Request For Proposals - Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Services - Differential Response

Location:	California
Posted:	May 27, 2026
Due:	Jun 16, 2026
Agency:	Lake County
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	F - Natural Resources and Conservation Services G - Social Services U - Education and Training Services
Solicitation No:	261878
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Bid Number:	261878
Bid Title:	Request For Proposals - Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Services - Differential Response
Category:	County General
Status:	Open
Bid Recipient:	Musa Alajil, Staff Services Analyst and Noell Busti, Supervising Staff Analyst

Description:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – Differential Response. Lake County Department of Social Services (LCDSS) Child Welfare Division, is requesting proposals from qualified community based organizations to provide Differential Response Services throughout Lake County. RFP opens 5/26/2026 (registration opens) RFP is due 6/16/2026 Contact: Musa Alajil (707) 262-4521 Email: For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address.

Publication Date/Time:

5/26/2026 12:00 PM

Closing Date/Time:

6/16/2026 5:00 PM

Submittal Information:

Requesting proposals from qualified accredited organizations for Differential Response Program

Contact Person:

Musa Alajil, Musa.Alajil@lakecountyca.gov and Noell Busti, Noell.Busti@lakecountyca.gov

Business Hours:

M-F 8:00am-5:00pm

Qualifications:

Requesting proposals from qualified community-based organizations to provide Differential Response Services throughout Lake County.

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COUNTY OF LAKE

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

P.O. Box 9000

Lower Lake CA 95457

Date: May 21, 2026

Rachael Dillman-Parsons

Social Services Director

Public Guardian/Administrator

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION SERVICES –

DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE PROGRAM

The Lake County Department of Social Services (LCDSS) is requesting proposals from qualified

agencies to provide Differential Response, early intervention services for families going through crisis

in an effort to prevent children from entering foster care.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

 Proposals must be signed, dated, and submitted no later than June 16, 2026, 5:00 pm.

 Proposals must be emailed to:

Lake County Department of Social Services:

Musa Alajil, Staff Services Analyst II: Musa.Alajil@lakecountyca.gov

Noell Busti, Supervising Staff Analyst: Noell.Busti@lakecountyca.gov

Hard copies will not be accepted

 For additional information, contact Musa Alajil: musa.alajil@lakecountyca.gov or 707-262-4521

The County intends to progress in this procurement in a series of orderly steps. This schedule is

subject to change at the discretion of the County. The County will provide sufficient advance notice

to vendors in the event of schedule changes.

Scheduled Activity

Letter of interest and Request for Proposals mailed to prospective

proposers

RFP opens

Registration closes

Q&A for RFP submission

RFP due

Panel Review

RFP selected and bidder’s notified

Approximate Contract(s) Start Date

Proposed Date

May 22, 2026

May 26, 2026

June 1, 2026

June 5, 2026

June 16, 2026

June 18, 2026

Est. June 23, 2026

July 1, 2026

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Lake County Department of Social Services (LCDSS), Child Welfare Services (CWS), hereinafter referred

to as “LCDSS”, is requesting proposals from qualified proposers for differential response services.

From the proposals submitted, LCDSS intends to contract out for differential response services for the

period of July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

LCDSS may award contracts to up to two (2) qualified contractors in order to support service

coverage for children and youth from birth through eighteen (18) years of age during the three-year

contract period. Proposers are expected to identify the age range, population, and service model they

are qualified to serve. Proposers are also expected to identify and leverage funding sources to

maximize their service levels, consistent with the terms of this RFP and federal and state laws and

regulations. Proposers may link with other agencies through cost-sharing agreements, non-financial

agreements, in-kind services, etc.

SCOPE OF WORK

Differential Response (DR) is a strategy that allows a California child welfare services (CWS) agency to

respond in a more flexible manner to reports of child abuse or neglect. DR affords a customized

approach based on an assessment of safety, risk and protective capacity that recognizes each family’s

unique strengths and needs and addresses these in an individualized manner rather than with a “one

size fits all” approach.

The core elements of DR include a broad set of responses for working with families at the first signs

of abuse and/or neglect, including meaningful family engagement to ensure that needed changes are

recognized and acted upon, and providing family support services and by tracking outcomes. Family

support and services are primarily community-based preventative activities designed to alleviate stress

and to promote competency and behavior that will increase the ability of families to successfully nurture

their children, to enable families to use other resources and opportunities that are available in the

community, to create supportive networks that enhance childrearing abilities of parents, to help

compensate for the increased social isolation and vulnerability of families and to prevent recurrence of

maltreatment and/or entry to foster care.

Program Goals:

 Address and resolve the reason(s) the family came to the attention of CWS.

 Increase safety and protection of the children referred to CWS.

 Maintain more children safely in their home with community support and services which will

result in fewer children entering the child welfare system.

 Increase family and community understanding and commitment to the protection of children.

 Decrease the likelihood that a family will have a re-referral, entry or re-entry into the child

welfare system in the future.

Differential Response will be a coordinated partnership between LCDSS and the Contractor(s).

Differential Response is composed of three pathways as follows:

Path 1, Community Response:

Selected when a report of child maltreatment is evaluated out in that it does not meet the statutory

definitions of abuse or neglect, but CWS has assessed that the family presents with stressors or

circumstances that would benefit from supportive, community-based services. These services will be

provided by the Contractor(s) in an effort to prevent these problems or stressors from escalating. This

path assumes that there will be no further involvement by CWS in the referral, which will be evaluated

out based on the information provided by the caller or report received, unless the circumstances prove

to be different than what was known at Intake, or there is a change in circumstance. A family’s

participation in Pathway 1 services is voluntary, and families can either participate or refuse services.

Contractor(s) would:

 Make contact with and engage referred families using a strengths-based, family-centered, and

trauma-informed approach

 Assist families with accessing and arranging supportive services and community resources,

including medical appointments, counseling, parenting support services, transportation,

educational supports, and other identified services

 Identify any problems in implementation and work with the family and others to resolve them

 Provide direct services to children and families as appropriate based on identified needs and

service goals

 Maintain regular contact with key family members, particularly the child(ren), throughout service

delivery

 Provide a minimum of two (2) face-to-face visits per month for each participating family, with

at least one (1) visit occurring in the family home and including all caregivers and children

residing in the home whenever possible

 Coordinate schedules and arrangements for counseling and other services

 Regularly assemble child and family teams for decision making and adjust team membership as

appropriate

 Assist families in identifying and strengthening natural support systems, including family

members, friends, clergy, and other community supports

 Utilize Safety Organized Practice (SOP), Trauma-Informed Practice, Child and Family Team

(CFT) practices, Protective Factors frameworks, and other county-approved evidence-informed

practices and assessment tools

 Regularly reassess family strengths and needs and adjust service plans as needed

 Acknowledge and support child and family achievements, progress, and successes throughout

service delivery

 Report service outcomes, family progress, identified concerns, and case closure

recommendations to Child Welfare Services (CWS) as required by LCDSS.

Path 2, Child Welfare Services and Community Response:

Selected when a report of child maltreatment meets the statutory definitions of abuse and neglect and

an in-person assessment by an CWS Emergency Response Social Worker is required. CWS has assessed

that there is low to moderate risk of abuse and/or neglect, but some risk is present. Although the focus

is primarily on voluntary involvement in services through the engagement of families, families who are

unable or unwilling to comply with recommendations may be elevated to a more intensive response

from CWS when it is in the interest of protecting children.

Contractor(s) would:

 Respond to referrals from Child Welfare Services (CWS) to engage families in recognizing safety

concerns, identified risks, and service needs intended to reduce the likelihood of further

maltreatment. This response may occur jointly with CWS Emergency Response Social Workers

or may occur individually after the CWS Emergency Response has occurred

 Collaborate and coordinate with Child Welfare Services Emergency Response Social Workers

and other assigned CWS staff throughout service delivery, which may include joint family

engagement, coordinated case planning, and shared service interventions

 Provide services jointly with Child Welfare Services staff or independently as directed by LCDSS

following assessment of family needs and risk factors

 Assist in arrangements for services, including contacting agencies and transportation

 Identify any problems in implementation and work with the family and others to resolve them

 Provide direct services to the child(ren) and family as appropriate

 Maintain regular contact with key family members, particularly the child(ren)

 Provide a minimum of two (2) face-to-face visits per month for each participating family, with

at least one (1) visit occurring in the family home and including all caregivers and children

residing in the home whenever possible

 Coordinate schedules and arrangements for counseling and other services

 Regularly assemble child and family teams for decision making and adjust team membership as

appropriate

 Regularly reassess family strengths and needs and adjust service plans as needed

 Acknowledge the child and family’s achievements and successes; and

 Report to CWS the outcomes of the work with the family.

Path 3: Child Welfare Services Response:

This pathway is most similar to the Child Welfare Services traditional response and is utilized when clear

instances of abuse, neglect, or safety concerns have been identified, or when an initial assessment

indicates the child(ren) cannot safely remain in the home without intensive intervention and support

services.

Contractor(s) would:

 Provide services identified in Pathways 1 and 2, as appropriate to the needs of the family

 Work collaboratively with Child Welfare Services Emergency Response Social Workers to provide

intensive, family-centered interventions designed to reduce safety risks and stabilize the family

unit

 Conduct ongoing assessments to evaluate family progress in mitigating identified safety

concerns and regularly communicate client progress, barriers, and service outcomes to CWS

 Provide intensive case management, advocacy, and direct support services to families to address

immediate safety concerns and support family stabilization

 Assist families in accessing and coordinating medical, behavioral health, educational, housing,

and community-based services

 Maintain regular contact with the family, including face-to-face visits in the family home as

appropriate to ensure child safety and monitor service plan progress

 Participate in Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings and collaborate with formal and informal

supports to promote sustainable safety planning and service engagement

 Provide direct client assistance and hands-on support services, including but not limited to:

o Assisting families with clearing debris or unsafe conditions from living spaces when

necessary to reduce safety hazards

o Assisting with scheduling, transportation, and coordination of medical, mental health,

educational, and supportive service appointments

o Providing in-home life skills coaching, parenting education, and supportive services;

o Assisting families in identifying and accessing resources necessary to complete repairs

or improvements required to maintain a safe living environment

o Supporting families in developing routines, organization, and household management

practices that promote child safety and well-being

Expectations for Contractor Staff Training for Differential Response:

Contractor(s) providing Differential Response services will be trained in the universal practice, principles

and philosophy that guide Child Welfare Services. This training will ensure all staff have an

understanding of the practice behaviors in which they are expected to demonstrate when working with

children and families. Additionally, Differential Response program supervisor(s) and staff will be

required to participate in ongoing trainings with CWS, up to 5 hours per quarter, about topics which

may include, but are not limited to: family development, positive parenting, community resources for

families, the juvenile court process, domestic violence, substance abuse, mandated reporting, child

welfare, feedback of client information, utilization of approved Safety Assessments, Signs of

Safety/Safety Organized Practice, family conferencing, home visiting safety, Trauma Informed Practice,

Motivational Interviewing and other system- wide trainings as deemed necessary.

Most trainings will be provided at the expense of the County, in collaboration with other community

partners. The selected Contractor(s) will be expected to actively participate with other collaborative

members for the purpose of reviewing current research and best practices, developing common tools

and identifying strategies appropriate for the target population.

Cultural Competence:

Contractor(s) will maintain a sufficient level of culturally competent, and whenever possible, have multi-

lingual qualified staff to effectively carry out program activities. Staffing must reflect the diverse cultural

and linguistic characteristics of the clients served. Applying Vendors and their staff must currently serve

and be deeply embedded in the community in Lake County. “Deeply embedded” is defined as the

knowledge of, and the ability to, quickly link and connect the target population to both informal and

formal support networks which are culturally appropriate within their own community in Lake County.

A successful response will address the following:

 Describe experience in providing services to the diverse ethnic, linguistic, and cultural

population(s) who will be served under this program. Describe the Vendors capability for

providing culturally competent services to specific ethnic and cultural groups who will be served

under this program.

 Describe how program and staff has the knowledge and skills necessary to serve Lake County’s

diverse community.

 Describe how structures for staff/workforce receive ongoing training and/or professional

development on diverse communities as a whole.

 Describe the Vendor’s plan to provide services in English and Spanish.

Location of Services:

Differential Response services will be provided countywide. It is expected that families will be engaged

in their homes and their communities and at times convenient for the families being served, which may

include evenings. A successful response will address the following:

 Describe how the Vendor will provide services in facilities, other than county facilities.

 Indicate the location(s) and the hours services will be provided for this program.

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

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Request For Proposals - Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Services - Differential Response

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See also