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RFP 2023-03 Parenting and Family Strengthening

Subject to board approval, The Children’s Trust intends to release a competitive solicitation for high quality parenting programs, inclusive of group, individual, and home visiting services for families in Miami-Dade County with various levels of needs and preferences. These services aim to support parents, caregivers, and children of all ages, including prenatally, and to improve the overall well-being of families.

The Children’s Trust seeks to fund a continuum of evidence-based and promising parenting programs with specialized curriculum and prescribed service activities to address specific needs or challenges and encourage positive parent-child interactions. Programs will offer professional and peer support, education, and skill-building opportunities for parents and primary caregivers from the prenatal period through transition to adulthood both in-person and virtually. Families with more intensive needs can receive therapeutic and mental health-focused programs delivered by licensed/supervised clinicians. Programs will be inclusive of and fully accommodate parents, caregivers, children, and youth with disabilities and will also be encouraged to support other vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations who may have greater stressors and face parenting challenges.

Information, Input, and Networking Session: 
December 15, 2022, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. via Zoom 

Bidders' Conference & Application Training: February 21, 2023

TENTATIVE DATES:  

  • Board Approval of Funding Release: January 23, 2023 
  • Release Request for Proposals (RFP): February 14, 2023 
  • Pre-Application Deadline: March 20, 2023 at 5pm
  • Funding Applications Due: March 28, 2023  at 5pm
  • New 5-year Funding Cycle Begins: October 2023 

ANTICIPATED TOTAL FUNDING: Approximately $18.7 million 

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Timeline

RELEASE 2/14/2023
BIDDERSCONFAPPTRAIN 2/21/2023 10:00 AM
QADEADLINE 3/16/2023 11:59 PM
PREAPPDEADLINE 3/20/2023 5:00 PM
APPDEADLINE 3/28/2023 5:00 PM
REVIEWSTART 3/29/2023 - 4/13/2023
DEBRIEFIGSTART 4/14/2023 - 4/17/2023
INTERVIEWSTART 4/24/2023 - 4/26/2023
RECOMMENDATION 5/8/2023
APPEAL_DEADLINE 5/11/2023
COMMITTEE 6/1/2023
BOARD 6/12/2023
CONTRACTSTART 10/1/2023

