G004--HUD-VASH Housing Placement and Case Management

Page 1 of Page 17 of 17 Page 1 of THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SOURCES SOUGHT IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR MARKET RESEARCH AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION. 1. Responses to this Sources Sought must be in writing. The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research only to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of Small Business Capability, including Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses and Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB/VOSB) interested and capable of performing the work. 2. The NAICS for this requirement is 624229 Other Community Housing Services 3. VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System requires the services of a contractor to provide Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Housing Placement and Case Management services for Homeless Veterans. Contractors interested and capable of providing these services are asked to respond to this RFI by providing examples of their

experience providing housing placement and case management services for people experiencing homelessness. Interested and capable Contractors shall respond by providing the below information for each example of your experience providing housing placement and case management services for people experiencing homelessness: The legal name of entity with whom the Contractor held the contract; The contract number; A description providing details of the specific tasks the Contractor performed under that contract; In what geographic location the Contractor performed these services; The dates during which the Contractor performed the contract; The average monthly number of people experiencing homelessness that the Contractor provided housing placement and case management services for under that contract (break out the numbers for housing placement and case management); The name, phone number, and email address of a person at the entity with whom the Contractor held the contract who can verify this information. 4. Responses shall be submitted via email to Danielle.Carroll4@va.gov by October 21, 2022. Responses shall also include the interested Contractor s Unique Entity Identification (from SAM) and the type of small business, if applicable, (e.g. Services Disabled Veteran Owned small business (SDVOSB), Veteran-owned small business (VOSB), 8(a), HUB-Zone, Women Owned Small Business, Small disadvantaged business, or Small Business). 5. Please see below DRAFT Statement of work excerpt from the impending solicitation. This draft is for information only and no questions regarding this SOW will be considered. SPECIFIC CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. 1. Contractor shall provide housing placement services to support Veterans in securing permanent housing in the community. 2. Contractor shall provide supportive services to Veterans which include: Resident Town Hall, Recovery groups, Recreational activities, Life Skills group, Substance Abuse Groups, Bringing in community resources (e.g. Legal, Financial), Peer support groups, Religious/church services and/or Employment services/opportunities. 3. Contractor shall provide case management services 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Contractor case management staff shall visit Veterans if in an institutionalized setting (hospital, assisted living, Board and Care, Community Nursing home, etc.). If Veterans are incarcerated, Contractor case management staff shall reach out to Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) for coordination and collaboration of follow-up and services. Contractor staff shall also accompany Veterans to clinics, Emergency Rooms or other appointments as clinically indicated, while working with Veterans to foster independence and a sense of self- determination. 4. Contractor shall ensure that when Veterans have achieved housing stability, the focus of the service support changes to community integration and other goals as discussed and agreed upon with Veteran, and their contact with the Veteran shall remain in accordance with level of care. 5. Contractor shall document in Homeless Operations Management and Evaluation (HOMES) within 3 business days of Veteran encounters and change of Veteran status as indicated. Reference National policies from HOMES Main page. https://vaww.homes.va.gov/VAHomesNew.aspx 6. Contractor shall enter Veteran information (e.g. name, SSN), after obtaining a release of information into the Coordinated Entry System and Health Information Management System (HMIS) within 72 business days. 7. Contractor shall assess Veterans to determine if the Veteran meets the criteria for admission into the HUD-VASH program. The Contractor shall complete HOMES documentation, consistent with the HOMES Reporting Policy and VA Medical documentation, consistent with Attachment B- HUD-VASH Documentation Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which is made part of this contract and is incorporated by reference herein. HOMES documentation may include, but is not limited to, changes to admission, housing, voucher, or employment status, encounter documentation, screening/admission notes, release of information forms, housing service agreements, suicide risk assessments, Advanced Directive Discussions, clinical reminders, treatment plans and safety plans. Contractor shall document using the appropriate template format for all clinical notes and ensure all encounters are entered within 3 business days or on the same day in cases of crisis. 