We are excited to announce that the second of two Child Care Health Consultation RFPs is now open! This RFP is for Child Care Health Consultation Systems Development which you can find HERE. Applications are due by March 14, 2018. Best Starts will partner with one lead organization for systems development work.
To view all supporting application materials please click HERE and select the Child Care Health Consultation Systems Development RFP.
What is Child Care Health Consultation?
Child Care Health Consultation (CCHC) is a strategy that promotes the health and development of children, families and child-care staff to ensure healthy and safe child-care environments. We cover it all in this earlier blog post here. And a reminder that the previous Child Care Health Consultation Service Delivery RFP is still open through February 28!
Best Starts Investment in Child Care Health Consultation Systems Development
To best serve providers and children across the County, Best Starts will fund one organization to lead systems development work for CCHC. This work will build a system of child care health by connecting service delivery and resources across King County and strategically integrating this work into larger early learning, health, and other systems with a focus on addressing disproportionalities and disparities experienced by children, families, and child care providers.
King County currently lacks a comprehensive and accessible system of CCHC. The development of a cohesive and county-wide child care health consultation system will increase impact and support better outcomes for children, families, and child care providers. Systems development will focus on connecting components of child care health, building strong relationships among relevant agencies, and planning for effective long-term delivery of child care health consultation, with a focus on decreasing inequity in health outcomes, and increasing access to resources and supports.
Goals for Child Care Health Consultation Systems Development are to:
- Develop an accessible system through which separate entities offering CCHC services (Public Health – Seattle & King County, private nurses, BSK-funded organizations) are connected, supported, well-trained, and working cohesively with a focus on addressing unmet needs and alleviating race- and place-based inequities.
- Identify opportunities to align with and provide strategic direction on statewide efforts (e.g. Healthiest Next Generation, quality improvement systems, and licensing requirements), and explore partnerships and opportunities to build on BSK’s work and make the case for a statewide CCHC system.
- Map CCHC’s role in early childhood health, and build relationships and collaborative efforts with other key stakeholders to integrate the CCHC system within the broader early learning, health, and other systems.
Organizations may submit separate applications and be considered for both CCHC Service Delivery and Systems Development funding.
ELIGIBILITY
This announcement is open to not-for-profit organizations, community-based organizations, tribes and tribal organizations, schools and school districts, and public or governmental agencies serving communities in King County, as well as private consultants or research organizations with expertise in the needs of young children, families, communities, and the systems that serve them. Small non-profits and community-based organizations are encouraged to submit proposals.
Partnerships and collaborations that leverage multiple agencies’ strengths are strongly encouraged (one lead organization should submit the proposal on the partnership’s behalf).
Available Funding
- Funds Available: $250,000 per year
- Contract Period: Up to a 3-year contract beginning May 15, 2018
- Funding Request Limits: Up to $250,000 per year
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1
Timeline
| RFP Issued | February 1 |
| Information Session 1 @ Webinar 1-2PM | February 5 |
| Final Day to Ask King County Questions | March 2 |
| RFP Addenda Issued (if necessary) | March 5 |
| Final Day to Request Technical Assistance | March 7 |
| RFP Responses Due | March 14 |
| Responses Reviewed and Rated | April 3 |
| Notice of Selected and Non-Selected Proposals | April 24 |
| Selected Proposals List Published | April 27 |
| Contracts Begin | May 15 |
Information Session
February 5, 2018 from 1-2pm online. Click HERE to join via computer or join via phone at 206-263-8114, conference ID: 2701484
Funding Priorities
In alignment with the BSK Equity and Social Justice framework and values, this investment will prioritize organizations that:
- Are embedded in communities of color, immigrant and refugee communities, low-income communities, communities with disabilities, and/or limited-English-speaking communities, in alignment with King County’s Equity and Social Justice Ordinance, and as prioritized in the BSK Implementation Plan, or in communities and/or geographies where there are limited resources or service gaps.
- Partner with community-based organizations serving diverse communities. This includes employing staff and leadership that are representative of the communities served, and using regular processes for soliciting family, provider, and community input on needs and services.
Need help? Get free technical assistance
Technical assistance is available at no cost to support Best Starts for Kids applicants. Providers offer a wide range of skills, areas of expertise, and language abilities.
See the list of providers and contact information for technical assistance here.
Where can I find data to support my application?
Best Starts values the use of multiple sources of data and information. While the use of data resources is not required, we have compiled some King County data resources to assure equal access to information. Indicators identified for Best Starts can be found here: www.kingcounty.gov/bskindicators. Please visit the “Data Resources” page on the Communities Count website.