HS/EHS Mental Health Consultant

GRAND TRAVERSE BAND OF OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA INDIANS
HS/EHS Mental Health Consultant

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

GTB 2022-003

November 30, 2021 Contact:
Lyndell Luster, Purchasing Manager 2605 N West Bay Shore Dr
Peshawbestown, MI 49682-9275

GRAND TRAVERSE BAND OF OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA INDIANS

H S/EHS Mental Health Consultant

GTB 2022-001

Request for Offers SUMMARY
Date: November 30, 2021
Offers due by: December 15, 2021
Start Date: January 03, 2022 (estimated)

To: Prospective Bidders
Subject: Request for Proposals

1 Request for Offers

1.1 Summary

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB, Grand Traverse Band) is requesting bid
proposals from companies or adult to provide mental health consultant for the head start/early head
start programs. This is a one-year contract with an option for two additional years.

1.2 Background

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe
having a government-to-government relationship with the United States by action of the
Department of the Interior effective May 27, 1980. The Grand Traverse Band's Reservation and
six-county service area is located in the northwest section of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The
GTB service area for the delivery of federal and Tribal services encompass six
counties that include Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Manistee-an area
of 2,562 square miles. All counties in the Service Area are designated "rural" by U.S.
Department of Agriculture. There are 4,189 Grand Traverse band tribal members, of which 1,923
members and their dependents reside on the reservation lands or within the Service Area.

1.3 Bidder Requirements

Each Bidder to this RFP is expected to fully inform themselves on all aspects of the work required
to be performed.

1.4 Qualifications of Bidder

The Bidder, through its written proposal, provide evidence of ability and experience to undertake
the specified objectives/duties in this Request for Proposal.

1.5 Acceptance of Offer

Acceptance of a proposal will occur only when a contract is executed.

2 Project Overview

2.1 Project Site

The Head Start/Early Head Start program is located at the GTB Benodjenh
Center in Peshawbestown, MI. Family home visits primary take place in Leelanau, Grand Traverse,
and Benzie counties, but with possible home visits in Antrim, Charlevoix, and Manistee counties.

2.2 Program Description

The program description is based on the Head Start Program Standards 1302.45 Child mental health
and social and emotional well-being.

A. Wellness promotion. To support a program-wide culture that promotes children's mental
health, social and emotional well-being, and overall health, a program must:

(1) Provide supports for effective classroom management and positive learning environments;
supportive teacher practices; and, strategies for supporting children with challenging behaviors
and other social, emotional, and mental health concerns;
(2) Secure mental health consultation services on a schedule of sufficient and consistent frequency
to ensure a mental health consultant is available to partner with staff and families in a timely
and effective manner;
(3) Obtain parental consent for mental health consultation services at enrollment; and,
(4) Build community partnerships to facilitate access to additional mental health resources and
services, as needed.

B. Mental health consultants. A program must ensure mental health consultants assist:
(1) The program to implement strategies to identify and support children with mental health and
social and emotional concerns;
(2) Teachers, including family child care providers, to improve classroom management and teacher
practices through strategies that include using classroom observations and consultations to address
teacher and individual child needs and creating physical and cultural environments that promote
positive mental health and social and emotional functioning;

(3) Other staff, including home visitors, to meet children's mental health and social and emotional
needs through strategies that include observation and consultation;
(4) Staff to address prevalent child mental health concerns, including internalizing problems such
as appearing withdrawn and externalizing problems such as challenging behaviors; and,
(5) In helping both parents and staff to understand mental health and access mental health
interventions, if needed.
(6) In the implementation of the policies to limit suspension and prohibit expulsion as described
in §1 302.17.
(a) Limitations on suspension.
(1) A program must prohibit or severely limit the use of suspension due to a child's behavior. Such
suspensions may only be temporary in nature.
(2) A temporary suspension must be used only as a last resort in extraordinary circumstances where
there is a serious safety threat that cannot be reduced or eliminated by the provision of
reasonable modifications.
(3) Before a program determines whether a temporary suspension is necessary, a program must engage
with a mental health consultant, collaborate with the parents, and utilize appropriate community
resources – such as behavior coaches, psychologists, other appropriate specialists, or other
resources – as needed, to determine no other reasonable option is appropriate.
(4) If a temporary suspension is deemed necessary, a program must help the child return to full
participation in all program activities as quickly as possible while ensuring child safety by:
(i) Continuing to engage with the parents and a mental health consultant, and continuing to utilize
appropriate community resources;
(ii) Developing a written plan to document the action and supports needed;
(iii) Providing services that include home visits; and,
(iv) Determining whether a referral to a local agency responsible for implementing IDEA is
appropriate.
(b) Prohibition on expulsion.
(1) A program cannot expel or unenroll a child from Head Start because of a child's behavior.
(2) When a child exhibits persistent and serious challenging behaviors, a program must explore all
possible steps and document all steps taken to address such problems and facilitate the child's
safe participation in the program. Such steps must include, at a minimum, engaging a mental health
consultant, considering the appropriateness of providing appropriate services and supports under
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to ensure that the child who satisfies the definition of
disability in 29 U.S.C. §705(9)(b) of the Rehabilitation Act is not excluded from the program on
the basis of disability, and consulting with the parents and the child's teacher, and:

(i) If the child has an individualized family service plan (IFSP) or individualized education
program (IEP), the program must consult with the agency responsible for the IFSP or IEP to ensure
the child receives the needed support services; or,
(ii) If the child does not have an IFSP or IEP, the program must collaborate, with parental
consent, with the local agency responsible for implementing IDEA to determine the child's
eligibility for services.
(3) If, after a program has explored all possible steps and documented all steps taken as described
in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, a program, in consultation with the parents, the child's
teacher, the agency responsible for implementing IDEA (if applicable), and the mental health
consultant, determines that the child's continued enrollment presents a continued serious safety
threat to the child or other enrolled children and determines the program is not the most
appropriate placement for the child, the program must work with such entities to directly
facilitate the transition of the child to a more appropriate placement.