8. Contractor staff shall document in the electronic health record (EHR) services delivered during a patient encounter using appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding. An encounter is a professional contact between a patient and a provider vested with responsibility for diagnosing, evaluating, and treating the patient s condition. The reason for the services provided (diagnosis) and the actual services provided to the patient by the provider must be fully and clearly documented and coded using nationally-accepted coding schemes, such as International Classification of Disease, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM) codes, current edition, CPT codes and Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS). Licensed Independent Providers e.g., Psychologist, Pharmacist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, are to be listed as the primary provider for any trainees they supervise (e.g., Psychology Intern, Pharmacy Resident) or any other non-licensed independent provider (NLIP) under their supervision. VA provided training presentations addressing productivity calculation and coding practices are mandatory for contractors. 9. The Contractor s Program Manager shall engage in a weekly administrative meeting with the VA COR and/or VA Liaison, which may include other VA Staff, to discuss any administrative concerns and Contractor performance. A minimum of 30 minutes shall be allotted for this call. 10. The Contractor shall work with the Veteran on obtaining and maintaining housing, developing independent living skills to include, but not limited to, budgeting, employment, and assistance obtaining VA benefits. 11. Prior to performing on the contract, Contractor shall ensure its staff complete a Security/background investigation via National Agency Check with Written Inquiries (NACI) and a Special Agreement Check (SAC) which includes electronic fingerprinting for case managers and their supervisor working with Veterans. In order to complete this background check, the Contractor shall provide staff member s date of birth, social security number, hair color, eye color, address, phone number, and email addresses. U.S Citizenship or legal resident status will be verified as part of this process. 12. Prior to performing on the contract, Contractor shall ensure its staff complete the credentialing process through the VA s VetPro system in alignment with the VetPro policies and operating procedures Reference VHA Handbook 1100.19 Credentialing and Privileging https://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2910 which is made part of this contract and is incorporated by reference herein. VetPro clearance is required for all licensed, registered or certified clinical staff members (e.g. LCSW, RN, CASAC.) and unlicensed case managers. Staff awaiting VetPro clearance may only begin work on the contract prior to receiving credentialing by performing tasks that do not involve Protected Health Information (PHI, Refer to Definitions section of this SOW). CASE MANAGEMENT DUTIES: 1. The Contractor shall have procedures in place to ensure Veterans have access to clinical case management services twenty-four (24) hours per day, 365 days per year, which shall include crisis management and referrals. The Contractor shall maintain a ratio of Veterans per Case Manager of no more than 25:1. 2. The Contractor shall ensure consistency of case management services to enhance staff ability to engage and form relationships with Veterans and provide consistent and highly skilled interventions in keeping with the Housing First (HF) model as described below: a. Housing First is an approach that centers on providing homeless individuals with housing quickly, and then providing services and treatment as needed. The primary focus of the Housing First approach is to identify an immediate need for housing and helping individuals and families quickly access and sustain permanent housing. Housing First programs share four (4) critical elements: --Focus on helping individuals and family s access and sustain rental housing as quickly as possible and ensure the housing is permanent; --A variety of services delivered primarily following a housing placement to promote housing stability and individual well-being; -- Time-limited or long-term services depending upon the individual need; b. Veteran agrees to participation in Case manager in order to pursue and             maintain housing. Non-compliance with case management may result in loss of housing and/or voucher. c. Contractor staff shall support family (Refer to the Definitions section of this SOW) members who reside with the Veteran by assisting them in connecting to supportive social services programs/resources as needed.                       d. Contractor staff shall address the documented needs of Veterans and make home visits consistent with the needs of the Veterans and in accordance with Attachment A HUD-VASH Stages of Case management and minimum visit requirements SOP and Attachment E Mental Health Treatment, which are made   part of this contract and incorporated by reference herein. e. Contractor shall apply Harm Reduction interventions when working with Veterans. 3. Contractor shall place Contractor staff at VA facilities when requested by the VA COR to provide access to Veterans as clinically appropriate. 