SOW A2 - Frontline Strong Together.docx

Michigan.gov/MiProcurement SChedule A2 – Statement of Work Request for Proposal No.260000000897 Frontline Strong Together This schedule identifies the anticipated requirements of any Contract resulting from this RFP. The term “Contractor” in this document refers to a bidder responding to this RFP, as well as the Contractor who is awarded the contract. The term “Bidder” is used to identify where specific responses to the RFP are required.

The Contractor must respond to each requirement or question and explain how it will fulfill each requirement. Attach any supplemental information and appropriate reference within your response.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO CONTRACTORS/BIDDERS: There are specific requirements for which acceptance must be simply acknowledged through a checkbox(es), and others that require further explanation. Click the appropriate checkbox and complete the entries as appropriate.

BACKGROUND

The Michigan Integrated Crisis and Access Line (MiCAL) is a statewide initiative, intended to provide omni-channel communication methods to provide information, referral, and access to all Michiganders as outlined in the Michigan Mental Health Code at MCL 330.1165. Frontline Strong Together is funded by a grant program through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and, in coordination with the other grant recipient, Wayne State University, provides support, information, and referrals to first responders and public safety staff. The Contractor(s) must use the State-owned and managed phone system and behavioral health customer relationship management system (BH CRM) for the intake of calls, text messages, and/or chats.

SCOPE

Frontline Strong Together will provide comprehensive support for Michigan first responders in crisis or distress through phone contacts and email requests. All services will be integrated into broader crisis services systems in Michigan. Prospective vendors must hire and/or employ staff that reside in the state of Michigan to answer calls and supervise call specialist teams. Contractor(s) must have a strong understanding of the state of Michigan, and Michigan’s behavioral health system and resources. The scope of services for the Frontline Strong Together line includes the following:

Contractor must operate a 24/7 statewide line to provide first responder and public safety staff resources and referrals, and mental health and crisis supports. A bid on Frontline Strong Together requires a bid on providing 988 services (See Schedule A – Statement of Work – 988).

Requirements General Requirements Frontline Strong Together: Operate a 24/7 statewide call line with dedicated staff to provide first responder and public safety staff, and family members, with behavioral health and crisis support, including but not limited to:

Engagement, active listening, validation, collaborative risk assessment, de-escalation, safety planning, and connection to appropriate supports.

Provision of First Responder approved resources as provided to Contractor through partnership with Wayne State University (WSU) and the Frontline Strong Together program.

Engagement with pertinent stakeholders, including but not limited to first responder organizations and WSU.

When dedicated Frontline Strong Together staff are busy, calls will automatically overflow to specified 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline staff. All 988 staff who receive these calls must receive first responder-specific training.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s):

Please share your implementation strategy for ensuring Frontline Strong Together is a key access point for behavioral health services for public safety personnel and first responders, citing past experience that will support your ability to implement this strategy.

Please share your past experience working on joint projects and collaborating with first responders, including the success of these projects.

How would you support first responder and public safety personnel differently than 988 contactors?

Program Requirements Contractor must develop and implement policies and procedures based on best practices for first responders and public safety lines.

Call responders must meet all training requirements outlined in the Contract and have specialized training in the culture of First Responders and supporting them in a crisis.

Contractor must actively collaborate and coordinate with WSU to ensure receipt of WSU-approved first responder resources, provide presentations and communications to first responder populations, and participate in any relevant workgroups to ensure the success of the program.

Contractor’s staff will direct individuals to the appropriate services, including referral to providers of mental health and/or substance use or any other community program commensurate with the support and services needed by the person contacting the line.

Contractor’s staff must provide resources, referrals, and crisis support to family members of first responders contacting the line.

Referral information should be located within the Behavioral Health Customer Relationship Management (BH CRM) system or other MDHHS approved resource databases and be documented appropriately in the contact encounter.

Contractor will collaborate with WSU to establish a process to respond to online inquiries for resources to the Frontline Strong Together program. Contractors staff will respond to these online inquiries and document the encounter and any resources provided within the BH CRM.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s):

Describe any past experience you have had with directly supporting or partnering with first responders.

Describe the approach used to engage and support first responders and public safety personnel seeking assistance during the contact.

Describe how staff will facilitate connection to appropriate support for first responders during and after the interaction.

Describe any past experience you have providing support and/or services to families of first responders.

Describe how you would partner with and conduct outreach to the first responder population.

Quality Monitoring and Improvement

The Contractor must maintain a written quality monitoring and improvement process that aligns with the Quality Monitoring and Improvement requirements as outlined in SOW A1.

All monitoring data must be made available to MDHHS. The Contractor must provide monthly summaries of quality monitoring activity, trends, and corrective actions to MDHHS.

Confidentiality The Contractor must maintain the confidentiality, security and integrity of client information that is used in connection with the performance of this Contract to the extent and under the conditions specified in HIPAA, the Michigan Mental Health Code (PA 258 of 1974, as amended), the Michigan Public Health Code (PA 368 of 1978 as amended), and 42 CFR Part 2.

All beneficiary information, medical records, data and data elements collected, maintained, or used in the administration of this Contract must be protected by the Contractor from unauthorized disclosure.

Contractor must provide safeguards that restrict the use or disclosure of information concerning beneficiaries to purposes directly connected with its administration of the Contract.

