Proposals Due: December 4, 2017

The federal Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act Title II Formula Grants Program is administered by the Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice (WA-PCJJ) through its staff within the Office of Juvenile Justice, Department of Social and Health Services.

Request for Proposals(RFP)

Federal JJDP Act Title II

Racial & Ethnic Disparities Reduction

October 30, 2017

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section A: Contract Requirements Page 3

Section B: Explanation of Solicitation Process Page 8

Section C: Instructions Regarding Content, Format, and Submission of Written Responses Page 10

Section D: Evaluation of Responses Page 12

Attachments:

Attachment A: Proposal Checklist Page 14

Attachment B: Budget Narrative Page 15

Attachment C: Racial and Ethnicity Impact Statement Page 16

Attachment D: Additional Budget Information Page 17

Attachment E: Logic Model Template Page 19

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SECTION A: CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

1. Introduction

The Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice (WA-PCJJ) is requesting proposals from public, private non-profit and Tribal entities for the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act Title II Formula Grants Program funding.

2. Purpose

The WA-PCJJ has selected Racial & Ethnic Disparity Reduction Initiative, as one of its priority areas for funding. The WA-PCJJ is seeking to fund initiative(s) that would increase enrollment and completion of evidence-based behavioral health programs by youth, especially youth of color, who are in diversion, detention, or JR systems.

In Washington, minority youth (e.g., African-American, Native American/Alaskan Native, Latino/Hispanic and recent immigrant populations) come into contact with the juvenile justice system at a higher rate in comparison to white youth and are detained and committed to state custody at a higher rate as well.

3. Background

The mission of the Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice (WA-PCJJ) is to promote partnerships and innovations that improve outcomes for juvenile offenders and their victims, to build family and community capacity to prevent delinquency, and to provide analysis and expertise to state and local policy makers.

The WA-PCJJ serves as Washington’s State Advisory Group, as required in the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/legislation.html ), and is responsible for monitoring and maintaining compliance with the federal act. States must commit to achieve and maintain compliance with the four core requirements of the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (the JJDPA) in order to receive funds under the JJDPA (also known as the Title II juvenile justice block grant funds).

One of the core requirements is to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the treatment of youth of color in the juvenile justice system, which is described in detail at the following sites: OJJDP and W. Haywood

The WA-PCJJ is specifically interested in proposals that would increase enrollment and completion of evidence-based behavioral health programs by youth of color who are in diversion, detention, or JR systems (with a focus on the arrest and referral decision points).

New programs as well as existing programs wishing to add new components or expand to additional areas are eligible to submit a proposal in response to this RFP.

All proposals requesting WA-PCJJ funding are required to show an understanding of Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the local level and the impact their proposal will have, if any, on those disparities. All proposals must include the Race and Ethnicity Impact Statement (Attachment D).

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Burns Institute. Racial and ethnic disparities are an indication that our systems may not be treating individuals and groups in an equal or fair manner.

It is well established that youth of color are significantly overrepresented in the juvenile justice system in Washington. Statewide data for Washington shows that generally, R.E.D. does exist at all levels of the state juvenile justice system. African American youth are arrested at almost twice the rate of White youth, youth of color are referred to juvenile court at a much higher rate than White youth, overall non-white youth are diverted significantly less often than White youth, and American Indian and African American youth are disproportionately securely detained at disproportionate rates. These disparities are the result of numerous inter-related factors, some of which exist within the structures of current juvenile justice policies and practices and some of which are influenced by unconscious and implicit biases.

Results of a University of Washington Assessment of racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system released in 2013 identified the arrest and referral decision points as the decision points with the largest disparities. The report further recommended implementation and sustaining of evidence-based behavioral health programs while increasing the enrollment of youth of color in these programs focusing on access, effectiveness and relevance.

