Early Intervention Program (Family Resource Center)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
MARIPOSA COUNTY
DATE ISSUED: 6/10/2026
PROPOSALS DUE: 6/24/2026
Health and Human Services Agency
SUBMIT TO:
Attn: Quality Assurance Team
PO Box 99
5362 Lemee Lane
Mariposa, CA 95338
(209)742-0996 (fax)
HHSAQA@mariposacounty.gov
Subject Line: Family Resource Center RFP
REFER QUESTIONS TO:
HHSAQA@mariposacounty.gov
Deadline for Questions: 6/19/2026

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
I. INTRODUCTION:
Mariposa County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) is seeking
proposals for the provision of an Early Intervention Program funded under the
Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA).
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from qualified
individuals or agencies to provide a Family Resource Center.
The work contracted under this RFP shall not exceed $175,000 annually. This program
is funded through the Behavioral Health Services Act under the Behavioral Health
Services and Supports (BHSS) component.
The term of the Agreement will be for a period of one year beginning on September 1,
2026 and ending on June 30, 2027.
II. BACKGROUND:
The Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), enacted in 2024 through Senate Bill 326
(Eggman), that provides funding to counties to expand and transform behavioral health
services for children, youth, adults, and older adults across California. BHSA builds
upon the foundation of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) and strengthens
accountability, equity, and outcomes across the public behavioral health system.
Funded through a 1% tax on personal income over one million dollars, BHSA supports a
broad continuum of services, including early intervention, treatment, recovery supports,
and infrastructure development. Counties must focus on unserved, underserved, and
inappropriately served populations, with an emphasis on reducing disparities.
The goals of BHSA are to reduce homelessness, unnecessary institutionalization, and
justice involvement; increase access to services; promote recovery and resiliency;
address disparities; and ensure accountability in the use of public funds.
Services must target individuals with or at risk of a serious mental health condition and
substance use disorders, including those experiencing homelessness, at risk of
incarceration, or involved in the justice system.
Under BHSA, Early Intervention programs must be designed to prevent mental illnesses
and substance use disorders from becoming severe and disabling and to reduce
disparities in behavioral health.
2

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
Early Intervention programs must ensure that at least 51% of individuals served are
BHSA-eligible individuals who are 25 years of age and younger, including transitional-
age youth. Services provided as part of Early Intervention Evidence Based Practices
(EBP) or Community-Defined Evidence Practices (CDEP) that support parents and
caregivers may count toward the 51% requirement, even if the child or youth is not
present, as long as the service is intended to benefit that child or youth.
III. TIMELINE:
The timeline outlined below represents the tentative schedule for this RFP. Any change
in the scheduled dates for the RFP will be advertised.
RFP Schedule Date
Request for Proposals (RFP) Posted 6/10/2026
Deadline for Questions 6/19/2026
Proposal Submission Deadline 6/24/2026
Initial Screening of Proposals - to determine eligibility and 6/25/2026 -
Notice of disqualifications sent to proposers 6/29/2026
Evaluation of Eligible Proposals 6/30/2026 - 7/2/2026
Non-selected Vendor Send Notifications 7/3/2026
Final Date to Submit Protests 7/10/2026
Response to Protests & Intent to Award 7/17/2026
Contract Negotiations 7/20/2026-7/24/2026
Board of Supervisor Approval 8/4/2026 - 8/18/2026
Contract Start Date 9/01/2026
IV: ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY REQUIREMENTS:
* Must be able to adhere to all Early Intervention requirements.
* Knowledge and understanding of collaborative service design.
* Demonstrate experience or ability in delivering behavioral health early
intervention services.
* Must identify and be able to execute all aspects of the Scope of Services.
* Must identify and be able to execute all aspects listed in Staffing under the Scope
of Services.
3

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
* Proof of insurance coverage in the form of a Certificate of Insurance:
Commercial General Liability (CGL): $2M occurrence
o
Automobile Liability: $1M per accident
o
Workers' Compensation insurance: $1Million per incident
o
Professional Liability (PL): $1M per occurrence, $2M aggregate (if
o
applicable)
* Must provide a W-9, request for taxpayer identification number and certification.
* Ability to provide culturally responsive components to services, including services
for individuals with limited English proficiency and diverse cultural and ethnic
backgrounds and criminal involvement.
V. SCOPE OF SERVICES:
Program Design - The Family Resource Center (FRC) will provide community-based,
family-centered early intervention services designed to prevent mental illnesses and
substance use disorders from becoming severe and disabling and to reduce disparities
in behavioral health. The Early Intervention program must include the following
components:
1. Outreach -
Outreach is the process of engaging, encouraging, educating, training, and learning
about ways to recognize and respond effectively to early signs of potentially severe
and disabling mental health and substance use disorders (WIC section 5840,
subdivision (b)(1)). Outreach activities funded under BHSS Early Intervention must
meet the following requirements:
* Be directed towards eligible high-risk individuals within BHSA priority populations
(WIC section 5892, subdivision (d), including older adults and youth (WIC section
5892, subdivision (k)(7)(A) and (k)(7)(B)).
* Have the goal of identifying individuals for access and linkage to services and
supports.
* Connect eligible individuals directly to access and linkage programs or to mental
health and substance use disorder treatment services and supports, should an
individual wish to be connected to services.
* County outreach activities may include those that target: families, employers,
primary care health care providers, behavioral health urgent care and first
responders, hospitals, inclusive of emergency departments, education, including
4

