On October 13th, the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) released a Concept Paper outlining a forthcoming Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Safe Way Forward (SFW) program, which provides child welfare protections to families experiencing intimate partner violence. The program includes the provision of therapeutic interventions to address intimate partner violence and case management to coordinate services and meet needs, with a focus on the child’s physical and psychological safety. Providers will be required to operate two separate sites, one site where survivors and children receive services and a separate site where persons causing harm receive services.
ACS will provide over $6 million in total annual funding to two organizations that will operate 130 program slots in the Bronx and Staten Island. Contracts will last for three years starting on December 1, 2022, with the option to renew for two additional three-year terms. There are currently two organizations operating two 65-slot programs in the Bronx and in Staten Island as part of the ACS SWF program demonstration.
ACS will seek applications from not-for-profit organizations, including social service agencies and clinical providers. ACS encourages a diverse array of applications to ensure that services reflect the cultures, languages, communities, and needs of families in New York City.
The Concept Paper is available in the PASSPort system here, and our summary can be found here. Comments are due on December 3rd. ACS intends to release the RFP in early 2022 and proposals will be due approximately eight weeks after. Awards are expected to be announced in late spring 2022.