The ultimate goal of this work is to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities across the juvenile justice continuum. For this solicitation, the objective is to focus on the arrest and referral decision point to increase enrollment and completion of evidence-based behavioral health programs by youth, especially youth of color, who are in diversion, detention, or JR systems. There are three major aspects to increasing enrollment and completion rates1:

a. Access. Youth of color may be more likely to experience barriers that prevent access to evidence-based services, including transportation, exclusions due to type of charge or prior criminal history, fees for services, and geographic placement. Youth of color and their families may also be less trusting of the services offered by the juvenile court and more unwilling to enroll in services without the support of trusted cultural liaisons. Strategies and practices to involve communities of color and tribes in the developing and functioning of any programs are essential.

b. Effectiveness. Programs must be effective for youth from a variety of backgrounds, and youth, families, and court staff have to believe that the services are effective for youth of color. EBPs have been proven effective for youth from a variety of backgrounds, but enhancing the cultural relevance of the services can increase enrollment, retention, and effectiveness.

c. Relevance. As mentioned above, EBPs that are considered culturally relevant have been shown to have a greater impact on retention in the program and positive outcomes. Relevance is not necessarily tied to race and ethnicity. Instead, it encompasses a wide array of experiences within “youth culture” that likely vary dramatically among youth and jurisdictions, because the needs of youth vary widely.

4. Evidence-Based and Research-Based Practices

Now more than ever before, research is helping to establish approaches and programs that effectively change delinquent behavior, lower recidivism and help young people succeed. Rigorously studied evidence-based programs like Multisystemic Therapy and Family Functional Therapy have been found to produce consistently better results than traditional juvenile justice interventions. Research supports

1 Washington State Disproportionate Minority Contact Assessment: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/JJRA/pcjj/documents/DMC_Final_Report_2013.pdf

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other programs and services that show promise in improving behavioral and emotional functioning. But many juvenile justice systems struggle to put these proven and scientifically supported approaches into practice.2

In 2012, Governor Gregoire signed into law House Bill 2536 which required the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), in consultation with the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) and the University of Washington Evidence-Based Practice Institute (EBPI) to publish descriptive definitions and prepare an inventory of Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs), research-based practices, and promising practices for the prevention and intervention services of children and juveniles in child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health. It requires that DSHS increase the use of evidence-based and research-based practices. The bill furthers the States’ efforts in providing evidence-based and research-based services to youth and families.

The federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice support the use of evidence-based programs. Programs and practices are considered to be evidence-based when their effectiveness has been demonstrated by casual evidence, generally obtained through outcome evaluations. Causal evidence documents a relationship between an activity or intervention (including technology) and its intended outcome, including measuring the direction and size of a change, and the extent to which a change may be attributed to the activity or intervention. Causal evidence depends on the use of scientific methods to rule out, to the extent possible, alternative explanations for the documented change. The strength of causal evidence, based on the factors described above, will influence the degree to which WA-PCJJ considers a program or practice to be evidence-based.

5. LINKS:

OJJDP Model Programs Guidehttp://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/

A site designed to assist practitioners’ and communities in implementing evidence-based prevention and intervention programs that can make a difference in the lives of children and communities.

Evidence-Based Resources for OJJDP Program Applicantshttp://www.ojjdp.gov/funding/ResourcesonEvidenceBasedPrograms.pdf

An OJJDP document listing resource to help select evidence-based practices.

OJJDP DMC – Reduction Best Practices Databasehttp://www.ojjdp.gov/dmcbestpractices/

Designed to assist jurisdiction in the development of initiatives to reduce DMC. Central feature of this Web site is a searchable database.

UW Evidence Based Practice Institutehttp://depts.washington.edu/ebpi/

The Evidence Based Practice Institute (EBPI) serves as a resource for state entities in identification, evaluation, and partnering with various communities (e.g. families, providers) on evidence based practices and offers provider training and consultation on the implementation of EBPs in communities, as well as the promotion of evidence based or promising practices.

2 Models for Change: http://www.modelsforchange.net/about/Issues-for-change/Evidence-Based-Practices.html5

6. Contract Period

Projects will be funded from January 1, 2018 to December 15, 2018. Office of Juvenile Justice staff will monitor the approved projects.

