RFP #621 - EMERGENCY AND AFTER-HOUR ANSWERING SERVICES

The County of Riverside Purchasing on behalf of the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) is soliciting proposals from qualified proposers providing after-hour and emergency answering services to the Adult Services Division (ASD) and Children Services Division (CSD) as detailed in this RFP. Other departments may use the resulting agreement as needed. 1.1 Project Objectives DPSS - ASD provides a system of in-person response for reports of dependent adult and elder abuse, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. ASD has utilized telephone answering services to respond to after-hour calls made by reporters who report dependent and elder adult abuse in Riverside County. The goal of Adult Protective Services (APS) is to intervene and assist elder or dependent adults to alleviate physical, sexual, and financial abuse, neglect, isolation and abandonment, abduction, and mental suffering. DPSS – CSD operates a 24-hour child abuse hotline to receive reports of abuse and neglect of children (under

the age of 18 years old) and utilizes telephone answering services for emergency situations. In the event of a general shortage of labor because of, but not limited to, strikes, walkouts, mass sickness call-ins, boycotts, picketing, slowdowns, work stoppages, or other labor actions; ASD and CSD utilize continual answering services coverage 24/7 during normal business hours and after hours, until the County is able to procure the needed labor. 1.2 Program Outcomes Awarded bidder shall be able to provide answering services to DPSS during normal business hours, emergency situations, and after-hours then route emergency calls to APS and CSD screeners, when required. Awarded bidder shall answer all calls made by reporter(s) to the 1-800 number (provided by DPSS) as listed below: Adult Services Division Monday through Friday; prior to 7:30 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m. One Thursday a month designated by ASD, coverage of 60 minutes for unit meetings. 24-hour coverage for Saturday, Sunday, and County-observed holidays. In the event of natural disasters, emergency outages, phone disruptions, fire, and terrorist/bomb threat, when coverage is needed. In the event of a general shortage of labor as a result of, but not limited to, strikes, walkouts, mass sickness call-ins, boycotts, picketing, slowdowns, work stoppages or other labor actions. Children Services Division County-observed holidays. In the event of natural disasters, emergency outages, phone disruptions, fire, and terrorist/bomb threat, when coverage is needed. In the event of a general shortage of labor as a result of, but not limited to, strikes, walkouts, mass sickness call-ins, boycotts, picketing, slowdowns, work stoppages or other labor actions. DPSS Provide answering services to other DPSS Divisions, as needed. 1.3 Evaluations/Performance Outcomes Wait time for callers to be less than 10 minutes and all calls will be appropriately answered and handled by the answering service agents Answer 100% of calls received when the call service is activated Callers will be treated professionally and respectfully by the answering service agents, regardless of language Relevant caller information will be communicated to the DPSS Screeners for handling and processing Regular reporting will be sent to DPSS, secure and encrypted, with a summary of all calls/callers within a specified period. 1.4 Target Population/Historic information: Adult Protective Services (APS) California Counties have an APS agency designed to assist elder and dependent adults who are unable to meet their own needs. Mandated reporters are required to report suspected abuse or neglect by phone as soon as possible and follow up with a completed written report. Senate Bill 2199 was implemented, May 1, 1999, requiring all APS agencies, to take reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly and dependent adults, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. State law requires APS to conduct face-to-face investigations when an elder or dependent adult is in imminent danger and an immediate or 10-day in-person response to protect the individual’s health or safety (WIC section 15763 and MPP sections 33-510.1 – 33.510.3.). Suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation reports are received by the APS Central Intake Center. Children Services Division (CSD) The Children Services Division is the major system of intervention of child abuse and neglect in California. The California State Child Abuse Reporting Law provides the legal basis for action to protect children and to allow intervention by public agencies if a child is being abused. Existing law provides for services to abused and neglected children and their families. The CSD goal is to keep the child in his/her own home when it is safe, and when the child is at risk, to develop an alternate plan as quickly as possible. Suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation reports are received by the CSD Central Intake Center. Based on current monthly averages, the approximate number of calls transferred for each division is as follows: ASD: 1,118 calls CSD: 9 calls 1.5 Funding for Services Federal: 40% State: 8% Realignment: 50% County: 2% The County’s obligation for payment of any Contract is contingent upon the availability of funds from which payment can be made.