Q & A

Fiscal
We would like to staff our parenting workshops with current exempt employees from our agency. These are salaried employees and are not currently paid with Children's Trust funding. Each employee facilitating a cohort will receive a stipend payment charged to the Children’s Trust for the instructional hours. Payment will be processed through payroll and will be subject to all necessary deductions. This will be done in lieu of engaging with subcontractors. Is this an allowable expense?
This is allowable. Details on budgeting will be discussed during contracting, if awarded.
Are emergency funds for housing assistance/shelter, food, etc. an eligible use of funds?
No, such funds as noted are not expected as an appropriate cost. It is expected that costs are only related to the implementation of the delivery of the Evidence-based programs.
On page 13 of The Children’s Trust Budget Manual, regarding the use of gift cards, it reads “Non-monetary gift incentives and gift cards are allowable in the following instances … a milestone award …” Would the Trust consider a milestone award when clients complete 50% of the required number of sessions (mid-way) milestone, of the EBP curricula and then at the final completion of the program. Also, is there a maximum value amount allowable for the gift card being provided?
This allowable cost can be proposed and should be based on best practice in the use of incentives and taking into consideration the EBP being implemented.
We have an audit for the 12/31/21 fiscal year. The audit for the 12/31/22 fiscal year is still being completed. Can I upload the audit that we have for the 12/31/21 fiscal year for the pre-application for the Parenting and Family Strengthening Grant? Thank you for your assistance.
Audits with fiscal year 03/31/2021 and later will be accepted.
Is there a budget form available?
There is no budget form for this RFP.
Can Pollo Tropical gift cards be purchased to give to families as a milestone incentive or meal for an observation session in the food line budget item?
Please refer to the budget manual resources for allowable costs related to incentives.
If an individual is a current employee of an agency that has a Trust funded program can they be part of a new proposal?
Staffing across programs is allowable. Applicants can propose staffing levels in accordance with the program being proposed, see the resources of the budget manual for allowable cost related to staffing.
In our current parenting program, we have had some admin positions who were FT with a small percentage of their salary allocated to parenting program duties in the day as well as receiving a professional services stipend for attending the parenting night workshop. Does the RFP allow for this? For example, would we enter that position twice as FT and Professional services or must we pick one way or the other?
Please refer to the budget manual for guidance on allowable cost.
The budget guidelines give a link to the child care food program for meal costs. However, we are proposing to serve dinner to parents and children attending the evening parenting program. What is the meal cost amount allowed for parents and children?
The reference document for allowable costs for this RFP is the Budget Manual. Please refer to page 7 for meal cost allowance for all program participants.
What needs to be included in the audited financial statements?
Applicant must submit a recent, valid annual financial statement audit, conducted in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America, or already have one on file. Audited financial statements must be completed by a CPA firm that is licensed and registered to conduct business by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
If we are submitting an application proposing several programs, are we able to submit separate budgets for each program? Or do we only submit 1 budget for all programs?
There is 1 overall budget per application. If you are proposing more than 1 EBP, then within the budget, the costs need to be broken down by EBP.
General
We noticed that the pre-populated Activity Description for both EBPs we have selected (which are different) have exactly the same narrative description. It fits one EBP but not the other. Is this an error that can be fixed on your side?
Please be more specific and note the EBP Curricula in reference and resubmit the question for a complete response.
I do not find the grant I made an application for. I see the current one and the following: MY RECENT RECORDS Icon: Maternal Heath, Emotional, and Literacy Engagement : Working with Le Jardin Community Centers (UNI) Maternal Heath, Emotional, and Literacy Engagement : Working with Le Jardin Community Centers (UNI) (#8928)
This appears to be a technical question. If you do not have access to your application, please communicate with sufficient details, to helpdesk@thechildrenstrust.org
Could you please let me know if my information went through for the parenting - Family Strengthing application. I am doing the Parenting Program with Triple P Level 4 for parents.
This appears to be a technical question, as no details are provided about the organization in reference. Please communicate with sufficient details, allowing The Trust to respond to your request at helpdesk@thechildrenstrust.org
I submitted a pre-application but i don't see it on my dashboard how will i know it has been approved?
Please note that pre-applications are reviewed daily with notice of the results of the pre-application sent to the applicant, and without specific information on the organization of inquiry, I am unable to comment further on status. But if you have technical problems, please submit a helpdesk ticket.
I am still unclear in terms of how this applies to the CCF since there are faculty from different departments affiliated with the center leading different projects. Can 1 proposal be from a Psychology affiliated CCF faculty and another from a Social Work affiliated CCF faculty? Or bc of the connection to CCF, would only one be application be considered?
The RFP will only accept one application from each of the noted entities at FIU. Typically, these are different departments. Additional departments current or not currently funded as a separate department at FIU can submit a helpdesk ticket to confirm that they exist in the system, allowing the applicant's status to be determined as a separate and different FIU department that is allowed to submit as a separate entity. Each of these applications should be different and if different applications are planned to submit for funding the same EBP/Curricula, that is not an appropriate distinction between applications warranting a separate application. The details of the staffing levels proposed in each application should be in accordance with allowable costs in the Budget Manual, should align with the proposed EBP program and necessary for the program being proposed.
Our question is whether or not more than 1 proposal can be funded if they come from the CCF.
