Notice of Funds Available (RFP)
2017-6: Peer Support Specialists for Individuals Living in Institutions
Specifications
| Posted | Applications Due | Start Date | End Date | Amount | Match | Poverty Match | Council Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 30, 2017 | Mar 01, 2018 | Feb 28, 2023 | $125,000.00 | $41,666.00 | $12,500.00 | Danny Fikac |
Introduction
The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) approved funds up to $125,000, per year, per project for up to three project(s), for up to five years.
The selected projects will develop and pilot peer supports and training programs for individuals who live in institutions – state supported living centers (SSLCs), nursing homes, or intermediate care facilities (ICF-DD) settings – so they understand their rights, learn about opportunities available in communities, and can lead or actively participate in their own person centered planning process.
Funding for the second through fifth years is not automatic. See the "Continuation Funding" section of this Request for Proposals (RFP) for more information about continuation funding application requirements. TCDD does not plan to provide funding for these projects beyond five years.
There was an initial error in calculating match, TCDD had to update the match for the grant. As a result of this error, the due date for the applications has been extended to November 30, 2017 at 5:00 PM.
If you have questions after reading this RFP, contact Danny Fikac, Planning Specialist, at Danny.Fikac@tcdd.texas.gov or at 512-437-5415.
About TCDD
TCDD is a state entity that is funded by the federal Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) in accordance with the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act). TCDD's mission is to create change so that all people with disabilities are fully included in their communities and have control over their own lives. TCDD awards grants to entities sharing TCDD's vision and values for projects that are consistent with the Goals and Objectives in the Five Year State Plan. TCDD expects these projects to help TCDD meet the following TCDD FY 2017 - 2021 State Plan Goal:
Goal 3: Increase the access that individuals with developmental disabilities and families of individuals with developmental disabilities have to information, training, and support to advocate for themselves and/or to collaborate with allies to impact public policy, service systems, and community supports.
Objective 3.2: Support people with developmental disabilities to provide leadership development and advocacy skills training programs to people with developmental disabilities each year by 9/30/2021.
You may read more about TCDD, TCDD's mission and values, and the Five Year State Plan, at www.TCDD.texas.gov.
Who May Apply
Public agencies, not-for-profit organizations, secondary schools and post-secondary institutions, faith-based institutions, and for-profit businesses may apply. The entity that applies for this grant must be the entity that will administer the grant and receive, disburse, and account for grant funds.
Individuals may not apply for this grant.
Funding and Duration
TCDD may award a maximum of $125,000 per year, per project, for up to three project(s), for up to five years. TCDD reserves the right to negotiate the budget as needed and may choose not to award funding for these projects.
TCDD grantees must provide a matching contribution each year. Matching contributions may include funding, volunteer hours, or other "in-kind" donations, such as office space and utilities. Other federal funds may not be used as match. Items or funds that are used for match for another federally-funded project also may not be used as match. TCDD prefers that the amount of match increase each year of the project.
Project activities located in counties not designated as federal poverty areas require matching resources equal to at least 25 percent of total project costs. Project activities located in counties designated as federal poverty counties require matching resources equal to at least 10 percent of the total project costs. The minimum amount of required match can be found on the front page of this RFP.
A list that identifies poverty counties is included in the "DD Suite Guide and Application Instructions" attached to this RFP.
Due Dates
All questions must be asked in writing and emailed to Danny.Fikac@tcdd.texas.gov by 5:00 PM Central Standard Time on October 25, 2017. Questions will not be accepted after that date and time. TCDD will post questions and answers on DD Suite as an attachment to this RFP by 5:00 PM Central Standard Time October 30, 2017.
THE DUE DATE FOR THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN EXTENDED.
Proposals must be received by 5:00 PM CST on November 30, 2017. Late proposals will not be reviewed. User errors that result in a failed or late submission will not be grounds for an exception to the deadline. If you have questions about DD Suite and cannot find answers in the DD Suite Guide and Application Instructions attached to this proposal, email Joanna.Cordry@TCDD.Texas.Gov or call 512-437-5410. This should be done as early in the process as possible.
