W22007 NOI - MASS.docx

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

OFFICE OF HEALTH EQUITY

NOTICE OF INTENT --- #W22007

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Office of Health Equity (OHE) is applying for funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a grant to improve the health of adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and adults with mobility limitations through state-based public health programs [CDC-RFA-DD21-2103]. The provisions of the grant require the involvement of people with lived experience of these disabilities in training healthcare and health promotion providers and in providing wellness promotion activities and health-related trainings to other people with disabilities in the community. OHE intends to contract with Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong (MASS) to collaborate in providing these training services.

MASS was founded in 1998 by self-advocates with I/DD, and is operated and directed by self-advocates to this day. While there are a few staff members without intellectual disabilities providing logistical support (many of whom have other connections to the community), 100% of the board and 95% of the training staff are themselves people with intellectual/developmental disabilities; some have additional mobility disabilities, too.

MASS has a robust program of trainings and workshops developed in-house to address topics of relevance to the community, as well as an annual conference in which people with I/DD comprise the conference committee, the presenters, and the target audience. They also have a long track record of productive collaboration with state-agency partners: their flagship abuse-prevention curriculum was developed in collaboration with the Disabled Persons’ Protection Commission and the Office of Victims of Crime; their employment-readiness curriculum was developed with the Department of Developmental Services (DDS); and they are responsible for part of the onboarding training for new DDS support service providers.

Based on the requirements of the grant, DPH believes that the selection of MASS ensures the best value and most cost-effective procurement for the provision of these specialized services. This decision is strongly reinforced by the fact that MASS has successfully collaborated with the Health and Disability Program in the development of their Healthy Self-Advocates training, which we intend to continue supporting, and has a unique understanding of the issues/needs, stakeholders and processes involved in planning, implementing and evaluating these programs.

The purpose of this notice is to publicize DPH’s intent to contract with MASS for these services. The initial duration of this contract will be from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Additional one-year renewal options may be exercised subject to the availability of funding through the life of the grant.

If you have questions or comments about this Notice of Intent, please submit them in writing by May 3, 2021 at noon to: Rodrigo Monterrey, Principal Investigator, Deputy Director, Office of Health Equity Massachusetts Department of Public Health: rodrigo.monterrey@mass.gov