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Solicitation (Request for Information)
Restore Hope in Linkage to Care Collaboration

Solicitation (Request for Information)
Restore Hope in Linkage to Care Collaboration

STATE OF ALASKA
Department of Health
Public Health
State of Alaska - Department of Health and Social Services Seal
Request for Information
Restore Hope in Linkage to Care Collaboration
For FY 2022
Grants and Contracts

NOTICE:  Proposals will ONLY be accepted through GEMS. Applicants are responsible for reviewing the GEMS homepage at https://gems.dhss.alaska.gov/ for details regarding agency registration and availability of technical assistance. Log into GEMS through myAlaska, https://my.alaska.gov/Welcome.aspx, to begin the application process. Once you are logged into GEMS, guidance and instruction are available in the Documents tab and from the film strip icon. Applicants are responsible for monitoring GEMS or the State Online Public Notices site for any changes or amendments that may be issued regarding this solicitation.

Relay Alaska provides assisted communication services at 711 or 1-800-770-8973 from a TTY phone, and at 1-800-770-8255 from a voice phone.


Proposal due date: February 07, 2022, 3:59 PM
This solicitation type does not have a deadline for written inquiries.
Project Period Begins: March 01, 2022
CONTACT PERSON: Anna Ramirez
PHONE: (907)465-5079
EMAIL: anna.ramirez@alaska.gov

Table of Contents

Online Posting Summary

The Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, seeks information from eligible applicants interested in providing Restore Hope in Linkage to Care Collaboration services under the current program on behalf of the State of Alaska for the remainder of FY2022.  

Amendments

Amendment 1: Definition of emergency responder agency under this RFI2/1/2022

Explanation:

The State has received inquiries regarding the second paragraph under Section 3.01 which defines an emergency responder agency. This amendment serves to provide clarification by modifying the original definition. Please refer to the amendment text box below for the modified definition.

Please note that the we cannot confirm, prior to receiving responses to this RFI, if an agency does or does not meet the criteria. Nor can we advise an agency if they should or should not submit a response. It is up to potential applicants to read the eligibility information in the RFI and decide if they intend to submit a response.

Amendment Text:

Under this amendment the second paragraph under Section 3.01 is replaced with the following language:

Eligible applicants must also be an emergency responder agency. For the purposes of this solicitation, this is defined as law enforcement and other tribal, municipal, and village police agencies; fire, emergency medical services, dispatch centers, and agencies overseeing village safety officer programs and community health aide programs. Agencies with 24 hour, seven days a week coverage preferred. Currently this program funds two grantees who provide fire and emergency medical services. Under this solicitation, preference will be given to law enforcement or other tribal, municipal or village police agencies. 

Section 1 - Request for Information

1.01Notice

This Request for Information (RFI) will evaluate the level of interest in providing Restore Hope in Linkage to Care Collaboration services for the remainder of the current fiscal year, FY2022. If responses from eligible applicants do not exceed the available program resources, the division may issue a Non-Competitive Request for Proposals (NC-RFP) to the eligible respondent. If responses exceed the available program resources, a Competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) may be issued. This RFI may be withdrawn and any further solicitation for services cancelled at the discretion of the Division of Public Health.

Section 2 - Grant Program Information

2.01Introduction and Program Description

The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS or Department), Division of Public Health (DPH), is requesting information from eligible applicants who are interested in providing Restore Hope in Linkage to Care Collaboration services on behalf of the State of Alaska under the current program for the remainder of FY2022.

Program Services: The Restore Hope in Linkage to Care Collaboration grant program will provide funding to implement and/or sustain existing mobile crisis teams, mental health collaborative models and additional technology for delivery of telehealth to implement these models with a priority of peer integration. The program will increase the amount of linkages to care to substance use disorder treatment and other services for Alaskans, improve capacity in emergency departments, reduce unnecessary arrests, and increase cost-effectiveness of the health care system.

Program Requirements: This solicitation is open to emergency response agencies. Applicants must provide a description of their proposed program. The submitted project proposal must identify agency resources available to the project; describe project activities; and clearly state the project’s anticipated goals, outputs, and outcomes. Services must include an emergency response behavioral health model to achieve the following outcomes: Recipients of services struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) receive SUD treatment, and social determinant of health services like employment, housing, public assistance, and education. Models to consider include Mobile Crisis Teams (MCT) including emergency responder mental health co-responder model, Mobile Integrated Teams (MIT), or police-mental health collaborations. Workforce development trainings must occur for personnel working within the program that includes overdose prevention, trauma-informed care, and stigma reduction. Applicants will collaborate with a behavioral health agency, and/or integrate personnel who can provide behavioral health. Program services must include referring recipients of service to SUD treatment as well as other social services referrals. Applicants must establish their infrastructures and provide services by the end of the state fiscal year (June 30, 2022). For applicants already operating a mobile-crisis team and/or mental health collaborative model, the proposal must describe the processes that will enhance their existing model through this funding. 

