RFP#: MDCH-13-007
Request for Proposal: #MDCH-13-007
Michigan Statewide Problem Gambling Help-line
Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment Services
Issued by:
Michigan Department of Community Health
Bureau of Substance Abuse and Addiction Services
Problem Gambling Program
320 South Walnut Street
Lansing, MI 48913
Table of Contents
Section I – Contractual Services
I-APurpose...... 4
I-BAgreement Term...... 4
I-CIssuing Office...... 4
I-DTimeline RFP……………………………………………………………………………………..5
Section II – Work Statement
II-ABackground...... 6
II-BScope of Work...... 6
Section III – Component 1 – 24-hour Problem Gambling Help-line
III-AOverview...... 7
III-B24-hour Crisis Intervention and Referral...... 7
III-CSystems Requirements...... 8
III-DCustomer Service...... 8
Section IV – Component 2 – Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment
IV-AOverview...... 11
IV-BGambling Addiction Counseling Services...... 11
IV-CCustomer Service...... 12
Section V-General Requirements-Component 1 and 2
V-AData Collection and Reporting …………………………………………………….…………15
V-BQuality Improvement………….………………………………………………….…………….16
V-CQualifications and Work Site Requirements……………………..………………………….17
V-DAccounting and Billing...... 18
V-EGrant Agreement Terms and Conditions…………………………………………………….19
V-FProject Plan and Budget……………………………………………………………………....19
Section VI – RFP Process and Evaluation Criteria
VI-A RFP Process...... 21
VI-B Questions...... 21
VI-C Evaluation Criteria...... 21
VI-D Budget Evaluation...... 22
VI-EAward Decision...... 22
VI-F State Administrative Board...... 22
VI-G Proposal Format...... 22
VI-H Proposal Submission...... 22
APPENDICES
AHIPPA Business Associate Addendum
BMonthly Report Sample
CMDCH Grant Agreement Terms and Conditions
DMDCH Instructions for Preparation of Budget Forms (DCH-0385, DCH-0386)
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1Disclosure of Interest
Attachment 2Program Budget Summary & Cost Detail Schedule
3/26/13Page 1
RFP#: MDCH-13-007
Section I
Contractual Services
I-A.Purpose
This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Michigan Statewide Problem Gambling Help-line and Treatment Services grant award for the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). This is a formal request to prospective Bidders to solicit proposals. Bidders must submit written proposals according the instructions contained within this document, detailing how they will meet the specific requirements.
Any awarded grant agreements between MDCH and any awarded Contractor is a separate document.
I-B.Grant Agreement Term
This agreement is for a period of three years beginning October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2016. This grant agreement may be renewed in writing by mutual agreement of the parties not less than 30 days before its expiration. This grant agreement may be renewed for up to five additional one-year periods.
I-C.Issuing Office
The grant agreement is issued by MDCH. MDCH is the sole point of contact in the state with regard to all procurement and contractual matters relating to the grant agreement. The Contract Manager within MDCH for the Agreement is:
Erica Waltz
Michigan Department of Community Health
Lewis Cass Building, 5thFloor
Lansing, MI 48913
Email:
Telephone: (517) 335-5247
I-D.Timeline RFP
Please adhere to the following timeline for this RFP:
Action ItemDateWhere
1. RFP Issue Date: / 3/29/2013 /2. RFP Questions Due: / 4/10/2013 at 3:00 pm EST /
3. RFP Responses Posted: / 4/17/2013 /
4. RFP Proposals Due: / 5/7/2013 at 3:00 pm EST /
Section II
Work Statement
II-A.Background
It is estimated that two percent of Michigan’s adult citizens (about 1 out of every 110 Michigan residents aged 18 and older) have a pathological gambling condition. Many of these adults began their addictive behavior as adolescents. Often, one of their parents was a problem gambler or they were subjected to severe abuse or neglect. A significant number have also been diagnosed as having serious psychiatric problems including severe depression and manic-depression and may be experiencing substance abuse problems. While four to six percent of the state’s citizens episodically have problems exercising control over their gambling behavior, this agreement specifically targets the much smaller group clinically defined as pathological gamblers.
MDCH is seeking prospective vendors for a statewide 24-hour telephone help-line and treatment services for pathological gamblers and their families. The telephone help-line response system will provide crisis intervention, information, and referral services to problem gamblers. The telephone help-line response system will be operational twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week. Gambling treatment services will include coordinated and integrated therapeutic gambling counseling services statewide to probable problem and pathological gamblers, and their families, as identified by the National Opinion Research Center DSM-IV Screen (NODS) for Gambling Problems screening tool. The successful applicant will be expected to be fully operational 30 days after the agreement is executed.
