Added: Mar 14, 2009 9:00 am
Contractor shall provide the following service for the VA Medical Center, 50 Irving Street, Washington D.C. 20422. Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Transitional Housing Program.See attached Statement of Work.
Price per
Description Quantity bed / day
Mental Health Community (1-11)
Residence Facility minimum __________
Mental Health Community (12-15) __________
Residence Facility maximum
Statement of Work
Contract for Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Program Transitional Housing for Homeless Veterans with Serious Mental Illness
1. The community based program should offer and operate a minimum of 4-6 transitional Mental Health Community Residence Facility (MH-CRF) beds and a maximum of
12 -15 beds in the District of Columbia for homeless men and women connected to the VA Medical Center and its associated provider agencies. Once accepted, the veteran will be able to reside at the facility for at least 6 to 12 months. Eligible individuals shall be those identified by the VAMC as persons who are living with a psychiatric disability and who have a demonstrated need for 24-hour supervision. The eligible veteran must be referred by a VA caseworker
2. The facility must be an established supportive housing agency and can be designated as transitional for a target period of approximately 6 -12 months. The agency/organization must be designed to assist participants in achieving housing stability, establishing or recovering key independent living skills, and engaging or re-engaging in supportive services at a level that is usually significantly impeded by continuing homelessness.
3. The community based program should be supported by a program coordinator/liaison Case Manager who will commit specific amount of his or her time to the program and assist in providing case management to the veterans that reside at the facility. The primary responsibilities for this position include liaison to the VAMC Case Manager and Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) staff that will refer for placement and assistance.
4. The Case Manager at the facility must complete an initial transition plan which will be drafted within 30 days of arrival and a more extensive review will be completed at or before the 90-day mark so that the VA team, the veteran, and the Community Based Program Coordinator can solidify an after-care or placement plan and initiate all relevant subsidy applications.
5. The Community Based Program Coordinator will collaborate with the VA staff in assuring that all necessary supporting documents are secured and applications completed based on the recommendations of the 90-day review. The VA anticipates that most of the veterans will be recommended for participation in, and be given priority consideration for, the VASH housing voucher program. However, it is likely that a small minority of participants will need a different, more intensive support such as residential treatment, domiciliary program or a VA sponsored "Per Diem" program. The Community Based Program Coordinator will work with the VA Healthcare for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) staff to coordinate the aftercare placement once the vet completes the program.
6. The target populations who will reside at the agency are individuals experiencing multiple, interacting barriers to housing stabilization in addition to serious and persistent mental illness, including co-occurring substance use disorders and medical co-morbidities.
7. The Community Based Program will identify a Project Manager who will be responsible for all gate-keeping and liaison functions including eligibility screening, coordination of care, monitoring and trouble-shooting, and transition/discharge planning.
8. The veterans participating in the program will NOT be charged. Monthly payments will be made to the Community Based Program as outlined in the contact. The VA will work with participants with earned income or benefits in place to establish a savings plan to help them with initial costs associated with an eventual after-placement. A primary goal is to assist participants in accessing permanent affordable housing and to help them to begin to develop budgeting skills.
9. To assure that the transitional program is responsive to the unique needs of Veterans living with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), the VA requests that the Community Based Program establishes a Veterans Consumer Advisory Board. The board should meet at least quarterly to assist in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the program, including the developing collaboration with the Washington DC VAMC.
10. The Community Based Program should provide on-site staff that will use routine daily activities to create opportunities for acquisition and reinforcement of rehabilitation skills in a wide range of areas, depending on the assessed need. Skill areas include, but are not limited to:
cooking, nutrition, menu-planning, kitchen safety and sanitation
use of public transportation and orientation to community resources
money management, budgeting, shopping
cleaning, basic household maintenance
personal grooming, hygiene and self-care
psychiatric medication and symptom self-management, including anger management
medical/behavioral health
11. The VA and Community Based Program will need to collaborate and develop a Program Evaluation Tool such as the standard HUD Supportive Housing Program Performance Markers for Transitional Housing Programs. There should be special attention directed towards surrounding engagement and retention (75% will complete at least 3 months in program), rates of successful completion/planned transitions to permanent housing (75%), reasons for discharge and destination/type of housing discharged to, and linkages to/follow-up with medical and psychiatric services (90%). Occupancy rates will also be monitored continuously.
12. The Program Coordinator/liaison case manager who will serve as the primary contact for VA staff. The Community Based Program will designate a Clinical Housing Coordinator to oversee the operation of and supportive services in the group home. This is accomplished in part through weekly site visits fro the Washington DC VAMC staff.
13. . The Community Based Program will provide multiple documentation to include the following:
Agency Overview and Statement of Qualifications
Certificate of Occupancy for the facility
Copy, current MH-CRF license issued by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health
Resumes and position descriptions for key personnel
Line item budget, justification for price proposal
Management Plan for ensuring compliance with monthly reporting requirements
Performance Improvement Monitoring and Quality Assurance
Policy on all written authorizations for the disclosure of consumer information
Policy on the process for client grievances and complaints
All interested parties are to request full RFP.