7. Amount of Grant Award*

A total of $200,000 is available to fund one or more projects. Applicants may submit a proposal for up to $200,000.

*NOTE: Continuation funding may be available for two additional years based on successful implementation and outcomes from the first year grant award and dependent on availability of federal funds.

8. Match Requirement

There is a 10% cash or in-kind match requirement for all applicants.

For applicants choosing to provide a cash match the match can be calculated by multiplying the total amount of grant funds requested by 10 percent (.10). For example, the cash match requirement for a grant amount of $200,000 is $20,000.

9. Evaluation

An independent evaluation of the program is required. Proposal must include a minimum of 10% of the total requested amount to contract with an evaluator (i.e. a proposal requesting $200,000 would require a minimum $20,000 for an independent evaluation. 10. Who Can Apply

Public, private non-profit and Tribal entities are eligible to apply.

11. How to Apply

Applicant must submit all documents listed in SECTION C: INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING CONTENT, FORMAT, AND SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN RESPONSES.

All applications must be received by the Office of Juvenile Justice no later than 5pm on December 4, 2017. Applications may be hand delivered, electronically (PDF Format Only) submitted or mailed US Postal. Please note: If utilizing US Postage, the application packet still must be received by the Office of Juvenile Justice no later than 5pm on December 4, 2017.

12. Proof of Insurance

Any organization that is awarded funding from the WA-PCJJ must provide a certificate of insurance naming DSHS as also insured.

All selected projects receiving an OJJDP Title II grant, must provide a certificate of insurance prior to receiving a contract.

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If a county or municipality is self-insured or a member of an authorized risk-pool, the Contractor shall only be required to acquire and maintain additional insurance coverage as necessary to supplement the Contractor’s self-insurance or risk-pool amount to meet the minimum limits required by DSHS, State of Washington.

13. Criminal History and Background Checks

Selected applicants and each of their employees, subcontractors and/or volunteers, who may have unsupervised access to clients, shall have a cleared and approved current criminal history and background check in line with the applicant agency’s policy.

Selected applicants are required to submit their personnel policy regarding criminal histories and background checks to the Office of Juvenile Justice.

Do not include this information with the proposal. This requirement must be met for all projects selected for funding by the WA-PCJJ.

SECTION B: EXPLANATION OF SOLICITATION PROCESS7

1. Solicitation Schedule

October 30, 2017 WA-PCJJ/OJJ issues RFP

November 6, 2017 Q & A Call in at 10:30 am

December 4, 2017 Proposals due to the OJJ by 5 P.M. Pacific Time

December 6, 2017 Technical Review of proposals completed

December 14, 2017 Proposal evaluation by review committee completed, finalists selected

December 21, 2017 Finalist oral presentations to review committee

December 22, 2017 WA-PCJJ announces award(s)

January 1, 2018 Grant period begins

2. Technical Questions?

If you have questions, or if you need technical assistance on the grant proposal process, please call the Office of Juvenile Justice, 360-902-7526. The WA-PCJJ staff are available to assist you.

3. Q & A Call-in

A question and answer call-in session will be held for all prospective applicants. All questions and answers from the call-in, as well as any additional questions received by the Office of Juvenile Justice, and the answers, will be posted on the website http://www.dshs.wa.gov/ojj/funding_opportunities.shtml . All applicants are encouraged to regularly check the website for any updates following the Q & A postings.

4. Auxiliary Aids and Services

OJJ will provide access to this solicitation document to individuals with disabilities. Please contact the OJJ staff to request auxiliary aids and services.

If an individual believes that the OJJ has discriminated on the basis of a disability, please contact the DSHS Investigations Unit for the Nondiscrimination Policy Brochure and complaint process. The brochure can be found at https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/SESA/publications/documents/Non-discrim%2022-171.pdf.

5. Announcements of Successful Submissions

OJJ will announce grant awards on the OJJ website on the date indicated in Section B.1., Solicitation Schedule. All announcements of selected applications are subject to the negotiation of a contract satisfactory to OJJ.

