ProjectBackground and Description
AmericanIndian (AI) and AlaskaNative (AN) maternalandinfanthealth isan important andseriousissue. AI/ANpregnant women withMedicaid inWashingtonstateexperiencehigherriskfactorsforpregnancy outcomes,including mentalhealth issues,alcoholand/orsubstanceabuse,smoking, higher rates of pretermbirth,infantmortality,and high and lowbirth weightbabies.
Strategiestoimprovethehealth statusofAI/ANmothers,babiesand familiesareidentified in the American Indian Health Commission’s (AIHC) report HealthyCommunities: MaternalInfant Health Strategic Plan (2010). Through this report home visiting was identified as a powerful resource to support AI/AN mothers and babies. Learnmorehere:
Homevisiting programsprovideparentsand caregiverswithvaluable support and toolstopositively impactchildren’swell-being. Researchshowsmanybenefitsof home visiting,including:
- Improvedmaternaland prenatalhealth,infanthealth,and child health and development,
- Increased schoolreadiness,
- Moreconfidentparentingand reduced childmaltreatment, and
- Improved socio-economicstatus and greatercoordination of community resourcesand supportsreferrals.
Technical Assistance and Funding Availability for Home Visiting
The Department of Early Learning in partnership with Thrive Washington is requesting applications from Washington State Tribal organizations, Tribes, and Urban Indian organizations to implement tribally-driven home visiting.
This application will allow for a technical assistance process that includesan opportunity for exploration and development of a home visiting program that meets the needs of the Tribe or Tribal organization. The exploration process will include planning and support necessary to inform and guide implementation of a new Tribal home visiting program. Tribes or Tribal organizations can choose to take part in the exploration process if intensive planning would be valuable. This process will include, but is not limited to, identifying the needs, fit, and feasibility of implementing a home visiting program. This process will be followed by lighter technical assistance that will guide the initial implementation (sometimes called installation) of the new Tribal home visiting program. ForTribes or Tribal organizationsthat have previously completed intensiveplanning(identified the role of home visiting in your community), the applicant can request technical assistance only focused on installation of a Tribal home visiting program within the community.
Exploration
Technical assistance (TA)will be available for 2-3Tribes or Tribal organizations to participate in a community planning process to identify how a Tribal specific home visiting program could best meet the needs and priorities of the community. This process will be tailored to each participating Tribe or Tribal organization and at minimum will include twoin-person meetings with a TA team that will help staff the process. This process is designed for the Tribe or Tribal organization to make an informed decision for the community.
Technical assistance supports could include: meeting agenda preparation, guidance on discussion questions, support reviewing community data, generating materials to ensure your community has the needed information about eligible models, facilitation supports, and documentation of progress made. In addition, this will be a time to identify capacities needed of a lead implementing agency or department for the home visiting program, if funded. This may include support for data, staffing and budget. The goal of the exploration processis to help Tribes or Tribal organizations be poised to implement a home visiting program that meets the needs and priorities of the community and is endorsed by Tribal leaders and community providers.
Installation
For Tribes or Tribal organizations that have made decisions regarding the role of home visiting in your community, this process for technical assistance will support a successful start-up of your selected home visiting model. This implementation support will include a minimum of two in-person meetings with the implementing agency present, as well as community leaders and fellow service providers. Technical assistance supports could include: additional supports and information from the model, meeting agenda preparation, guiding questions, facilitation assistance, parent inputsupport to inform the home visiting program, documentation of progress made, and an action plan for the start-up process.
Following the completionof the TA process the Department of Early Learning anticipates funding 1-2 Tribes or Tribal organizations to implement the selected home visiting program. Funding will be available July 1, 2017-June 30, 2019.
Minimal Criteria
-This opportunity is to support home visiting start-up programs. Start-up for the purpose of this application is defined as not previously implementing the selected home visiting model or having implemented the home visiting model for less than 6 months.
-The focus of the home visiting program should be pregnant women, families with infants or families with children under the age of five, as this is the target age of home visiting services.
-Funded programs will need to ensure that the lead implementing agency/department meets the minimum threshold of capacities needed to implement services. For example this might include sufficient infrastructure (transportation, staffing, supervision, data collection/management). Any additional needed capacity building to meet this threshold can be determined in the technical assistance process.
-Tribal leadership is engaged and supportive, with Tribal government structures in place to support interdepartmental collaboration and home visiting implementation.
Eligible Models
Tribally-driven home visitingmodelscould includeFamilySpiritand promising practices,orTribally-adaptedapproaches to models such as Parents as Teachers, Nurse-Family Partnership, Parent-Child Home Program, and Outreach Doula. Other culturally appropriate home visiting models can also be proposed.
