Disability, Mental Health and Carers Program

Community Mental Health – Individual Placement and Support Trial (Fidelity Review)
Funding Round Summary

August2016

Disability, Mental Health and Carers Program

The Disability, Mental Health and Carers Program provides support and communitybased initiatives for people with disability, mental illness and carers, so they can develop their capabilities and actively participate in community and economic life.

Individual Placement and Support Trial – Fidelity Review

The IPS Trial Fidelity Review is a component of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Trial.

The IPS Trial isa national trial of the IPS model of vocational assistance for young people with mental illness up to the age of 25 years. The Trial is in line with the Australian Government commitments under the Youth Employment Strategy: Intensive Support for Vulnerable Job Seekers 2015-16 Budget Measure.

The IPS Trial will commence in 2016-17, and will run for up to three years to 30 June 2019 in up to15sites nationally. Throughout this period, the quality of the IPS services being delivered will be monitored and maintained through a Fidelity Review of each trial site using an objective, evidence-based Fidelity Scale.

Individual Placement and Support Trial

The objective of the IPS Trial is to help improve the educational and employment outcomes of young people with mental illness. The trial will target vulnerable young people up to the age of 25 with mental illness who are at risk of disengaging from education or employment, and are at risk of long-term welfare dependency. Under this trial, vocational and employment support will be provided in conjunction with clinical and non-vocational assistance.

The IPS model integrates employment and vocational support with clinical mental health and non-vocational support and focuses on individual needs of people with mental illness who are seeking to remain in education or employment.Under the IPS Trial, employment specialists will be fully integrated into clinically-focussed youth mental health services throughout Australia to provide career development advice and vocational and employment assistance to young people with mental illness up to the age of 25, in tandem with clinical support and additional non-vocational assistance.

The IPS trial will be implemented progressively in 15 sites across Australia.The trial sites will be located in the following Australian states and territories:

  • three sites each in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria;
  • two sites each in South Australia and Western Australia; and
  • one site in the Northern Territory and Tasmania.

A linked, concurrent evaluation of the IPS Trial will also be undertaken throughout this period. The evaluation will be undertaken to identify outcomes and issues and to provide information to the Australian Government on key factors influencing the educational and employment outcomes of the target cohort.

The Australian Government reserves the right to terminate the IPS Trial before 30 June 2019 if the anticipated outcomes of the trial are not being met or there are unanticipated negative consequences that outweigh the potential benefits.

Selection Type

This selection is a restricted process to select one organisation to manage the Fidelity Review component of the IPS Trial.

A restricted (or targeted) selection process is used where there are few providers available due to highly specialised services being required, there are geographical considerations, specific expertise is required or there are time constraints. A restricted round is still competitive, but only opened to a small number of potential grant recipients based on the specialised requirements of the granting activity or project under consideration. Potential grant recipients are invited to apply and are assessed against designated selection criteria.

Applicant Eligibility

Applications will be assessed against the criteria to ensure public accountability and meet Program outcomes. Organisations must be in one of the following categories to have their application considered:

  1. Incorporated Associations (incorporated under state/territory legislation, commonly have 'Association' or 'Incorporated' or 'Inc.' in their legal name)
  2. Incorporated Cooperatives (also incorporated under state/territory legislation, commonly have ‘Cooperative' in their legal name)
  3. Companies (incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 – may be a not-for-profit or for-profit proprietary company (limited by shares or by guarantee) or public companies)
  4. Aboriginal Corporations (incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006)
  5. Organisations established through a specific piece of Commonwealth or state/territory legislation (public benevolent institutions, churches, universities, unions etc.)
  6. Partnerships and
  7. Trustees on behalf of a Trust.

Available Funding for this Activity

$750,000 - $800,000,or $300,000 (excluding GST) in 2016-17 and $250,000 per year (excluding GST) for 2017-18 and 2018-19 has been made available for the Fidelity Review component of the IPS trial for the period 2016-17 to 2018-19.

Closing Date and Time

Applications must be submitted by 2:00pm AEST, Thursday 1 September 2016.

Late applications – information on DSS grant policies including the late application policy is available on the DSS website.

Questions

Questions and answers for this funding round are included in the Application Pack.

If you cannot find an answer to your question, relating to this selection process or the Activity, on the DSS website please send your question to .

Responses to questions will be emailed to all invitees, except where the answers are already available in the Application Pack.

