City of Albuquerque: Social Services and Behavioral Health Services – Filling Service Gaps for People Experiencing Behavioral Health Issues and Social Service Needs

The Social Services and Behavioral Health Services program will support organizations that provide services for persons experiencing homelessness, a social service need, and/or behavioral health issues through implementing a variety of services. These services – Support Services for the Persons Experiencing Homelessness; Crisis Services to Children who have been Abused, Neglected, and Abandoned; Food Distribution Services to Persons Experiencing Homelessness and/or of Low to Moderate Income; Behavioral Health Services to the Urban Native American Indian Population; School-Based Substance Abuse Outpatient Treatment Services for Middle School-Age Youth; and Supportive Housing and Case Management for Persons who have a Behavioral Health Diagnosis and are Experiencing Homelessness or are Precariously Housed specific to the City/County Community Connections Program. Programs are intended to:

1. Increase Behavioral Health Stability
2. Increase Housing Stability
3. Increase Public Safety
4. Increase Individual and Family Resilience

This program is focused on filling service gaps for people experiencing behavioral health issues and social service needs, including the following focus areas:

• Support Services for the Persons Experiencing Homelessness: Provide morning, afternoon, and evening meals for persons experiencing homelessness or other very low-income populations. Services under this contract may include, but not be limited to, (1) outreach services to ensure that persons experiencing homelessness are aware of the availability of meals at specific location(s); (2) actual provision of meals to persons experiencing homelessness or other very low-income persons; and (3) ensure access and availability of information regarding other services for persons experiencing homelessness.
• Crisis Services to Children who have been Abused, Neglected, and Abandoned: Provision of innovative, promising, and evidence-based services that are not Medicaid reimbursable in full, to children and families who have experienced abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment. Services in this program should include, but not be limited to, (1) providing crisis services to children who have been abused, neglected, and abandoned, (2) providing support and counseling to children and their families in cases of suspected sexual abuse or severe physical abuse, and (3) providing case management to families experiencing abuse and neglect. The proposal must include best practices for this specific population. The proposal must demonstrate clearly how the agency will leverage Medicaid Funds to cover the cost of services.
• Food Distribution Services to Persons Experiencing Homelessness and/or of Low to Moderate Income: Food distribution services, measured in pounds, to persons experiencing homelessness, other very low- to moderate-income persons, or to organizations that provide meals and food packages to the aforementioned populations in Albuquerque. Services under this contract may include, but not be limited to, (1) food delivery to emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, daycare centers, and emergency shelters serving persons experiencing homelessness and/or of low to moderate income, and (2) food delivery directly to the person(s) experiencing homelessness and/or of low to moderate Income.
• Provide Behavioral Health Services to the Urban Native American Indian Population: Culturally relevant behavioral health services to low-and moderate-income “Urban Native American Indians” defined as Native American Indians who are living in Albuquerque. Behavioral Health Services provided should include, but not be limited to, (1) administering an evidenced based behavioral health assessment, (2) group and individual counseling; (3) family education and counseling; (4) case management; and (5) referral to supportive services. Additional services in this program should include, but not be limited to, (1) provide assistance in securing needed social and support services to improve quality of life; and (2) receiving referrals from community partners for needed support services. Successful applicants will conduct outreach specifically to urban Native Americans. The proposal must include how the agency will leverage Medicaid Funds to cover the cost of services, and clearly delineate how City funds are not used to supplant Medicaid funds. The proposal must also indicate how $10,000 of the allocated dollars will go to support the salary of the City’s Native American Liaison.
• School-Based Substance Use Outpatient Treatment Services for Middle School-Age Youth: School-based substance use outpatient treatment services for middle school-age youth. Services in this program should include, but not be limited to: (1) administering an evidenced based substance use/behavioral health assessment; (2) referral to other treatment services; (3) group and individual counseling; (4) family education and counseling; (5) case management; and (6) referral to supportive services. The successful respondent will detail the relationship with Albuquerque Public Schools or Charter schools to provide services at an area middle school, including a Memorandum of Understanding. The proposal must include how the agency will leverage Medicaid Funds to cover the cost of services, and explicitly detail how Medicaid is utilized, and how the City funds are used to bolster services.
• Supportive Housing and Case Management for Persons who have a Behavioral Health Diagnosis and are Experiencing Homelessness or are Precariously Housed specific to the City/County Community Connections Program: Provision of supportive housing and case management for persons who are homeless or precariously housed and have a behavioral health diagnosis who are criminally justice involved, to a minimum of thirty persons. Successful respondents will be part of the Community Connections program which is a unique collaboration between the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. The Department of Behavioral Health with the County will house this project on behalf of the County. The Division of Behavioral Health and Wellness (DBHW) of the Department of Family and Community Services will house the project on behalf of the City. Both entities will separately fund housing and services but will coordinate closely to ensure that the program is one cohesive program with a combined intake process and an equivalent level of services. The County Project Manager will oversee the overall project but will coordinate closely with the City DBHW Division Manager to ensure that the program is operating consistent with City goals and objectives. The County Intake Coordinator will serve as a gatekeeper so that participants are referred systematically to providers only as they have the capacity to receive them.

Amount: Dependent upon program area, as follows:

• Support Services for the Persons Experiencing Homelessness: The City will allocate $58,440 for services. Payment of services shall be based on a “Unit of Service” reimbursement. The Offeror shall propose a “per meal” cost.
• Crisis Services to Children who have been Abused, Neglected, and Abandoned: The City will allocate $96,830.
• Food Distribution Services to Persons Experiencing Homelessness and/or of Low to Moderate Income: The City will allocate $208,680. Payment of services shall be based on a “Unit of Service” reimbursement. The Offeror shall propose a “per pound” cost.
• Provide Behavioral Health Services to the Urban Native American Indian Population: The City will allocate $203,800.
• School-Based Substance Use Outpatient Treatment Services for Middle School-Age Youth: The City will allocate up to $187,500.
• Supportive Housing and Case Management for Persons who have a Behavioral Health Diagnosis and are Experiencing Homelessness or are Precariously Housed specific to the City/County Community Connections Program: The Department will allocate up to $423,000.

Eligibility: An agency which is a unit of state or local government and/or an agency currently incorporated as a nonprofit corporation, duly registered and in good standing with the State of New Mexico Secretary of State, which has not-for-profit status under 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code and which has demonstrated capability in providing the services for which it is applying.

Link: https://www.cabq.gov/family/partner-resources/request-for-proposals

Note: There will be an optional, non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 from 2:30-4:00 p.m. in the City Council Committee Room, New City Hall, One Civic Plaza, 9th Floor, Room #9081, Albuquerque, NM.

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