Request for Proposal - New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) Attachment A - Staffing Requirements Attachment B - Languages by County Attachment C...

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) Publication Date: November 18, 2022 Response Deadline: February 1, 2023, by 12:00 P.M. Funding of $13,250,000 Available $8,250,000 in ARP Funding: CFDA # 21.027 and $5,000,000 in state funds There will be a non-mandatory Virtual Respondent’s Conference on December 13, 2022, at 2:00PM The link for the conference is: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1600747377 Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW Commissioner The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the agency dedicated to ensuring all New Jersey residents are safe, healthy, and connected. To that end, DCF announces to potential respondents its intention to award a new contract. https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1600747377 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section I - General Information A. Pre-Response Submission Information

Page 1 B. Summary Program Description Page 1 C. Funding Information Page 2 D. Respondent Eligibility Requirements Page 4 E. Response Submission Instructions Page 5 F. Required PDF Content of the Response Page 6 Section II - Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables A. Subject Matter Page 7 B. Target Population Page 10 C. Resources Page 10 D. Activities Page 18 E. Outcomes Page 25 F. Signature Statement of Acceptance Page 27 Section III – Required Documents to be Submitted with This Response A. Documents to be Submitted in Support of This Response Page 28 B. Organizational Documents Prerequisite to a Contract Award to be Submitted with This Response: Page 30 Section IV - Respondent’s Narrative Responses A. Community and Organizational Fit Page 33 B. Organizational Capacity Page 34 C. Organizational Supports Page 36 Section V - Response Screening and Review Process A. Response Screening for Eligibility, Conformity and Completeness Page 36 B. Response Review Process Page 37 C. Appeals Page 38 Section VI - Post Award Requirements A. General Conditions of Contract Execution Page 38 B. Organizational Documents Prerequisite to Contract Execution to be Submitted After Notice of Award: Post-Award Documents Prerequisite to the Execution of All Contracts Page 39 Post-Award Documents Prerequisite to the Execution Specific Contracts Page 40 C. Contractor Requirements for Reporting Page 41 D. Contractor Requirements to Store Organizational Documents on Site Page 43 Attachment A - Staffing Requirements and School District Need Ranking by Vicinage Attachment B - Languages by County Attachment C - Federal Rider 1 Section I - General Information A. Pre-Response Submission Information: There will be a non-mandatory Virtual Conference for all Respondents held on December 13, 2022, at 2:00PM. Respondents may not contact the Department directly, in person, or by telephone, concerning this RFP. Questions may be sent in advance of the response deadline via email to DCF.ASKRFP@dcf.nj.gov Technical inquiries about forms, documents, and format may be requested at any time prior to the response deadline, but questions about the content of the response must be requested by 12:00 P.M. on December 6, 2022. Questions should be asked in consecutive order, from beginning to end, following the organization of the RFP and reference the page number and section number to which it relates. All inquiries submitted should reference the “New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S)” in the subject heading. Written inquiries will be answered and posted on the DCF website as a written addendum to this RFP at: https://nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/requests/ B. Summary Program Description: The New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) Division of Family and Community Partnerships, announces its intent to award up to 15 contracts for NJ4S Hubs to improve reach, productivity, and delivery of prevention, screening, brief clinical intervention, and referral to treatment services to New Jersey’s public-school students and their parents/caregivers, as needed. Each of the fifteen (15) regional Hubs shall be staffed by prevention consultants and licensed clinicians, will receive requests for an array of prevention and early intervention services from the school districts assigned to the Hub. The “Hub,” which may be a physical or virtual center of expertise, shall deploy staff to schools and community sites (spokes) to deliver an array of services virtually and/or in person. Students and parents/caregivers do not receive services at a Hub office. Instead, they receive services from a Hub delivered in schools and, with guidance from a Hub Advisory Group in other youth-friendly spaces in the community. Hubs shall also serve as connectors of other community programs and services for students and their parents/caregivers. See Section II, C (3) for list of Hubs, which align with vicinages. Organizations may apply for up to fifteen (15) vicinages. Respondents are advised that one (1) application per Hub is required. Hubs shall be guided by a local Advisory Group, charged to provide support and direction to ensure that the Hub is creating and delivering programming mailto:DCF.ASKRFP@dcf.nj.gov https://nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/requests/ 2 that best meets the needs of their community – and that it is doing so in a way that is deliberately integrated with existing efforts in the community and does not replicate efforts or duplicate forms of help that already exist. The Advisory Group is discussed in further detail in Section II (D) (12). For general information about the work of the Division, see: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/reportsnewsletters/taskforce/Standards.for.Preve ntion.Programs.pdf C. Funding Information: All funding is subject to appropriation. The continuation of funding is contingent upon the availability of funds and resources in future fiscal years. This is a competitive process. Respondents are on notice that no annual increases will be considered as part of this contract to salaries, fringe, or benefits in future negotiations or contracts, unless approved by the State legislature for all contracting entities. The Department will make available $13,250,000 in fiscal year 2023 for this program, to fund up to fifteen (15) awards. The amount of individual awards for each of the fifteen (15) proposed Hubs will vary according to staffing requirements per Attachment A. DCF reserves the right to award all or a portion of the requested amount. A continued investment of $47,000,000 in funds per budget year is anticipated with the SFY 2024 budget (beginning July 1, 2023) to advance Hub implementation at staffing levels outlined in Attachment A. Funding is subject to appropriation. Funds awarded under this program may not be used to supplant or duplicate existing funding. The funds support a contract from the effective date of the new contract through June 30, 2024, subject to annual renewal on July 1, 2024. The SFY 2023 funds available in this offering support the initial startup and implementation of the NJ4S Hubs. These funds will be used to hire Hub leadership and staff associated with launching the Hubs during the start-up period, anticipated to begin on April 1, 2023, and end June 30, 2023; and the potential SFY 2024 continued funding is expected to be used for annual program operations and any remaining implementation costs from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Grant Funds May Be Used To: • Support the costs of staff, materials, supplies and equipment • Procure or renovate space for Hub staff office • Purchase equipment and supplies for the program https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/reportsnewsletters/taskforce/Standards.for.Prevention.Programs.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/reportsnewsletters/taskforce/Standards.for.Prevention.Programs.pdf 3 • Sub-contract with other community-based organizations for the provision of needed services • Cover administrative costs (up to a maximum of 10% of the grant funding) • Cover the cost for the installation of a multi-function voice mail system with the ability to access emergency phone numbers, provide information in other languages, as appropriate, etc. • Procure translation services • Reimburse Hub staff for use of their own vehicle to conduct Hub business • Cover costs associated with establishing an Internet connection, and • Purchase evidence based/evidence informed curricula /assessment tools, or training Grant Funds May Not Be Used To: • Construct a new facility • Purchase vehicles • Renovate and/or purchase a modular unit • Supplant or duplicate any currently existing services or programs; and/or • Pay for costs associated with the planning or preparation of a proposal submitted in response to this RFP. The intended funding period for the contract is for the contract term of April 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. The funds available are to be budgeted to cover the expenses incurred during the contract term. DCF will not reimburse expenses incurred prior to the effective date of the contract except for approved start-up costs. DCF may approve for reimbursement the start-up costs respondents propose in their budgets for the contract using the funds available in the contract ceiling. A justification and detailed summary of the anticipated costs required for implementation and program operations must be entered for the fifteen (15) month term of this contract into two (2) separate budgets. The first budget will detail the costs from the date the contract is effective on April 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023 into the final column of the Proposed Budget Form found at: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/. A second Proposed Budget Form must be completed to detail the anticipated annual costs of continued program operations for the balance of the contract term from July 1, 2023 through June 20, 2024, as well as any additional start-up costs not covered by the budget submitted for April 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023. Both budget forms must be submitted as a document included in PDF 2: Section III - Documents Required to be Submitted with This Response, subsection A. Documents to be Submitted in Support of This Response. https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/ 4 Matching funds are not required. Responses that demonstrate the leveraging of other financial resources are encouraged. This awarded contract will involve the allocation and expenditure of COVID-19 Recovery Funds and is covered by Executive Order No. 166 (EO166), which was signed by Governor Murphy on July 17, 2020. The Office of the State Comptroller (“OSC”) is required to make all such contracts available to the public by posting them on the New Jersey transparency website developed by the Governor’s Disaster Recovery Office (GDRO Transparency Website). In