Request for Applications

RFA No. RMO SUD071017

Government of the District of Columbia

Department of Behavioral Health (DBH)

RFA Title: Community-based Substance Use Preventative Practices Pilot for Youth

RFA Release Date: July 10, 2017

Application Submission Deadline:

4:45 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)

Pre-Application Conference: July 18, 2017

64 New York Ave NE, Room 285

Washington, DC 20002

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (ET)

The following terms and condition are applicable to this and all Requests for Applications (RFA) issued by the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH):

  1. Funding for an award is contingent on continued funding from the DBH grantor or funding source.
  2. The RFA does not commit DBH to make an award.
  3. DBH reserves the right to accept or deny any or all applications if DBH determines it are in the best interest to do so. DBH shall notify the applicant if it rejects that applicant’s proposal.
  4. DBH may suspend or terminate any RFA pursuant to its own grant making rule(s) or any applicable federal regulation or requirement.
  5. DBH reserves the right to issue addenda and/or amendments subsequent to the issuance of the RFA, or to rescind the RFA.
  6. DBH shall not be liable for any costs incurred in the preparation of applications in response to the RFA. Applicant agrees that all costs incurred in developing the application are the applicant’s sole responsibility.
  7. DBH may conduct pre-award on-site visits to verify information submitted in the application and to determine if the applicant’s facilities are appropriate for the services intended.
  8. DBH may enter into negotiations with an applicant and adopt a firm funding amount or other revision of the applicant’s proposal that may result from negotiations.
  9. DBH shall provide the citations to the statute and implementing regulations that authorize the grant or sub grant; all applicable federal and District regulations, such as OMB Uniform Guidance 2 CFR PT 200; payment provisions identifying how the grantee will be paid for performing under the award; reporting requirements, including programmatic, financial and any special reports requires by the granting Agency; and compliance conditions that must be met by the grantee.
  10. If there are any conflicts between the terms and conditions of the RFA and any applicable federal or local law or regulation, or any ambiguity related thereto, then the provisions of the applicable law or regulation shall control and it shall be the responsibility of the applicant to ensure compliance.

Additional information about RFA terms may be obtained at (Citywide Grants Manual and Sourcebook)

 / Checklist for RFA No. RMO SUD071017 Applications
Application proposal format follows the "Proposal Format and Content" listed in Section VIII.C.1. of the RFA.
Application is printed on 8 1/2 by 11-inch paper, double-spaced, on one side, using 12-point type with a minimum of one inch margins, with all pages numbered.
Applicant Profile (Attachment A), contains all the information requested and is attached as the Face Sheet.
Table of Contents follows the Applicant Profile (Attachment A)
Narrative for Section VIII.C.2-Program Narrative, 3-Proposed Project Plans, 4-Fiscal and Financial Management, 5-Program Reporting, and 6-Applicant Qualifications must not exceed 30 pages.
Note: Attachments and appendices do not count toward the 30 pages total.
Program Budget and Budget Narrative Justification (Attachment E) is complete and complies with the budget form. The line item budget narrative justification describes the categories of items proposed. Indirect costs must not exceed 10% of the total grant budget.
Work Plan template (Attachment G) is complete and complies with the work plan form.
Appendix 1: Certifications and Assurances listed in Attachments B, C, and D are signed.
Appendix 2: Articles of Incorporation, if applicable.
Appendix 3: Bylaws, if applicable.
Appendix 4: IRS letter of non-profit corporation status, if applicable.
Appendix 5: List of current board of directors, if applicable. Include their mailing and e-mail addresses and phone numbers. Also, include board titles of officers.
Appendix 6: Most recent annual audit. If audited financial statements have never been prepared due to the size or newness of the organization, applicant must submit an organizational budget, an income statement (or profit and loss statement), and a balance sheet certified by an authorized representative of the organization.
Appendix 7: Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, if applicable.
Appendix 8: Proposed organizational chart for Socioemotional Development project.
Appendix 9: Minimum of 8 Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signed by DCPS School partners (one (1) from each District ward) documenting their specific support for the proposed project.
Appendix 10: Proposed staff resumes.
Appendix 11: Proposed staff job descriptions.
Appendix 12: District of Columbia Business License.
Appendix 13: Annual report or other documentation of a history of supporting substance abuse prevention or interrelated prevention work at the community level in the selected wards on issues affecting children and youth.
Appendix 14: Certificate of Good Standing
Application is submitted in a sealed envelope. Sealed envelopes must be clearly identified by the organization name, RFA number, and project name, using the DBH Receipt Form (Attachment F).
Applicant submitted the required six (6) copies of the proposal. Of the six (6) copies, one (1) copy was stamped “original.”

