Questions and Answers for the C-PEP RFQ
1. Question: On page 33 of the RFQthere is a note stating that day support costs are not included in the individual budget funding levels. If a person being supported needs to have day supports provided by the contracted provider on a short-termor long-term basis, will additional funds be made available by the Division?
Answer: As long as the child or young adult (age 18-21) receives services from the Department of Education, day support funding will not be provided. The C-PEP funding level was formulated to cover periodic breaks or lags in school programming.
2. Question: On page 5 of the C-PEP Program Parameters, under "Staff Training"there is a statement that "staff will receive training in crisis management and personal control techniques." Is training in personal control techniques a non-negotiable? Some providers who use only positive behavior management techniques do not provide such training. They believedatasuggesting that more people get injured in personal control situations than when staffare trained to manageinterpersonal and environmental interactions.
Answer: Contracted providers are required to train staff for all supports identified by the IDT as needed for the individual. The Division’s Circular # 34, “Behavior Modification Programming” does not require that agencies include personal control techniques as part of their behavior management policies. An agency’s Division-approved Behavior Management Manual will stipulate whether and under what circumstances personal control techniques might be used as part of a behavior management plan. However, Division Circular #19 “Defensive Techniques and Personal Control Techniques”, requires that the use of personal control techniques in emergency situations must be planned for when addressing the needs of individuals that may exhibit aggressive, destructive and/or self-injurious behaviors that persist, despite behavior management plan intervention.
3. Question: Can the individuals be in a group home with adults with developmental disabilities?
Answer: Young adults (age 18-21) may be mixed with adults between the ages of 22 and 27 as long as there is no more than a 6-year difference in age between the youngest and oldest individual in the home.
4. Question: The C-PEP application asks how many individuals are served in a certain category. We have an individual that is Level 4 Behavioral but a Level 3 medical. Do we count her in both categories?
Answer: Yes
5. Question: Even though the service is for children, are they DDD clients?
Answer: Yes
6. Question: How are placements prioritized?
Answers: Priority will be given to children that have been determined to be “in need of emergency placement.” Children and young adults in out-of-state placement will be considered on a case-by-case basis once the pool of eligible C-PEP providers are identified.
7.1 Question: The RFQ states (p10 of 48) that it is the responsibility of the provider to provide ”meaningful day activities” but the C-PEP Program Parameters (p 4 of 6) states under New Facilities that the providers that purchase or lease the facility may NOT provide services. Does this indicate that the residential provider must partner with a service provider to apply?
Answer: Yes. Based on the Olmstead Model, housing development, ongoing management of the property, and provision of supports and services are separated. A housing developer has the option to also function as the property manager/landlord or a separate agency may provide this function. A service provider must either partner with another agency to develop and manage the property or establish a separate housing corporation within their organization if they plan to develop and manage the property.
7.2 Question: Where does the residential provider’s obligations end and the service provider’s obligation begin? The application itself does not make this distinction.
Answer: The service provider is responsible for direct services to the individual based upon his/her service plan. The housing developer is responsible for developing the property according to code and specifications and the property manager/landlord maintains the residence in good working order and ensures that repairs are made as needed.
8. Question: A “pilot” project implies all providers will be new.
Answer: “Pilot” implies the project is new. There is no expectation that all providers will be new.
9. Question: Page 4 of the C-PEP Program Parameters has “Existing Facilities”. What constitutes an “existing facility”?
Answer: An approved, DDD-licensed program site.
10. Question: If the pilot does not continue beyond two years, where will the children be placed?
Answer: The children will remain in their placements.
11. Question: What is the reimbursement rate for the required minimum of 90 days to 12 months of in-home supports in cases where the child transitions home? (p10 of 48).
Answer: For children who are able to return home, in-home supports will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis depending on need and Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) recommendations.
12. Question: Is the vehicle funding per site or per agency should an agency provide services for more than four children? (p12 of 48)
Answers: All vehicle purchases will be negotiated with the selected C-PEP providers. Vehicle approval will be considered if there is a demonstrated need. . DDD is seeking “proposals from agencies that can develop community-based settings for up to four children and/or young adults per site.”
13. Question: Will the request and purchase of a van be approved at the time agency proposals are accepted? If one is not approved, is there another plan for conducting community inclusion activities. (p11 of 48)
Answer: All vehicle purchases will be negotiated with the selected C-PEP providers. Vehicle approval will be considered if there is a demonstrated need.
14. Question: Regarding the self-evaluation tool, why isn’t there a section on expertise with individuals with medical issues instead of just behavioral?
Answer: The Boggs Center self-evaluation tool is specifically focused on positive behavioral supports.
15. Question: Will the necessary environmental modifications be pre-approved prior to the child actually moving in? Some of these improvements may take an extended period of time to put in place. (p11 of 48)
Answer: All environmental modifications will be negotiated with the selected C-PEP providers. Approved environmental modifications must be in place before placements occur.
16. Question: Will the training for identification of developmental needs such as, “strengths and weaknesses” and “personal control techniques” be provided by DDD, the Boggs Center, or will the agency be required to develop and conduct some training? If providers are to develop training, will it require pre-approval by DDD before it is utilized?
Answer: Please see response to question #2 above.
For additional information, please refer to Section V, Training and Technical Supports (pages 12-13 of the C-PEP RFQ)
The Boggs Center training is defined in Appendix D. Selected C-PEP providers will be contacted to arrange for this training.
17. Question: Parameters Document - as agencies will be required to provide necessary evacuation assistive devices within 24 hours of admission, will the funding and basic components be pre-approved at time of the proposal is accepted?
Answer: Special evacuation devices as defined in the Program Parameters on page 3 will be negotiated with the C-PEP Provider on a case-by-case basis when an individual is identified for placement. All devices must be in place prior to placement.
18. Question: Parameters Document - Since OT/PT therapist recommendations often call for the use of adaptive equipment, is there a timeframe that DDD expects agencies to provide these items?(p3 of 6)
Answer: All identified supports should be provided as soon as possible.
19. Question: Parameters Document - what measures will be taken to assure that a guardian will be available at the time of admission to sign forms -particularly for situations? Will BGS (Bureau of Guardianship Services) step in and assist in these instances? (p3 of 6)
Answer: Every effort will be made to involve the parent or guardian in the individual’s admission. If a young adult (age 18-21) has a guardian from BSG, the guardian will be actively involved.
20. Question: Parameters Document - if there are no opportunities to reunite the child with family through the C-PEP program, will DDD provide funding for the permanent residence versus having the child remaining in the C-PEP residence? (p4 of 6)
Answer: As defined on page 4 of the Program Parameters: “If it is determined by the IDT (Interdisciplinary Team) that the individual cannot return home, the individual shall be transitioned into a long term placement within the C-PEP agency. “
21. Question: Parameters Document - will the DDD case manager handle the Free of Contagious disease requirement for out-of-state placed children? It appears that we will have no authority to do so prior to admission and completion of guardian approval for treatment. (p4 of 6)
Answer: The family or sending agency will be responsible.
22. Question: Parameters Document - please define ‘frequent’ and ‘regular shopping’ as it relates to requirements for community integration. (p4 of 6)
Answer: These terms will be defined by each individual’s IDT and listed in their Individual Habilitation Plan (IHP).
23. Question: Can an agency apply to serve children with medical issues or behavior issues only and not both?
Answer: Yes
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