addition, the NJ4S Program may be subject to possible review by an Integrity Monitor. Accordingly, the OSC will post a copy of the contract, including this RFP, the response, and other related contract documents on the GDRO Transparency website. In submitting its proposal, a respondent may designate specific information as not subject to disclosure. However, such respondent must have a good faith legal or factual basis to assert that such designated portions of its proposal: (i) are proprietary and confidential financial or commercial information or trade secrets; or (ii) must not be disclosed to protect the personal privacy of an identified individual. The location in the proposal of any such designation should be clearly stated in a cover letter, and a redacted copy of the proposal should be provided. A respondent’s failure to designate such information as confidential in submitting a proposal shall result in waiver of such claim. The State reserves the right to make the determination regarding what is proprietary or confidential and will advise the winning respondent accordingly. The State will not honor any attempt by a winning respondent to designate its entire proposal as proprietary or confidential and will not honor a claim of copyright protection for an entire proposal. In the event of any challenge to the winning respondent’s assertion of confidentiality with which the State does not concur, the respondent shall be solely responsible for defending its designation. D. Respondent Eligibility Requirements: Respondents must be in good standing with all State and Federal agencies with which they have an existing grant or contractual relationship and in compliance with all terms and conditions of those grants and contracts. Respondents must not be suspended, terminated, or barred for deficiencies in performance of any award, and if applicable, all past issues must be resolved as demonstrated by written documentation. DCF will not accept, receive, or consider a response from any organization under a corrective action plan in process with DCF, or any other New Jersey State agency or authority. https://www.nj.gov/infobank/eo/056murphy/pdf/EO-166.pdf 5 Respondents must be fiscally viable and be able to comply with the contracting rules and regulations set forth in the DCF Contract Policy and Information Manual (N.J.A.C. 10:3). Where required, all respondents must hold current State licenses. Respondents that are not governmental entities must have a governing body that provides oversight, as is legally required in accordance with how the entity was formed, such as a board of trustees, non-profit, for profit, limited liability company. Respondents must have the capability to uphold all administrative and operating standards as outlined in this document. Respondents must be business entities that are duly registered to conduct business within the State of New Jersey, for profit or non-profit corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, etc. or institutions of higher education located within the State of New Jersey. Respondents awarded a contract must demonstrate the ability to conform with and provide services under protocols, including documentation and timeframes, established by the DCF Division of Family and Community Partnerships. Respondents awarded a contract must have a demonstrated track record of collaborating with local partners of various sectors. Additionally, respondents must submit with their proposal signed memorandum of agreements with agencies committed to partnering. School districts, municipalities, counties, and other government entities are not eligible to apply. Respondents awarded a contract must ensure the Hub convenes the Advisory Group within sixty (60) days of contract award to review evidence-based models with it; uses their feedback and input in selecting any models/programs they want to implement as part of their Hubs’’ service array; and submit their selections to DCF for review and approval. E. Response Submission Instructions: All responses must be delivered ONLINE on the due date by 12:00 P.M. Responses received after 12:00 P.M. on February 1, 2023, will not be considered. 6 To submit online, respondent must complete an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) form. The completed AOR form must be signed and dated by the Chief Executive Officer or designated alternate and sent to DCF.ASKRFP@dcf.nj.gov Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) Form: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/requests/AOR.docx Registered AOR forms must be received not less than five (5) business days prior to the date the response is due. Upon receipt of the completed AOR, DCF will grant the Respondent permission to proceed and provide instructions for the submission of the response. DCF recommends not waiting until the due date to submit your response in case there are technical difficulties during your submission. F. Required PDF Content of the Response: Submit in response to this RFP separate PDF documents labeled as follows: PDF 1: Section II - Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables ending with a Signed Statement of Acceptance PDF 2: Section III - Documents Required to be Submitted with This Response, subsection A. Documents to be Submitted in Support of This Response PDF 3: Section III - Documents Required to Submitted with This Response, subsection B. Organizational Documents Prerequisite to a Contract Award to be Submitted with the Response PDF 4: Section IV - Respondent’s Narrative Responses, subsections A. Community and Organizational Fit; B. Organizational Capacity; and C. Organizational Supports Section II - Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables NOTE: AFTER REVIEWING THE REQUIRED DELIVERABLES LISTED BELOW, RESPONDENTS MUST SIGN THE STATEMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS SECTION II TO SIGNIFY ACCEPTANCE OF ALL OF THEM. (SUBMIT A COMPLETE COPY OF THE CONTENT OF SECTION II, ENDING WITH YOUR SIGNED STATEMENT OF ACCEPTANCE AS A SINGLE PDF DOCUMENT. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST PDF SUBMISSION IN YOUR RESPONSE PACKET AND IS TO BE LABELED AS: PDF 1: SECTION II - REQUIRED PERFORMANCE AND STAFFING DELIVERABLES.) mailto:DCF.ASKRFP@dcf.nj.gov https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/requests/AOR.docx 7 A. Subject Matter - The below describes the needs awarded Respondents must address in this program, the goals they must meet, and the vulnerabilities they will target for prevention. 1) The need for this program as indicated by data regarding the health and human services issues and parent and community perception is: Youth mental health is a public health emergency. And a statewide crisis like this demands statewide solutions. Right now, we have an extraordinary opportunity and an unprecedented responsibility to ensure access and equity in support for youth mental wellness. For example, prior to the onset of COVID-19, the New Jersey Department of Education’s (DOE) Annual Report on Student Safety and Discipline in New Jersey Public Schools included data that support the need for prevention programs in schools. The report found over 7,500 instances of school personnel reporting incidents to police, half of which were referrals. Additionally, most Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) incidents occurred on school grounds, and Asian and Black students, students with disabilities, and girls were more likely to be targets of HIB related to their identities. Finally, over 55,000 students were suspended from school that year on at least one occasion, with males and Black students facing disproportionately high suspension rates. More recently, the United States Surgeon General issued a report, Protecting Youth Mental Health, which highlights how the pandemic has altered the world that children and youth knew before. The report illustrates how COVID-19 increased isolation, altered access to services and the needed supports that help families thrive, and how direct impacts of sickness created long-term symptoms or caused the loss of loved ones, all of which have profoundly impacted youth mental wellness and development. The advisory that showed from 2009 to 2019 (pre-pandemic) the number of students who reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness increased by 40% to more than one in three school-aged children. Further, a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that nearly one in four young adults in the United States has been treated for mental health issues from 2020 to 2021, during the pandemic. To learn more about the health and mental health of families in New Jersey as a result of COVID- 19, DCF partnered with the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy to conduct a statewide survey from September 2021 through February 2022. Among other findings, this survey revealed a third (34%) of parents report that their school-aged children have poor or only fair mental health, 65% report they are very or somewhat concerned about their 8 children’s mental well-being, and 40% report they are very or somewhat concerned about their children’s behavior because of COVID-19. Additionally, the survey demonstrated the impacts that family conditions have on youth wellness, as students struggling with mental health issues were more likely to be reported to live in households that were struggling economically and/or with a parent who is also experiencing mental health challenges. Around one quarter of parents reported being anxious (20%) or lonely (28%), while 14% reported being depressed in the last two (2) weeks. Black and Hispanic parents were more likely to report their children had poor or only fair mental health and that as parents they experienced greater symptoms of anxiety, loneliness, and depression than white respondents. These findings are especially important given that research has shown that poor parental mental health is a top indicator for increased likelihood of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), poor youth mental health, and family poverty. We have also seen the local effects of this nationwide youth mental health crisis in the number of calls to our Children’s System of Care (CSOC). In February of 2022, DCF recorded the highest number of calls to the CSOC hotline in the history of the system at around 14,000. In March, CSOC broke the previous month’s record with over 18,000 calls. And, in September, the NJ Policy Perspective published a report, New Jersey’s Black Students Suffer a Decline in Access to School Mental Health Staff, which highlighted that over the last decade, access to mental health staff for Black students decreased, while white students’ access increased. New Jersey’s students need supports that NJ4S can provide. For more information, refer to the NJ4S Concept paper released on October 2, 2022. Hubs must comply with the New Jersey Standards for Prevention Programs: Building Success through Family Support. Found at: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/reportsnewsletters/taskforce/Standards.for.Pre vention.Programs.pdf and should have operations (policies and practices) which mirror the Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey's Safe Child standards found at https://nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/nonprofit/ and https://www.nj.gov/dcf/SafeChildStandards.pdf 2) The goals to be met by this program are: The primary goals of NJ4S Network are to: https://www.njpp.org/publications/report/new-jerseys-black-students-suffer-a-decline-in-access-to-school-mental-health-staff/ https://www.njpp.org/publications/report/new-jerseys-black-students-suffer-a-decline-in-access-to-school-mental-health-staff/ https://www.njpp.org/publications/report/new-jerseys-black-students-suffer-a-decline-in-access-to-school-mental-health-staff/ https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/NJ4S_Concept.