4. Contractor shall submit a monthly tracking sheet (commonly referred to as White Board) approved by the VA COR or VA Liaison that includes Veterans full name, Social Security Number, HOMES ID, Lead Case manager, Team, Admission Date, Voucher Issuance Date, Move-In Date, Acuity level, PHA, PHA Voucher Number, Full Address, Income, Suicide Risk Assessment Date, ROI Date, Treatment plan date, Advance Directive Date, Phone numbers and any additional comments or other fields as approved by the VA COR or VA Liaison. 5. Contractor shall ensure that sufficient staff are available to provide services to meet the needs of the Veterans as well as to make home visits consistent with the level of care at which each Veteran is being treated. Contractor shall perform the following work: 5.1. Create a Mental Health treatment plan (MHTP). Review and update the MHTP with the Veteran every six months or when there is a significant change in Veteran s functioning level or circumstances that calls for a change in his/her treatment and document the review and any changes to the plan in the VA medical record. The Contractor s Lead Case Manager or Supervisor shall act as the Mental Health Treatment Coordinator if the Veteran does not have a VA mental health provider. If the Lead Case manager is not licensed, all notes must be cosigned by a licensed provider. 5.2. Comply with additional documentation and/or data reporting for the Housing First demonstration as required by VAGLAHS based on local, regional, or national HUD- VASH requirements. 5.3.  Engage the Veteran in the HUD-VASH screening process and perform interviewing, counseling, and case management of identified Veterans who are at risk; providing psychosocial assessments to identify service and treatment needs which affect Veteran s housing stability, recovery/community reintegration. 5.4.  Utilize case management strategies to include crisis intervention and both short and long-term services working toward long range independent housing and community reintegration. Contractor shall provide services as needed based on Veterans needs, acuity level and preferences for care. Contractor shall reassess Veterans needs on a regular basis, no less than quarterly and in accordance with local policy for changes in their needs, acuity level and preferences for care. Contractor shall screen each Veteran for suicidal and homicidal risk with each contact. This screening shall be documented in progress notes, suicide risk assessments, and safety plans. Contractor shall document the aforementioned in the VA medical record. 5.5.  If the Veteran is a danger to him/herself or others, the Contractor shall take immediate steps to provide appropriate intervention per Attachment O CERS Procedure for Medical and Psychiatric Emergency Response in the Community and Attachment F CERS Management and Escalation of Health Status Concerns, which are made part of this contract and are incorporated by reference herein. 5.6. Facilitate the Veteran s involvement in supportive employment and other restoration programs, intervening and advocating on behalf of the Veteran. 5.7. Assess and promote engagement with appropriate healthcare, especially mental health and addiction care when clinically indicated. 5.8. Formulate case-management treatment goals and plans with Veteran, that address identified needs, stressors and problems. Actively involve the Veteran and their family or significant others in coordination with the team members, based on the psychosocial assessments, to develop a treatment plan with the Veteran using his/her language whenever possible, ensuring he/she has a copy of the plan including goals for clinical treatment and discharge from case management. 6. Contractors shall provide direct mental health and substance abuse counseling within the scope of practice of these disciplines and assist in securing available VA services including the use of tele-mental health services. 7. Contractor shall integrate housing stabilization planning with relevant VA health and mental health services. The Contractor s housing stabilization plan shall provide a case management and supportive services framework for the Veteran s sustainability in HUD-VASH and identify the Veteran s goals with steps to achieve those goals. 8. Contractor shall have procedures in place to ensure clients have 24/7 access to clinical staff who can provide case management services which shall include crisis management and referral. A staff member shall be identified for on-call (by phone) after hours and weekend phone calls as needed. 5.10. The Contractor shall visit each Veteran face-to-face at the intervals required by Attachment C HUD-VASH Directive and Attachment A Stages of Case Management and Minimum Visit Requirements, which are made part of this contract and are incorporated by reference herein. 5.11. Contractor shall ensure that the following clinical documents are completed by either an MSW, or a person with equivalent or higher education, or a Master s in Social Work intern under appropriate supervision: 5.11.1. Comprehensive Suicide Risk Evaluation (CSRE) and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to include when necessary, Safety Plan. 5.11.2. Clinical reminders 5.11.3. Mental Health Treatment Assessment and Treatment Plan 5.11.4. Stage of Case management template 5.12. Life Skills: Contractor shall provide life skills education and assistance to Veterans that include: 5.12.1. Budgeting/money management assistance 5.12.2. Locating local food banks 5.12.3. How to use coupons 5.12.4. Budget billing for utilities 5.12.5. Advice on how to maintain a clean and safe residence 5.12.6. Socialization 5.12.7. Spirituality where and how to access these services if desired 5.12.8. Schedule of free/low cost community activities 5.12.9. Planned evening and weekend psychosocial events 5.12.10.   