October 3, 2018 CSHS RFR Update
All,
The first news I have to share is the CSHS RFR is to be released soon….right on schedule! I apologize that I have not been as available as I attempt to be but this has consumed all of my time for the past several weeks including days, evenings and nights! But it will be worth it if we get a good response!
Once it is released ALL DPH staff – including myself – must be mum on the topic. We will not be able to respond to ANY inquiries. All questions must be directed to the online site that will be posted and they will be answered for all to see on this same site. We are also planning two Bidder Conferences – one in the Boston area that will be live streamed (hopefully, we can get the technology in place) and another in more central location. Time and place TBD.
A quick summary: there will be two postings. The first will be for applications from local public school districts, regional school districts, or local boards of health that provide school health services for the Comprehensive School Health Service Model Programs and Regional Consultant Programs. The goal of the CSHS Program is to build on existing infrastructure to provide all school-age children access to a school health service program that is managed by a qualified school nurse manager. This program will strengthen the capacity of schools to provide case management and support to students with more significant health needs, continuous quality improvement through data collection and analysis, and programs that provide access to care to address health disparities and racial inequities in the community in order to support student academic achievement and reduce chronic absenteeism.
This procurement offers two distinct opportunities for local public school districts, regional school districts, or local boards of health:
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- Model CSHS Programs will be awarded to public school districts who will implement a comprehensive program that responds to demonstrated need among priority populations and that commit to conducting community health assessments that address health inequities in the student population as described above.DPH intends to award approximately 50 – 75 Model CSHS Program contracts at approximately $50K – $250K annually, dependent on student enrollment and rates of economically disadvantaged students.
- CSHS Regional Consultant Programs will be awarded to public school districts that operate Model CSHS Programs and host a regional consultant who is both an expert in school health services in the region as well as the coordinator of sharing best practices among the CSHS granted programs and all other public and non-public school districts within the region. They will also represent school nursing and school health services at relevant meetings and coalitions addressing the health of children and youth in their regions. In addition, regional consultants will serve as school nurse representatives to regional initiatives of DPH and other state agencies, such as pandemic planning and school safety initiatives.
DPH intends to award six Regional Consultant Programs (one in each of the six Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) Regions). Approximate funding for these Programs is $150,000 per year.
Applicants may apply for only Model programs or for both Model programs and a Regional Consultant.
Please NOTE: DPH plans to conduct a second procurement open to all schools, including local public school districts, regional school districts, local boards of health, charter schools, vocational schools, collaborative schools, and non-public (non-profit) schools. This upcoming procurement will award 150-200 Affiliated CSHS Programs for up to $5,000 per year. Applicants that apply to this Model/Regional Consultant CSHS procurement will also be eligible to apply for the Affiliated CSHS procurement, but will only be awarded either as a Model/Regional Program or an Affiliated Program. More information related to the Affiliated CSHS Program will be provided in the near future. Plans are to release this prior to the deadline for application to the CSHS Model program – most likely near the end of November.
I can respond to questions re: the RFR for the next few days….that will be it. Unfortunately, I am going to be away in PA – leaving tomorrow and not returning until next Wednesday. I need to check in on my mother who is not doing well. Timing is not good, but never is….
But if you have any immediate concerns, I will be on email during this time….and available to respond to your concerns about the RFR until it is released. I will send an email (from PA) as soon as it is released. My hope is that during this time you will be sure your distribution lists are current with up-to-date emails. We don’t want anyone to say that they didn’t receive the notice. I will also ask DESE to post it in their Commissione’s Updates.
Sorry this is so long….just wanted you to be as updated as possible.
Thank you for all you do!
Mary Ann
PS….I noticed that Jill’s email address is not the same as Jean’s was in Braintree. Appears Jean’s has changed as well! Please update your lists!!
Mary Ann Gapinski, MSN, RN, NCSN
Director of School Health Services/ School SBIRT Coordinator
MA Department of Public Health
250 Washington Street – 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
mary.gapinski@state.ma.us<mailto:mary.gapinski@state.ma.us>
Website: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/community-health/primarycare-healthaccess/school-health/