If CCF is referring to the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University (FIU), CCF is listed as a separate division/department under FIU and only one application can be submitted for FIU Center for Children and Families. Proposals can include multiple evidence-based programs from the RFP listing. If you have additional inquires about other FIU divisions/ departments that already exist within our system, this is a technical matter which can be addressed by submitting a helpdesk ticket, helpdesk@thechildrenstrust.org.
Few years ago our organization received one time funding for our youth summer program, if we apply for the parenting would we be considered New? Second question is the fiscal audit is required for new applicants?
Applicants are considered new for pre-application and audit requirements if they are not currently funded by The Children's Trust, thus they would not have an audit on file and would be required to submit an audit.
We would just like to confirm. There are three agencies whose Project Directors are faculty in the UM Department of Psychology, but listed as separate by the Children's Trust, that are each planning to apply for the Parenting and Family Strengthening RFP: Linda Ray Intervention Center UM-NSU CARD UM-Psychology (for the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Treatment Program as we do not have a separate Trust Central listing from Psychology) Is this acceptable for this RFP?
UM Linda Ray Intervention Center & UM NSU CARD are not currently associated with the Department of Psychology as their noted division in The Children’s Trust system, and as the RFP limits only one application per agency, and your inquiry is about UM Department of Psychology, only one application will be accepted for this entity. A helpdesk ticket can be sent for any technical assistance about other associated divisions.
If we are proposing several programs. Do we submit a separate application for each program?
Only one application is accepted for each agency. The applicant can propose multiple Evidence-Based Programs from those listed in the RFP.
Services - Parenting Application 2023
Can the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) be used as just a screening and referral tool and not be added as an outcome measure tool if it is not required for the EPB we are choosing?
This tool must be administered to all expectant or postpartum mothers and fathers being served (within one year of birth) upon enrollment and at six to eight weeks postpartum if applicable, as only individual program types have this expectation. As applicable, the program activities section will note if this is a required additional expectation. The measure does not need to be added as an additional outcome as applicants will need to affirm acceptance of administering this screening tool as a part of their application submission.
Which section of the proposal should a calendar of cohorts be uploaded to?
A question on schedule is asked in Service Sites, but if an applicant wants to upload additional supporting documentation, such documentation should be labeled and uploaded to the supporting documents feature of the CLQI section.
Is it possible to change the percentage of children with disabilities to be served in the application? The default is 10% but can it be changed to a higher amount due to the EBP being used.
No, the default percentage is specific to EBP's and it is the minimum. Applicants can discuss higher percentages when describing their service population.
I am unable to see my 21-22 and 22-23 reports for all the observations and metric reports done trust staff and CAT observers. I need to be able to upload these in my application.
Views for metrics reports have been verified and should be available, please check again and, if the issue persists, submit a helpdesk ticket.
On pg 6 of the RFP, it states "the sessions will be either fully in person or fully virtual for all participants." If sessions are provided virtually, "at least one in-person session is required throughout the duration of their service." However, there is no indication of a maximum percentage of virtual versus in-person services. Is there a maximum percentage of services that can be delivered virtually versus services provided in person? If so, what is the requirement?
The noted statement refers to a particular session of a series or the dosage expected for a participant, meaning that when conducting a single session it must be fully virtual or in-person. As opposed to the same session being offered to some virtually and others in-person, this delivery option would not be allowed. Applicants should use knowledge of their service population, the EBP and other factors to propose how they will implement their program. Refer to the questions posed and the review guidance to be fully responsive to program activities expectations.
Is there a minimum percentage of services that can be delivered virtually versus services provided in person? If so, what is the minimum requirement?
The RFP does not set a minimum number as all programs have different levels of engagement from a few weeks to years. The solicitation does state specific requirements for program types( home visitation, pediatric based), and notes that no program can propose 100% virtual for each of its participants. See page 6 for full details.
Should the EBP selected not provide sufficient information on their website nor the curriculum experts. How do you suggest one complete the required RFP program scope information? The curriculum cannot be purchased until one is trained. Next available training is April 2023.
Services, if funded, would begin in October 2023 and are expected to be offered all program year long. Reasonable start-up activities for EBP training are allowable costs. But costs prior to the contact start date are not eligible for reimbursement. Programs when selecting an EBP should consider their intended population and other factors that may impact delivery of expected services.
The rfp states screenings are required and uses the ASQ and ASQ SE as examples. For Healthy Steps, can we switch out the ASQ and ASQ SE2 with a different screening (The Survey of Well-being of Young Children: SWYC)?
The required developmental screening tools are the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3) and Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ: SE-2), as noted in the RFP for specific programs. If a selected EBP/Curriculum requires an alternative screening tool measuring the same constructs as those noted here, an applicant can provide a detailed description of the alternative tool in the screening process activity description.
The rfp states that there is a minimum of two required outcomes per EPB as shown on that charts on page 20 and 21 in the RFP. Can you confirm that we do not need to add those to the outcomes chart, and we only add additional outcomes if they are not listed?
That is correct, the required outcomes listed do not need to be entered into the application. Only additional outcomes and corresponding measure information should be listed.