FundsAvailable
Funds will be based on the Tribe or Tribal organization capacity and need, however there will be a maximum of $200,000 for project implementation ($100,000 per year for two years).
Technical AssistancePeriod
March15,2017–August 31,2017
Please send questions by phone or email to:
(360) 725-4414
All questions and answers will be posted in an FAQ on the Tribal Nation/DEL website and updated regularly. We will be answering questions at the time of release through February 28, 2017.
The FAQ document can be found here:
SUBMISSION DEADLINE – February 28, 2017
The Application is due to the Department of Early Learning Olympia by 5:00 pm.
Late applications will not be considered.
Cover Page
Representing Tribe / Urban Indian
Organization, or Tribal Organization:
Name of Primary Contact Person:
Agency Affiliation:
Primary Contact E-Mail:
Mailing Address:
City:State: Zip:
Telephone:Fax:
Organization or Tribal Council Approval on Submittal:
Yes
No
List all Community Partners including One Letter of Support:
Letter of Support
Home Visiting Program Proposed (if identified, mark NA if not applicable):
Please note: This is not required. If a home visiting program has not been identified at the time of the application submittal the technical assistance process will cover this.
Service Area (list county or counties proposed to serve):
Populations to be Served (choose all that apply):
Pregnant Women
Families with infants (0-12 months)
Families with children under the age of 3 or 5
NARRATIVE
ALL APPLICANTS COMPLETE
Minimum 10 Point Font
Tribes or Tribal organizations that demonstrate the greatest community need and commitment to the technical assistance process will be selected to engage in this opportunity.
EXPLORATION
Community Need
1.Provide a description of the community need in your Tribe and why home visiting could be a good strategy to address this need. Whenever possible, use qualitative or community needsdata to demonstrate your case. If relevant, please describe any initial thoughts on the target population. [WORD COUNT: 400]
2.What needs assessment or annual reports have been conducted or completed that could contribute data/information to understanding the needs of the community for a home visiting program? [WORD COUNT: 150]
3.Using local knowledge, data and understanding of the services provided in your community, please describe how a new home visiting program would fill a gap in existing services. [WORD COUNT: 300]
Community Engagement
1.Please describe the level of community interest to assess the fit of a Tribal home visiting program, in addition, list what partners should be part of the planning process. If possible, provide specific examples to demonstrate the level of interest or the willingness of community members or organizations to ensure a home visiting program would be successful. If you are applying as a consortium, please describe the roles of the agencies involved. [WORD COUNT: 400]
2.Please provide examples where voices of your community have influenced program development or services and lessons learned from this process. [WORD COUNT: 300]
Community Planning Process
- The success of the exploration process including planning and implementation depends on the engagement of your community and Tribal members. Please identify team members that have agreed to participate and include their role. Please note: each proposed team should include at least three individuals, including a main point of contact to support coordination efforts, as well as a representative of leadership or their appointee, either on Tribal Council or within administration of a department or agency. All team members are expected to participate in all meetings. [WORD COUNT: 100]
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ONLY REQUIRED FOR TRIBES OR TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE COMPLETED INTENSIVE HOME VISITING PLANNING
INSTALLATION
1.For Tribes or Tribal organizations that have already done preliminary home visiting planning, please describe how your community has come to decisions regarding which home visiting model you would like to implement. What are the program outcomes that align with the priority community needs for your Tribe? [WORD COUNT: 300]
2.Is there a specific target population or geographic area that is most likely to benefit from new home visiting services? What data or experiences build this case? [WORD COUNT: 200]
3.If you have already selected a lead implementing agency/department, please describe how the home visiting program matches the values and goals of the Tribe/Tribal organization. [WORD COUNT: 200]
4.If you have already selected a lead implementing agency, please describe the agency’s track record of successfully managing complex, multi-year grants. [WORD COUNT: 200]
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SUBMISSION DEADLINE – February 28, 2017, 5:00pm
One (1) copy of the Application is due to the Department of Early Learning by February 28, 2017 at 5:00 pm
Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Submit one (1) copy by email (Word or PDF format) to:
You will receive an email confirmation once received.
Selection Process and Timeline:
February 28, 2017:Application due
March 10, 2017:Successful applicants will be invited to participate in the TA process
March 15, 2017:TA process starts
June 15, 2017:Contract negotiations begin
July 1, 2017:Contract cycle starts
PLEASE NOTE: In order to be eligible for funding on July 1, 2017 you will need to participate in the technical assistance process. The TA will be tailored to the needs of the Tribe or Tribal organization to ensure the process is beneficial for the community. Contracts will be negotiated with Tribes or Tribal organizations prior to July 1, 2017 so that the scope of work and the timeline to start implementing the selected home visiting model is mutually assessed and agreed upon.
Submitthisapplicationby5:00pmTuesday,February28,2017
(no exceptions)
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