988 Lifeline Crisis Center Expansion

Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to fund 988 Lifeline crisis centers for the NJ 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline system. Total annualized funding is $10 million subject to State appropriations. The purpose of this solicitation is to provide interested agencies with information to prepare and submit a proposal for funds to operate a 988 Lifeline crisis center (“Lifeline center”) and, if the agency is not already, become part of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network. Any applicant must be certified by Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant) as a 988 Lifeline crisis center, or be able to demonstrate the ability to become a certified 988 Lifeline crisis center and apply for certification within 30 days of award. Details of Vibrant’s Lifeline Minimum Standards are available here1. This funding opportunity offers a total of $10 million annually. Funding will be for multiple 988 Lifeline centers of which up to three (3) will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the

year. Funding from this award can be used to recruit, hire, train and pay direct service (responding to calls and/or chats/texts, and making follow-up calls), supervisory and administrative staff, and for technology. Funding can also be used to develop, manage and maintain infrastructure, including technology requirements, to ensure successful response to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Budgeting should include funds for initial technology or technology expansion and to establish strong cybersecurity for the center’s system. The goal of this funding is to enable NJ Lifeline centers to respond to at least 90% of calls and/or chats/texts routed to their center through the 988 Lifeline network. The successful bidder will demonstrate how they will plan to reach this goal. Applicants must indicate their proposed hours of operation as well as counties for which they would provide primary and/or backup coverage for 988 calls and/or chats/texts. The successful bidder will ensure that their services are responsive to diversity, inclusion, equity, and cultural and linguistic competence for those who reach their Lifeline Center through 988. No funding match is required; however, bidders will need to identify any other sources of funding, both in-kind and monetary, that will be used. Bidders may not fund any costs incurred for the planning or preparing a proposal in response to this RFP from current DHS/DMHAS contracts. 1 Link: Microsoft Word - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Minimum Standards for crisis contact centers applying to join the 988 network [January 2022].docx (988lifeline.org) 988 Lifeline Crisis Centers Expansion - 4 The following summarizes the anticipated RFP schedule: March 28, 2024 Notice of Funding Availability April 5, 2024 Questions on RFP due – no later than 4pm ET April 26, 2024 Deadline to submit written intent to apply – no later than 4pm ET April 26, 2024 Deadline to request DHS secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) site login credentials – no later than 4pm ET May 3, 2024 Deadline for receipt of proposals – no later than 4pm ET TBD Appeal deadline – no later than 4pm ET Bidders are responsible for monitoring the DHS website2 for updates to the RFP schedule. II. Background and Population to be Served The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a project funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant), was established in 2005 as the nation’s public safety net for individuals experiencing emotional distress or a suicidal crisis. Using an 800 number, the Lifeline was established to provide free and confidential emotional support to individuals in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, every day of the year, across the United States. The Lifeline was comprised of a national network of over 200 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices. Individuals could call anytime from anywhere in the nation and speak to a trained crisis counselor who would listen to and assist callers with getting the help they needed. In 2013, Lifeline worked with CONTACT USA to pilot the nation’s first federally supported online crisis chat program. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated in July 2020 that all states in the United States and its territories have access to suicide prevention and crisis services through an easy-to-remember, three-digit dialing code. The number “9-8-8” was chosen by the FCC and established by the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020. On July 16, 2022, this became the new national dialing code for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline/NSPL/1-800-273- TALK). The 988 Lifeline now responds to calls, c