TCDD will applicants about decisions within 30 days following the Council meeting.
How to Apply
To submit your proposal:
- Complete all required sections of the application in DD Suite. If the application is not complete, the proposal will not be reviewed for funding.
- Complete all sections of the Supplemental Forms packet and upload it to DD Suite as an attachment to your proposal. If Supplemental Forms packet is not complete, the application will not be reviewed.
- Upload the Supplemental Forms packet and other required documents to DD Suite as attachments to your proposal. Documents received by fax, email, hand delivery, or mail will not be considered.
- If you have Letters of Support or letters from other entities or individuals that state they will partner on the project, upload them to DD Suite as an attachment to your proposal. Letters will not be accepted by fax, email, hand delivery, or mail.
- Submit the completed proposal, the Supplemental Forms, and allowed attachments through DD Suite by the due date and time. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Please note:
- The DD Suite application states "no budget selected." This is because TCDD requires the budget to be submitted as a part of the Supplemental Forms packet that must be completed and uploaded to DD Suite. Proposals that do not include a budget will not be reviewed.
- The "DD Suite Guide and Application Instructions" provides information about using DD Suite. You may also click on the "Help" link in the upper right hand corner of DD Suite. If you still have a question, TCDD staff are available to help.
- TCDD will only accept applications and documents that are submitted through DD Suite by 5:00 PM Central Standard Time on the due date.
Bidders Conferences
TCDD will hold two telephone bidders' conferences to provide more information about TCDD and TCDD's proposal review and grant award process. The same information will be covered at each teleconference. You are not required to attend in order to apply.
Telephone bidders conferences will be held:
- September 29, 2017 at 1:00 PM CST
- October 19, 2017 at 10:00 AM CST
Please email Danny.Fikac@tcdd.texas.gov to sign up. To join the conference, dial the toll free number:
- Dial 1-877-820-7831
- Enter participant Passcode 649944#
Background
Residents of institutions report a decrease in receiving information about their individual rights. The Office of Independent Ombudsman (OIO) noted in a 2015 report only 46 percent of residents could identify their rights.
People living in institutions often lack the skills needed to actively participate in the development of their own personal plan. In addition, they may not envision all the opportunities available to them if others typically make decisions for them. Peer support models have been used to great success in the behavioral health community.
Peer Support Specialists who have developmental disabilities can help residents with developmental disabilities to build skills for person centered planning, explore opportunities, and identify possible barriers to achieving their goals. People with developmental disabilities who are living independently in the community - especially those who once lived in an institution - may be best positioned to assist their peers currently living in an institution. A peer can listen and provide encouragement, guidance, teaching, suggestions, and a bridge to exploring personal interests, including those available only in the community.
TCDD provided funding from 3/1/12 – 2/28/15 for Project SAVE developed and implemented by Texas Advocates, a statewide self-advocacy organization, provided training and information to individuals with developmental disabilities, including State Supported Living Center (SSLC) residents. States such as Michigan and Virginia established similar programs for persons in community based settings. In addition to TCDD, others have expressed interest in this type of project:
- The SAVE advisory committee, which included former residents and the Human Rights Coordinator for the SSLC division of the Health and Human Services Commission, supported the development of another project to build on their success.
- Community organizations have developed proposals to fund self-advocates to work with individuals with developmental disabilities living in nursing homes.
- The Medicaid/CHIP Division of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has expressed interest in promoting peer supports and partnering in the development and implementation of a training program developed through this project.
Thus far, TCDD has identified no other funding to develop and sustain the type of project described above, although it appears it might be possible in the future. Legislation was proposed in the 85th Texas Legislature (R) directing the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the OIO for SSLCs to establish a peer support program, such as that existing in the mental health service system, for residents of institutions for people with developmental disabilities. The legislation did not pass. Having data from a demonstration and model(s) would help support and direct funding for this type of program statewide in the future.
Definitions:
Peer Support Specialists are individuals who must be at least 18 years of age and:
- have a developmental disability;
- live and are active in the community; and
- have skills to provide training and supports to peers.