II-B.Scope of Work
Responsibilities of the successful bidder will include, but are not limited to:
- Providing a live, anonymous, responsive, 24-hour crisis intervention and referral service to problem gamblers and their families.
- Expediting the referral of problem gamblers and their families to the MDCH designated pathological treatment Contractor, and publicly supported systems and support groups that have expertise in working with problem gamblers.
- Developing and implementing a quality improvement system for this program.
- Collecting basic demographic data about the users of the service, as specified by the MDCH.
- Tracking treatment numbers.
There are two (2) components to this RFP:
- Component 1 – 24-hourProblem Gambling Help-line
- Component 2 – Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment
MDCH is seeking the services of one Contractor to provide services pursuant to both components.
Section III
Component 1 – 24-hour Problem Gambling Help-line
III-A.Overview
MDCH retains exclusive authority for advertising and promoting the toll free “800”Statewide Problem Gambling Help-line. The Contractor may not promote the Statewide Gambling Help-line without the expressed permission of MDCH. The toll free “800” help-line number advertised by MDCH will be publicized by MDCH on the backs of lottery tickets, at the entrances and exits of casinos and horse race tracks, and in promotional materials.
The Contractor must provide deliverables/services and staff, and otherwise do all things necessary for, or incidental to, the performance of work as set forth below.
III-B.24-hour Crisis Intervention and Referral
- The Contractor must provide a live, anonymous, responsive 24-hour crisis intervention and referral service to problem gamblers and their families that will:
- Expedite the referral of problem gamblers and their families to the state pathological treatment contractor, and publicly supported systems and support groups that have expertise in working with problem gamblers.
- Develop and implement a quality improvement system for this program.
- Collect basic demographic data about the users of the service, as specified by MDCH, and track treatment numbers.
Please describe your plan for meeting these requirements.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor must manage a Help-line call center capable of handling a minimum of 4,000 calls per month.
Please describe your plan for meeting this target.
Bidder Response:
- All written materials such as brochures, training materials, screening materials, referral lists, etc., developed by the Contractor in fulfilling the obligations of this agreement are considered MDCH property. All such materials developed by the Contractor must be reviewed and approved by MDCH prior to distribution. Approved material may be freely distributed by the Contractor without charge as long as MDCH’s involvement with the program is acknowledged. In addition, the Contractor may not charge others for such materials, other than reasonable reproduction and handling fees, without the expressed written approval of MDCH.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
III-C.System Requirements
- The Contractor will be responsible for all expenses related to installing and maintaining the necessary telephone equipment, including the number of T1 lines, at the business site to fulfill agreement obligations.
- The telephone system must be able to handle multiple, simultaneous inbound and outbound calls.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- A TTY line, or acceptable alternative, must be available for the hearing impaired. Documentation must be provided for compliance review.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor must assure and certify monthly that only MDCH business calls are made on the state reimbursable lines. All records are to be maintained for three (3) years and may be subject to audit.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
III-D.Customer Service
- The Contractor shall provide a trained customer service staff and other staff as needed.
- The Contractor must maintain sufficient staff to manage the 24-hour 7-days a week gambling help-line response system. Also, must maintain sufficient staff to manage fluctuating call volume during promotions and other events.
- The Contractor must provide at least one staff member with multilingual capability. This may include live or translation service. Proper documentation and credentialing such as a letter from a former employer attesting to multilingual capability for live or translation servicethat the Contractor staff member provided during the course of their employment or a translator certificate indicating the same must be kept on file for compliance review by MDCH for a minimum of three (3) years.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor must ensure that a caller’s average wait time does not exceed 30 seconds.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- At a minimum, all staff shall have successfully completed crisis intervention training and an additional 30 hours of pre-service training in the field of problem gambling. In addition, staff shall successfully complete an additional thirty (30) hours of relevant training every two years. The credentials of the trainers, the training curriculum used, and documentation of what specific training and how many hours of training were actually provided to each staff member shall be kept on file for compliance review by MDCH for a minimum of three (3) years.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor will be required to provide ongoing training for staff. The Contractor must provide a plan that outlines what training tools/resources will be used to provide training to ensure compliance with the agreement.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor must ensure that all paid and volunteer staff providesa crisis intervention model of service in responding to callers. All callers are to be treated with dignity, and the callers’ need for privacy must be respected; and HIPAA guidelines must be followed(AppendixA).