We are looking at implementing Nurturing Parenting Skills for Families (workshops). Is it mandatory to have concurrent sessions for children which are listed as an available activity under the EBP? We spoke with the EBP developer and they communicated that current programs utilizing this curriculum are providing workshops for the parents alone. (no concurrent child activities). Is this permissible under the TCT guidelines?
All required activities are prescribed after selecting an EBP and are expected to be implemented with fidelity to the curriculum. But, applicants may propose activity modifications with sufficient justification and documentation as detailed in the RFP.
Are we able to modify any of the prepopulated sections? (i.e if we wanted to propose smaller group sizes for Incredible Years)
No, an applicant can not change the standard EBP requirements when submitting their application. But, an applicant can request a modification to the EBP curriculum activity parameters in accordance with the instructions in the RFP. If funded, modification requests will be reviewed and the provider will be notified if the modification is allowed. Modifications requests are also reviewed as part of the application scoring. Please refer to the Program Activities section of the RFP for details.
If a meals and outside activities (field trips) are not part of the EBP curriculum, but are recommended by the developer, can these items be included as part of the EBP budget?
Yes, meals can be proposed dependent on the EBP, sufficiently justified with documented supporting rationale and in accordance with allowable costs in the Budget Manual. Field trips or family activities are only allowable if they are prescribed by the EBP as part of the implementation of the required activities. Typically, these are already listed as an activity when an EBP is selected. Additional activities are not funded under this RFP. Refer to incentives in the Budget Manual for more information on allowable milestone incentives.
The EBP Act Raising Safe Kids has a recommended dosage of 9 weekly sessions. However, the sites we will be working with would rather 1 session a month for 9 months. Being the dosage is "recommended.". Is one allowed to offer the session at specific sites (schools) instead once a month?
Applicants have the option, with EBP developer consultation and approval, to request modifications to any EBP Curriculum. Please refer to the RFP and instructions on allowable modifications. These modifications will be part of the review for this section of the application and, if the program is funded, will be reviewed for approval during contracting.
Pages 20 and 21 outline assessments specified by the EBP. However, Triple P is not listed for the Parenting scale. This is unusual since this is a recommended Triple P tool, is scored via the Triple P Site and has wording in the Facilitators Manual about how to discuss the scores. Should Triple P be listed for this assessment for Level 4 and Stepping Stones?
These two noted EBP curricula have two other required measures as listed in the RFP. If the applicant would like to track and report this additional referenced measure to The Children's Trust, they can propose it as an additional outcome.
Is it required for providers of in person Standard Triple P serving parents of children 0-12 need to use the postpartum assessment and conduct Home Safety Education?
All EBP curriculums selected will indicate the Additional Program Requirements. Please reference the EBP table to see all the requirements of your selected EBP.
We have many partners who we refer our workshop parents to for additional services. They do not however, deliver any associated activities . What do we select as their associated activity? Workshops? And then do we just describe in the narrative what they do?
The system has a Not Applicable (N/A) selection in the dropdown of this field, if the partner does not deliver activities.
Under Organizational Capacity, the RFP asks for information about "leadership background and qualifications, including executive management and board of directors." For universities and other large institutions in which high-level execs and board of director members are not directly involved in program implementation, do we still focus our response on these high-level execs, or should our response focus more on leadership at the department, center, or division level?
The question being posed in this section of the RFP is comprehensive and specifically speaks to the point about the role of the executive leadership, allowing the applicant to be responsive with sufficient word count to fully describe their particular leadership structure and the level of detail each applicant chooses for their response.
Description of the Level 4 Standard Triple P EBP populates in the app as individual counseling for severe behavior and states Post High School Education is required to deliver curriculum. Triple P American website describes the curriculum is for moderate to severe behavior issues and not counseling. Prerequisits do not apply, only knowledge of child dev. and certification of curriculum to educate parents. TripleP Educators are not counselors/therapists. How will this affect scoring?
The RFP EBP/Curricula listing in the application is populated with the requirements in accordance with literature review and it is the expected minimum standard for staffing levels as noted in the resource attachments to the RFP. Applicants should be responsive to all questions in the RFP and provide as applicable referenced or cited documentation to support information presented in their application.
We are considering using Parents Anonymous, an EBP listed in the Calif. clearning house. It best serves the population we are serving. Is it possible to use this even though it is not listed in the RFP?
No, only the Evidence-based Programs and Curricula listed in the RFP can be proposed. For programs who choose to serve families that are in the dependency system and court-ordered, when selecting one of the EBP from our list, the selected EBP must also be listed as an evidence-based program in the California Evidence Based Clearinghouse (CEBC).
If we plan to select additional outcomes tools from the given lists do we have to justify those additions? Or is that only if outcomes tools NOT included in the list are wanted to be added?
Additional optional outcomes are those not required as common outcomes as noted in the RFP. Applicants have the option to include additional participant outcomes measures that relate to program or population impact. If selecting an additional outcome, applicants must respond to questions and entries required under additional optional outcomes.
From the EBP NPP/Nuturing Families EBP. Is Nurturing Skills for Families the only option that can be selected or is Community Based Education in Nurturing Parenting from NPP/Nuturing Families also allowed?
The attached resources to the RFP list the three Nurturing Skills EBP curricula that can be selected from. They are 1- Nurturing Skills for Families (combined home visits and workshops), 2. Nurturing Skills for Families (home visiting) and 3- Nurturing Skills for Families (workshops).