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
early care and learning, TK-12, higher education, community-based
organizations that specialize in serving underserved communities, others.
* Eligible older adults and youth may require tailored outreach strategies, as noted
below.
Outreach Strategies for Older Adults:
o
When targeting the mental health and substance use disorder
needs of BHSA eligible older adults, outreach strategies (WIC
section 5840.6, subdivision (h)) include, but are not limited to, the
following:
* Outreach and engagement strategies that target caregivers,
victims of elder abuse, and individuals who live alone.
* Outreach to older adults who are isolated and/or lonely.
* Programs for early identification of mental health disorders
and substance use disorders.
* Outreach to organizations that provide services to older
adults such as Area Agencies on Aging, Caregiver Resource
Centers, and Aging and Disability Resource Connections.
Youth Outreach and Engagement
o
Youth outreach and engagement strategies (WIC section 5840.6,
subdivision (f)) target BHSA eligible out-of-school youth and
secondary school-age youth, and include, but are not limited to, the
following:
* Establishing direct linkages for youth to community-based
mental health and substance use disorder treatment
services.
* Participating in EBPs and CDEP programs for mental health
and substance use disorder treatment services.
* Providing supports to facilitate access to services and
programs, including those utilizing EBPs and CDEPs, for
underserved and vulnerable populations, including, but not
limited to, members of ethnically and racially diverse
communities, members of the LGBTQ+ communities, victims
of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and veterans.
5

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
* Establishing direct linkages for students to community-based
behavioral health services for which reimbursement is
available through the students' health coverage.
* Advancing racial equity in behavioral health services.
* Providing school employees and students with education
and training in early identification, intervention, and referral
of students with behavioral health needs.
* Providing education and training opportunities in early
identification, intervention, and referral of youth with
behavioral health needs in community- based settings to
target out-of-school youth and employees of organizations
that work with youth.
* Providing strategies and programs for youth with signs of
behavioral or emotional needs or substance misuse who
have had, or are at risk of having, contact with the child
welfare or juvenile justice system.
* Providing integrated youth behavioral health programming.
2. Access and linkage to care -
Access and linkage (WIC section 5840, subdivision (b)(2)) to care must ensure that
care can be provided by county behavioral health programs as early in the onset of
behavioral health conditions as practicable, and that referrals for medical and social
services are provided as needed. Access and linkage to care may include activities
that support screening, assessment, and referral to behavioral health services, such
as telephone help lines, mobile response teams, and supportive services such as
Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports available to Medi-Cal
members. Activities must also include the scaling of and referral to (WIC section
5840, subdivision (b)(2)(B)) the Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) Plus Program,
including Coordinated Specialty Care, or other EBPs and CDEPs for early psychosis
and mood disorder detection and intervention programs.
3. Mental health and substance use disorder early treatment services and supports -
Mental health and substance use disorder treatment services and supports provided
under Early Intervention (WIC section 5840, subdivision (c)) must be proven to
reduce the duration of untreated serious mental health illnesses and substance use
disorders and assist people in quickly regaining productive lives (these supports are
separate and distinct from the "housing supports" provided within Housing
6

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
Interventions).Early intervention mental health and substance use disorder services
must also be responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs (WIC section 5840,
subdivision (b)(3)(C)) of diverse communities.
Early intervention of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services
and support to those eligible for BHSA may include:
* Mental health treatment services to address first episode psychosis.
* Mental health and substance use disorder services that prevent, respond, or treat
a behavioral health crisis or activities that decrease the impacts of suicide, return
to use of illicit substances or misuse of prescription drugs, and/or accidental
overdose/poisoning.
* Early intervention services are designed to address co-occurring mental health
and substance use issues.
4. Childhood Trauma Early Intervention Program -
The BHSA strengthens prioritization of resources to serve eligible children and youth
with its dedicated allocation of BHSS Early Intervention funds. Early Intervention
programs must include specific interventions focused on childhood trauma (WIC
section 5840.7, subdivision (a)(1)).
These programs target BHSA eligible children and youth exposed to, or who are at
risk of exposure to, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and traumatic childhood
events, environmental trauma including community violence, generational trauma,
institutional trauma, and prolonged toxic stress. Childhood trauma Early Intervention
program aims to address the early origins of mental health and substance use
disorder needs and prevent long-term mental health and substance use disorder
concerns. These programs may include, but are not limited to, the following:
* Focused outreach and early intervention to at-risk and in-need populations,
including youth experiencing homelessness, justice-involved youth, LGBTQ+
youth, and child welfare-involved youth.
* Implementation of appropriate trauma and developmental screening and
assessment tools with linkages to early intervention services to eligible children
and youth who qualify for these services.
* Collaborative, strengths-based approaches that appreciate the resilience of
trauma survivors and support their parents and caregivers when appropriate.
7

