1.01Introduction and Program Description
The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS/Department), Division of Office of Children's Services (OCS), is requesting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Family Support Services for the State of Alaska in FY2016 through FY2018. Program Services are authorized under 7 AAC 78 Grant Programs and AS 47.17 Children in Need; AS 47.17 Child Protection; AS 47.05.010 Administration; Federal Title IV-B Subpart 2 Sec. 430 [42.U.S.C. 629](a); Adoptions and Safe Families Act (ASFA). Access State of Alaska statutes and regulations at http://www.law.state.ak.us/doclibrary/doclib.html or through the contact person listed on the cover page of this RFP.
Family Support Services (FSS) were developed to respond to the concerns, interests and needs of families within a community. FSS are community based services to promote the well-being of children and families; designed to increase the strength and stability of families (including extended families); to increase the parents' confidence and competence in their parenting skills; to afford children a stable and supportive family environment and to otherwise enhance child development (1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act Provisions, PL 10366).
1.02Program Goals and Anticipated Outcomes
Proposed projects must meet or exceed anticipated minimums described in this Request for Proposals (RFP).
The FSS grant program aligns with two DHSS priorities: Priority One - Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan and Priority Three - Safe and Responsible Individuals, Families and Communities. FSS align with the department's core services to provide quality of life in a safe living environment for Alaskans and the core service to strengthen Alaska Families. More information about the DHSS priorities can be found at http://dhss.alaska.gov/Documents/Publications/priorities.PDF
PROGRAM GOALS
Through this solicitation, OCS will fund Family Support programs that provide services in support of the Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) goals for service delivery. The federal priorities for services under the CBCAP program include:
- Comprehensive supports for parents
- Promote the development of parenting skills
- Improve family access to formal and informal resources
- Support the needs of parents with disabilities through respite or other activities
- Provide referrals for health and development services
- Promote meaningful parent leadership
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
Services provided through this grant will result in measurable outcomes. These are changes that occur or differences made for individuals, groups, families, organizations, or communities during or after receiving Family Support services.
Family support programs can be expected to produce a progression of outcomes beginning with short term outcomes (engagement and learning), that lead to intermediate outcomes (behavior change), which eventually result in long term outcomes (population wide impact such as reduced risk/incidence of child abuse and neglect).
Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework
Certain protective factors have been identified to reduce risks, build family capacity and foster resilience. It is the role of family support programs to work with families to increase their protective factors in order to reduce the occurrence of child abuse and neglect. By understanding risk and protective factors for children, families, and communities, programs will be better equipped to enhance protective factors and minimize risk factors for children and families.
Five Protective Factors are the foundation of the Strengthening Families Approach:
- Parental resilience
- Social connections
- Concrete support in times of need
- Knowledge of parenting and child development
- Social and emotional competence of children
Research studies support the common-sense notion that when these Protective Factors are well established in a family, the likelihood of child abuse and neglect diminishes. Research shows that these Protective Factors are also "promotive" factors that build family strengths and a family environment that promotes optimal child and youth development.
Any outcomes of service delivery should aim to increase the protective factors of families. The proposal and required Logic Model must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the grant program goals and outcomes in the development and presentation of their project goals. Project goals must be be achievable, measurable, and compatible with program goals.
1.03Program Services/Activities
Proposals must include a description of proposed activities that support the goals and outcomes to be employed in the project. Proposed activities must be well developed, reasonable, and support program intent.
The successful applicant will be responsible for providing services from the following array. Preference will be given to applicants who provide all services.
1. In-home support services
2. Parent education
3. Parent support and engagement activities
4. Service Coordination of and facilitated access to resources including early childhood services, medical services and educational/employment services, concrete supports and others as defined by the assessment of the family.
Proposals must outline how each selected service(s) will be provided. Transportation services must be provided in conjunction with any of the services selected.