Community volunteer opportunities 5.12.11. Peer/tenant support group 5.12.12.  Instruction on how to be a good neighbor/tenant 5.12.13. Mental health wellness self-management / mental health recovery living skills (if applicable) 5.12.14. Relapse prevention and harm reduction (if applicable) 5.12.15. Healthy lifestyle/living 5.12.16. Access to community resources 5.12.17. Parenting/family living skills (if applicable) 5.12.18. Family reunification and development of relevant social support networks 5.13. Transportation: The Contractor shall provide transportation for Veterans to medical and other VA appointments and appointments that would assist the Veteran in obtaining housing. 5.13.1. Contractor shall refer and provide transportation to VA Medical Facilities, VA Regional Offices, and community-based agencies for services that may include health care, entitlements, vocational assistance, education, recreation, and any other needed assistance. 5.13.2. The Contractor shall make every effort to connect the Veteran with existing public transportation networks or other community provided transportation. 5.13.3. In cases where the Veteran is unable to access or use existing public transportation networks or other community provided transportation, the Contractor shall provide transportation for the Veterans to attend appointments at the VA, SSA, PHA, benefits agencies, landlords etc. Transportation may include bus passes, transit cards, or subsidized transportation services such as Access, and other identified needed services and entitlements. The Contractor may also use its own vehicles or allow staff to utilize their own vehicles to provide transportation to Veterans. 5.13.4. The Contractor shall accompany Veteran to any public housing authority appointments including annual certifications, briefings, and interim appointments.  5.14. Emergency Plan: The Contractor shall notify the VA COR or VA Liaison immediately when the Contractor becomes aware that a medical emergency or hospitalization of a Veteran to whom the Contractor is providing case management services under this contract has occurred. The Contractor shall perform the following tasks: 5.14.1. In a medical emergency, the Contractor shall refer the Veteran to an appropriate VA facility, unless a life-threatening situation occurs where the Veteran needs admission to the nearest available hospital. The Contractor shall inform the admitting hospital that the individual is a Veteran and is eligible for VA Healthcare. 5.14.2. Natural Disaster/Critical Event: In event of natural disaster/critical event, e.g. fire, earthquake, etc., which requires the Contractor to take immediate action regarding the Veterans in the Contractor s care, the VA COR or VA Liaison or other VA designated staff will notify the Contractor (unless the Contractor becomes aware of the natural disaster/critical event first to which they should then contact the VA COR or VA Liaison immediately).  5.14.3. The Contractor shall notify the VA COR or the VA Liaison if any Veterans are impacted by said emergencies/disasters and provide an update on their status and plan for safety, prior to the close of business on the day the emergency/disaster occurred. The Contractor shall offer Veterans needing additional support appropriate interventions and the Contractor shall properly assess these Veterans for high risk issues. 5.14.4. Contractor shall document the same day the emergency/disaster occurred their contact with the Veterans. If unable to reach the Veteran, the Contractor will document in the VA medical record system diligent efforts made to reach the affected Veteran. 5.14.5. The Contractor shall have a plan in place and train their staff to perform stated duties. Contractor shall review and familiarize Contractor personnel with the plan each year and certify that Contractor has done so. Contractor shall complete TMS training pertinent to natural disaster/critical event annually, specifically:  Emergencies and Disasters Impact: Components of an Emergency Action Plan (NFED 4501790) and Emergencies and Disasters Impact: Natural Disasters (NFED 4501792). STAFFING QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENT: 1.  Contractor staff performing work under this contract shall maintain an active standing with the licensing boards in their respective profession in accordance with the below qualification requirements. All Contractor staff shall have certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) which shall be updated yearly. The Contractor shall provide verification documentation that all Contractor staff have met this requirement to the VA COR or VA Liaison. The Government prefers Contractor staff have American Heart Association certification. Contractor staff shall not provide direct patient care without BLS certification. 2. Specific qualification requirements: 2.1. Program Manager: The Contractor shall have a full-time Program Manager assigned to this contract. The program manager shall oversee all Contractor staff assigned to work with Veterans including all Supervisors. The Program Manager shall be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor. The Program Manager s schedule shall permit 24-hour access to management personnel for the purposes of clinical oversight, documentation, and crisis management. The Program Manager shall participate in weekly administrative meetings with the VA COR and VA Liaisons to discuss contract performance and trends. The Program Manager shall act as the point of contact for VA correspondence and is responsible for sharing information to Contractor staff. The Program Manager shall have an active, current, unrestricted license and a minimum of a Master s degree or Doctorate from an accredited institution in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Psychology. 