U099--Marriage/Family Counseling Training

Statement of Work Background: The Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) Vet Center Program consists of community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible Veterans, active-duty service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families. Readjustment counseling is offered to make a successful transition from military to civilian life or after a traumatic event experienced in the military. Individual, group, marriage, and family counseling is offered in addition to referral and connection to other VA or community benefits and services. Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling) were established by Congress in 1979 out of the recognition that a significant number of Vietnam era Vets were still experiencing readjustment problems. Vet Centers are community based and part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In April 1991, in response to the Persian Gulf War,

Congress extended the eligibility to Veterans who served during other periods of armed hostilities after the Vietnam era. Those other periods are identified as Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, and Kosovo/Bosnia. In October 1996, Congress extended the eligibility to include WWII and Korean Combat Veterans. The goal of Vet Centers is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services to eligible Veterans to help them make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life. On April 1, 2003, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs extended eligibility for Vet Center services to Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and on June 25, 2003, Vet Center eligibility was extended to Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and subsequent operations within the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The RCS North Atlantic District 1 Office continues the long tradition of RCS support to Veterans and family members in our communities across the USA. In the execution of this mission, it is critical that Vet Center staff receive regular clinical training in order to maintain and improve their skills and knowledge base in the area of mental health counseling, to include marriage and family counseling Scope: Provide Trauma Informed Interventions; Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence and Repair and Healing Inside the Dyadic Relationship to a cohort of 300 Readjustment Counselors virtually during RCS District 1 FY22 Cohort Training. Contractor is responsible for providing trainers, access to virtual training platform, technical assistance to troubleshoot issues with virtual platform, all required course content (handouts, manuals, etc.) and documentation of course completion for each completing participant to include Continuing Education Units (CEUs) consistent with hours of instruction. Purpose: The purpose of the Trauma Informed Interventions; Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Course and Repair and Healing Inside the Dyadic Relationship course is to provide and interactive learning experience where counselors will learn and improve skills in providing marriage and family counseling Training objectives include: Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Course Crisis Intervention & Safety Planning Barriers to leaving Safety plans while living with abusive partners Emotional safety planning Plans for leaving and after leaving Restraining orders/protective orders Trauma Informed Interventions Assess for PTSD, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health issues Understand the multilayered impact of DV/IPV Processing shame, anger, and guilt Research, limitations, and treatment risks Vicarious Trauma & the Clinician What is compassion fatigue Recognizing signs of burnout Self-care techniques for the professional Repair and Healing Inside the Dyadic Relationship Completion of this training will improve the clinical competency of Readjustment Counselors within the RCS District 1, Vet Center Program resulting in trauma informed, quality marriage and family counseling for Veterans, service members and their families. Period of Performance: July 11, 2022 July 12, 2022 Tasks/Delivery Schedule: Preparation: Link to virtual platform, instructions to access platform, point of contact for technical assistance will be provided to each participant no later than July10, 2022 Training: Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Course 2 hours (July 11, 2022, 8:30am-10:30am) Repair and Healing Inside the Dyadic Relationship 2 hours (July 12, 2022, 1:00pm-10:30am) Proof of Completion: Documentation of course completion to include CEUs will be provided to each completing participant no later than Sep 31, 2022. Location: Virtual Contractor Personnel Security Requirements: No Contractor/Subcontractor employees shall be permitted access to the Department of Veterans Affairs' computer systems at any time. Government Responsibilities RCS District 1 will provide the list of students to contractor in advance of the first training.