In-home Support Services: Because these services are designed to improve overall family functioning to prevent child abuse and neglect, services are most effective when they are provided in the family’s natural environment whenever possible. Proposals should outline how services will be provided in the home. Include in the outline any anticipated service activities or relevant supplies/concrete needs to support and stabilize the family. Indicate any training or safety precautions in place for workers who are providing services in the home.
Parent Education: The purpose of the parent education component is to allow families to learn parenting techniques and gain skills that help to increase parental capacity and family stability. For agency-based parenting classes to be funded through this program, there must be an in-home coaching and mentoring element to the proposed curricula or model. As well as parenting training, a family centered approach recognizes the usefulness of a broader range of subjects, including financial literacy, leadership skills, goal setting, self-esteem, stress reduction, systems navigation, traditional and cultural practices and other skill-builders that promote resilience. Include a description of any curricula used with the proposal. If training is needed to implement this component, funds must be allocated and outlined in the proposed budget.
Parent support and engagement activities: Support groups and engagement activities have been identified as evidence-based practice for parents to gain both support and education, and to have long range positive effects in family wellness. If support groups are a chosen component, include an outline of the model chosen. If engagement activities (family nights, prevention month activities, etc.) are chosen, costs should be reflected in the budget.
Service Coordination: Coordination of services is a continual process that assists families in identifying the array of services available, ones they are already engaged in; and facilitating and coordinating access to services needed but not yet utilized. Applicants will be expected to work with families to secure the resources and services needed to maintain family stability. This includes direct assistance with scheduling appointments and transportation to appointments; help with completing applications and gathering relevant qualifying documents and other information. Services may include but are not limited to: early childhood and disability services, medical services, education/employment, housing assistance and behavioral health services. Each member of the family should be considered when coordinating services, with special attention given to young children ages birth to three years.
Program Philosophy: Services delivered through this program are anchored around the philosophy that services will be:
- Individualized and strength-based
- Demonstrative of cultural humility
- Trauma informed
Applicants must describe how providers of the proposed services will ensure adherence to these philosophies through provision of services. Any training or professional development provided should also be outlined.
Applicants must also include a timeline for activities as an attachment to their proposal. The proposed timeline for project implementation must be both reasonable and compliant with grant program timelines. The timeline must contain a detailed plan of services for the first year of grant, as well as a brief outlilne of subsequent years if funded.
Proposals must address the following elements of provision of services in your service delivery outline:
Transportation: Applicants must be able to provide transportation for parents and children to any service activities chosen. One option is by facilitating access to public transportation through taxi vouchers, community shuttle services and/or bus tokens. It is preferred that the applicant has a company vehicle that is dedicated to this program and can provide direct transportation to clients. Proposals may include costs for leasing a vehicle for program activities. Applicants requesting funds to lease a vehicle to support program activities should include an estimate of the annual costs for leasing a vehicle and explore multiple leasing options. No funds for leasing a vehicle shared agency-wide or for vehicle purchase will be approved.
For applicants offering both options for client transportation, provide a specific cost breakdown in the submitted budget narrative. Applicants who are able to provide direct transportation to clients will receive a higher score during the proposal evaluation process than those who will provide access to public transportation.
Referral and Initial Intake: OCS will make referrals for FSS when it is determined that a full OCS intervention is not necessary but the family needs assistance with basic needs and crisis stabilization. Families can also be referred by other services, such as schools or early education programs, disability services, medical services, other community agencies. Families may also self-refer. Applicants must provide in their proposal an explanation and examples of how the agency will provide outreach and marketing of their services to the community, and describe how other agencies will be made aware of services available.
Initial/Ongoing Assessment and Service Planning: Assessment is an ongoing process through the duration of service delivery. Assessment should look at progress and client achievement toward enhancing protective capacities and also account for changes in family circumstances and need. Proposals must describe how the applicant will complete the required assessments at these designated time frames: intake, in three month intervals during services, and at case closure. A description of the chosen assessment instrument must be included with an outline of the time frames in completing assessments; who will conduct assessments; and how that information will be shared with the family.