6. Ethics, Policies and Law

Q & A Call-In InformationDATE: November 6, 2017TIME: 10:30 a.m.CALL: 1-888-236-1031ENTER CODE: 1848626

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This Solicitation, the evaluation of Responses, and any resulting contract will be made in conformance with applicable Washington State laws and Policies.

Specific restrictions apply to contracting with current or former state employees pursuant to RCW 42.52. Bidders should familiarize themselves with the requirements prior to submitting a Response. Bidders must include, in their Letter of Submittal, information regarding any current or former state employees who are employed by, or subcontracted with, Bidder.

SECTION C: INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING CONTENT, FORMAT, AND SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN RESPONSES

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1. Required Elements for all Proposals

The following items must be included in the Application:

a. Identification of how the program specifically addresses enrollment and completion of evidence-based behavioral health programs by youth, especially youth of color, who are in diversion, detention, or JR systems.

b. Serve a target youth population under age 17.c. Inclusion of local data regarding the impact the program or project will have on the reduction of racial and

ethnic disparities.d. Outline culturally responsive strategies.e. Outline strategies to engage communities of color and tribes.f. Consideration of rural and underserved areas.g. Applicants must address how services or other components will be sustained beyond the term of the WA-

PCJJ grant.h. Proposals that include the provision of services not funded by the grant must show how services are being

funded. i. Include letters of support from all partners required to successfully implement the proposed program (e.g.,

law enforcement, juvenile court, mental/behavioral health agencies, school, prosecutor, county/state/Tribal partners)

j. Demonstrate understanding of, and alignment with, state and county-level youth behavioral health and juvenile justice laws, initiatives and system change efforts.

k. Must not displace children already receiving services.

2. Submission of Proposals

The proposal must address the Required Elements listed above in the required Proposal Format identified in the Federal Application in Section 11.

Proposals must be submitted using Federal Application (there is more than one federal application) form 05-180 available on line: (http://www.dshs.wa.gov/ojj/grantapponline.shtml)

Must include Attachment A—Completed Checklist Must include Attachment B—Budget Narrative (one page limit) Must include Attachment C—Race and Ethnicity Impact Statement Must include Attachment E—Logic Model completed in format outlined in the Federal Application, Sec. 11

3. Directions for Submitting a Proposal

Submit the proposal to:

Mailing Address: Street Address: Electronic Submission:Office of Juvenile Justice Office of Juvenile Justice PDF Format OnlyDepartment of Social and Health Services 1115 Washington alice.coil@dshs.wa.govPO Box 45828 14th/Jefferson OB 2, 3rd FloorOlympia, WA 98504-5828 Olympia, WA 98504-5828

4. Proposal Deadline

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All applications must be received by the Office of Juvenile Justice no later than 5pm on December 4, 2017. Applications may be hand delivered, electronically (PDF Format Only) submitted or mailed US Postal. Please note: If utilizing US Postage, the application packet still must be received by the Office of Juvenile Justice no later than 5pm on December 4, 2017

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SECTION D: EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

1. Technical Review of Proposals

All proposals will be reviewed by the OJJ staff to determine compliance with administrative and minimum qualification requirements and instructions specified in this solicitation. Proposals that are rejected based on technical reasons will be notified in writing. OJJ may reject a proposal as incomplete for any of the following reasons:

Incomplete proposal Not submitted on the Federal Grant Application form with additional required attachments: A, B, C,

and E to address the Logic Model outlined in the application. Does not follow the Proposal Format (Federal Grant Application, Section 11) Submission after the deadline

2. Errors and Omissions in Proposals

In order to ensure equal opportunity for funding, OJJ reserves the right to contact applicants after submission of a proposal to identify if any required portions of the application are missing or if additional clarification of document contents is needed.

The OJJ Director will provide the final technical review of all proposals and determine the appropriateness of any follow-up or technical assistance in order to ensure all applicants are treated fairly and equitably. Applicants must respond to OJJ’s requests within three days with the missing items/documents in order for the application to be considered.