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/reportsnewsletters/taskforce/Standards.for.Prevention.Programs.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/news/reportsnewsletters/taskforce/Standards.for.Prevention.Programs.pdf https://nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/nonprofit/ https://www.nj.gov/dcf/SafeChildStandards.pdf 9 • Create a statewide network of equitable supports for students and their families offered to all New Jersey school districts. • Recognize the whole family –in addition to the individual student – as the focus of support and to increase academic achievement. • Provide a standard set of supports and services, with local adaptations, that leverage the best approaches the field has to offer, so that no matter where a New Jersey student lives, they can be assured of accessing a core set of high-quality services and programming. • Involve communities in design and implementation and integrate programming within the communities. • Intentionally integrate with existing statewide and community-based services and supports for school aged youth, to maximize public funding and avoid duplication of services. 3) The prevention focus of this program addresses the vulnerabilities expected to be identified and prevented or mitigated by this program initiative. The NJ4S prevention focus includes the following core service categories: Substance use prevention, sexual health and pregnancy prevention, suicide prevention, anti-bullying, and violence prevention, and/or other prevention- focused areas of need determined by youth and community where the NJ4S Hub is located. The NJ4S Hubs shall utilize prevention, screening, brief clinical intervention, and referral to treatment using evidence-based practices, to promote positive youth outcomes. They will do this by working with school leaders and staff to use programming to teach —and strengthen—social, emotional, and behavioral skills, and to foster a positive school climate and staff well- being. Hubs shall be required to propose specific measurable outcomes regarding each of the core service categories, which will be subject to approval by DCF. Those outcomes must be aligned with the evidence-based or manualized interventions that the Hub determines are best-fit for use in their vicinage area. Hubs must propose those outcomes to DCF within 90 days of the contract award. 10 The measurable outcomes should align with or contribute to the following overarching outcomes desired for NJ4S: • Promote positive mental health • Teach and strengthen social, emotional, and behavioral skills • Support a positive school climate and staff well-being B. Target Population - Below describes the characteristics and demographics the respondents must serve for this program. Tiers are described in Section II, D 6. 1) Age: Universal Supports/Tier 1 provided to all New Jersey students (school- aged, youth and families). In addition, Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports provided to all students enrolled in grades 6-12, in the NJ4S Hub’s vicinage area, based on capacity and prioritization of school districts and municipalities 2) Grade: Universal Supports/Tier 1 provided to all New Jersey students (including Pre-K, Kindergarten through grade 5) and their families. Tier 1- Tier 3 supports provided to all enrolled students enrolled in grades 6-12, in the NJ4S Hub’s vicinage area. 3) Gender: All. Programs for students who identify as LGBTQ+ must be included in Hub services 4) The program initiative shall serve children as well as their parent or caregiver. 5) Descriptors of the youth to be served: All public-school students C. Resources - The below describes the resources required of respondents to ensure the service delivery area, management, and assessment of this program. 1) The geographic area this program initiative is required to serve: Each NJ4S Hub is responsible for all public schools within a designated vicinage, including charter schools. 2) The service delivery location this program initiative is required to serve: Services are delivered in New Jersey public schools including charter schools within the Hub vicinage area and community settings such as, Family Success Centers, libraries, community agencies and other locations that are safe spaces for youth. Hubs shall solicit robust input from their Advisory Group to develop the Hub’s offering of programs in a range of 11 locations that will best fit the needs of students and parents in the vicinage area. 3) The geographic area where the individuals/families to be served by this program initiative are located: Hubs are county/vicinage specific, with each Hub assigned a vicinage area that aligns with one of the following vicinages: Vicinage 1 - Atlantic & Cape May Counties Vicinage 2 - Bergen County Vicinage 3 - Burlington County Vicinage 4 - Camden County Vicinage 5 - Essex County Vicinage 6 - Hudson County Vicinage 7 - Mercer County Vicinage 8 - Middlesex County Vicinage 9 - Monmouth County Vicinage 10 - Morris & Sussex Counties Vicinage 11 - Passaic County Vicinage 12 - Union County Vicinage 13 - Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties Vicinage 14 - Ocean County Vicinage 15 - Gloucester, Cumberland & Salem Counties Respondents should specify in their proposal which vicinage they propose to serve. Respondents may submit proposals for more than one vicinage, but these must be separate submissions. Attachment A includes a list of school districts within each vicinage ranked based on priority, number of students in each school district and required minimum staffing for the Hub. 4) The hours, days of week, and months of year this program initiative is required to operate: The Hub Advisory Group will determine the hours of operation of the Hub to ensure accessibility. In addition to operations during the school day, hours of operation shall include before and after school, and evening and weekend hours to ensure service accessibility to both students and their parents. At a minimum the Hub should be in operation two (2) evenings per week and two (2) weekend days per month (Saturday or Sunday). The Hub programming shall operate year-round including summers. 5) Additional procedures for on call staff to meet the needs of those served twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week: Hubs are not expected to provide on-call staff for crises that occur after operating hours/on weekend. Hubs shall educate school personnel and program participants on how to access CSOC Mobile Response and 12 Stabilization Services (MRSS), 988 services, 2nd Floor, and other after- hours services that are available in the Hub vicinage area. 6) Additional flexible hours, inclusive of non-traditional and weekend hours, must meet the needs of those served. 7) Language Services: Hub staff diversity, languages spoken, and written material should be reflective of the population served. Attachment B identifies languages common to each New Jersey County. Hubs shall use strategies including, at a minimum, bi-lingual staff, ensuring the availability of translation services for written material, and ensuring translation services for speaking with families where appropriate bi-lingual staff are not available. Respondents should take care to include funds for translation services in their budgets for both SFY 2023 and SFY 2024. 8) Transportation Services: NJ4S Hubs should allot funds in their annual operating budget to support public and or ride share vouchers for students and families for afterschool site events and/or connecting to local resources, separate from the offered in-school services. Services to students will not begin before 7/1/2023, and thus such funds do not need to be included in a respondent’s implementation budget. 9) The staffing requirements for this program initiative, including the number of any required FTEs, ratio of staff to clients, shift requirements, supervision requirements, education, content knowledge, staff credentials, and certifications: Each NJ4S Hub is required to maintain specific staff members, who must be employees of the organization awarded the Hub contract. The number of required staff for certain positions will vary depending upon number of students in the schools within the vicinage and the number of students in high priority areas. Minimum staffing FTEs for each Hub is found in Attachment A. These are minimum qualifications for the required positions: Scheduling Coordinator/Support Staff Responsibilities: Answers general and new participant inquires, receives, and communicates with potential participants, supporting them with the scheduling/application process, which can include paperwork and facilitating. Demonstrates effective communication skills, both written and verbal. 