Time Intensive Services: To adequately meet the needs of the priority population served by this RFP, the majority of staff time must be spent providing direct services. Direct services are defined as either face-to-face, in-home contact with a client, interactions while providing direct transportation to clients, facilitated contact with agencies or client contact by telephone. Each proposal must offer a minimum of 50% direct in-person, agency or home-based service hours to be provided under the grant.
Documentation: Proposals must describe how providers will document activities related to client service coordination, including accepted/wait-listed referrals, initial/ongoing assessment and services.
Completion of Services: The average duration of Family Support Services is about six months. A review should take place at six months to determine if the family has been stabilized and has met the milestones set in their service plan. At that time, case closure should take place. If the review indicates that the family is not ready for services to end, the case may stay open for an additional three months.
Availability and Back-up: Applicants must explain how they will demonstrate flexibility and the ability to provide services when they are most convenient for the family. If your agency has a crisis line or works extended hours, include this information in your proposal. Agencies are cautioned that referral refusal (or breaks in service for on-going clients), based solely on no available employee backup coverage, may be considered a violation of terms or conditions of this grant and may lead to a reduction in the grant award or possible termination of the grant.
1.04Program Evaluation Requirements and Reporting
Logic Model Development: As part of the logic model submitted with this proposal, the applicant must submit an evaluation plan that demonstrates understanding of program goals and outcomes in development and presentation. The Logic Model must include goal(s), outcomes, outputs, resources and activities applicable to the proposed project and compliant with program intent. The applicant’s evaluation plan must include indicators and data gathering strategies that will be used to evaluate the progress of the grant project toward achieving the program goals and desired outcomes. Valuable information and guidance on how to measure progress related to outcomes can be found at the Child Welfare Information Gateway in their logic model builder. Visit https://toolkit.childwelfare.gov/toolkit/home.do for more information.
Quality Assurance: Applicants must outline a structure to ensure quality programs and staff, as part of your evaluation plan. Quality Assurance refers to the systematic evaluation activities implemented so that quality requirements for a product or service are designated and monitored. It is the systematic measurement and monitoring of processes with an associated feedback loop that helps to decrease errors and increase effectiveness.
Grant Reporting
Required reporting for this grant will include:
1) Cumulative Fiscal Report (overall grant and match expenditures reported quarterly by budget line item);
2) Quarterly program narrative and statistical report in the format to be provided by OCS, to include client demographic and service delivery information. Reporting on progress toward meeting outcomes outlined within the proposed logic model will occur during the 2nd and 4th quarters of the period of award. Sample of reporting tool is attached to this RFP.
3) FFATA: If funding for this program includes federal funds with reporting requirements that include those imposed under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA). Federal reporting requirements are not limited to prime awardees (such as the State) but include awards with federal funds that the State grants out (sub awardee).
Results Based Accountability Framework
Grant programs will be required to align with the department’s priorities and core services. Utilizing a results-based management/budgeting framework, grantees will use performance measures to evaluate progress in order to meet meaningful outcomes and initiate data collection and reporting consistent with department priorities. Below are the Department Priorities, Core Services, Objectives, and Effective and Efficiency Performance Measures for this program.
Department Priorities
- 1 Health & Wellness Across the Life Span
- 3 Safe & Responsible Individuals, Families & Communities
Department Core Services
- 1.2 Provide Quality of Life in a Safe Living Environment for Alaskans
- 3.1 Strengthen Alaska Families
Division Priority
Performance Measures
• 1.2.1a Effectiveness: number of families demonstrating improvement in parenting skill.
• 1.2.1b Efficiency: % of required contact hours achieved.
• 3.1 3a Effectiveness: % of families in stable housing
• 3.1.3b Efficiency: Cost per family served.
The efficiency and effectiveness measures may be included in the logic model indicators.
1.05Target Population and Service Area
Proposals must clearly describe the population targeted by the project, including the area or communities that will be served. Proposals will be evaluated for compatibility with the intended target population identified in this document.