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- Contractor must ensure that any informational material or forms requested during a call are immediately (no later than the next business day) mailed by the Help-line staff.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The National Opinion Research Center DSM-IV Screen (NODS) for Gambling Problems shall be the primary screening instrument for problem gambling. Persons scoring 5 or more will be considered to be potentially pathological gamblers and potentially eligible for public support in addressing their gambling problem.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
Section IV
Component 2 – Problem Gambling Prevention and Treatment
IV-A.Overview
The Contractor is to provide statewide coordinated and integrated therapeutic gambling counseling services to pathological gamblers and their families. Persons who are determined to be pathological gamblers are potentially eligible for public support from the Contractor through this grant agreement based upon their ability to pay. If it is determined that the consumer's income is inadequate to cover counseling expenses, the MDCH will reimburse the Contractor for the counseling services actually provided up to a maximum of twelve (12) sessions per twelve (12) month period of treatment. If as often occurs in the course of treatment, the consumer and therapist jointly develop a budget and debt repayment plan, and the plan shall include at least a minimum therapeutic charge for counseling services.
For consistent and equitable application, the Contractor will develop anAbility to Pay Schedule, with the approval of MDCH, which will be used statewide for pathological gambling charges. This schedule is to be made available to all consumers upon request.
In the case of persons who experience problems gambling but who are not found to be pathological gamblers, the Contractor may choose to provide treatment services on a private pay basis or refer customers to another therapy provider. The Contractor will only receive MDCH funding for problem gambling counseling services for the treatment of pathological gamblers and their families.
IV-B.Gambling Addiction Counseling Services
The Contractor will establish and maintain a statewide gambling addiction counseling services for those identified as pathological gamblers and their families.
- The Contractor’s program must integrate with existing community resources. This service may be provided directly by employees of the contractor and/or through various contractual arrangements to better assure quality, consistency, and accountability. The Contractor will be responsible for recruiting, screening, hiring (or contracting), and monitoring the professional gambling counselors that comprise the system.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- Program objective is to serve a target of 600 clients during the first year of the agreement. This target will be reviewed and agreed upon between the Contractor and MDCH on an annual basis.
Please describe your plan for meeting this target.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor must establish and maintain a statewide network of services and collateral supports to treat comprehensively those identified as pathological gamblers and their families. The network shall include:
a.Licensed clinicians who have both experience and 30 hours of special training every two years in treating pathological gamblers and their families.
b.Ancillary support contractors that are prepared to assist gambling counselors in responding to other critical needs including physical and psychiatric health problems, substance abuse problems, credit problems, marriage problems, etc.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- A key component to reducing problem gambling is prevention. Contractor must develop astatewide plan to increase problem gambling awareness and prevention efforts.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- Contractor must develop an overall plan for creating a statewide pathological gambling treatment and awareness program that includes the following components: accounting, budgeting, financing, personnel, management information system, and other critical agency systems.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
IV-C.Customer Service
The Contractor shall provide a trained customer service staff for the Problem Gambling Treatment Services:
- TTY line or acceptable alternative must be available for the hearing impaired. Documentation must be provided for compliance review.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor must provide at least one staff member with multilingual capability. This may include live or translation service. Proper documentation and credentialing such as a letter from a former employer attesting to multilingual capability for live or translation service that the Contractor staff member provided during the course of their employment or a translator certificate indicating the same must be kept on file for compliance review by MDCH for a minimum of three (3) years. Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- Licensed clinicians must be screened and must meet the minimum training requirements specified in this contract. This specialized training is to be provided by staff and consultants with expertise in the field of problem gambling and crisis intervention. At a minimum, all staff shall have successfully completed thirty (30) hours of training in the field of problem gambling. In addition, staff shall successfully complete an additional thirty (30) hours of relevant training every two (2) years. The credentials of the trainers, the training curriculum used, and documentation of what specific training and how many hours of training were actually provided to each staff member shall be kept on file for compliance review by MDCH for a minimum of three (3) years.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor will be required to provide ongoing training for staff. The Contractor must provide a plan that outlines what training tools/resources will be used to provide training to ensure compliance with the agreement.
Please describe your plan for meeting this requirement.
Bidder Response:
- The Contractor must maintain staffing for the counseling program with employees and contract staff who possess the minimum credentials for reimbursement by the MDCH. To assure quality services are delivered by competent professionals, reimbursement is contingent upon employing or contracting for services from staff that meet the following minimum credentials:
A psychologist, social worker, or other counselor who possesses at least a master’s degree, and is licensed, registered, or certified to practice in the state of Michigan. Also, must successfully complete thirty (30) hours of training in the field of problem gambling. The specialized training is to be provided by staff and consultants with expertise in the field of problem gambling and crisis intervention. In addition, shall successfully complete an additional thirty (30) hours of relevant training every two (2) years. The credentials of the trainers, the training curriculum used, and the documentation of what specific training and how many hours of training were the actually provided to each staff member shall be kept on file for compliance review by MDCH for a minimum of three (3) years.