Department of Human Services s7

PUBLIC NOTICE

HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Notice of Availability of Grant Funds Expansion of Programs for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) and Residential Intensive Support Team (RIST) Services for Persons Discharged from State Psychiatric Hospitals

Take notice that, in compliance with N.J.S.A. 52:14-34.4 and 34.6, the Division of Mental Health Services (DMHS) hereby announces the availability of the following grant program funds:

Name of Program: Programs for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) and Residential Intensive Support Team (RIST) Services for Persons Discharged from State Psychiatric Hospitals

Purpose : This notice announces the availability of grants designed to expand both existing Programs for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) and Residential Intensive Support Team (RIST) Services for Persons Discharged from State Psychiatric Hospitals. The Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) is an evidence-based model of service delivery in which a trans-disciplinary, mobile, treatment team provides a comprehensive array of mental health and rehabilitative services to a targeted cohort of individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. This service program is designed to meet the needs of individuals who have experienced involuntary psychiatric hospitalization and have not benefited from traditional mental health programs.

The RIST program is a model of supportive housing that involves permanent lease- based housing paired with flexible support services that meet the individual’s varying needs and preferences. The model is based on a “Housing First” philosophy and endorsed as an opportunity to support innovative, person-centered service provision. These models provide an opportunity to support innovative, person-centered service provision and include consumers as full partners in their treatment and recovery.

Both program models provided pursuant to this offering are targeted specifically to persons on CEPP status in State Psychiatric Hospitals, The successful applicants must have the capability of serving individuals who may have co-existing medical conditions, co-occurring substance abuse disorders or a developmental disability, or whom have experienced periods of long-term institutionalization, and/or are refusing to leave the hospital. The individuals to be served as part of this program development are identified by DMHS.

The expansion of both existing PACT and RIST programs is statewide and is to create community based opportunities to serve up to 75 individuals. Funding for each provider agency shall be awarded for expansion up to15 new consumers.

Amount of funding available : DMHS has a total of $1,875,000 available annually to support this initiative. DMHS will competitively award multiple programs throughout the state, up to the amount of annualized funds reserved. The funding will be available for both operations services and rental subsidies.

Organizations that may apply: In order to be eligible for consideration for this Request for Proposal, an applicant must be a corporation duly registered to conduct business within the State of New Jersey, as well as an existing provider of one or both of these services contracted through the NJ Division of Mental Health Services.

The applicant must demonstrate the ability to comply with all rules and regulations for any DMHS program element of service proposed by the applicant.

The applicant must comply with the terms and conditions of the Department of Human Services’ contracting rules and regulations as set forth in the DHS Standard Language Document, the Contract Reimbursement Manual (CRM), and the Contract Policy and Information Manual (CPIM).

Responding agencies must also meet the qualifications of the Department of Human Services' Contract Policy and Information Manual (N.J.A.C. 10:3), may apply. A copy of this manual can be accessed from the webpage of the Office of Contract Policy and Management webpage at: http://dhs.state.nj.us/humanservices/ocpm/contract_manuals.htm.

Applicants may contact the Division of Mental Health Services Contract Unit at 609-777- 0628 with general questions about the requirements in these manuals.

Procedure to apply: Effective May 26, 2011, eligible and interested organizations may obtain a Request for Proposal via the Internet at: http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/publicnotices.html or by contacting Diana Gittens, DMHS Office of Housing, Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, at 609-777-0708. Letters must be submitted in accordance with requirements stipulated in the Request for Proposal.

Mandatory Bidders Conference: All applicants intending to submit a proposal to this request must attend the Mandatory Bidders Conference on June 1, 2011. Details may be found in the RFP available on the DHS website.

Deadline by which all applications must be submitted: Applications must be received in PDF format by 4:00 P.M., June 20, 2011. Additional submission details are contained in the Request.

Date by which applicants will be notified of preliminary decision to accept or reject proposal:

Applicants will be notified no later than July 15, 2011.

______Jennifer Velez, Commissioner Date