13 Education and Experience: Associates Degree with two years’ experience in scheduling and office management in community- based services/social services setting. Additional education and related experience are preferred, such as a bachelor’s degree in a Human Services related field, experience in the provision of prevention related programs. Applicants who do not possess the required education may substitute additional experience as indicated on a year-for-year basis with thirty (30) semester hour credits being equal to one (1) year of experience. Hub Director Responsibilities: Responsible for the planning, organizing, implementing, and directing the overall operation of the NJ4S Hub. Develops and implements operational procedures and provides fiscal oversight of the Hub. Individual will develop regular forums for communication with local partners and stakeholders, as well as programming that is responsive to community needs. Collaborates with various stakeholders to develop ideas and implement strategies that address community challenges. Leads the development of the Hub’s Advisory Group. Education and Experience: Preferred candidates will possess a master’s degree in a related field (e.g., counseling, public administration, social work, etc.), with at least ten years’ experience managing large scale programs (projects) that support youth, families, or school faculty. Five years of which shall be in a supervisory capacity. Prior experience implementing evidence-based treatment and prevention programs is strongly preferred. Note: Valid New Jersey driver’s license, safe driving record, and vehicle availability are required. Assistant Director Responsibilities: Under direction of the Hub Director, the Assistant Director oversees the staff and activities of the Hub office an operational unit(s) responsible for providing general administrative and/or fiscal management activities, program policy and planning services, along with varied social, community, and/or educational related services for the region. Provides supervisory oversight and management of the Hub staff and the model to ensure alignment with program procedures and DCF Operations Manual. Assists the Director in the development of the program’s administrative and programmatic operations. Develops and maintains partnerships and collaborations with school districts and community resources and 14 ensure program availability, opportunities and successes are marketed to promote program sustainability Education and Experience: Master’s degree in a related field (e.g., counseling, public administration, social work, etc.). At least five (5) years’ experience in community organizing, developing community partnerships and project management. Five (5) years of experience analyzing, monitoring, maintaining, or implementing social service, community service, evidence-based programs, or any other human support/assistance program, three (3) of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity. Note: Valid New Jersey driver’s license, safe driving record, and vehicle availability are required. Supervising Prevention Consultant Responsibilities: Responsible for planning and implementing programs in schools and communities. Establish alliances with organizations which have similar or allied goals, such as, school board, local law enforcement, healthcare providers, community centers and service providers. Will serve as a customer service role model to ensure a positive relationship in interactions with all participants, applying schools and community. Provides supervision to a team of prevention specialists who will provide trainings and workshops to community and youth. Implements evidence-based prevention services and curricula with fidelity. Education and Experience: Preferred candidates will have experience working with and empowering at-risk youth and marginalized communities by conducting prevention education (e.g., substance abuse, pregnancy prevention, mental health, and well- being session, etc.) activities. Master’s degree in a related field (e.g., counseling, public administration, social work, etc.) required. Experience in community organizing, developing community partnerships, implementing evidence-based programs and project management. At least five (5) years’ experience working in social service environment implementing evidenced based practice models; three (3) years of which shall be in a supervisory capacity. Note: Valid New Jersey driver’s license, safe driving record, and vehicle availability are required. Prevention Consultant Responsibilities: Collaborates with consultants, school districts, and community service providers to facilitate training, workshops, 15 webinars, assemblies, etc. Will assist in the programmatic data collection, reporting, continuous quality improvement processes and evaluation of services to target population. Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in a Human Services related field, experience in the provision of prevention related programs. At least three (3) years’ experience working in non-profit, social service environment in development or implementation of community-based services, prevention programs, or any other human service programs. Experience in implementing evidence-based practice models and other materials related to training, coaching according to policies and procedures Applicants who do not possess the required education may substitute additional experience as indicated on a year-for-year basis with thirty (30) semester hour credits being equal to one (1) year of experience. Note: Valid New Jersey driver’s license, safe driving record, and vehicle availability are required. Licensed Clinician Responsibilities: Clinicians will be expected to provide clinical services both in person and through telehealth to students. Clinical services will include screening, brief interventions, facilitating treatment referrals, school consultation and making necessary referrals to community supports as needed/identified. Clinicians will be expected to work a combination of before, during and after school hours. Education and Experience: Practitioners must be licensed as one of the following: Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC); Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC); or Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC). Preference for professionals with relevant independent licensure. Experience completing assessments and providing brief individualized clinical interventions to youth and families is required. Each Hub must have at least one Licensed Clinician whose licensure enables them to supervise other clinicians who do not possess independent licensure. Preference for clinicians with previous training in Motivational Interviewing. Those who are not trained in Motivational Interviewing must be trained within sixty (60) days of hire or assignment to the Hub. Note: Valid New Jersey driver’s license, safe driving record, and vehicle availability are required. 16 10) The availability for electronic, telephone, or in-person conferencing this program initiative requires: All Hubs must have a dedicated phone line and other electronic means that connect directly and are answered by Hub staff during regular business hours. The phone line shall include a voicemail system/ answering service to communicate important information regarding programming in the event of weather related or other emergency closings. All Hubs should have internet, computer, Hotspot capabilities, any apps and/or platforms that enable Hub staff to provide virtual conferencing and programming to school districts, printer, and copier available to staff. 11) The required partnerships/collaborations with stakeholders that will contribute to the success of this initiative: Each NJ4S Hub will be required to establish and maintain an Advisory Group comprised of students, parents/caregivers, school personnel, social service agencies, businesses, faith-based organizations, and other community and civic leaders. Each Hub is required to establish its Advisory Group at the formation of the Hub, within sixty (60) days of award. Hubs shall meet regularly with their Advisory Group, with high frequency during the formation of the Hub. Hubs shall solicit initial and ongoing input on assessment of existing community resources, specific focus of Hub services, design of Hub services, and delivery of Hub programs, supports, and services. Hubs shall include their Advisory Group in evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) efforts. The Director or Assistant Director is required to participate in the Children’s Inter-Agency Coordinating Council (CIACC) for their vicinage. The Hub must create and maintain meaningful referral relationships with • community mental health services for students, and • community-based programs providing social services to students and their families, such as those providing concrete supports, food banks, Family Success Centers, job training programs, health clinics, etc., throughout the Hub’s geographic area of responsibility and in particular those school districts identified as high priority. Hubs are advised the Department of Children and Families will set metrics for the identification of school districts as high priority consistent with P.L. 2021, Chapter 323, and ensure programs: a) maintain partnerships with community mental health providers and other existing resources; and b) identify and train students and staff on identifying the signs of mental health conditions and addressing risk factors that may impact student mental health. 12) The data collection systems this program initiative requires: Awarded respondents must utilize any data collection system/reporting tools that are 17 developed for NJ4S. Any associated licensed fees for this award period will be paid by DCF. 13) The assessment and evaluation tools this program initiative require: DCF will provide awarded respondents details of data collection processes and the MIS that will be used to implement the NJ4S Hubs. Hubs will be expected to adhere to DCF requirements for maintenance of data and timely submission of reports. Awarded respondents shall work with NJ DCF to create and utilize program forms developed for the NJ4S model. Forms include but are not limited to: • Application • Screening Tools • Referral Form • Intervention Follow-up Form The Hub must track and report the following information to DCF using the NJ4S MIS: - the number of referrals made to the Hub for mental health intervention services; the nature of the intervention (e.g., teacher consultation, student presenting problem such as anxiety, etc.); the assigned Hub clinician; if the student was referred to community mental health services, to whom (the agency/practitioner) the referral was made; and the disposition (e.g., whether or not the referent (student and/or family) accessed services, successfully returned to class, etc.). Hubs shall also track and report on each program and program contact (date, hours) delivered to students and school staff that identify signs of mental health conditions and address risk factors that may impact student mental health. Number of attendees and demographic information will also be collected. Information is to be collected regardless of whether the program is delivered via webinar/remotely or in person. Hubs shall make records available for review by DCF monitors, and to assist DCF in identifying opportunities for observation of programming and stakeholder interviews as part of monitoring and CQI efforts. Hubs shall participate regularly in statewide communities of practice with other Hubs. These sessions will facilitate information sharing, review statewide and regional data, identify network strengths and challenges, and discuss activities that can be undertaken collectively to address challenges. Hubs shall also meet regularly with DCF staff to discuss individual Hub utilization and performance, identify Hub strengths and challenges, and discuss individual Hub activities that can be undertaken to address challenges. 18 D. Activities - The below describes the activities this program initiative requires of respondents, inclusive of how the target population will be identified and served, the direct services and service modalities that will be provided to the target population, and the professional development and training that will be required of, and provided to, the staff delivering those services. 