Peer Support Specialists must demonstrate respect the individual’s culture, beliefs and preferences, even if that individual makes choices they might not make.
Coaches are individuals who may or may not have a developmental disability who will provide support, information, and direct assistance to the Peer Support Specialists to develop specific action plans to make sure the peer’s plan is implemented. TCDD will also expect Coaches to respect an individual’s culture, beliefs, and preferences.
Please note: TCDD funds may not be used to support people to engage in activities that would require registration with the Texas Ethics Commission as a lobbyist.
Outputs and Outcomes
TCDD expects your project to:
Develop and pilot peer supports and training programs for individuals who live in institutions – state supported living centers (SSLCs), nursing homes, or intermediate care facilities (ICF-DD) settings – so they understand their rights, learn about opportunities available in communities, and can lead or actively participate in their own person centered planning process.
Train at least 25 people with developmental disabilities to provide peer supports.
Support each Peer Support Specialist to assist at least 10 individuals with developmental disabilities every year to better understand opportunities and supports and to incorporate their preferences in their person-centered plan.
Prepare a training manual and share the information with statewide audiences.
Provide TCDD with information about relevant public policy issues, how public policy issues can be or were addressed, and whether efforts to address them were successful. Public policy issues might be related to such things as rules, laws, budgets, practices, or other barriers that prevent people from accessing information, services and supports, and/or being included in community life.
Provide TCDD with at least one story each year about a person who experienced a benefit from the project.
Provide TCDD with relevant information to assist TCDD to better understand and address the experiences of diverse groups of people who are unserved and underserved (including, but not limited to, people of color, people living in rural areas, and people living in poverty).
Ensure that the project outcomes have a sustained long-term impact that benefits people with developmental disabilities. This might include things such as:
- changing or creating at least one policy, procedure, statute, and/or regulation;
- educating and sharing information with decision makers or others in the community;
- training, supporting, and/or organizing people with developmental disabilities to advocate for themselves and/or serve in leadership positions;
- creating new partnerships that increase the capacity of the community to support individuals with developmental disabilities;
- creating a new program, model, or technology that continues to be available after the grant funding ends;
- producing a product that will be of value beyond the life of the grant; and/or
- enabling more people to have access to services and supports.
It is your responsibility to determine what the sustainable change or impact of your project will be and to explain that in their proposal. You are expected to begin work on this in the first year of your project.
Project Description and Milestones
The training developed through this project will not duplicate the work of Texas’ Institute for Person- Centered Practices. However, TCDD expects the philosophy behind the training to be consistent with Person-Centered Practices and recommends that the grantee collaborate with the Institute.
TCDD will work with the Medicaid/CHIP Division of HHSC to determine if a certification is desirable.
By the end of the first year, you must:
- Research and incorporate useful ideas from similar projects.
- Conduct outreach to identify a diverse group of individuals with developmental disabilities to work as Peer Support Specialists.
- Develop job descriptions for Peer Support Specialists and their coaches.
- Identify and train coaches.
- Develop a training curriculum for Peer Support Specialists and coaches. The training must include, at a minimum:
- Mentoring skills;
- Resident rights;
- Formal and informal services and supports that foster self-determination and independence;
- Person-centered thinking;
- Person-centered planning.
Throughout the project, you must:
- Consult with TCDD and HHSC on program design, implementation, and policies and procedures as needed.
- Develop a plan to include peer supports in the policies and procedures associated with administration of current programs.
- Pilot the program.
- Build relationships with residents, legally authorized representatives, the OIO and other state agency program staff.
- Ensure Peer Support Specialists are paid and ensure they have needed supports in place.
- Hold listening sessions to capture stories and lessons learned.
- How people with developmental disabilities who participated in the project activities increased their knowledge of how to take part in the discussions and decisions that affect their lives, the lives of others, and/or systems;
- The development or improvement of promising practices affecting those individuals living in institutions.
- Applicants must disclose any conflicts of interest between themselves and TCDD council members, employees or their immediate families.
- Applicants must use respectful language. For examples of respectful language, please see TCDD’s "People First Language" resource in the Supplemental Forms Packet and the DD Suite Guide and Application Instructions.
