In this update:
- NYS and NYC Opportunities
- OMH Releases RFP for HBCI Services for Individuals with I/DD
- OMH Releases RFP for Second Round of Flexible ACT Adult Teams
- OPWDD Issues RFP for Family Support Services
NYS and NYC Opportunities
OMH Releases RFP for HBCI Services for Individuals with I/DD
On April 3rd, the New York State (NYS) Office of Mental Health (OMH) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for pilot Home Based Crisis Intervention (HBCI) teams that will serve youth with co-occurring mental health disorders and intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD). HBCI teams serve children/youth (ages 5 to 21) who are returning home from or at risk of entering inpatient or residential settings. HBCI teams deliver intensive crisis interventions to children and families to help maintain the child/youth in the home, school, and community. Through this RFP, OMH will award six organizations statewide, with three awards in rural counties and three awards in urban counties (including Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, and Westchester).
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations with experience providing mental health services to individuals with serious mental illness. Each team will receive $560,734 in annual funding to support one full-time supervisor and three full-time mental health interventionists. Contracts will last for five years, beginning January 1, 2026.
The RFP is available here. Applications are due on May 28th. Questions may be submitted to Carol Swiderski at OMHLocalProcurement@omh.ny.gov with the subject line “Home Based Crisis Intervention IDD Statewide RFP” through April 22nd. Answers to questions will be posted on the OMH website on May 8th.
OMH Releases RFP for Second Round of Flexible ACT Adult Teams
On April 9th, OMH issued an RFP for the development of 12 Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams statewide. As with the traditional ACT model, the Flexible ACT teams will serve individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) that have not been successfully engaged by the traditional mental health treatment system. However, this model provides additional flexibility in the delivery of ACT services, allowing individuals to receive varied intensities of service designed to meet changing and individualized needs. Specifically, the following components distinguish Flexible ACT from the traditional ACT model:
- Larger capacity of 100 individuals served;
- Increased staffing to support small caseloads; and
- Two levels of service: ACT (high intensity) and ACT-Lite.
OMH will provide $75,000 in one-time start-up funds for each awarded team. ACT providers will also be funded through Medicaid and net deficit funding, per the approved ACT Model for an Upstate or Downstate Flexible ACT team (further detailed in the RFP). Contracts will last for five years, starting on January 1, 2026.
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations that have experience providing mental health services to individuals with SMI and that currently operate an OMH-licensed 68-capacity Adult ACT team that is not a specialty team (e.g., Shelter ACT, Forensic). The 68-capacity ACT team will transition to a 100-capacity Flexible ACT team under this procurement. There will be one award in Long Island and eight awards in New York City.
The RFP is available here. Applications are due on June 11th. There will be a Bidder’s Conference on April 22nd at 2pm, registration for which is available here. Questions may be submitted to Amanda Szczepkowski at OMHLocalProcurement@omh.ny.gov with the subject line “Adult Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Round 2” through April 30th. Answers to questions will be posted on the OMH website on May 21st.
OPWDD Issues RFP for Family Support Services
On April 9th, the NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) issued an RFP for the provision of Family Support Services (FSS) to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) who live at home with their families. The goal of FSS is to provide the necessary assistance and resources so that families can remain together at home and avoid unnecessary out-of-home placements for their loved ones. OPWDD has identified $3.5 million in NYS-funded resources available to reallocate to the FSS program. Funding will be allocated based on the percentage of individuals residing at home within each region/district.
Eligible applicants are OPWDD providers who either have experience providing FSS programs or have Board-approval for the development of a new FSS program. Applicants will be expected to tailor their applications to meet the identified priority needs of each Developmental Disabilities Regional Field Office (DDRFO), as outlined in the RFP. A separate application is required for each proposed program and/or region.
Contracts will last for five years, beginning November 1st. Awards may result in an amendment to an existing FSS contract or result in a new five-year contract.
The RFP is available here. Applications are due on May 28th. Questions may be submitted to OPWDDGrants@opwdd.ny.gov through April 23rd. Answers to questions will be posted on May 7th.