1) The level of service increments for this program initiative: While the number of students participating in Hub-run programming will be tracked, along with student sociodemographic information, and the level of service, the level of service increment for this program is the direct service hours clocked by Hub prevention consultants and clinicians in the provision of prevention and early intervention programs and services. Prevention consultants and clinicians should spend a minimum of 50% of time on direct service, once the program is fully operational. 2) The level of service increments should be tracked daily via the NJ4S MIS. 3) There is a required referral process. Students in all New Jersey public schools in the Hub vicinage area are eligible to receive support from a NJ4S Hub. Hub leadership is responsible for developing a local menu of services for their vicinage area, with the input of the Advisory Group and subject to DCF approval. Hubs are responsible for marketing this menu of services to schools in the vicinage area for which the respondent applies. At the school district level, interested schools will be instructed to apply for requested services from the NJ4S Hub covering their school. Submitted applications will be reviewed and processed by a NJ4S Hub scheduling coordinator and scheduled for a consultation with a prevention consultant or their Hub prevention consultant supervisor. Schools will be notified by the Hubs of the capacity to provide the requested service and schedule a start date. For Tier 1 services, no referral is required. Events will be announced, and participation is open to students, family members of students, and school staff within the Hub’s vicinage area. Once a school as has been scheduled for Tier 2 or 3 services, Hub staff will work with the school to confirm the student participants, based on the capacity of the requested program. If parental consent is required, the school will have responsibility for obtaining and maintaining this consent. 4) All school districts are eligible for Tier 1 services. School districts that have applied for Tier 2 and Tier 3 services will be prioritized based on the need index found in Attachment A and availability of selected program intervention and available resources made by school district and community 19 partners (e.g., meeting space, technology, etc.). School districts will be formally notified regarding the status of application. 5) The direct services and activities required for this program initiative: Hubs will provide universal supports (Tier 1) for all New Jersey public school districts; and provide tiered targeted support to all students enrolled in grades 6 through 12 in identified high need public school districts focused around four core service categories: Social Connections/Positive Peer Relations, Classroom Management/ Disruptive behaviors/ School Climate, Job/Career Readiness, and Mental Health Support (Prevention programming and early intervention/ brief counseling) Focus should include substance use prevention, sexual health and pregnancy prevention, suicide prevention, anti-bullying and violence prevention, and other prevention- focused areas of need. 6) The service modalities required for this program initiative: NJ4S Hubs will provide evidence-based prevention interventions and brief clinical interventions, divided into three Tiers of service. Tier 1 includes universal prevention programming that benefits all students. Tier 1 programs can be delivered through school-/district-wide programming, curriculum efforts through workshops, webinars, assemblies, trainings, and evidence-based interventions, or community efforts such as workshops held at libraries or community centers, or tutoring occurring at a Family Success Centers. More information about Family Success Centers can be found here: DCF | Family Success Centers (nj.gov). Focus areas for interventions include mental health/well-being (such as stress reduction, recognizing signs and symptoms of distress, or encouraging help seeking behavior), developing positive peer relationships, job readiness/career exploration, and classroom management/disruptive behaviors. Hubs shall design Tier 1 programming together with their Advisory Group, and to leverage community partnerships to implement programming in collaboration with trusted community organizations, businesses, faith institutions, etc. School district application for Tier 1 services is not necessary as all school districts, students and parents/caregivers will have access to these services. These include: ▪ The development of distribution lists that regularly email psycho- educational materials, resource links, and tips to parents who opt in. ▪ Workshops and trainings open to anyone who has an interest in the topic. ▪ Evidence-based prevention programs such as Success for Kids, All Stars, Life Skills Training, etc. delivered by Hub staff or through 20 Hub-partnership agreements with community-based organizations to deliver these evidence-based programs. ▪ Job readiness/career exploration programming, in “spoke” locations that may include school sites but may also include other community locations. These may be delivered by Hub staff but may also be delivered via linkages with existing community programs or civic groups that have been engaged by the Hub Advisory Group to support collaborative efforts to improve youth mental health. ▪ The creation of web/YouTube recordings that can be shared with all schools, students, and parents. These webinars can be grade specific addressing any number of topics such as preparing your kindergartner for the first day of school, good study habits, handling test anxiety, and so on. In addition to the above supports and programs for students and families, Hubs shall develop Tier 1 supports for schools. Hubs will provide or create partnerships to leverage existing state/local training offerings to make training available to educators in their vicinage area on topics such as: Adverse Childhood Experiences, identification, and management of youth with mental health needs, management of disruptive behaviors, and mental health first aid. In conjunction with DCF, Hubs shall develop a menu of Tier 1 services and to develop and execute a regular, consistent, and repetitive marketing and public relations campaign to market that menu to all students and families in the vicinage area. Hubs shall design and execute pro-active outreach and marketing campaigns with their Advisory Group. Outreach and marketing campaigns should include partnership with schools to disseminate information but must also include partnership with a broad array of other community organizations, institutions, faith organizations and local businesses. Tier 2 includes evidenced-based prevention interventions. Services can be delivered through small group interventions. Services also include linkages to existing programming and/or community resources. Focus areas for interventions include substance use prevention, sexual health and pregnancy prevention, suicide prevention, anti-bullying and violence prevention, and other prevention-focused areas of need determined by youth and community where the NJ4S Hub is located. Tier 2 services are targeted interventions aimed at middle and high school students. All school districts in the state can apply for Tier 2 supports. Capacity limitations will require Hubs to prioritize applications from high 21 need school districts, identified in Attachment A. In reviewing a school district’s application for Tier 2 support, Hub staff must identify the extent to which any of the school district’s needs might be met with comparable resources, supports, programs already being implemented within the community, to eliminate a duplication of efforts. Hubs will be responsible for discussing those options with school districts, as applicable, as part of the process of determining the extent of Tier 2 support that will be made available to each interested school district. Hub staff shall provide, directly and through brokerage of linkages with other community partners, prevention services to as many school districts as capacity allows, based on the volume of requests and need rank. Tier 2 prevention services can be delivered by a trained prevention consultant and do not require a licensed clinician. School districts may receive Tier 2 services in addition to Tier 1 services. Hubs shall develop a menu of Tier 2 evidence-based prevention programs that are appropriate for their vicinage area in consultation with their Advisory Group. If there is an expressed need for a student population or subpopulation for which there is no appropriate evidence-based intervention, and no relevant service or support already available to meet that need in the community, Hubs may design adaptations to evidence- based programs, or design a custom program. Inclusion of adaptations or custom programs will require Hubs to partner with DCF for additional evaluation and monitoring of efficacy and quality. All program innovations are subject to review and approval by DCF/Division of Family and Community Partnerships, Office of Family Support Services. Tier 3 includes assessment and brief individualized clinical interventions to youth in distress, to improve overall mental health/well-being or to facilitate resolution of an immediate problem and allow for continued classroom success, while the youth is being referred and connected to a community provider to support ongoing mental health needs, including referral for further evaluation and/or on-going mental health counseling. Tier 3 services are targeted interventions, made available to all school districts in the state. As with Tier 2, service delivery is dependent upon capacity with prioritization to school districts that emerge as having high need based on the DCF needs index. School districts can apply to the Hub to receive Tier 3 support. School districts that avail themselves of this level of Hub support will need to ensure that space is made available for clinicians to meet confidentially with the student at school or via telehealth. 