Adult and/or Youth Early Intervention

The County of Tuolumne, through its Health & Human Services Agency, Behavioral Health Department, hereinafter referred to as the “County,” is requesting proposals from qualified individuals and private and public organizations interested in providing Early Intervention programs for adults and/or youth that are designed to prevent mental illness and substance about disorders from becoming severe and disabling and to reduce disparities in behavioral health.

The County intends to award several contracts to multiple successful applicants to this RFP.

California law and federal law provide specific employment restrictions for retirees and/or current County employees that desire to contract with the County.

For CalPERS retirees: if the work you will perform as a contractor is the same or similar to work you performed as an active employee or is work that is performed by active employees, it is most likely subject to the PERS retired annuitant restrictions, meaning the contract relationship is disallowed and the County will not be able to enter into a contract with you.

For current County employees: California and federal law prohibit a current employee from contracting with its employer while being an active employee. If an employee is interested in becoming an independent contractor, the employee must consider separation from employment with the County; however, should the employee retire, he/she may be subject to the CalPERS retired annuitant laws. Should a current County employee respond to a RFP while in active employment status, the employee must separate from employment prior to award of the contract.

No County time is allowed to be used to prepare for or work on a response to a County RFP.

In recent years, California has undertaken historic efforts to re-envision the state's publicly funded mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services, with a special focus on county administered specialty mental health and substance use disorder services. In March 2024, voters approved Proposition 1 to reform the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), and fund needed behavioral health facility infrastructure through a general obligation bond. The efforts to implement Proposition 1 are referred to as Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA).

Under BHSA, each county must establish and administer an Early Intervention program that are designed to prevent mental illnesses and substance use disorders from becoming severe and disabling and to reduce disparities in behavioral health. Early Intervention funds may also be used to provide supports and services to parents and caregivers.

County Early Intervention programs must emphasize the reduction of the likelihood of the following adverse outcomes for BHSA eligible individuals:

• Suicide and self-harm
• Incarcerations
• School suspension, expulsion, referral to an alternative or community school, or failure to complete (inclusive of early childhood zero to five years of age, Transitional Kindergarten (TK)-12, and higher education)
• Unemployment
• Prolonged suffering
• Homelessness
• Removal of children from their homes
• Overdose
• Mental illness in children and youth through social, emotional, developmental, and behavioral services and supports in early childhood

Culturally Responsive and Linguistically Appropriate Interventions

County Early Intervention programs must include culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate interventions. These interventions must be able to reach underserved cultural populations and address specific barriers related to racial, ethnic, cultural, language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, economic, or other disparities in mental health and substance use disorder treatment services access, quality, and outcomes.

County Early Intervention programs must create critical linkages with community-based organizations, including, but not limited to, service and treatment providers, youth centers, licensed and exempt clinics, facilities and providers licensed or certified by the DHCS, licensed or certified residential substance use disorder facilities, and licensed narcotic treatment programs. Community-based organizations may also include organizations that provide evidence-based practices (EBPs) or community-defined evidence practices (CDEPs).