The application must be submitted no later than 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) by the deadline date of Friday, July 28th, 2017, Department of Behavioral Health, c/o Ashley Goins-Cotton, 64 New York Ave NE, 2nd Floor, 244-T, Washington, DC 20002. Applications accepted at or after 4:46 p.m. (ET) Friday, July 28, 2017, will not be forwarded to the Review Panel for funding consideration.

Table of Contents

Section I. / Authority forthe Grant / 6
Section II: / Summary andPurposeofGrant / 6
Section III: / Background / 6
Section IV: / EligibilityRequirements / 7
A. Qualified Organizations / 7
B. AdministrativeCriteria / 7
C. Insurance / 7
D. Compliancewith TaxObligations / 8
Section V: / Amount of Total Funding and Grant Awards / 9
Section VI: / ScopeofWork / 9
Section VII: / Payments toGrantee / 10
Section VIII: / ApplicationInformation and Requirements / 11
A. Pre-application Conference / 11
B. Application Delivery / 11
C. Application Requirements / 11
1. Proposal Format and Content / 11
2. Program Narrative / 12
A. Target Community / 12
B. Partnerships / 12
C. Proposed Project Plan / 12
D. Capacity / 12
3. Budget andBudget Narrative / 13
Section IX: / Evaluation Process / 13
Section X: / Scoring ofApplications / 13
Criterion AProgram Narrative / 13
Criterion BProposedProject Plan / 14
Criterion CBudget and Budget Narrative / 14
Criterion DFiscal and Financial Management / 14

Section XI:Selection Process15

Section XII: Audits and Disallowances15

Section XIII:Attachments to the RFA

Attachment A / Applicant Profile and RFA Abstract / 16
Attachment B / DBHStatement ofCertification / 17
Attachment C / Federal Assurances / 19
Attachment D / Certifications RegardingLobbying, Debarmentand / 22
Suspension, Exclusions,Other Responsibilities Matters,
and Requirements foraDrugFreeWorkplace
Attachment E / Program Budget and Budget Narrative Justification Form / 25
Attachment F / DBH Receipt / 26
Attachment G / Proposed Work Plan / 27
Attachment H / Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF); Institute of Medicine (IOM) framework and Key Risk Factor Domains, Risk Factors, and Related Problem Behaviors for Children and Youth / 28

Government of the District of Columbia

Department of Behavioral Health

Community-based Substance Use Preventative Practices Pilot for Youth

RFA No. RMO SUD071017

Section I: AUTHORITY FOR THE GRANT

TheDepartment ofBehavioral Health (DBH) wasestablished, effectiveOctober1, 2013, bythe Department ofBehavioral Health Establishment Act,D.C.Law 20-0061, D.C. Official Code§ 7- 1141.01,et seq, and is the successor-in-interest to the Department of Mental Health, established by the Mental Health Establishment Amendment Act of 2001, effectiveDecember18, 2001 and the Department ofHealth Addiction Prevention and RecoveryAdministration, established in the Department ofHealth byReorganization Plan No. 4 of1996, effectiveJuly17, 1996.DBH is responsible,inter alia, fordevelopingand monitoringcomprehensiveand integrated behavioral health systems ofcarefor adults and forchildren,youth and theirfamilies,and servesas the state mental health authorityand as the single stateagencyforsubstance abuseservices.TheDirector of DBHhas the authorityto makegrants pursuant to D.C. Official Code§ 7-1141.06(7) and has implemented this authoritybyrulemakingin Title22A D.C. Municipal Regulation, Chapter44.