22 In delivering Tier 3 services, the Hub shall: ▪ Provide access to a clinician who can be deployed to the school on a routine basis to: (a) provide assessment of mental health or substance use problems for individual students; and (b) provide brief evidence-based clinical interventions (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing) directly with youth in the school setting. The clinician team will be well versed in interventions that are proven to be effective with students from the cultures and family backgrounds that are present in their vicinage area. ▪ Provide access to a clinician via telehealth, if preferred, including after school hours appointments. ▪ Provide school staff access to a clinician for consultation on behavior management, school routines, etc. for individual students. ▪ Provide families access to a clinician for urgent brief counseling and referral to ongoing treatment as needed. Awarded respondents are required to work together with their Advisory Group to identify a menu of evidence-based interventions from the following Clearinghouse lists (see below chart) to be implemented via each Tier. Hub staff must discuss any proposed evidence-based interventions with their Advisory Group and obtain DCF approval before utilizing. Clearinghouse Website Blueprints for Healthy Development https://www.blueprintsprograms. org/program-search/ California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse https://www.cebc4cw.org/search /by-program-name/ Crime Solutions https://www.crimesolutions.gov/ Programs.aspx#view-programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention https://www.ojjdp.gov/MPG/Pro gram Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review (TPPER) https://tppevidencereview.youth. gov/ Top Tier Evidence and Social Programs that Work https://evidencebasedprograms. org/programs/ What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/FW W/Results?filters=,K-12 Title IV-E Prevention Clearinghouse (FFA) https://preventionservices.acf.hh s.gov/ National Registry of Evidenced Based Programs and Practices https://www.samhsa.gov/resour ce-search/ebp What Works for Health Clearinghouse What Works for Health | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps https://www.blueprintsprograms.org/program-search/ https://www.blueprintsprograms.org/program-search/ https://www.cebc4cw.org/search/by-program-name/ https://www.cebc4cw.org/search/by-program-name/ https://www.crimesolutions.gov/Programs.aspx#view-programs https://www.crimesolutions.gov/Programs.aspx#view-programs https://www.ojjdp.gov/MPG/Program https://www.ojjdp.gov/MPG/Program https://tppevidencereview.youth.gov/ https://tppevidencereview.youth.gov/ https://evidencebasedprograms.org/programs/ https://evidencebasedprograms.org/programs/ https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/FWW/Results?filters=,K-12 https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/FWW/Results?filters=,K-12 https://preventionservices.acf.hhs.gov/ https://preventionservices.acf.hhs.gov/ https://www.samhsa.gov/resource-search/ebp https://www.samhsa.gov/resource-search/ebp https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/take-action-to-improve-health/what-works-for-health 23 Youth.Gov https://youth.gov/evidence- innovation#program-directory Evidence For Essa https://www.evidenceforessa.or g/programs/social-emotional As most evidence-based interventions have associated costs for items such as tools and training, respondents should reserve a portion of their SFY23 and SFY24 budgets for costs associated with use of evidence- based programs. DCF will provide initial training for motivational interviewing. 7) Providers are required to communicate with Parent/Family/Youth and to incorporate the participation of the communities the providers serve in some other manner. A core requirement of the NJ4S Network is that Hubs must directly involve community stakeholders in design and implementation of the Hub and its services. Hubs are also required to pro-actively assess existing services in the vicinage area, and to intentionally integrate the Hub services with existing statewide and community-based services and supports for school- aged youth. The Advisory Group, which will be maintained throughout the Hub’s existence, will provide ongoing input on Hub design, feedback and advice regarding how standard Hub services can be adapted to better meet the needs of the community, and help to integrate Hub services into existing resources in the community. Recommendations of the Advisory Group should be developed based on evidence, data, and the lived and professional experience of its membership. Membership: Hub Advisory Groups must include students, parents/caregivers, and school personnel, as well as representatives from social service agencies, businesses, faith-based organizations, and other leaders within the Hub’s vicinage area. 25% of the Advisory Group membership shall be students or parents/caregivers from the communities served by the Hub. A formal roster of members and roles (student, caregiver, social service agency, etc.) shall be maintained, including updates on an annual basis. For vicinages which contain multiple counties, Hubs should take care to ensure that the Advisory Group membership is reflective of the full vicinage area. Model Selection: Community input into service design for the Hubs is critical to ensuring that services are responsive to local needs. As described in Section E, Hubs will review potential services and evidence- based models with the Advisory Group and incorporate the Advisory Group information and feedback in the selection of models and recommended adaptations submitted to DCF for approval. Quarterly Report: On a quarterly basis, the Hub shall prepare a report for the Advisory Group https://youth.gov/evidence-innovation#program-directory https://youth.gov/evidence-innovation#program-directory https://www.evidenceforessa.org/programs/social-emotional https://www.evidenceforessa.org/programs/social-emotional 24 • the volume and types of services requested and delivered by the Hub during the quarter; • longitudinal data showing how the most recent quarter compares to services requested and accessed in preceding quarters; • Description of Tier 1 marketing activities conducted during the quarter, and their efficacy; and • Key accomplishments or challenges. Hubs shall also submit the quarterly report to DCF each quarter. Meetings and Subcommittees: At program startup, Advisory Group meetings shall occur monthly. Once programs are fully established, Advisory Group meetings will be held on a quarterly basis at minimum. At least once per quarter, the Advisory Group is expected to review the Hub’s quarterly report; discuss emerging family and community issues, and any related recommendations for Hub services; discuss gaps and barriers in service that are occurring and identify recommendations for addressing them, if possible; and discuss newly identified or under-utilized community services that could be beneficial to students and families served by the Hub. The Hub shall staff the Advisory Group meetings to ensure that record formal attendance and meeting minutes of each meeting are maintained, including recommendations and action items. It is strongly encouraged that the meeting be facilitated or co-facilitated by a member of the Advisory Group, rather than Hub staff. Advisory Groups are encouraged to form subcommittees or working groups to support gathering of feedback from community members and students; development of diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies for the Hub; and creation and maintenance of partnerships with community organizations, faith institutions, businesses, and philanthropic organizations, and the like. Hubs for vicinages with multiple counties are strongly encouraged to develop subcommittees to address county-specific needs. Annual Survey: On an annual basis, the Hub shall partner with DCF to conduct a survey of students, parents, and school personnel regarding Hub services to add this additional perspective to the experience of the Advisory Group members. The Hub will report the results of the survey to the Advisory Group. 8) Professional development: In addition to conferences and outside professional development opportunities, awarded respondents are required to attend all DCF NJ4S related trainings and meetings. NJ4S Hub clinicians must be trained in Motivational Interviewing in addition to any other modalities identified by the Hub for inclusion in Tier 3. Prevention consultant staff should receive ongoing professional development in 25 prevention science, evaluation, community development and child and adolescent development. E. Outcomes - The below describes the evaluations, outcomes, information technology, data collection, and reporting required of respondents for this program. 1) The evaluations required for this program initiative: Awarded respondents are required to participate in all evaluation activities for the NJ4S program. 2) The outcomes required of this program initiative (which may include short term, midterm, and long-term outcomes): a) Short Term Outcomes (Directed at Students, Parents, and Educators): • Increased understanding of the unique aspects of adolescent development • Increased awareness of how to implement developmentally, culturally, contextually appropriate, and trauma-informed practices • Increased knowledge of how to acquire skills and attitudes that are needed to form and independent identity • Increased awareness of how to develop healthy, sustained relationships with people, institutions, the community towards the goal of building trust and belonging • Increased understanding of how to garner quality services • Increased mental health literacy • Increased awareness of strategies to manage stress • Increased awareness of school and community stakeholders and engagement strategies • Increased awareness of social/behavioral norms within the classroom • Increased awareness of various career paths, employment resources and what is needed to pursue them. b) Mid Term Outcomes (Directed at Students, Parents and/or Educators): • Increased ability to teach, use, and promote, positive developmentally appropriate social, emotional, and behavioral skills • Increased ability to utilize skills to foster positive relationships • Increased utilization of effective coping mechanisms to manage mental health symptoms and regulate emotions and behaviors 26 • Increased ability to advocate for oneself and garner quality services • Enhanced collaborative relationships and expanded resource network within communities c) Long Term Outcomes (Directed at Students and/or Parents): • Improved healthy development • Improved social, emotional, and behavioral functioning • Expanded social connections • Improved mental health • Increased resiliency Measurement specific to evidence-based prevention programs, often before and after measures, shall also be collected by Hubs to determine the extent to which attitudes, knowledge or behaviors have been affected by the evidence-based programs. Depending on the evidence-based models selected by the Hub and its Advisory Group, these measurements should address substance use prevention, sexual health and pregnancy prevention, suicide prevention, anti-bullying, and violence prevention, and/or other prevention-focused areas of need determined by youth and community where the NJ4S Hub is located. 3) Required use of databases: Hubs are expected to enter program data into the identified data management information system for NJ4S. 4) Reporting requirements: MIS: All data is entered on a web-based MIS and submitted in the specific format prescribed by the DCF. Monthly Service Reports: Monthly service reports shall be submitted to DCF by the tenth day of each month for the preceding month in which services were provided, unless generated through the MIS established by DCF. Quarterly Program Usage Report: As noted in section D (12), quarterly reports on program usage will be generated and provided to the Hub Advisory Group and DCF. This data is also expected to be generated from the MIS. Quarterly Expenditure Reports: The format for the ROE must match that of the Annex B budget form found at: https://nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/ The reports must be prepared in accordance with the governing cost principles set forth in the DCF Contract Reimbursement Manual (CRM Section 6). 