C. The mental health consultant contract is for up to 20 hours per week. The mileage for the
home visits will incorporated in the hourly bid.

2.3 Scope of Services

The services provided by the mental health consultant contract will consist of the following:

A. Provide Reflective Supervision for groups and individuals with respect to their culture.
B. Conduct Classroom Observations
C. Provide Professional Development training for staff
D. Be available to families/parents for consultation and home visits
E. Provide education to parents on various mental health topics at Parent Committee Meetings

2.4 Qualifications

A. Must be a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) as
well as have an Infant Mental Health (IMH) Endorsement.

B. This person should specialize in the area of mental health for children from birth to 5 years
old.

3 Submission Requirements

3.1 General Bid Form

Each vendor must submit a cover letter, resume, and bid form. The proposal should not exceed 10
pages and should be printed on 8½ x 11-inch paper. The resume shall include qualifications and past
experiences. Pages should be consecutively numbered.

3.2 Evaluation Procedure

Proposals will be evaluated by GTB staff based upon the qualifications, past experiences, and cost.

3.3 Offer Submission Deadline

To be considered, a bid package must be received by the Grand Traverse Band at the address shown
below by 2:00 p.m. local time on November 29th, 2021. Bids received after this deadline will not be
accepted. Bids will remain sealed until after the deadline.

Submit bids to the following address:

Lyndell Luster
2631 N West Bay Shore Dr Peshawbestown, MI 49682

3.4 Inquiries

All questions relating to this RFP, including all questions relating to clarifications or
modifications of this RFP can be submitted the below:

Trista Erickson 231-534-7994
Trista.Erickson@gtbindians.com

Timeline

DATE EVENT
November 30, 2021 Issue RFP
December 15, 2021 Proposals due on or before 2:00 p.m. (EST) January 03, 2022
Agreement start date (estimated)

4 Addition Requirements

4.1 Cancellation of Contract

The contract generated by this RFP may be cancelled by GTB for noncompliance with specifications,
inability to perform the contracting requirements of GTB or continued safety hazards. The
cancellation notification shall state the cause or reason for the cancellation. Such cancellation
would be at no charge to GTB other than for work authorized and completed at the time of
termination.

4.2 Native American/Alaskan Indian

Native American/Alaskan Indian preference applies; Bidders shall submit proof of Native American
Indian along with their bid.

4.3 Safety at the Project Site

Contractor shall be responsible for any injury, damage or loss to all public and private property
caused directly, in whole or in part, by their employees or agents or anyone directly or indirectly
employed by them or anyone for whole acts any one of them may be responsible. The contractor shall
comply with all applicable laws and codes bearing on the safety of persons or property of their
protection, from injury, damage, or loss. Contractor is responsible for the
means, methods and sequence of work and all safety aspects of this work. To the maximum extent
permitted by law, Contractor agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend Owner and Owner's
Agents from and against any and all claims or damages arising from Contractor's performance of this
agreement, as well as acts committed during the course of this agreement by any of Contractor's
officers, employees, guests, invitees, and those doing business with Contractor.

4.4 Employee Background Check

Contractor must be able to pass a background check conducted by GTB. Contractor assures that do not
have a criminal background which would indicate that they could present a threat to students or
staff. Acceptable criminal background is no felony arrests or convictions within five years and no
pattern of misdemeanors (three or more) within five years. The Managing Agent may terminate this
contract if this provision is violated. Contractor certification regarding criminal background
included in attachments.

4.5 Insurance

Insurance Requirements
Contractor shall secure, pay the premiums for, and keep in force until the expiration of their
contract adequate liability insurance and Worker's Compensation Insurance as provided by
Michigan law. Certificate of insurance for Worker's Compensation and for liability shall be
delivered to GTB or kept on file at GTB prior to start of contract. Any policy change shall be
reported to GTB and certificate forwarded to GTB. By signing a contract generated by the RFP, the
contractor understands that neither they nor their employees are covered by any GTB
insurance policy. All copies of proof of insurance will be submitted to GTB along with the RFP.
Contractors may send a copy of the required insurances with their proposal, but the work of the RFP
cannot begin, nor contract executed until original insurance verification forms are on file at the
GTB offices.

The following insurance coverage is required:

• Commercial General Liability: Minimum of $150,000 per person and $1,000,000 per occurrence.

• Worker's Compensation Insurance: Equal to or at least $100,000 per employee.

• Automotive Insurance: Minimum of $100,000/$300,000 for bodily insurance and
$50,000 for property damage.

Current Openings for HS/EHS Mental Health Consultant Jobs at Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians