Notice of Intent to Release

Notice of Intent to Release for Family Centered Services

Posted 11/12/2024

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (hereafter “Agency”) intends to release a procurement for Family Centered Services. As part of the procurement process, the Agency intends to conduct Listening Sessions.

Listening Sessions will allow the Agency to gather vital information about the program from individuals both inside and outside of the Agency who play an important role in the success of the program. In the Listening Sessions the Agency will ask questions to Participants who fulfill key roles as Stakeholders within the Family Centered Services program.

Participants / Stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide responses to questions based on their experience and their role within the Family Centered Services program. The goal of the Listening Sessions is for the Agency to gather feedback from Stakeholders about the current program, processes, procedures, activities, challenges, and potential areas of improvement leading to better outcomes. Participants / Stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide responses to questions based on their experience and their role within the program. The information gathered in the Listening Sessions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Agency for consideration in the development of a forthcoming procurement. Key Stakeholder groups that the Agency is seeking input from include:

• Crisis Intervention, Stabilization, and Reunification Services Contractors

• Judicial Partners including Judges, County Attorneys and Guardian ad Litems

• Current Family Centered Services Program Directors and Supervisors

• Parent Partners (Closed group see Attachment A)

The questions to be asked in each of the Listening Sessions are provided in Attachments B-C. The Listening Sessions will be conducted in accordance with dates and times listed in the timeline found in Attachment D.

Participants can provide feedback in two ways.

1. Provide a response during the Listening Session - Participants may request to participate in a Listening Session which will be held via Microsoft Teams. They will have an opportunity to provide a response to the questions as the questions are asked within the Listening Session.

2. Provide a written response after the Listening Session- Participants may provide a written response to some or all the questions asked. Written responses must be submitted via email to judy.phelps@hhs.iowa.gov by the due date and time listed in the Timeline (Attachment D).

Organizations currently fulfilling a Stakeholder role listed above, or those parties who are interested in filling a role listed above, are encouraged to provide individuals to participate in the Listening Session. Individuals may attend a Listening Session; however, in the question-and-answer portion the Agency seeks feedback from those currently fulfilling or those who are interested in fulfilling the role which the Listening Session is intended for. The exception is the Parent Partners Listening Session which is a closed group. See Attachment A for more details.

If you are currently fulfilling one of the Stakeholder roles or are interested in fulfilling one of the Stakeholder roles listed above, and would like to participate in a Listening Session, please email the following information to judy.phelps@hhs.iowa.gov by the due date listed in the Timeline (Attachment

D).

• Name

• Contact information (phone number, email address)

• The name and address of the organization you represent.

• A brief statement describing which Listening Session(s) you would like to attend.

As stated previously, the information gathered in the Listening Sessions will be reviewed and evaluated for consideration in a forthcoming procurement with the intent of improving the program and achieving positive outcomes. The Agency is in the early stages of the procurement process for this program. As we get closer to the release of a Request for Proposal (RFP) additional information will be posted to the State of Iowa Bid Opportunities website. For more details regarding the Listening Session process please see Attachment A: Listening Session Overview.

If you would like to participate, please be sure to send in your contact information by the due date and time listed in the Timeline (Attachment D). Responses received after this deadline will be rejected.

Formal Communication Plan

From the date of the issuance of this Notice of Intent to Release to the issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award a Formal Communication Plan will be in effect.

o There are to be no discussions regarding this procurement and the resulting contract between any Agency employees and any potential bidder with the exception of questions directed to the Issuing Officer.

o Should a potential bidder attempt to contact an employee of the Agency other than the Issuing Officer trying to gather information about this RFP it may be grounds for your organizations removal and disqualification from the procurement and resulting contract.

o Any questions regarding the RFP should be directed to the Issuing Officer via the Issuing Officer’s email address ryan.roovaart@hhs.iowa.gov.

o The Formal Communication Plan is not meant to limit communication between the Agency and Providers related to a current contract in place.

The following attachments are included in this Notice of Intent to Release for your reference:

Attachment A: Overview of Listening Sessions

Attachment B: Questions Asked to Participants

Attachment C: Additional Questions asked to Current Family Centered Services Staff and Other Contracted Provider Staff

Attachment D: Timeline for Family Centered Services Listening Sessions

Attachment A: Overview of Listening Sessions

Listening Session Format

The Listening Session will consist of three phases.

1.) Introduction,

2.) Question and Answer, and

3.) Closing Remarks

The Listening Sessions are expected to last approximately 2 hours and will include a 10-minute break in the middle. All the Listening Sessions will use the same format discussed here.

Written summaries from each Listening Session will be made available via an Agency webpage

https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/CPS/cps-contracts after Listening Sessions have been completed.

Gathering Feedback from Parent Partners

The Agency will gather feedback from Parent Partners utilizing a different method than the other listening sessions to ensure the Participants confidentiality is maintained considering the vulnerability of the individuals participating, the likelihood of personally identifiable and confidential information being discussed, and considering Parent Partners past lived experiences and the lived experiences of the clients whom they serve. Considering these factors, the Listening Session involving Parent Partners will be a closed session which means non-parent partners will not be allowed to register for this session. Only those currently fulfilling the roles of Parent Partners will be allowed to attend. Following the completion of this Listening Sessions the Agency will provide a summary of the information collected, excluding any personally identifiable or confidential information. The summary information will be posted on the HHS website https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/CPS/cps-contracts after listening sessions have been completed. The information presented will be utilized by Procurement Team to aid in the creation of the forthcoming RFP and resulting contract.

Attachment B: Questions Asked to Participants

1. What are the most essential areas of skill development and / or support that children and families need to get them to success?

2. What internal or external agency connections are the most impactful for the program?

3. What are the strengths of the program?

4. When a Family Centered Services worker is effective, how do you know?

5. What are the two to three barriers that prevent a Family Centered Services provider from being effective? What are some strategies that would increase their effectiveness?

6. What could be included to increase family centered planning that responds to the family’s cultural and socioeconomic reality?

7. What can be reflected in the contract to increase partnership between the family, the provider, and HHS?

Attachment C: Additional Questions Asked to Current Family Centered Services Staff and Other Contractor Provider Staff

Current Family Centered Services Staff:

1. What factors should we consider in setting rates for services?

Other Contractor Provider Staff:

1. What are essential connection points between FCS and the services your agency provides?

Attachment D: Timeline for Family Centered Services Listening Sessions

*** Listening Sessions may be canceled due to low attendance.