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
* Support from peer support specialists, wellness coaches, and community health
workers trained to provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment
services with an emphasis on culturally and linguistically tailored approaches.
* Multigenerational family engagement, education, and support for navigation and
service referrals across systems that aid the healthy development of children and
youth and their families.
* Collaboration with county child welfare agencies and other system partners,
including Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans, and homeless youth service providers,
to address the physical and behavioral health-related needs and social needs of
child-welfare-involved youth.
* Linkages to primary care and behavioral health settings, including, but not limited
to, federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, community-based
providers, school-based health centers, school-linked providers, and school-
based programs and community-based organizations, early learning and care
centers, Regional Centers, school-based health centers, specializing in serving
underserved communities.
* Linkages to county and community-based organizations that will help address the
adolescent's needs through the provision of continuing care and support
services.
* Leveraging the healing value of traditional cultural connections and faith-based
organizations, including policies, protocols, and processes that are responsive to
the racial, ethnic, and cultural needs of individuals served and recognition of
historical trauma.
* Blended funding streams to provide individuals and families experiencing toxic
stress comprehensive and integrated supports across systems.
* Partnerships with local educational agencies and school-based behavioral health
professionals, early learning and care centers, county First Five commissions,
and Regional Centers, to identify and address children exposed to, or who are at
risk of exposure to, adverse and traumatic childhood events and prolonged toxic
stress.
The Early Intervention program 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
8

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
other disparities in mental health and substance use disorder treatment services
access, quality, and outcomes (WIC section 5840.6, subdivision (g)(1)).
5. Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Implementation Requirements
The Contractor shall implement Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) services
and shall:
* Ensure practitioners complete all required training and certifications
* Participate in required consultation with the Centers of Excellence (COE)
* Engage in ongoing individualized and group technical assistance, including
webinars, as applicable
* Complete and submit fidelity assessments within required timelines
* Maintain documentation demonstrating adherence to the EBP model
If the Contractor is unable to provide PCIT directly, the Contractor shall coordinate
with Mariposa County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (MCBHRS) refer
eligible individuals for PCIT services.
Project Objectives -
Early Intervention services are designed to address mental health and/or substance use
disorders early in their emergence by providing timely, appropriate support that
improves functional outcomes and prevents the escalation of behavioral health
conditions.
The Early Intervention program must emphasize the reduction of the likelihood of the
following adverse outcomes for 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
9

Request For Proposals (RFP) - Early Intervention
Program
* Overdose
* Mental illness in children and youth through social, emotional, developmental,
and behavioral services and supports in early childhood
Must provide documentation of good faith effort to contract with both Mariposa County's
Managed Care Plans to provide Non-Specialty Mental Health Services (NSMHS) and
billing process for reimbursement.
Individuals Served -
The Early Intervention program shall include county residents with a prioritization on the
following services:
* Childhood trauma early intervention to deal with the early origins of mental health
and substance use disorder treatment needs, including strategies focused on:
Eligible children and youth experiencing homelessness.
o
Justice-involved children and youth.
o
Child welfare-involved children and youth with a history of trauma.
o
Other populations at risk of developing a mental health disorder,
o
substance use disorders or other conditions.
Eligible children and youth in populations with identified disparities in
o
behavioral health.
Early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention and mood
o
disorder programming that occurs across the lifespan.
In addition to the BHSA Eligible Populations, early intervention mental health and
substance use disorder services may be provided to the following eligible children
and youth.
* Individual children and youth at high risk for a behavioral health disorder due to
experiencing trauma, as evidenced by scoring in the high-risk range under a
trauma screening tool such as an ACEs Screening Tool involvement in the child
welfare system or juvenile justice system or experiencing homelessness.
* Individual children and youth in populations with identified disparities in
behavioral health outcomes.
Services Location -
All services are to be provided within Mariposa County, unless preauthorized by
Mariposa County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (MCBHRS).
Program Staffing -
10