OhioMHAS Recovery Housing Residences - Accreditation and Complaint Management

In an MBE set-aside solicitation, only those bidders/suppliers with an active MBE certification at the time the solicitation closes can submit a response

SRC0000034011

10/3/2025 2:00:00 PM

1. MISSION & GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The mission of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is to provide statewide leadership of a high-quality mental health and addiction prevention, treatment and recovery system that is effective and valued by all Ohioans. OhioMHAS strives to be a national leader in implementing a comprehensive, accessible, and quality-focused system of addiction and mental health care and wellness for all Ohio citizens.

1. PURPOSE

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services ( Ohio MHAS) is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to

1. BACKGROUND

The Department seeks proposals from organizations that accredit, or its equivalent, “recovery housing residences” as that term is defined in Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) 5119.01. Any reference to “accreditation” in this RFP means accreditation or its equivalent.

Under this RFP, the Department will select a single accrediting organization to fulfill two sets of deliverables:

(1) Be an accepted accrediting organization for purposes of Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) 5119.39 (A) and fulfill duties associated with that role; and
(2) Manage the intake of complaints concerning recovery housing residences through a “one stop” web site, conduct complaint review and triage, collect complaint investigation status reports and adverse action reports from all accrediting organizations designated by the Department and complaint status investigation reports from the Department, and make specified reports to the Department, ADAMHS boards, and complainants.

The contractor selected under this RFP will be known as the Complaint Management Contractor.

1. SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES

(1) Deliverables Set 1 - Accreditation of recovery housing residences

A. Accreditation Standards . Contractor must offer an accreditation that is for recovery housing residences as the term, “recovery housing residences,” is defined in R.C. 5119.01. The accreditation for recovery housing residences must be recognized by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and must be specifically and exclusively designed for recovery housing residences and may not include other types of structures such as transitional housing residences, homeless shelters, or domestic violence shelters as part of the accreditation. Contractor is to submit a copy of its accreditation standards to the Department when responding to this RFP.

B. Accreditation Process . Contractor must have a process for operators of recovery housing residences to apply for and attain the offered accreditation described in A., above. Contractor must submit a document explaining this process when responding to this RFP.

C. Complaints . Contractor must have a step-by-step procedure for the receipt, investigation, and resolution of complaints received by Contractor about a recovery housing residence accredited by Contractor or actively engaged in the process of attaining Contractor’s accreditation. The procedure must include a step that offers boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services (ADAMHS boards) the option of accompanying Contractor’s staff on investigations. The procedure must be posted on Contractor’s web site. Contractor must submit a copy of the procedure when responding to this RFP.

D. Investigations . Contractor must investigate the complaints described in C., above, using its own employees or contractors located in Ohio. Contractor must submit a list of each of its employees and contractors who conduct investigations, along with their cities and zip codes of residence, when responding to this RFP.

E. Reports . Contractor must prepare complaint investigation status reports and adverse action reports that comply with the criteria set forth below.

1. Complaint investigation status reports

A complaint investigation status report must be prepared twice per month for each complaint investigation that is pending or was completed since the immediately prior report was prepared. A report must contain the following information:

--The name and address, if known, of the property that is the subject of the complaint;
--The name and contact information, if known, for the property’s operator;
--A description of the complaint;
--The status of the complaint (i.e., whether the complaint was recently received, whether it is still under active investigation, or whether it was completed since the prior report was prepared);
--If the investigation was completed since the prior report was prepared, the outcome of that investigation;
--Whether an information sheet described in Deliverables Set 2, B.2.d., below, was provided to the complainant; and
--Any other information Contractor determines pertinent.

2. Adverse action reports

An adverse action report must be prepared for each adverse action taken by Contractor not later than three business days after the adverse action was taken. An “adverse action” means a decision to deny, revoke, suspend, place on probation, or otherwise restrict accreditation.

An adverse action report must include all of the following information:
--The name and address of the property that is the subject of the adverse action;
--The name and contact information, if known, for the property’s operator;
--A description of the adverse action;
--The rationale for the adverse action;
--The date the adverse action was made; and
--A copy of any correspondence sent to the property’s operator regarding the decision to take the adverse action.

F. Response to Inquiries . Contractor must expeditiously respond to inquiries pertaining to the accreditation of recovery housing residences or complaints and complaint investigations concerning recovery housing residences made by Department staff or, at the direction of Department staff, staff of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, or other parties.

G. Technical Assistance . Contractor must provide technical assistance to recovery housing residence operators seeking to attain or maintain Contractor’s accreditation. Technical assistance shall include, but shall not be limited to, answering questions from community members and other parties pertaining to Contractor’s accreditation process, and providing guidance to prospective applicants for accreditation regarding the application process, standards for accreditation, and/or timeline for accreditation.

H. Training . Contractor must provide in-person and virtual training sessions, not less than quarterly, on the process for attaining and maintaining Contractor’s accreditation and other topics relevant to the operation of recovery housing residences.

I. Record Retention . Contractor must have a system for maintaining complaint and investigative records for the longer of one year or the period of time it takes to close a complaint. Such system must be designed in a way to facilitate compliance with R.C. 5119.393(C).