Section II: SUMMARY AND PURPOSE OF THE GRANT

The DBH seeks one community-based qualified provider capable of engaging and providing services and programming within school settings for youth under the age of 18 who have experienced or are at-risk of experiencing trauma and/or violenceand who are more prone to underagedrinking, marijuana use or prescription drugs. Programming shall consist of using the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) planning process to identify, select, and implement one or more evidence-based practices (EBP) and proven strategies to be effective in working among urban and diverse populations.

Section III: BACKGROUND

DBH provides substance use disorder treatment, intervention and prevention services to the District of Columbia’s children, youth and adult population who experience mental and/or substance use disorders. The array of services range from emergency psychiatric care, to community-based outpatient, inpatient and residential services. Specifically, substance use prevention/intervention servicesfocus on public-healthawareness and prevention campaigns required to educate the general public, while targeting services to youth and their families. Implementation of varies education campaigns also include access to and use of, communityandfaith-basedorganizations:topromotesafe,healthyfamiliesandcommunities, using evidence-basedprograms, to decrease the impact of substance use and the correlating risk factors such as drug overdoses, trauma and low/reduce school attendance and or failure.

For example, it is estimated that over half the adult population in the United States has experienced at least one adverse life event in their lifetime. What’s more, the National Council for Behavioral Health stated in an outreach email on November 10, 2016 that, “Twenty-six percent of children in the United States will witness or experience a traumatic event before they turn four, and … more than 60 percent of youth age 17 and younger have been exposed to crime, violence and abuse.” According to DC Public Schools (DCPS), 43% of the students are African American and Latino males. While student proficiency and other key academic and social-emotional outcomes have experienced a significant amount of growth, the pace of this progress is nowhere near where it needs to be, especially for this population.

Available data repeatedly confirms that trauma affects one’s health over a lifetime and that these affective traumas are prevalent. A child impacted by trauma not only faces health risks, but also “physical ailments, intrusive thoughts and fears, and decreased attention and concentration, all which impact learning.” Whether one subscribes to Vygotsky or Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, learning must be a social experience in order to “make meaning” out of information and develop a positive self-image. Socioemotional competency skills bridge the connection between self-control, cooperation, responsibility, and academic success.

Inresponsetotheincreasingneed, DBH seeks to expand the community-based capacity to engage and provide services and programming within school settings for youth under the age of 18. Specifically, services provided will address youth who have experienced or are at-risk of experiencing trauma and/or violence and who are more prone to underage drinking, marijuana use or prescription drugs.

Section lV: ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

A. Qualified Organizations

In order to be eligible, an applicant must be able to enter into an agreement with DBH requiring compliance with all District of Columbia laws and regulations governing Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health Grants (22A DCMR Chapter 44).

Qualified and licensed 501(c)3 non-profit District of Columbia-based organizations addressing early childhood trauma and socioemotional development are eligible and invited to submit applications. Consortiums, collaborations, and partnership groups are eligible if a Lead Agency is named in the application and administers the grant.

The DC Prevention Centers are not eligible to apply.

The organization must have experience with the following in order to be eligible to apply:

  • A DBH Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and/or Mental Health Rehabilitation Services (MHRS) provider in good standing
  • Have an existing agreement with at least eight (8)District of Columbia Public or Chartered School
  • Familiarity with or applied the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)
  • 5-10 years of experience working with teachers on the principles of positive social-emotional development in the classroom
  • Experience working with youth in a structured environment (school-based, office-based, recreation-based, and/or related environments)
  • Preference given to school-based applications
  • Experience with implementing programs that focus on addressing positive protective factors (non-violence, abuse and neglect-related support, resiliency, and personal development)
  • Experienced implementing the evidence-based practices
  • Able to collect and submit program-based data reports (qualitative and quantitative)
  1. Administrative Criteria

To be considered for review and funding, applications must meet all of the administrative criteria listed below. Failure to meet any one of the following criteria may result in rejection of the application.

  1. The application proposal format conforms to the “Proposed Format and Content” listed in Section VIII.C.1 of the RFA
  2. The application is printed on 8 ½ by 11-inch paper, double-spaced, on one side, using 12-point type with a minimum of one-inch margins, with all pages numbered.
  3. Narrative for Section VIII.C.2 must not exceed 30 pages.