Contractor must have written policies and procedures for maintaining the confidentiality of data, including medical records and client information.

Written policies and procedures related to all applicable privacy and confidentiality laws are to be reviewed and updated annually by Contractor’s designated Privacy Officer.

Contractor’s Privacy Officer must attend conferences and trainings to remain up to date on changes to laws and keep current best practices.

Contractor must ensure that all staff are trained in all applicable laws respecting individual and consumer privacy.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s):

Describe confidentiality practices specific to supporting public safety personnel.

Training The Contractor must provide the following training:

Contractor must ensure all staff have appropriate training, education, experience, appropriate licensure, and liability insurance coverage to fulfill the requirements of the positions.

Contractor must adhere to the same training requirements for Frontline Strong Together as outlined in SOW A1., Section 1.5.

Contractor must have specialized training in the culture of First Responders and supporting them in a crisis.

Contractor must leverage a crisis debriefing and supervision model.

Contractor will ensure call line staff have access to supervisors at all times.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must explain its training capabilities and any training that is included in its proposal:

Please describe any experience you have training first responders.

Describe how staff competency will be evaluated prior to independently handling contacts.

Describe your training approach and the training curriculum you would utilize to train staff for this line. Please cite any experience you have in training staff on this topic.

Describe how staff will distinguish between occupational stress reactions and behavioral health crisis situations.

Describe practices used to support staff who respond to traumatic or high-stress contacts.

Funding Source Requirements Funds have been appropriated for this service for first responders and public safety staff mental health. Service will support firefighters, police officers, emergency medical services personnel, public safety tele-communicators, local correctional officers, juvenile detention employees, prosecutors, and individuals working on special teams to address crimes such as internet sex crimes, sexual crimes against children, or traffic fatalities suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome and other mental health conditions.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s):

Staffing Work Hours The Contractor must provide Contract Activities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Staffing Levels Staffing levels are determined by MDHHS based on service level need and available funding and are subject to change at the State’s discretion. If staffing expectations change, the Program Manager or designee will provide written notice. MDHHS is aware administrative staffing structure may vary based on organizational structure. Final staffing levels will be determined before the actual contract is finalized.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s):

With these anticipated staffing levels in mind, please submit your hiring plan as part of the project plan referenced in Schedule A, Statement of Work, 3.1, including details on how you will achieve full staffing levels within the 90-day transition period.

Data Reporting Requirements Contractor will work with MDHHS to enable it to collect the following data, including call volume, average speed of answer, average length of call, call abandonment rate, number of referrals provided, type of first responders served, and number of first responder-initiated calls connected to care. Call data must be collected in conjunction with the State’s CRM.

Service level for Frontline Strong Together will be reported on a weekly and monthly basis in a report that is shared with MDHHS monthly.

Service level is set at a 95% answer rate within 20 seconds and a 90% answer rate within 15 seconds.

Service level should never drop below 85% in 20 seconds.

If the rate drops below 85%, Contractor will complete a review protocol preapproved by MDHHS which includes a written explanation on why this metric wasn’t met and steps to improve.

The following items should be reported to MDHHS on a monthly basis:

Number of referrals Distress scores Number of follow-up calls Abandoned calls Interaction monitoring and encounter reviews Average handle time of interactions Staff occupancy rates Employee vacancies and turnover If reporting timelines are not met, Contractor will complete a review protocol preapproved by MDHHS which includes a written explanation of why this wasn’t met and steps to improve.

List all exception(s):

Bidder must describe how they comply with the above requirement(s):

4. Service Level Agreements for this Contract will be as follows:

4.1 The Contractor will be held accountable to meet the requirements and the service level requirements established in this Contract.

4.2 The State reserves the right to reconsider or amend SLA amounts for split awards should they occur, if a Contract supports more than one SOW.

SLA Metric 1. Call Center Service Level

Service level should never drop below 85% in 20 seconds.

Contractor must notify MDHHS within the first hour by email or phone for any line outages or system interruptions.

1. 1. $100 credit applied to the next invoice or a check to the State of Michigan will be assessed for each of the first five occurrences of non-compliance in a given calendar year.

2. $500 credit will be applied to the next invoice or a check to the State of Michigan will be assessed beginning with the sixth occurrence of non-compliance and on each occurrence thereafter in a given calendar year.

Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed by the Program Manager before any Service Credits are assessed.

3. At the discretion of the State, these credits will be applied toward any payable due to the Contractor or be payable directly to the State. Payments made directly to the State will be completed within 10 days of notice of assessment

List all exception(s):

SLA Metric 2. Proper Invoicing

All invoices submitted to the State must include a) date; b) invoice number; c) breakdown into personnel expenses, operating expenses, and indirect rate; d) total price

1. 1. $100 credit applied to the next invoice or a check to the State of Michigan may be assessed for each of the first five occurrences of non-compliance in a given calendar year.

2. $500 credit will be applied to the next invoice or a check to the State of Michigan may be assessed beginning with the sixth occurrence of non-compliance and on each occurrence thereafter in a given calendar year.

Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed by the Program Manager before any Service Credits are assessed.

At the discretion of the State, these credits may be applied toward any payable due to the Contractor or be payable directly to the State. Payments made directly to the State will be completed within 10 days of notice of assessment.

List all exception(s):

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