5) Respondents awarded a contract must demonstrate to DCF by June 30, 2023, that they are on track to be able to offer the services described in this 27 RFP by September 1, 2023. If DCF determines that the contractor has not satisfactorily demonstrated by June 30, 2023, that it will be able to offer the services by September 1, 2023, the award may be rescinded. Extensions may be available by way of written request to the FCP Assistant Commissioner. F. Signature Statement of Acceptance: By my signature below, I hereby certify that I have read, understand, accept, and will comply with all the terms and conditions of providing services described above as Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables and any referenced documents. I understand that the failure to abide by the terms of this statement is a basis for DCF’s termination of my contract to provide these services. I have the necessary authority to execute this agreement between my organization and DCF. Name: Signature: Title: Date: Organization: Federal ID No.: Charitable Registration No.: Unique Entity ID #: Contact Person: Title: Phone: 28 Email: Mailing Address: Section III - Documents Required to be Submitted with This Response In addition to the Signature Statement of Acceptance of the Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables, DCF requires respondents to submit the following documents with each response. Respondents must organize the documents submitted in the same order as presented below under one (1) of the two (2) corresponding title headings: A. Documents to be Submitted in Support of This Response; and B. Organizational Documents to be Submitted with This Response. Each of these two (2) sections must be submitted as a separate PDF, which would be the second and third PDF submission in your response packet. A. Documents to be Submitted in Support of This Response (THIS WILL BE THE SECOND PDF SUBMISSION IN YOUR RESPONSE PACKET AND IS TO BE LABELED AS: PDF 2: SECTION III - REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, SUBSECTION A. DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESPONSE.) 1) A description of how your accounting system has the capability to record financial transactions by funding source, to produce funding source documentation and authorization to support all expenditures, and timesheets which detail by funding source how the employee spent their time, invoices, etc. 2) A Statement of Assurances signed and dated. Website: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/requests/#2 Form: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/Statement.of.Assurance.doc 3) All Corrective action plans or reviews completed by DCF (inclusive of DCF Licensing, Divisions and Offices) or other State entities within the last two (2) years. If applicable, a copy of the corrective action plan should be provided and any other pertinent information that will explain or clarify the respondent’s position. If not applicable, the respondent is to include a signed written statement that it has never been under any Corrective Actions or reviews. Respondents are on notice that DCF may consider all materials in our records concerning audits, reviews, or corrective active https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/requests/#2 https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/notices/Statement.of.Assurance.doc 29 plans as part of the review process. As noted above (Section II. D. No. 11), respondents subject to a Corrective Action not yet completed are not eligible to apply. 4) An Implementation Plan for the program that includes a detailed timeline for implementing the proposed services, or some other detailed weekly description of your action steps in preparing to provide the services and to become fully operational. 5) (Up to 20) Letter(s) of Commitment for each vicinage specific to a service or MOU to demonstrate commitment to the program. 6) (Up to 20) Letter(s) of Support for each vicinage from community organizations with which you already partner. Letters from any New Jersey State employees are prohibited. 7) Proposed Program Organizational Chart for the program services required by this response that includes the agency name and the date created. 8) Proposed Budget narrative is required for the proposed project/program that clearly articulates budget items, including a description of miscellaneous expenses or “other” items, describes how funding will be used to meet the project goals, responsibilities, and requirements, and references the costs associated with the completion of the project as entered in the Proposed Budget Form found at: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/ Note: Respondents must provide two budget forms. One for the date the contract is effective through June 2023, and a second Proposed Budget Form must be completed to cover the annual costs for continued program operations for the period from July 1, 2023, through June 20, 2024, any remaining implementation costs from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. 9) Completed Proposed Budget Forms found at: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/ Note: Respondents must provide two budget forms. One for the date the contract is effective on April 1, 2023, through June 2023 inclusive of start-up costs as entered in the final column of the form, and a second Proposed Budget Form must be completed to cover the annual costs for continued program operations for the period from July 1, 2023, through June 20, 2024, and any remaining implementation costs from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. 10) Resumes of any existing staff who will perform the proposed services (Do not provide home addresses or personal phone numbers). https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/ https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/ 30 11) A brief narrative on the Staffing Patterns you anticipate will satisfy the staffing requirements as described and certified to in the Resources/Staff Requirements (Section II. C. No. 9) of the Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables of this RFP. Indicate the number, qualifications and skills of all staff, consultants, sub-grantees and/or volunteers who will perform the proposed service activities and describe the management and supervision methods that will be utilized. 12) A Training Curricula Table of Contents for the current and proposed staff consistent with the requirements described and certified toto in the Activities Requirements (Section II. D. No. 11) of the Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables of this RFP B. Organizational Documents Prerequisite to a Contract Award Required to be Submitted with this Response: (THIS WILL BE THE THIRD PDF SUBMISSION IN YOUR RESPONSE PACKET AND IS TO BE LABELED AS: PDF 3: SECTION III - REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, SUBSECTION B. ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENTS PREREQUISITE TO A CONTRACT AWARD TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THE RESPONSE.) 1) Affirmative Action Certificate: Issued after the renewal form [AA302] is sent to Treasury with payment. Note: The AA302 is only applicable to new startup agencies and may only be submitted during Year One (1). Agencies previously contracted through DCF are required to submit an Affirmative Action Certificate. Website: https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/contract_compliance/ 2) Agency By-Laws -or- Management Operating Agreement if an LLC 3) Attestation Form for Public Law P.L. 2021, c.1 - Complete, sign and date as the provider. Form:Attestation.Form.To.Be.Completed.by.Providers.Covered.by.Public .Law.2021c.1.-6.7.21.pdf (nj.gov) 4) Dated List of Names, Titles, Emails, Phone Numbers, Addresses & Terms of either the Board of Directors of a corporation, or the Managing Partners of an LLC/Partnership, or the members of the responsible governing body of a county or municipality. 5) For Profit: NJ Business Registration Certificate with the Division of Revenue (see instructions for applicability to your organization). Website: https: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/busregcert.shtml https://www.state.nj.us/treasury/contract_compliance/ https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/Attestation.Form.To.Be.Completed.by.Providers.Covered.by.Public.Law.2021c.1.-6.7.21.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/Attestation.Form.To.Be.Completed.by.Providers.Covered.by.Public.Law.2021c.1.-6.7.21.pdf https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/busregcert.shtml 31 6) Business Associate Agreement/HIPAA - Sign and date as the Business Associate. Form: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/HIPAA.docx 7) For Profit: Chapter 51/Executive Order 117 Vendor Certification and Disclosure of Political Contributions (See instructions for applicability to your organization). Website: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms.shtml 8) Conflict of Interest Policy and Attestation Form Form: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/manuals/CPIM_p8_conflict.pdf 9) Certification Regarding Debarment Form: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/forms/Cert.Debarment.pdf 10) Disclosure of Investigations & Other Actions Involving Respondent Form: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/DisclosureofInvestigations.pdf 11) Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran Form:https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/DisclosureofInvestmen tActivitiesinIran.pdf 12) Ownership Disclosure Form https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/OwnershipDisclosure.pdf The Ownership Disclosure form must be completed and returned by non- profit and for-profit corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies. The failure of a for-profit corporation, partnership, or limited liability company to complete the form prior to submitting it with the application shall result in rejection of the proposal. 13) Disclosure of Prohibited Activities in Russia and Belarus Form: Certification.on.Non- Involvement.Prohibited.Activites.in.Russia.or.Belarus.pdf (nj.gov) 14) Source Disclosure Form (Disclosure of Source Location of Services Performed Outside the United States) Form:http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/purchase/forms/SourceDisclosureC ertification.pdf 15) Document showing Unique Entity ID (SAM) Number Website: https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/HIPAA.docx https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/HIPAA.docx https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms.shtml https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms.shtml https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/manuals/CPIM_p8_conflict.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/manuals/CPIM_p8_conflict.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/forms/Cert.Debarment.