HBCI Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities

The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), in collaboration with the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), has released Round 3 of its Home Based Crisis Intervention (HBCI) Request for Proposals (RFP). This funding opportunity aims to expand access to intensive, community-based crisis intervention services for children and youth with co-occurring mental health disorders and intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (MH/IDD). The primary objective is to reduce avoidable inpatient psychiatric admissions or readmissions and help maintain stability for high-risk youth within their family and community environments. HBCI is designed for children and youth aged 5 through 20 years, 11 months, who are either being discharged from inpatient or residential treatment or are at imminent risk of entering such settings due to acute behavioral health crises. The intervention is intensive and home-based, leveraging a multidisciplinary team approach. Core team members include mental health Interventionists and a Master’s-level Clinical Supervisor, with the optional inclusion of a psychiatric prescriber, peer advocate, or program assistant funded through alternative sources. The services are delivered in-home, school, and community settings, and are based on a flexible model that allows the intensity and frequency of interventions to adjust rapidly in response to the changing needs of the child and family. Services are available 24/7 and guided by principles of family-driven, youth-guided, and developmentally appropriate care. OMH will make six total awards—three for rural regions and three for metro regions—based on Tier designations. The list of counties eligible under each tier is specified in the RFP. Applicants may propose to serve up to two contiguous counties within the rural tier, while metro counties are assigned individually. Each funded HBCI team must demonstrate readiness, which includes staffing, policies and procedures, and relationships with Local Governmental Units (LGUs) and community resources. Teams are expected to serve up to 51 youth annually, with a 6–9-week length of stay per client. Awards will be made based on a two-part evaluation: a technical proposal (worth up to 80 points) and a financial assessment (worth up to 20 points). Eligible applicants must be not-for-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and experience delivering mental health services to youth with serious emotional disturbance. Prequalification through New York State’s Statewide Financial System (SFS) is mandatory. Applicants must also notify the LGU(s) for the catchment areas they intend to serve. Applications must be submitted through the SFS online portal, and all components, including operating budgets and budget narratives, must comply with submission specifications detailed in the RFP. The timeline for this opportunity is clearly delineated: the RFP release date is January 9, 2025, and proposals are due by 2:00 PM EST on March 13, 2025. A non-binding Letter of Intent is due by March 6, 2025. Questions are accepted through January 30, 2025, with answers posted by February 20, 2025. Award notifications are expected by April 23, 2025, and contracts will begin January 1, 2026, with a five-year term. OMH reserves the right to reassign awards if providers do not meet start-up milestones or program requirements. Applications will be assessed based on their alignment with HBCI principles, implementation plans, team qualifications, and quality assurance processes. The initiative requires intensive reporting, compliance with background checks and child safety laws, and participation in OMH’s data and fidelity monitoring systems. This RFP reflects the state’s commitment to integrated, community-based care for youth with complex needs and supports continuity across mental health and developmental disability systems.

Complete SFS prequalification at least five days before deadline; avoid submission of incomplete proposals or “see attached” placeholders.