Vermont Alcohol and Drug Information Clearinghouse Grant
Request for Proposal
Product/Service Description:
The Vermont Department of Health (VDH), Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs (ADAP) seeks an organization to provide alcohol and other drug information clearinghouse activities.
ADAP currently manages the Vermont Alcohol & Drug Information Clearinghouse (VADIC).
The mission of the clearinghouse is to provide communities with informational resources for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, treatment, intervention, and recovery. Providing the public with accurate and consistent information and messaging is a key element of prevention, treatment, and recovery. The clearinghouse can act as a bridge between substance abuse fields; a resource for our work, professional development and information dissemination across systems.
A survey of Vermont stakeholders revealed that, although there is much information available, the public’s awareness of and knowledge about alcohol and other drug issues is limited, and public information should be a priority.
VADIC provides:
· Print materials such as pamphlets and posters
· Lending library of DVDs and videos on alcohol and other drug issues,
· VDH Web-based publications available for download
· Links to a variety of on line resources on drug pharmacology, best practice information, statistics and educational materials.
Prevention professionals, mental health professionals, health care providers, alcohol & drug treatment professionals and the public use the clearinghouse as a source of reliable materials on alcohol, marijuana, prescription and other drugs. Although the ultimate target population for this information is the general public, the clients served by VADIC are VDH partners engaged in addressing alcohol and other drug issues at the community level. The most frequent users of VADIC are community coalition coordinators, student assistance program counselors, substance abuse treatment providers, Project CRASH instructors, regional prevention consultants, recovery centers, etc. Potential users may include organizations such as the National Guard Family Education Center, Families of Addiction Consulting for Effectives Services (FACES) and cultural organizations such as churches, synagogues, providers for the ALANA communities, and Outright Vermont among others.
VADIC is currently staffed an average of 8 hours per week. The lending information is maintained in two Access databases. A listing of videos and informational material is available on the Department of Health website at http://www.healthvermont.gov/adap/clearinghouse/clearinghouse.aspx.
From June 2007 to May 2008, a total of 74 VHS/DVDs were loaned to external and internal Vermont Department of Health partners and a few members of the general public. Approximately 82 individuals requested information in the form of pamphlets, brochures, posters and research reports.
Materials come from the National Clearinghouse of Alcohol & Drug Information (NCADI) at http://ncadi.samhsa.gov , other federal agencies, reputable national organizations, commercial vendors and VDH. Some priority print materials must be stocked in bulk to accommodate needs of community educators.
Eligibility
Applicants must be Vermont-based organizations. The following types of organizations are eligible to apply:
· Public and private not-for-profit 501(c)3 organizations
· Coalitions and Partnerships
· Institutions of Higher Education
· Medical institutions
Applicants must have the capacity to manage their own funds and have their own federal tax ID number.
Funds Available
$50,000.is available in FY09.
It is our intention that this will be a continuation grant. Continuation funding will be contingent on the success of services provided as measured by volume of use, consumer feedback and availability of funds.
Required Activities
May – August 2009: Start-up Phase
o Develop a materials acquisition process
o Provide for physical and virtual storage of materials such as pamphlets, fact sheets, CDs, DVDs, etc.
o Develop webpage with public information materials available for download
o Work with VDH on transfer of existing materials inventory from VDH to grantee
o Acquire inventory of priority materials for distribution that are accurate and consistent with current knowledge of sound approaches to prevention, intervention and treatment
o Develop a plan to advertise materials and services of the clearinghouse to potential users
o Develop a data collection plan, including how you will collect federally required National Outcome Measures
o Develop a means by which grantee accepts electronic and physical requests from users
o Establish a materials review process with the Department of Health ADAP as final reviewer
o establish relationship with National Clearinghouse of Alcohol and Drug Information (NACADI)
o Submit progress report on June 30, 2009
September 2009 - May 2010 Operations Phase Begins
· Serve as outlet for a variety of substance abuse information (pamphlets, fact sheets, CDs, DVDs)
o Make materials accessible and available via the internet, mail and other means as necessary to for VDH/ADAP partners
o actively market clearinghouse materials to those who use the clearinghouse
o collect data on Clearinghouse services and user satisfaction
o Progress report due 1/15/10
o Final report due 5/15/10
Grant Review and Award Process
One applicant will be selected. Criteria for selection will include but not be limited to:
· Completeness and responsiveness to this request for proposals
· Organizational capacity to carryout the activities of the grant
· Knowledge and experience in provision of public information and communications services and educational materials
· Knowledge and experience in substance abuse prevention and media advocacy
· Knowledge and experience in serving Vermont’s substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery and enforcement service providers.