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/forms/Cert.Debarment.pdf https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/DisclosureofInvestigations.pdf https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/DisclosureofInvestmentActivitiesinIran.pdf https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/DisclosureofInvestmentActivitiesinIran.pdf https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/OwnershipDisclosure.pdf https://www.nj.gov/treasury/purchase/forms/OwnershipDisclosure.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/Certification.on.Non-Involvement.Prohibited.Activites.in.Russia.or.Belarus.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/Certification.on.Non-Involvement.Prohibited.Activites.in.Russia.or.Belarus.pdf http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/purchase/forms/SourceDisclosureCertification.pdf http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/purchase/forms/SourceDisclosureCertification.pdf https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei 32 16) Certificate of Incorporation Website: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue 17) Notice of Standard Contract Requirements, Processes, and Policies Sign and date as the provider Form: Notice.of.Standard.Contract.Requirements.pdf (nj.gov) 18) Organizational Chart for Agency - Ensure chart includes the agency name, current date, and the allocation of personnel among each of the agency's DCF programs with their position titles and names. 19) Standard Language Document (SLD) (or Individual Provider Agreement or Department Agreement with another State Entity) Sign and date as the provider Form: https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/forms/StandardLanguage.doc 20) System for Award Management (SAM) Submit a printout showing active status and the expiration date. Available free of charge. Website: https://sam.gov/content/home Helpline:1-866-606-8220 21) Tax Exempt Organization Certificate (ST-5) -or- IRS Determination Letter 501(c)(3) Website: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/exemptintro.shtml 22) Tax Forms: Submit a copy of the most recent full tax return Non-Profit: Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax or- For Profit: Form 1120 US Corporation Income Tax Return -or- LLCs: Applicable Tax Form and may delete/redact any SSN or personal information Note: Store subsequent tax returns on site for submission to DCF upon request. 23) Professional Licenses and/or Certificates (If related to job responsibilities) Submit currently effective documents. Section IV - Respondent’s Narrative Responses Respondents that sign the above Statement of Acceptance to provide services in accordance with the Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables additionally must submit a narrative response to every question below. A response will be evaluated and scored as indicated on each of the following three Narrative Sections: A. Community and Organizational Fit; B. Organizational Capacity; and C. Organizational Supports. Respondents must organize the Narrative Response https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/Notice.of.Standard.Contract.Requirements.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/providers/contracting/forms/Notice.of.Standard.Contract.Requirements.pdf https://www.nj.gov/dcf/documents/contract/forms/StandardLanguage.doc https://sam.gov/content/home https://sam.gov/content/home https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/exemptintro.shtml https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/exemptintro.shtml 33 sections submitted in the same order as presented below and under each of the three (3) corresponding title headings. There is a thirty (30) page limitation for the combined three (3) narrative sections of the response. The narrative should be double-spaced with margins of one (1) inch on the top and bottom and one (1) inch on the left and right. Narrative Sections of the responses should be double-spaced with margins of one (1) inch on the top and bottom and one (1) inch on the left and right. The font shall be no smaller than twelve (12) points in Arial or Times New Roman. (ALL THREE (3) OF THESE SECTIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED AS A SINGLE PDF DOCUMENT, WHICH WOULD BE THE FOURTH PDF SUBMISSION IN YOUR RESPONSE PACKET AND IS TO BE LABELED AS: PDF 4 – SECTION IV: RESPONDENT’S NARRATIVE RESPONSES, SUBSECTIONS A. COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL FIT; B. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY; AND C. ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORTS.) A. Community and Organizational Fit (40 Points) Community and Organizational fit refers to respondent’s alignment with the specified community and state priorities, family and community values, culture and history, and other interventions and initiatives. 1) Describe how this initiative fits with existing initiatives/programming in your organization. Please describe your organization’s experience successfully providing the services outlined in Section II or services like them. 2) If this is a collaborative proposal (one submitted jointly with multiple agencies), please list the participating non-profits and point of contact for each agency and clarify the roles and responsibilities of the entities that are jointly applying for this award. 3) Describe your organization’s experience launching and sustaining community advisory boards and working with community leaders. a. Please give an example of a program that your organization developed using co-design or other participatory methods. b. Please describe how program recipients are engaged in your organization’s governance, c. Describe specific role and composition of any community advisory boards your agency has utilized, and concrete examples of the outcomes and benefits derived from the community advisory boards involvement d. Please describe the challenges your organization has encountered in utilizing co-design, participatory design, and/or community 34 advisory board approaches; and how you mitigated those challenges. 4) Describe your organization’s experience implementing services and programs that are categorized as well supported, supported, and promising. What programs have you implemented? What is your experience working with model developers? How have you recruited and retained staff who work effectively with evidence-based programs? How have you sustained model fidelity over time? 5) Describe your understanding of the target population and communities to be served through NJ4S, and your organization’s experience working with this target (or similar) populations. Provide examples of your organization’s provision of culturally or linguistically appropriate services. 6) Describe your organization’s experience utilizing trauma informed practices, and your proposed approach to creating trauma-informed approaches for the NJ4S Hub services. 7) Describe your organization’s experience in identifying and executing effective approaches to ensuring cultural inclusivity in your existing service lines. Describe your proposed approach to ensuring cultural inclusivity in the NJ4S Hub. 8) Describe how you will meet the geographic area requirements of this program initiative. How will your organization assure that the full vicinage area receives equitable service? B. Organizational Capacity (30 Points) Organizational Capacity refers to the respondent’s ability to meet and sustain the specified minimum requirements financially and structurally. 1) Describe how the organization’s leadership is knowledgeable about and in support of this initiative. Include how the requirements of this initiative will be met through your governance and management structure, including the roles of senior executives and governing body (Board of Directors, Managing Partners, or the members of the responsible governing body of a county or municipality). 2) Describe the extent to which your organization’s leaders have the diverse skills and perspectives representative of the community being served. 3) Describe how the organization will meet the staffing requirements for this initiative as described and certified to in the Resources/Staff Requirements section of the Required Performance and Staffing 35 Deliverables of this RFP. Describe how your Agency plans to fulfill staffing requirements not currently in place by hiring staff, consultants, sub-grantees and/or volunteers who will perform the proposed service activities. Will your organization utilize any staff other than the minimum staff described in Section II C, bullet 9? 4) Describe your plans to ensure that the NJ4S staff have a cultural and language match with the population they serve, as well as relationships in the community? If so, describe. 5) What administrative practices must be developed and/or refined to support the initiative/program/practice? What administrative policies and procedures must be adjusted to support the work of the staff and others to implement the program or practice? 6) Describe how the requirements of this initiative will be implemented through the existing or anticipated community partners listed and certified to in the Resources/Staff Requirements section and the collaborative activities listed and certified to in the Activities section of the Required Performance and Staffing Deliverables of this RFP. 7) Describe how the requirements of this initiative will be met through your strategies for identifying and engaging the target population and for maintaining their participation in services in accordance with service recipients’ need(s). (a) Describe how you will form the Hub Advisory Group. Include a description of recruitment and on-boarding of members, training, and anticipated activities for the first 6 months of operation. (b) Describe how you will identify program offerings for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 services? (c) Describe how you will assess the existing services and supports in your vicinage area for each of the core services described in Section (?) of this RFP. How will you ensure that NJ4S Hub services do not replicate those existing services? How will you form relationships with those existing services for service referral (e.g., referring youth to those programs) and, where applicable, service delivery (e.g., collaborating to implement a program)? (d) Describe how the Hub will work with the local CIACC and other statewide initiatives that address student health and wellness. (e) Describe how you will form productive working relationships with the School District administrators, school principals and guidance staffing your vicinage area. 36 C. Organizational Supports (30 Points) Organizational Supports refers to the respondent’s access to Expert Assistance, Staffing, Training, Coaching & Supervision. 1) Describe how your organization will support this initiative with required/ necessary training, coaching, supervision. Describe your organization’s process to evaluate staff performance for this work. 2) Describe how your organization will support the staff implementing this ini