- All printed materials must be available in Spanish and in an appropriate accessible format — including electronic, tagged PDF, or large print. Funding for this should be included in the budget.
- Videos, DVDs and teleconferencing and distance learning activities produced by this project must be fully accessible. Any videos or DVDs must be captioned.
- TCDD will retain rights to all products created using funding awarded through this RFP. The grantee will retain rights to materials that were created prior to receiving the grant and the rights to materials created without using funds that are associated with this project.
- TCDD reserves the right not to fund any proposal under this announcement.
- Proposals received by TCDD are subject to release consistent with provisions of the Texas Public Information Act.
- DD Suite Guide and Application Instructions 4-27-17.pdf
- Supplemental Forms Packet (New Proposal) Rev June2016.pdf
- Performance Measure List - People Living in Institutions.pdf
- Accessing TCDDs Online Performance Measurement Training.pdf
- 2017-6 Peer Support Specialists for Institutions- Questions and Answers.docx
Project Evaluation
All proposals should describe how you will evaluate, at a minimum, the following:
You will also be expected to report the Performance Measures relevant to your project. Please see the list of Performance Measures attached. TCDD can assist you with selecting measures and providing templates to gather data, but you must ensure that data is gathered, analyzed, and reported to TCDD. In the Project Evaluation Section, explain how you will gather this information.
Qualifications and Organizational Experience
Entities that receive grants must be able to disburse funds for project activities and expenses, complete TCDD's forms correctly and on time, and be legally able to receive grant funds to reimburse the organization for expenses. Some forms must be submitted online and some must be submitted through email.
The proposal must show that grant activities and funds can be managed effectively.
Reporting Requirements
Grantees must submit quarterly reports, data for Performance Measures, continuation proposals to request funding for the second through fifth years, and a final report at the end of the grant. These must be submitted on time. Failure to meet reporting and spending requirements may impact continuation or future grant awards. TCDD Grants Specialists will provide more information about these processes to the successful applicant(s).
Continuation Funding
If the RFP states that the project may be funded for more than one year, you may apply for continuation funding each year, up to the maximum number of years. TCDD does not automatically provide continuation funding and may choose not to award continuation grants.
In addition to addressing progress on the project and other grant requirements, continuation applications should include information about public policy issues that caused barriers, if or how they were addressed, and the results of any efforts to address them. TCDD also expects you to provide at least one story about a person or family who benefited from the project.
Continuation funding will be based on a review of the project's accomplishments, progress towards stated goals and objectives, financial management, compliance with reporting requirements, review of the most recent program audit and findings of TCDD's onsite reviews, development of alternative funding, and the availability of TCDD funds.
Proposals for continuation years shall not request funding that exceeds the maximum funding amount stated in the RFP.
Terms
Applicants must agree to the following terms:
See "Assurances" in the attached Supplemental Forms for all terms relating to this grant.
The Review Process
Evaluation Criteria will include, but is not limited to: program quality, costs, financial ability to perform services, regional needs and priorities, improved access for underserved and unserved areas and/or groups of individuals; ability to continue services at the conclusion of grant funding, and past performance and compliance with previous grant awards.
An independent review panel consisting of people with expertise related to this RFP will evaluate each proposal based on how well the proposal responds to the RFP requirements and intent and how well the applicant follows instructions in the outline questions. Reviewers will also take into account the extent to which the proposed project may move TCDD closer to meeting the State Plan Goals and Objectives.
Priority will be given to strong proposals that address the needs of people living in rural areas; people living in poverty; and others who are frequently unserved and/or underserved, such as people of color and people whose primary language is one other than English.
Reviewers consider only the information included in the DD Suite application form, the attached Supplemental Forms Packet, and documents that are specifically allowed and are attached to the application. Applicants will not have the opportunity to clarify or add to the information provided in the proposal after the deadline unless they are awarded the grant. TCDD will only review materials specifically requested or allowed by the RFP, the application, or the application instructions.
The review panel considers all evaluation criteria and provides recommendations to TCDD's Executive Committee. The Executive Committee makes all funding decisions.