3. Evaluation Criteria and Scoring of Proposals

All proposals that meet all administrative and minimum qualification requirements and submission instructions will be provided to the WA-PCJJ Grants Review Committee for the written portion of the evaluation and the oral presentations.

The Grants Review Committee members will each evaluate all proposals and will award points based on the quality and completeness of responses contained within the required Proposal Form.

The maximum number of points available for each written proposal is 100 points and an additional 20 points are available for the oral presentations. Overall breakdown for assignment of points in evaluating proposals are as follows:

4.

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Project Abstract Summary 10 pointsSupporting Data and Needs Justification 25 pointsImplementation and Methods 35 pointsDescription of Proposed Resources, Activities, Outputs, Outcomes and Goals using the Logic Model Format 25 pointsBudget Justification Narrative 5 points

Total Possible Written Points 100 points

Oral Presentations 20 points

Total Possible Points 120 points

Written Proposal Evaluation Process

Members of the Grant Review Committee will be comprised of WA-PCJJ Members who sit on the Grants and Technical Assistance and Racial & Ethnic Disparities Committees and additional peer reviewers as identified by the WA-PCJJ. All members have personal and professional expertise regarding juvenile justice in general as well as specific areas of service and practice with youth and families and the many systems that serve youth and families.

Committee members will assign scores up to the maximum points available. The points awarded by individual members will be totaled and the average points for each proposal will be calculated. The average points earned for each question will be added together to determine the proposal’s total written evaluation points.

Based on the total number of applications, the Grants Review Committee will select top rated applicants for the Oral Presentations scheduled for December 21, 2017. Committee members will assign scores for the oral presentations and those scores will be averaged and added to the total overall score of the proposal.

5. Selection of Proposals

Proposals will be rated by the WA-PCJJ Grants Review Committee according to the proposal format. However, proposals receiving high scores on the rating criteria are not guaranteed selection. Ratings may be used as a basis for further discussion and evaluation.

Selection decisions may be influenced by other factors, such as: Verifiable unique and compelling needs Current funding or other resources available in the community History of WA-PCJJ grant awards in this area Consideration of rural and underserved communities History of the agency in fulfilling other juvenile justice contracts Sustainable funding potential Unit cost of service Potential duplication of services Cooperation/coordination with youth serving agencies, DSHS, law enforcement, juvenile court, and

schools Consideration of minority cultural issues (e.g., “cultural competency” of staff who will provide services) Collaborative efforts with other agencies, including (but not limited too) funding.

6. AppealsThere are only two bases for an appeal of a WA-PCJJ proposal selection decision. They are:

1. The WA-PCJJ failed to follow the procedures established in this RFP document, or to follow applicable State or federal laws or regulations; or

2. Bias, discrimination, or conflict of interest on the part of the WA-PCJJ.

Information on the appeal process will be provided upon request.

Note: If your agency/organization is selected to receive an award under this funding source, your agency must certify that OJJDP Title II grant funds will not be used to supplant state, local, or other federal funds. (A certification form will be provided for finalists, to be submitted with their full grant application.)

Private non-profit agencies that are selected will also be required to submit a copy of an independent audit of their financial records that has been completed within the past two (2) years.Applicants whose proposed project requires that staff or volunteers have unsupervised contact with youth will be required to conduct Washington State Patrol background checks and approve staff or volunteers for unsupervised contact with youth in line with the applicant agency’s policy.

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Attachment A

PROPOSAL CHECKLIST

Please ensure that your proposal includes all of the following:

Federal Application Form used – MUST use Federal Application (05-180)

Attachment A – Completed Checklist

Attachment B – Budget Narrative

Attachment C – Race and Ethnicity Impact Statement

Signed letters of Support from all Collaborating Agencies

Attachment E – Project Logic Model (may be completed in Excel or Word format and attached)

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Attachment B

JJDP Title II Formula Program – Racial and Ethnic Disparities Reduction

Budget Narrative

Budget Justification Narrative (1 page maximum)1. Justify your proposed budget expenses in all budget categories.