DSS will only answer questions to explain the Application Form and Program Guidelines. DSS will not advise on how to respond to specific selection criteria.

DSS will not respond to any questions, requests for information or correspondence about the status or progress of applications after Friday 26 August 2016 or until the conclusion of the selection process.

DSS cannot answer questions about individual applications during the assessment process. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application when the selection process is complete.

If you would like help or support in using and/or submitting the Application Form, please call 1800 020 283 or TTY 1800 555 677 or email .

Grant Objective

The delivery of high quality IPS services to participants that strongly adhere to the IPS practice principles is a key objective of the Trial. To ensure this objective is met, the quality of the IPS services being delivered will be monitored and maintained by a Fidelity Reviewer at each trial site using an objective, evidence-based Fidelity Scale.

Statement of Requirement

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is seeking a suitable organisation to manage the Fidelity Review component of the IPS Trial in 15trial sites across Australia over three years to 30 June 2019. The organisation must demonstrate significant knowledge and skills in youth mental health research and delivery of the IPS model of vocational support.

The successful organisation will be required to continually assess and monitor the quality of IPS services delivered at each trial site using an objective, evidence-based Fidelity Scale.The findings of each review will be used to inform service providers on how to improve and maintain fidelity to the key principles of IPS.

The Fidelity Reviewer will also be responsible for providing ongoing training and support to service providers at each Trial site.The training to service providers and their vocational specialists will be more intensive during the early stages of the IPS trial for the Reviewer and should gradually reduce in intensity as service providers improve fidelity to the IPS model. The Reviewer will provide the most appropriate and cost-effective means of improving IPS services delivered in each trial site including training and information.

Information on assistance provided will be shared with DSS and the Evaluation team to help inform project management and ongoing progress over the trial period.

The organisation engaged to deliver on the Fidelity Review component of the IPS trial must demonstrate the following:

  • independence from the service provider and the trial sites (i.e., an external organisation);
  • knowledge of the IPS model of vocational assistance and use of the 2008 Dartmouth Supported Employment Fidelity Scale (the Fidelity Scale) to monitor IPS service delivery;
  • capacity to monitor all 15 trial sites and to administer and report on the Fidelity Scale in each trial site throughout the trial period in accordance with the requirements of DSS;
  • experience and capacity to deliverIPS introductory training and assistance to each of the trial sites to assist with increasing the fidelity score as required; and
  • capacity to provide advice and information to the provider, DSS and the evaluator of the IPS trial on compliance with the Fidelity Scale at each trial site.

Additional Requirements

The successful organisation will also be required to:

  • Agree with DSS on the Fidelity Scale used prior to commencing the review process. It is envisaged that the successful organisation will undertake the Fidelity Review using the 2008 Dartmouth Supported Employment Fidelity Scale[1]; however, the successful organisation may use an alternative Scaleif they can demonstrate that it is better suited to the context of the IPS Trial and the Trial objectives;
  • Participate in the Project Reference Groupestablished by DSS to monitor and oversee general project management of the IPS Trial and to provide advice to the DSS Project Board on major issues impacting the Trial;
  • Agree with DSS on detailed reporting requirements for the Fidelity Review component of the IPS Trial, which will be stipulated in the grant agreement.
  • Implement the following Fidelity Review Schedule negotiated with DSS. The first Fidelity Review of each site must be undertaken no later than three monthsafter the commencement of the IPS Trial unless a site has not yet employed the required two vocational specialists, in which case a review must be undertaken as soon as possible.

Financial Year / Requirements Per Site / Total
2016-17 / One review per site every three months
Maximum 4 visits/year per site / 60 visits
2017-18 / One review per site every four months
Maximum 3 visits/year per site / 45 visits
2017-18 / One review per site every six months
Maximum 2 visits/year per site
Additional four-monthly assessments may be requested by DSS if previous performance indicates need for additional observation / 30 visits
TOTAL / 135 visits

Value for Money

In assessing the extent to which applications represent value for money, DSS will consider the information provided at paragraph 3.3 of the Program Guidelines.

Selection Criteria

The equally weighted selection criteria are:

1.Describe how the implementation of your proposal will achieve the Activity objectives for all stakeholders, including value for money within the Grant funding.

Your response mustdemonstrate:

  • how your proposal will ensure that the quality of IPS services is monitored, maintained and reported on at each of the trial sites; and
  • how grant funding will be used to deliver the proposal and how it represents value for money, e.g. through theallocation of additional organisational resources, delivery of cost-effective support and training etc.