· Management and staffing plan
· Budget
Submission and Deadline
Original hard copy of application and 3 copies should be submitted to Patty Baroudi, Prevention Coordinator, Vermont Department of Health, 108 Cherry St., (Suite 201), PO Box 70, Burlington VT 05402-0070. Deadline for submission is March 2, 2009, 4:30 pm.
Questions
Questions regarding this request for proposal should be forwarded in writing to Corbett Sionainn, Public Health Specialist at .
APPLICANT INFORMATION SHEET
**NOTE: This information sheet must be included as the cover sheet of the application submitted. Be sure to complete this form in its entirety.
Applicant Organization: ______
Contact Person: ______
Title: ______
Mailing Address: ______
Town, State, ZIP: ______
Telephone: ______Fax #: ______E-mail Address: ______
FY Starts: ____/____/____ FY Ends: ____/____/____
Financial Contact Person: ______
Mailing Address: ______
Town, State, ZIP: ______
Telephone: ______Fax #: ______E-mail Address: ______
Federal Tax ID Number: ______State Tax ID Number ______
Total Amount Requested: ______
Whom should we contact if we have questions about this application?
Name: ______Phone #: ______
______
Signature of Duly Authorized Agent Date
______
Please print name of Agent Phone number
Narrative Instructions
1. Organizational Capacity and Experience
Please indicate how long you have been in existence and your organization’s mission. Explain how the activities supported through this grant are related to your mission, and how the required activities are connected to services which you already provide. Explain your organizational structure and how Clearinghouse services will be integrated into the structure. Explain where the Center will be housed. Please describe your organization’s experience with:
· Provision of information services to human service systems and the general public
· Serving the substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery and enforcement service providers.
Please discuss your information technology capacity and describe how this system is adequate to carry out the Clearinghouse activities
2. Management & Staffing Plan
Describe how the project will be structured, organized, staffed and managed.
· Describe the specific roles and responsibilities of the project staff. Summarize experience, training or other qualifications for actual program staff. Attach resumes. If staff has not yet been identified please describe your intended recruitment efforts and attach a job description, if applicable.
· Who will supervise the program staff?
· Please describe who will be responsible for submission of the required reports, meetings, and evaluation activities?
· Describe the experience the applicant or fiscal agent has in managing federal grants.
3. Workplan
Please provide an outline of the steps you will take to address each of the required activities ,, who will be the lead person responsible for each action step, and the anticipated date of completion.
4. Evaluation/Reporting
This activity is funded through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Grantee will be required to report National Outcome Measures. For more information on National Outcome Measures please go to http://healthvermont.gov/adap/ADAPGranteeNOMs.gov.aspx.
Program success will be determined by a user satisfaction survey and total reach of services based on NOMs data.
In the event that the grantee develops specific awareness activities additional evaluation may be required. Please identify who will be responsible for collecting and reporting required outcome measures. Tell us how you plan on conducting evaluation efforts.
5. Budget and budget narrative
Please complete this Budget Form.
Be sure to include the entire project budget and other sources of funding.
The purpose of the narrative is to justify all budget items so the reviewers can understand the rationale for the sum requested. Please include hourly rates for staff and consultant time and list each position separately. Consider costs for meetings, staff, material acquisition, information technology, data collection, evaluation and physical space. etc. Indirect costs can not exceed 10% of the total approved annual grant award. Indirect costs are costs incurred to fiscally administer the grant.
BUDGET FORMAMOUNT / OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING (include in-kind)
Requested from ADAP / NAME / AMOUNT
Staff Costs:
(Position)
(Position)
(Position)
Operating Costs:
Rent/Facility
Utilities
Other
Supplies/Services:
Office Supplies
Telephone
Postage
Other:
Administrative rate:
(item & description)
(item & description)
(item & description)
TOTALS
Award Notification Method: Letter of Confirmation