2. Explain how your proposed personnel costs are comparable to similar positions in your community.

3. A 10 percent in-kind or cash match is required for this grant opportunity; please detail the amounts and sources.

4. Please include the plan for sustaining the program/project after the end of the grant cycle.

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Attachment C

Race and Ethnicity Impact Statement

All requests for WA-PCJJ funding must include this Race and Ethnicity Impact Statement. All applicants must be aware of the issue of DMC and the potential for increasing or decreasing disproportionality through their efforts.

Identify any known disproportionality in the juvenile justice system that affects the youth in your community:      

Do you anticipate that the proposed project will reduce any identified disproportionality? YES NO

If Yes, please explain the anticipated reduction:     

Could the proposed project have an adverse affect on disproportionality?YES NO

If Yes, please explain:      

The WA-PCJJ believes that the Juvenile Justice system must be free of any bias based on race or ethnicity; the well being of minority communities and of our whole society requires affirmative

steps to reduce disproportionate minority contact within the juvenile justice system.

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Attachment D(not a required attachment)

ADDITIONAL BUDGET INFORMATION

Personnel

Only the costs of personnel directly involved in project activities should be included in the Personnel budget.

The cost of staff who provide some supportive services, but whose positions would be filled whether the project was funded or not, may not be charged as a personnel cost. The types of positions often falling into this category include agency supervisors and administrators, general support staff such as receptionists, maintenance personnel, etc. These costs may be covered as an “Indirect Cost”.

Non-Supplanting Notes:

The non-supplanting rule states that an agency cannot maintain its level of service at lower cost by transferring personnel to grant-funded positions. Activities undertaken with grant funds must be in addition to, not instead of, current services.

Further, a portion of the cost of a position, which is currently funded from other sources, cannot be transferred to the grant budget unless a new position (for an equal amount of time) is created and filled. For example, a secretary is currently employed full-time by the applicant agency, but would devote half of his/her time to grant-funded project activities. One-half of his/her time may not be charged to the project budget - unless a new half-time secretarial position is created and filled.

If you have questions about non-supplanting, do not hesitate to call the Office of Juvenile Justice at (360) 902.7526.

Supplies

The key word in determining whether an item belongs in the Supplies category is "consumable." If it can be used up, then it is a supply item.

The exception to the "consumable" guideline is training material such as books, films and videotapes. These are considered consumable because they are not fixed assets and can become worn out or outdated.

Other Services and Charges

This category is for services other than Personnel, which are required in the administration of the project. Such services may include communication, advertising, and rentals. Expenses for staff training, such as workshop fees, may be included.

Capital Outlay/Equipment

Tangible property (e.g., desks, locking file cabinets) with a useful life of more than one year and an initial cost of more than $500 is included in this budget category.

Please note that the state retains an ownership interest in any item with an initial unit cost of $1,000 or more. The state must agree to any proposed disposition of the property.

All property purchased under this category must be inventoried and reported at the end of the grant period.

Travel

All travel costs are included in this category, including personal car mileage, airfares, per diem, etc.

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Contractual

Any contract the project awards will be entered in this budget category.

The important distinction to remember is that when an agency contracts with an individual (no matter what service is to be delivered) the cost is reported in Contractual, not in Personnel.

Indirect

Costs of agency operation, including administration and supervision not directly included in project operation, are included as indirect costs.

Remember to calculate Indirect costs on the basis of total direct costs, not as a percentage of total project cost.

If you need assistance defining allowable indirect costs, please call the Office of Juvenile Justice at (360) 902-7526

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Attachment EComplete and Include in Proposal

(May be completed in Excel or Word format and attached)

Project Logic Model

Process Outcome

Resources Activities Outputs Outcomes Goal(s)

Program inputs. elements or ingredients that constitute the program.

Methods for providing the program. Specific processes or events undertaken. Including aftercare and transitional services

Units of service or product units. How many, how often, over what duration?

Short intermediate or longer-term changes anticipated in participants’ lives and/or in organization or community conditions. MUST BE MEASURABLE

Ultimate impacts(s) expected to occur, usually beyond what one program alone can achieve.

                             

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