2.2. Clinical Supervisors: The Contractor shall have full-time Clinical Supervisors assigned to this contract. The Clinical Supervisors shall be Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Clinical Psychologists, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) or Licensed Mental Health Counselors. The Clinical Supervisor s schedule shall permit 24-hour supervision of case management personnel for the purposes of clinical oversight, documentation, and crisis management. The Clinical Supervisors shall participate in team huddles as required by the VA COR or VA Liaison. In addition, the Clinical Supervisor shall ensure appropriate supervision of any non-clinical/non- licensed Contractor staff providing related supportive services to Veterans to ensure quality of care, such as peer support specialists, vocational service counselors, etc. whether by providing clinical supervision themselves or assigning staff to another assigned Clinical Supervisor on staff. The Clinical Supervisors shall have active, current, unrestricted licenses. They must have a minimum of a Master s degree or Doctorate from an accredited institution in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Psychology. Clinical Supervisors shall have direct oversight over unlicensed staff and staff gathering hours towards Clinical Licensure who are providing care. The Clinical Supervisors shall adhere to the supervision guidance provided by the state in which the license is being pursued and shall co-sign all documentation in accordance with the state licensing requirements of the applicable state. The Contractor shall ensure that all unlicensed staff have an assigned Clinical Supervisor. 2.3. Lead Case Managers. The Contractor shall have full-time Lead Case Managers assigned to this contract. The Lead Case Managers shall have a minimum of a Bachelor s degree (Master s degree preferred) from an accredited institution in sociology, psychology, social work, mental health counseling, or family therapy field of study, and at least three (3) years of demonstrated case management experience with high needs/high intensity of service populations. If Case Managers possess a Master s degree in one of the disciplines identified in this paragraph, only one (1) year of case management experience is required. 2.4. Certified Substance Abuse Counselors or Addiction Counselors. The Contractor shall have at least one full-time Certified Substance Abuse Counselor or Addiction Counselor assigned to this contract but may have more than one depending on the number of Veterans being serviced by the Contractor. Certified Substance Abuse Counselors or Addiction Counselors shall have a minimum of a Bachelor s degree from an accredited institution and two (2) years of demonstrated experience providing substance abuse counseling or hold a certification in addiction/substance abuse counseling. Position should be in compliance with their state licensing requirements. This position shall hold a caseload and should count towards teams weighted capacity. Caseload referrals to this position shall be Veterans who could benefit from this specialized service. 2.5. Substance Use Disorder Specialist (SUD Specialist): The Contractor shall have at least one full-time Substance Use Disorder Specialist. The Substance Use Disorder Specialist is a clinical professional who is responsible for providing expert guidance on Substance Use Disorder (SUD) to the Contractor staff performing on this contract. The SUD Specialist also provides assessments and treatment to certain high-risk Veterans who are using substances and provides support and after care to Veterans who have achieved sobriety. It is recommended that the SUD Specialist have a master s degree and an independent license.  2.6. Peer Support Specialist. The Contractor shall have at least one Peer Support Specialist for every 25 Veterans the Contractor is serving. for this contract but are recommended to provide general service support to Veterans. If the Contractor utilizes Peer Support Specialists, the Peer Support Specialist shall have a minimum qualification of having to complete the VA designated certification course. A Peer Support Specialist shall be an individual with a mental health and/or substance use disorder, who has been trained and certified to help others with these conditions to identify and achieve specific life and recovery goals. The Peer Support Specialist may also have a personal history of homelessness. Peer Support Specialists can count towards home visit requirements, though at least one visit per month shall be conducted by the Lead Case Manager. 2.7 Housing Specialist. The Contractor shall have Housing Specialists assigned full time to this contract. The Housing Specialists shall be individuals who have experience working with the homeless population or Veterans, or those with disabilities. Additionally beneficial experience would be strong writing skills, computer skills and experience working with property management, real estate, public housing authorities. The Housing Specialists visits to Veterans can count towards the required minimal visit requirements per month when a Veteran is unhoused or newly housed. Reference Attachment A: HUD VASH Stage of Case management and minimum requirements SOP.Â