Request for Information for Child Protection Center Training and Consultation

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is issuing a Request for Information for Child Protection Center Training and Consultation services, with RFI responses due October 30, 2026, at 2:00 PM Central Standard Time. This is an exploratory phase to assess capacity and feasibility; the RFI does not commit the Agency to solicit, award, or purchase, and no contract will be formed from responses alone.

The Agency is exploring development of a statewide consultation service to support qualified healthcare providers in conducting child abuse medical assessments for children referred by child protection workers. The selected entity would be a Child Protection Center or Child Advocacy Center responsible for identifying and recruiting qualified providers, delivering specialized training, and offering ongoing clinical consultation across a network strategically located throughout Iowa.

The RFI requests detailed information on eight primary topics: staffing, infrastructure, technology, and operational capacity required to build a statewide provider network; criteria and competencies for defining qualified healthcare providers; anticipated barriers to recruiting and retaining providers statewide, particularly in rural areas; essential training types and delivery methods for community healthcare providers; effective consultation mechanisms and realistic turnaround times; meaningful performance measures and outcome indicators; risks and operational challenges in serving as a statewide consultation hub; and cost considerations and funding structures for a sustainable payment model.

Responses must be submitted as Microsoft Word-compatible electronic documents to Issuing Officer Melanie Mathes at melanie.mathes@hhs.iowa.gov. Questions regarding the RFI are due October 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM, with Agency responses posted by October 16, 2026. Respondents need not address every question and may submit multiple responses prior to deadline. The Agency retains ownership of all submitted information and reserves the right to contact respondents for clarification.