Companion Care, Chore, and Guardianship Services

The City of Norfolk (the “City”) Department of Human Services (“DHS”) seeks qualified vendors to provide companion care, chore, and guardianship services for residents sixty (60) years of age or older or any person eighteen (18) years of age or older who is incapacitated. Offerors submitting proposals for companion care, shore or guardianship services must be able to perform all the responsibilities listed. Offerors may submit proposals for any or all the chore responsibilities listed. The City anticipates multiple contract awards to qualified offerors, each for a five (5) year term.

DHS’s Adult Services Program (“ASP”) assists residents of Norfolk 60 years of age or older, or any person 18 years of age or older who is incapacitated with expenses for companion care, chore, and guardianship services. An incapacitated adult is any adult who is impaired by reason of mental illness, intellectual disability, physical illness or disability, advanced age or other causes to the extent that the adult lacks enough understanding or capacity to make, communicate, or carry out responsible decisions concerning his/her well-being.

ASP’s goals are to:

• Protect older adults and incapacitated adults from abuse, neglect, or exploitation;
• Prevent the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of older adults and incapacitated adults;
• Prevent the inappropriate institutionalization of the elderly and impaired adults;
• Assist when necessary with appropriate placement and;
• Maximize self-sufficiency.

DHS desires to decrease the number of adults placed in long-term care facilities by utilizing the services in accordance with federal/state regulatory and policy requirements to allow adults to remain in the least restrictive setting and to function as independently as possible in their own homes by establishing and/or strengthening appropriate family and social support systems or by supporting the adult in self-determination.

Provision of ASP services to eligible adults occurs when Adult Protective Services (“APS”) receives and investigates a valid report alleging abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a person age 60 years of age or older, or any person 18 years of age or older who is incapacitated. The investigation, which is completed by an ASP Family Services Worker (“FSW”), determines the person’s need for services. Individuals may also be eligible for services following an APS intervention where the adult continues to need ongoing services but is no longer at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Additionally, a qualifying adult can request services without APS involvement.

The Virginia Uniform Assessment Instrument (“UAI”) is a standardized multi-dimensional questionnaire that assesses an adult’s social, physical health, mental health, and functional abilities. The UAI is used by FSW for all adults being assessed for the services to be purchased by DHS to gather information for the determination of an adult’s care needs and service eligibility, and for planning and monitoring the adult’s care.

Services are provided to the extent of available funding from the Commonwealth of Virginia (the “State”) and the City. The City expects to pay for these services for approximately one hundred (100) seniors and adults with disabilities per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). The City does not guarantee any minimum or maximum amount of work under the agreements resulting from this solicitation.