Target Population: The target population for this program and services requested in this solicitation includes families with children who may need crisis stabilization to alleviate future risks to child and family safety. The identified priorities for services are as follows:
- Families with children, ages birth to twelve years old who are self-referred or referred by community providers.
- Families with children, ages birth to twelve years old referred by OCS (without an open OCS case).
- Expectant teen parents and young mothers, particularly those with prior OCS involvement as a child.
- Families experiencing homelessness.
- Families with either caregivers or children experiencing a disability.
Families can be referred by community providers (such as hospitals, treatment facilities, schools, disability services), or may self-refer.
Service Areas and Communities: Family Support services are needed in communities throughout the State of Alaska. Each proposal must indicate the area where services will be delivered and provide a brief summary of the current demographics of the service area. Proposals must also outline any characteristics unique to the service area and address possible barriers to service delivery or client access to services.
1.06Program Funding
Funds available for this program are anticipated to total $550,000 in Federal CBCAP funds and State General Funds each year, for a total of $1,650,000 over the three year duration. The proportion of State to Federal funds for each grant award will vary based on the relevant State or Federal Program service priorities addressed by each proposed project. The intent is to fund projects statewide. Individual grants may not be less than $25,000 and may not exceed $150,000. No more than two grants will be awarded in each of the five designated Office of Children’s Services Regions. A map may be found in the attachments to this solicitation.
If there are no successful applicants in an identified region, or the total amount of funding allocated to a region is not awarded, the remaining funds may be allocated within the other service regions.
Match Requirements: The budget must include matching funds to equal no less than 15.00% of the proposed project. To calculate proper match use the following formula:
Total Grant Award Amount x Percentage of Match = Total Proposed Match
Restrictions to allowable matching funds are as follows:
1) Federal grant funds may not be used to match Federal funds awarded through this grant program.
2) State grant funds may not be used to match funds awarded through this grant program.
3) Grant Income, Medicaid, and other third party receipts may be used as a match.
4) Local match may include in-kind contributions from volunteers, as well as donations of supplies, equipment, and space, and other items of value for which the applicant does not incur a cost.
5) Local cash match may include local tax receipts, municipal revenue sharing, cash donations, and other local sources of cash receipts.
Proposed Budget: The proposal must contain both a detailed and narrative budget for the first fiscal year of the grant, including any required match, which is fully compliant with the limitations described in 7 AAC 78.160 (Costs), and supports program staffing and service delivery requirements stated in this RFP. The GEMS portal provides applicants instructions and the ability to enter budget details and narrative for the project budget. More detailed instructions can be accessed in the DHSS Budget Guidelines available on-line at https://gems.dhss.alaska.gov/Home/Documents.
Successful applicants will be required to participate in the statewide grantee meeting in Anchorage, with date to be announced. Applicants needing to travel to Anchorage must budget travel costs (airfare/mileage, hotel, per diem) for up to two program staff participants and a recipient of services to attend this 3-day event. Budget must include funding for this trip in the travel section.
Indirect Costs: If the proposed budget includes indirect costs, 7 AAC 78.160(p) requires a copy of the agency’s current federally approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. Agencies with current DHSS grant agreements can review the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement information in GEMS. Agencies without current grant agreements with the Department must upload a copy of the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement in the "Agency Administration" tab of the GEMS portal. Help instructions are available in the portal to upload and review such documents.
Grant Income: Applicants providing Medicaid reimbursable services must also have a Medicaid Provider Number, or apply to obtain one, and seek Medicaid reimbursement for all eligible services.
If the applicant will be delivering services through this project with the intent to bill Medicaid, they must identify which services will be provided and how the Medicaid revenue will further support the program.
In the applicant’s proposed budget, both anticipated receipts and expenditures for all grant income must be clearly evident in both the detailed and narrative budgets and actual receipts and expenditures must be reported on a quarterly basis.