Note: Attachments and appendices do not count toward the page limit

  1. The Program Budget and Budget Narrative are complete and comply with the Budget forms listed as Attachment E of the RFA. The line item budget narrative describes the categories of items proposed. Indirect costs must not exceed 10% of the total grant budget.
  2. The Certifications and Assurances listed in Attachments B, C, and D are signed.
  3. See Section VIII.C.1.f., for a list of appendices.
  4. Application must be submitted in a sealed envelope. Sealed envelopes must be clearly identified by the organization name, RFA number, and project name using the DBH Receipt (Attachment F). Unsealed and unidentified applications will not be accepted.
  5. The applicant submits the required six (6) copies of their proposal. Of the six (6) copies, one (1) copy must be stamped “original.”
  6. The application is submitted no later than 4:45 p.m., Eastern Time (ET) by the deadline date of Friday, July28th, 2017 to DBH c/o Ashley Goins-Cotton, 64 New York Ave NE, 2nd Floor, 285, Washington, DC 20002.
  1. Insurance

During the term of the grant, all organizations will be required to obtain and keep in force insurance coverage as follows:

  1. The Organization shall carry employer’s liability coverage of at least three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($350,000).
  2. The Organization shall carry bodily injury liability insurance coverage written on the comprehensive form of policy of at least five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) per occurrence.
  3. The Organization shall carry automobile liability insurance written on the comprehensive form of policy. The policy shall provide for bodily injury and property damage liability covering the operation of all automobiles used in connection with performing grant activities. Policies covering automobiles shall provide coverage of at least two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) per person and five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) per occurrence for bodily injury and twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) per occurrence for property damage.
  4. The Organization shall comply at all times with the provisions of the workers’ compensation laws of the District of Columbia or another State if the grant work is performed outside the District of Columbia. The Organization shall carry workers’ compensation insurance covering all of its employees on the premises and in connection with its other operations pertaining to this grant.
  5. All insurance provided by the Organization shall set forth the Government of the District of Columbia as an additional insured. All insurance shall be written with responsible companies licensed by the Government of the District of Columbia. The policies of insurance shall provide for at least thirty (30) days written notice to DBH prior to their termination or material alteration.
  1. Compliance with Tax Obligations

Prior to execution of a grant agreement as a result of this RFA, a recipient must be in compliance with tax requirements as established in the District of Columbia and eligible jurisdiction and with Federal tax laws and regulations.

Section V: AMOUNT OF TOTAL FUNDING AND GRANT AWARDS

DBH announces the availability of grant funds for Fiscal Year 2017 (FY2017) to fund one (1) Pilot Program to address alternative prevention and intervention practices for supporting youth under the age of 18 years. This grant opportunity is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) Partnerships for Success (PFS) Discretionary Grant. For further information, please contact:

Ashley Goins-Cotton

Program Monitor

Department of Behavioral Health (DBH)

64 New York Ave NE, 2nd Floor, 244-T

Washington, DC 20002

(202) 535-1822

Up to $350,000 will be available each year throughAugust 15, 2019to fund one (1)applicant to implement an evidence-based strategy or practice through utilizing the SPF planning process that will be aimed at reducing the probability of underage drinking and/or marijuana use among youth experiencing trauma. The number of awards and amounts are subject to change depending upon Federal funding levels and the quality and quantity of the applications for funding.

The grant will be for a period of two (2) years from the date of award. Grant recipients will be expected to begin project implementation onAugust 15, 2017 or after the Year 1 Work Plan and Budget and Budget Narrative Justification has been approved by DBH. Each subsequent year after initial funding, the number of schools participating in the program will increase as deemed appropriate following preliminary and continuing evaluation. Subsequent year funding will be determined based upon the results of the evaluation.

Section VI: SCOPE OF WORK

DBH seeks a provider toidentifyand implement one or more evidence-based practice (s) to address supporting youth under the age of 18 who have experienced or who are at risk of experiencing trauma and/or violence and who are at an increased risk of underage drinking and/or marijuana use. Applicants must target at least one (1) school within each of the eight (8) wards in the District of Columbia. Under this RFA, a ward is defined as a high-need community with low capacity for addressing substance use and behavioral issues. The work plan will support the public health model response to intervention, the DBH PFS logic model (Attachment H), and application of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and SAMHSA domains.