J. Confidentiality . Contractor must affirm that, beginning September 30, 2025, R.C. 5119.393(C) applies with respect to complaints received by the Department or Contractor and that information and records received, collected, or generated by the Department or Contractor pursuant to an investigation, and reports described in R.C. 5119.393(B), are generally confidential, not public records under R.C. 149.43, and may only be disclosed as specified in R.C. 5119.393(C)(2).

K. Annual Conference . Contractor must sponsor and host an annual recovery housing residence conference. Contractor must include Department staff on the conference planning committee.
(2) Deliverables Set 2 – Complaint intake, triage, report collection, and reporting

A . Complaint Intake Web Site . Contractor must develop and maintain a secure, “one stop web site” that serves as the central intake point for all complaints concerning recovery housing residences or structures complainants believe to be recovery housing residences.

1. Web Site Development Conditions – the complaint intake web site shall be subject to the following requirements:

1. Contractor must have the web site approved by the Department before it goes live and any time it wishes to make updates;
2. The Department has final approval concerning the web site’s design and functionality; and
3. The web site must go live on or before December 1, 2025.

1. Web Site Functionality – the web site must contain the following functionality:

1. A complaint form that allows a complainant to submit their complaint directly to Contractor. The complaint form must request the complainant’s name, address, email address, telephone number, status (recovery housing residence resident or employee, ADAMHS board employee, law enforcement official, concerned neighbor, member of the public, or other), the date of the complaint, a description of the complaint, and any other information the complainant deems important;

1. The ability for the complainant to upload photographs or other documents complainant wishes to submit in support of the complaint; and

1. An option/setting/radio button the complainant may select if the complainant wishes to remain anonymous with a disclosure statement acknowledging that Contractor or its agents will have access to complainant’s name and contact information solely for the purpose of following-up with complainant if additional details concerning the complaint are needed to conduct an effective investigation.

1. Required Web Site Content – the web site must have a section in a prominent location where it specifies or explains the following:

1. The definition of “recovery housing residence” in R.C. 5119.01;
2. That the web site serves as the central intake point for all complaints concerning recovery housing residences or structures believed to be recovery housing residences;
3. That Contractor triages all complaints received through the web site and refers them to the appropriate accrediting organization or the Department; and
4. That pursuant to R.C. 5119.393, complaints received by Contractor or the Department, information and records received, collected, or generated by Contractor or Department pursuant to an investigation, and statutorily required reports concerning investigations are confidential and not public records but may be disclosed under limited circumstances to specified entities outlined in R.C. 5119.393(C). There must be a link to that statutory provision.

1. Complaint Review and Triage Process . For each complaint Contractor receives through the web site described in A., above, or by other means (e.g., telephone or email), Contractor must do both of the following:
   
   1. Review the complaint
   
   Contractor must review the complaint and determine if additional information is needed from the complainant so that an effective investigation may be conducted. If Contractor determines additional information is needed, Contractor is to contact the complainant and attempt to obtain the additional information.
   
   2. Triage the complaint
   
   Based on the information received, Contractor must determine which entity should receive the complaint for investigation. Contractor will make that determination based on the following:
   
   a. Contractor-Accredited RHR – Complaint Handling . Complaints concerning recovery housing residences (i) accredited by Contractor or (ii) that have initiated the process to attain Contractor’s accreditation are to be kept by Contractor for investigation. Contractor is to investigate such complaints in accordance with Contractor’s procedure indicated under Deliverables Set 1, C, above.
   
   b. Expansion Contractor-Accredited RHR – Complaint Referral . Complaints concerning recovery housing residences (i) accredited by the accrediting organization selected under sourcing project SRC 0000034008, “OhioMHAS Recovery Housing Residences – Accreditation and Expansion,” or (ii) that have initiated the process to attain such organization’s accreditation are to be sent to that accrediting organization for investigation. This contractor is known as the Expansion Contractor for purposes of this RFP.
   
   c. Other Complaints – Referral to the Department . Complaints not described in a. or b., above, including complaints Contractor believes are regarding structures that are not recovery housing residences as defined in R.C. 5119.01, are to be sent to the Department.
   
   d. Alleged Federal Violations – Complainant Notification . If a complaint appears to allege a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute or Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, Contractor must send to the complainant, if the complainant’s contact information is available, an information sheet developed by the Department. The information sheet will explain how to submit a complaint to the appropriate federal office with jurisdiction to investigate the complaint.

1. Report Collection Requirements .
   
   1. Complaint investigation status reports
   
   For each complaint that was sent to the Expansion Contractor or the Department, Contractor must collect the complaint investigation status reports from those parties twice per month on dates determined by Contractor. Such reports are to contain the information specified under Deliverables Set 1, E.1.
   
   2. Adverse action reports
   
   For each adverse action report submitted to Contractor by the Expansion Contractor, Contractor must collect the report from the Expansion Contractor so it can be reported as described in D. below. Such reports are to contain the information specified under Deliverables Set 1, E.2.

