate care when parents/caretakers are in crisis and other support is limited or not available.

2. Agency must specify the number of residential care stays dedicated to infants (less than 18 months) and/or preschoolers (18 months – 5 years).

3. Develop selection criteria that addresses the emergency short-term childcare needs

(i.e., extended hours, infant care, care in specific regions, low income) and prioritizes the most urgent requests based on capacity when parents/caretakers are requesting care for their child(ren).

4. Provide nutritious meals and snacks, medical screenings, and access to proper medical care to all children in care.

5. Provide child centered curriculum that offers developmentally appropriate early literacy and school readiness activities through individual, small and large group opportunities in a caring and nurturing setting.

Crisis Intervention Case Management Support

Provide short-term crisis intervention, case management support for parents and caregivers utilizing crisis nursery services. Families will receive the support they need to resolve their crisis and be reunited with their children as quickly as possible. Strength-based, trauma informed, and culturally responsive individualized support will be offered to empower families and build resiliency.

Requirements:

1. Arrange for parents and caregivers in crisis to utilize crisis nurseries for emergency and respite childcare and overnight care when determined appropriate. Including such activities as setting intake appointments and assisting with transportation to and from the crisis nursery as required.

2. Use a strength-based assessment tool with parents utilizing the crisis nursery to identify family’s needs, guide case management activities, and document progress towards family stability.

3. Provide families with assistance in developing an empowerment plan to provide safety planning and individualized support to address their most pressing needs.

4. Identify community resources and supports available in the parents/caregivers community. Link parents/caregivers to basic need and other community supports to encourage greater utilization of these accessible services. Utilize a closed loop referral platform to confirm that families accessed the referrals provided.

5. Follow up with all case managed families to assess progress on empowerment plan and closed-loop on referrals aimed at mitigating the crisis and stabilization.

6. Provide enrollment assistance to parents/caregivers to parenting education, workshops, and other resources for support services in their own community.

7. Design crisis intervention outreach materials and necessary translation to provide information on the services provided in languages appropriate to the community.

Please note that materials must be reviewed by the Commission prior to distribution and annually.

8. Outreach to other agencies, community-based organizations, and other venues where families are and conduct presentations, activities or, host events to provide information on crisis nursery services.

Target Audience:

Families in Sacramento County with children ages 0 – 5 who are experiencing crises that may jeopardize family stability and well-being and endanger children’s safety.

Underserved communities, grandparents raising grandchildren, teen parents and former foster youth with young children are to receive targeted outreach.

Parameters:

Amount of Funding Available: A maximum of $2,689,953 is available cumulatively over the three-year period. We strongly recommend that an equal budget amount is maintained across all three years to plan for sustainability. However, we will allow reasonable increases in the budgets (not to exceed 2% per year) for years 2 and 3 if necessary and justified. Contractors are not allowed to front load costs in year 1 of the budget.

Note that consistent services should be provided throughout all three years.

Contract Term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027