 Duration of Grant Program: 3/1/2022 through 6/30/2022

Target Population: The target population for the solicited services are people at risk of overdose and who receive emergency services from either law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical services.

Agency must identify the target population they propose to serve.

Service Areas and Communities: The service areas and communities requested for the services solicited are statewide with preference to areas that experience high rates of overdose morbidity and mortality.

2.02Program Funding

Anticipated Total Funding Available: $125,000 for the remainder of FY2022 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Overdose Data to Action grant to cover program infrastructure costs (for no more than 3 months, if needed) and direct services costs. There is a possibility of increased funding in subsequent years depending on the availability of federal funding. 

Applicants must provide estimated cost for a 4 month program (March 2022 through June 2022) as well as estimated cost for providing direct services for a full year. 

Methodology for Allocation of Funds: Amounts will be determined based on the existing infrastructure, capacity, rate of people with substance use disorder served, specific population and community needs, and long-term sustainability of the program, in addition to evaluating success and results of each project.

Section 3 - Submission Requirements/ Criteria for Response

3.01Eligibility

Applicants must be eligible to apply under 7 AAC 78.030 (Eligible Applicants). Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations; municipalities, Regional Educational Attendance Areas, and other political subdivisions of the state; other State agencies; and Alaska Native entities. 

Eligible applicants must also be an emergency responder agency. For the purposes of this solicitation, this includes but is not limited to law enforcement and other tribal, municipal, and village police agencies; fire, emergency medical services, dispatch centers, and agencies overseeing village safety officer programs and community health aide programs. Agencies with 24 hour, seven days a week coverage preferred. Currently this program funds two grantees who provide fire and emergency medical services. Under this solicitation, preference will be given to law enforcement or other tribal, municipal or village police agencies. 

Applicants that fail to meet the minimum responsiveness requirements below will be eliminated from consideration per 7 AAC 78.090(b)(2).

3.02Evaluation Criteria

1. Applicant is eligible per 7 AAC 78.030
Evaluation Criteria Points
a. Applicant is eligible per 7 AAC 78.030.
2. If applying as a non-profit organization, confirm non-profit status is documented.
Evaluation Criteria Points
a.

The agency is listed as a non-profit in good standing on the State’s corporation database, confirmed at https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/cbp/main/search/entities and/or
b.

The agency’s current 501(c)3 status is confirmed on the Exempt Organization’s page, accessible at https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/.

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c. If a non-profit subsidiary of a non-profit corporation, a verifying letter from the parent non-profit agency is uploaded to the applicant's agency GEMS record (under General in the Agency Administration tab). The parent corporation must meet criteria a and/or b.
3. If applying as a Federally recognized tribal entity, confirm the following criteria are met.
Evaluation Criteria Points
a. The applicant is a recognized Alaska Native entity as verified by the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/17/2017-00912/indian-entities-recognized-and-eligible-to-receive-services-from-the-united-states-bureau-of-indian. If a tribal consortium, all members are recognized Alaska Native entities.
4. In the text box below, applicant must acknowledge they are an emergency response agency. Applicant must also provide a description of their proposed project that addresses all items requested in Section 2.01 of the RFI.
Evaluation Criteria Points
a.

Applicant acknowledged they are an emergency response agency. 
b.

Applicant described ways in which the project aligns with program intent. Proposal identifies agency resources available to the project, describes project activities and clearly states the project anticipated goals, outputs and outcomes.  
c.

Applicant described emergency response behavioral model to be used to achieve outcomes. 
d.

Applicant described workforce development training for new and existing personnel in all designated areas listed in the RFP. 
e.

Applicant described behavioral health personnel and/or behavioral health agency they will collaborate with. 
f.

Applicant described partnerships to support overall project model and identified partners for referring recipients of service to SUD treatment as well as other social services referrals. 
5. In the text box below, applicant must provide an estimated cost for a four month project as well as an annual cost for providing the services identified in Section 2.01. Applicant must identify the target population and area to be served.
Evaluation Criteria Points
a.

Applicant included estimated cost for a new four month program, includes infrastructure and direct service costs, as well as estimated costs for direct services for a full year. For applicants already operating a mobile-crisis team and/or mental health collaborative model, the applicant described the processes that will enhance their existing model with this additional funding for the remainder of the fiscal year as well as an estimated for providing direct services for a full year. 
b.

Applicant identified the target population and the area they propose to serve.