1. Report Submission Requirements .

1. Reporting to the Department

1. Complaint investigation status reports
   
   Twice per month, Contractor must compile all complaint investigation status reports it has prepared, and reports received from the Expansion Contractor and Department, into one report. The single report must then be sent to the Department via the email address the Department establishes for this purpose. Each report must contain a cover page indicating the date the report was submitted to the Department.

1. Adverse action reports
   
   Not later than three business days after receiving an adverse action report from the Expansion Contractor or preparing its own adverse action report, Contractor must submit that report to the Department via the email address the Department establishes for this purpose.

1. Monthly reporting
   
   Not later than the fifth day of each month, Contractor must submit to the Department via the email address the Department has designated for this purpose a report with all the following:
   
   i. The name and address of each recovery housing residence accredited by Contractor as of the date of the report’s submission.
   
   ii. The name and address of each recovery housing residence actively engaged in the process of attaining Contractor’s accreditation as of the date of the report’s submission.
   
   iii. The name and address of each recovery housing residence that had an adverse action taken against it since the last monthly report was made, delineated by which accrediting organization took the action, and containing a description of the adverse action taken.
   
   iv. A list of training sessions Contractor held for recovery housing residence operators and those interested in becoming recovery housing residence operators since the last monthly report was made, including all of the following information about each training session:
   
   --Sponsor;
   --Date;
   --Content and curriculum;
   --Instructor names;
   --Whether the session was held in-person, by virtual means, or both;
   --Number of attendees; and
   --Direct costs associated with holding the training session, including venue, equipment, supplies, food/beverages, and instruction materials

1. Annual reporting
   
   Not later than September 1 of each year, Contractor must submit a report to the Department, via the email address the Department has designated for this purpose, an annual report summarizing Contractor’s outcomes data collected during the immediately preceding year.

1. Registry reporting

Every ten days, Contractor must share data, specified by the Department, to the registry required by R.C. 5119.394.

1. Reporting to ADAMHS boards

1. Contractor will send a copy of any adverse action report Contractor prepares itself or receives from the Expansion Contractor to the ADAMHS board with jurisdiction over the location of the recovery housing residence that is the subject of the adverse action. The copy must be sent not later than three business days after the Contractor prepares or receives the report.

1. Contractor will send a notice to the ADAMHS board with jurisdiction over the location of any recovery housing residence accredited by Contractor that is no longer open. The notice must be sent not later than three business days after Contractor becomes aware of the closure. Contractor must also send within that time frame a copy of the notice to the Department via the email address the Department has designated for this purpose.

1. Contractor will send a notice to the ADAMHS board with jurisdiction over the location of a recovery housing residence that fails to submit a renewal application for accreditation to Contractor by the deadline Contractor has established for such application. Contractor must also send, within three business days, a copy of the notice to the Department via the email address the Department has designated for this purpose.

3. Reporting to complainants

For each complaint investigated by Contractor, Contractor will inform the complainant, if the complainant’s contact information is available, about the outcome of the investigation using the disposition form developed by the Department. The form must be completed and sent to the complainant not later than ten business days after the conclusion of the investigation. Contractor must also send within that time frame a copy of the completed form to the Department via the email address the Department has designated for this purpose.

1. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTOR

A. Contractor must offer an accreditation that is for recovery housing residences as that term is defined in R.C. 5119.01. The accreditation for recovery housing residences must be recognized by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and must be specifically and exclusively designed for recovery housing residences and may not include other types of structures such as transitional housing residences, homeless shelters, or domestic violence shelters as part of the accreditation.

B. Contractor must have a process for operators of recovery housing residences to apply for and attain the offered accreditation described in A., above.

C. Contractor must have a step-by-step procedure for the receipt, investigation, and resolution of complaints received by Contractor about a recovery housing residence accredited by Contractor or actively engaged in the process of attaining Contractor’s accreditation. The procedure must include a step that offers boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services (ADAMHS boards) the option of accompanying Contractor’s staff on investigations.

D. Contractor must have investigators, located in Ohio, to investigate complaints regarding the recovery housing residences that are accredited by Contractor or in the process of becoming accredited by Contractor.

E. Contractor shall not be subject to an “unresolved” finding for recovery under Section 9.24 of Ohio Revised Code.

PART FOUR: EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

1. Evaluation Process

OhioMHAS’s evaluation process of responses submitted to this request may consist of up to four distinct phases:

1. OhioMHAS’s initial review of all proposals for timely submission;
2. An evaluation committee review of the proposals for defects and scoring;
3. OhioMHAS’s request for more information (clarifications, interviews, presentations, and/or demonstrations); and,
4. Negotiations or best offer requests.

At its sole discretion, OhioMHAS will determine whether phases three and/or four are necessary under this RFP, reserving for itself the ability to eliminate or add phases three or four at any time during the evaluation process. OhioMHAS may add or remove sub-phases to phases 2 through 4 at any time if MHAS believes doing so will improve the evaluation process.

1. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

In the proposal evaluation phase, OhioMHAS staff or reviewers selected by OhioMHAS (the committee) will rate the proposals submitted in response to this RFP based on the following criteria and weight assigned to each criterion.