If we are implementing Triple P Group Level 4 and Triple P Group Stepping Stones, is that considered 1 or 2 EBP's? (This affects many narrative and budget sections)
These noted are two EBP Curricula.
Under this funding, is it permissible for us to provide Healthy Steps independent of a pediatrician/pediatric setting?
No, the Healthy Steps model, with implementation to fidelity, requires partnership for delivery within a pediatric setting.
We have teens that are young mothers. In the RFP it states that a Prenatal Postpartum Depression assessment needs to be completed as an additional requirement. Clinically, we cannot use the adult assessment on the teens, therefore could they be exempt and if not what can be an alternative?
The PHQ-9 is validated for adolescents ages 12 and up, so it can be used for programs serving teen parents and would be an additional requirement if dictated by the EBP selected But, if a selected EBP/Curriculum requires an alternative screening tool measuring the same constructs as those noted in this measure, an applicant can provide a detailed description of the alternative tool in the screening process activity description.
Will any EBP selected from the California ClearningHouse be acceptable as long as it is serving the needs of the intended population that we want to serve? Are there any additional guidelines in selecting an EBP from the CCH that I need to know about?
The only EBP that can be selected are those on the listing in the RFP. For programs that are serving the dependency populations with court-involved families, programs proposing service to this population must assure that the EBP selected from our listing in the RFP is also listed in the California Evidence Based Clearinghouse (CEBC), which are designated in the list with an asterisk.
If children in foster care are living in a group home and staff are their direct and only caregivers, will a program with this specific criteria be acceptable?
Applicants can propose services to caregivers that support foster care youth. Applicants should consider the expected reach of their population of service, the requirement that services must be offered throughout the year, and the minimum award for funding when selecting their site/service locations.
Can you define 'mental health supports'? What are the criteria for need for this? What types of supports are allowable? How much funding for mental health supports can be requested?
Mental health supports as noted in the RFP are the evidence-based programs listed and available to be selected from for indicated populations of service. Funding for any of the EBPs that provide mental health supports is within the total available funding of this RFP.
Do community referral partners need to be included in the Partners section if they are being used for support to enroll families? They will provide letters of support.
The applicant can include any partners they deem necessary for the implementation of their program. The expectation is that all programs should have partners and include supporting documentation for those relationships. All paid partners must have agreements included as part of the application.
Our program offers an evidence-based behavioral parent training program delivered in person. During the parent component, the children engage in an evidence-based social skills training and behavioral treatment program. We also offer school-based consultation for behavior problems in the classroom as part of this service. Would it be appropriate to include these additional program components in the application since they do not fall into the list of EBPs?
This RFP will fund only the listed Evidence-Based Programs and the activities associated with the selected EBP(s). If the proposed program would like to include additional activities, those additions would be supports offered to families outside of the program requirements. The costs for these outside supports as noted in your question can not be requested in this grant application. Applicants can propose those services as match funding while describing their holistic approach to delivering the EBP program.
If we use an EBP such as incredible years, are we able to add sessions to the original content to address the needs of our population that are not included in the manual (e.g., session covering how to effectively communicate with teachers, IEPs, 504 plans, and how to support positive behavior in the classroom)?
EBP modifications are allowed to be proposed. This should be done in consultation with the EBP developer, to assure that the proposed modifications are appropriate and allowable. Applicants should include supporting documentation with their application.
We administer the BDI-3 Screener on site. Can this replace the ASQ tool as a way to assess development and provide appropriate linkages?
The required developmental screening tools are the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3) and Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ: SE-2), as noted in the RFP for specific programs. If a selected EBP/Curriculum requires an alternative screening tool measuring the same constructs as those noted here, an applicant can provide a detailed description of the alternative tool in the screening process activity description.
We administer the BDI-3 Screener on site. Can this replace the ASQ tool as a way to assess development and provide appropriate linkages?
The required developmental screening tools are the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3) and Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ: SE-2), as noted in the RFP for specific programs. If a selected EBP/Curriculum requires an alternative screening tool measuring the same constructs as those noted here, an applicant can provide a detailed description of the alternative tool in the screening process activity description.
We would like to serve 12 group parenting cohorts in person and 2 cohorts virtually for those parents who have barriers to attending in person. However, pg 6 of the RFP does not allow 100% virtual for any one participant. Would you consider allowing 100% virtual for some cohorts to make the parenting services accessible to all parents - even those who cannot attend night sessions in person?
As noted in the RFP, no participant can receive 100% of their services virtually, thus no cohort can be 100% virtual.
Pg 6 of the RFP states that NO participant can receive 100% of their services virtually and that at least one session must be attended in person. However, if people have barriers to attending an in-person series of classes necessitating their virtual attendance (eg: no transportation or family health issues), then requiring them to attend an in-person session presents a barrier for them that would make it impossible to attend. Would you consider allowing 100% virtual services?
No participant can receive 100% of their services virtually, diverse service sites and locations can be used as a means to address access to services. Applicants can propose the level of virtual engagement beyond this absolute requirement.

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