2.Demonstrate your experience in effectively developing, delivering, managing and monitoring activities to achieve Activity objectives for all stakeholders.

Your response must demonstrate:

  • your organisation’srelevant knowledge expertise andexperience in the delivery of fidelity reviews using the Dartmouth Supported Employment Fidelity Scale or an alternative scale; and
  • your organisation’s relevantknowledge, expertise and/or experience in the delivery of the IPS model of vocational support and/or the delivery of relevant training and assistance to other IPS providers; and
  • your organisation’s relevant knowledge and/or experience in youth mental health research.

3.Demonstrate your organisation’s capacity and your staff capability (experience and qualifications) to deliver the Activity objectives in the specified community and/or specified target group.

In providing a response to this criterion you must demonstrate:

  • your organisation’s capacity to administer the grant; and
  • the relevant experience andskills of the members of your organisation that will be involved in delivering the project; and
  • your organisation’s ability to work effectively with IPS Trial providers, DSS, and the evaluator of the IPS trial.

Attachments

For this round, no attachments have been requested to support your application with the exception of the Eligibility Requirements section in the Application Form. Applicants are required to attach documents that confirm their organisation’s legal entity type. All other documents attached to applications will not be considered in the assessment.

Feedback

Individual feedback will not be provided for this funding round.

Multicultural Access and Equity policy

Australia’s Multicultural Access and Equity Policy: Respecting diversity. Improving responsiveness, means that Australian Government agencies make sure that cultural and linguistic diversity is not a barrier for people who need to access government and community services. This means, for example, that appropriate language services should be provided. Grant applicants should consider whether professional translating or interpreting services may be needed to deliver services, projects, activities or events to non-English speakers. If your Application Form states that a budget is required, costs for translating and interpreting services should be included in your budget.

Assessment

The Assessment Team may be comprised of Australian Government officers from each state/territory and national offices. Teams will undertake training so that applications are assessed consistently. The Assessment Team will be bound by the APS Code of Conduct and the departmental Secretary’s Instructions.

Probity and Fairness

The selection of funding recipients must be fair, open and demonstrate the highest level of integrity.

The following principles will be applied throughoutthe selection process:

  1. fairness and impartiality;
  2. consistency, accountability and transparency of process;
  3. security and confidentiality of information;
  4. identification and resolution of conflicts of interest; and
  5. compliance with legislative obligations and government policy.

These principles are intended to achieve an equitable, justifiable and sound process.

DSS may engage a Probity Advisor to help DSS meet its obligations to make selection processes defensible and able to stand up to external and internal scrutiny.

The Probity Advisor also advises DSS on, and monitors, the procedures used in the selection process to make sure they comply with the published relevant Program Guidelines. The Probity Advisor plays no part in the assessment of applications.

Program Guidelines and Operational Guidelines

The Community Mental Health Guidelines Overview and Individual Placement and Support Operational Guidelines provide the starting point for parties considering whether to apply for funding and are the basis for the business relationship between DSS and the funding recipient. Applicants are strongly advised to read the Program Guidelines and Operational Guidelines before completing an Application Form.

How to Apply

Please read and complete the declaration part of the Application Form carefully. Make sure all responses are true and accurate. Click the Submit Application button and follow the instructions. All questions will be verified. Any incorrect responses or unanswered questions will be displayed for you to change. The Application Form will not submit until all responses have been verified.

When you have successfully submitted your application, you will get an automated confirmation receipt and email. Submission may take several minutes, the confirmation you should receive is an automated response from DSS. Please be patient and do not close the Application Form before you get the confirmation. Do not try to submit your application more than once. If you do not receive confirmation or you have difficulties submitting the Application Form, please call the DSS Grants Hotline on1800020283.

Grant Agreement Information

The Grant Agreement is a performance-based, legally enforceable agreement between the Commonwealth (represented by DSS) and the successful applicant that sets out the Terms and Conditions governing the funding to be provided.

The type of Grant Agreement entered into will depend on the Activity, the assessed Activity risk level, the length of the Activity and the amount of the grant.

The executed Grant Agreement represents each grant provided within it and the relevant Activity and supersedes all prior representations, communications, agreements, statements and understandings, whether oral or in writing.

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[1]Becker, D. R., Swanson, S. J., Bond, G. R., Carlson, L., Flint, L., Smith, G., et al. (2008). Supported Employment Fidelity Scale. Lebanon, NH: Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center (