Community Linkages RFP Recipients
/Healthcare is so much more than just clinical care. There are a number of social determinants of health (also called health-related social needs) that make up a person’s overall health.
Our Community Linkages funding aimed to find organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to caring for the whole person through care coordination and social determinant of health services, such as resources for housing, food, culturally-responsive care, transportation, employment, and support for justice-involved populations. The team had an overwhelming response, with over 40 total applicants and over $17m in requests.
Thanks to an incredible and hard-working panel, the final recipients have been chosen. We are excited to share our 9 Community Linkages RFP recipients and their project goals with you.
For more details about the process, scroll below the recipient list.
Organizations selected included:
Compassionate Addiction Treatment
CAT will invest their Community Linkages dollars in continuing to build their OAN IT! (Outreach, Advocacy, and Navigation Ignites Transformation) program. Through this program, they receive referrals from the jail mental health team and provide peer support and navigation services to individuals who are justice-involved.
Hispanic Business and Professional Association (HBPA) of Spokane
HBPA will use their award to expand their Esperanza program, a social service and wellness initiative created by and for Hispanic/Latinx community members. Navigators will provide support and connections to services for Hispanic/Latinx children and youth with disabilities, their families, newly immigrated families, and hospital patients with disabilities or chronic health conditions. This expansion also includes case management and peer support for families of individuals with complex medical needs.
Latinos en Spokane
This funding will help expand Latinos en Spokane’s community services and cultural programs by increasing staff capacity to provide wrap-around care that includes housing, health, and access to community systems. They will also use Community Linkages dollars to provide direct enrollment for undocumented workers in health insurance through the 1332 Waiver and fund their feasibility and advocacy work related to expanding their community center space.
Northeast Community Center
The Northeast Community Center’s project will increase housing security for families with school-aged children in Northeast Spokane by providing case management and a housing diversion model that incorporates assessments, financial education, and referrals to address social determinant of health needs.
Northeast Washington Educational Service District 101
The NEWESD 101’s project, Safe & Health Futures Spokane, will serve gang-impacted and justice-involved youth in the East Central and West Central neighborhoods. With increased staff capacity at the West Spokane Wellness and Safe Communities Partnerships, youth will be connected to community resources and services that address needs related to housing, employment, counseling, transportation, and more.
Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington (PICA-WA)
PICA-WA will use Community Linkages funding to provide targeted social supports and culturally responsive programming to Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Spokane and Eastern Washington. They will expand and systematize their Wellness Navigation (care coordination), Pasifika Food NETworks, and Pasifika Wayfinders (youth) programs while also working to secure office space that will serve as their Spokane-area cultural home.
Peer Spokane
With Community Linkages dollars, Peer Spokane is partnering with Spokane Public Library to embed Peer Services Specialists in the library system. Based out of library branch locations with the Central branch as their hub, Peer Support Specialists will use trauma-informed, individual-centered, strengths-based approaches to provide emotional support and connect library patrons to health care and other social determinant of health services.
Rural Resources Community Action
With their Community Linkages award, Rural Resources will strengthen rural care coordination through the following initiatives: an evidence-based hypertension intervention, medication care coordination for clients over 50, and social determinant of health screening that includes a warm hand off to a community health worker. This funding will support their expanded reach as they establish a service hub in south Stevens County.
Spectrum Center Spokane
Spectrum will use their award to create safe peer support spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and family members. Groups will be facilitated by licensed professionals and will include opportunities to connect with community health workers for support in accessing affirming care and other community-based resources.
May 18, 2023 Update: Thank you to all applicant organizations! We have finished the presentation process and panelists have completed deliberation. The application process is below for reference
RFP announcement posted December 12, 2022.
Background
Better Health Together tackles health inequities throughout eastern Washington. We believe everyone deserves a fair shot at being healthy. To make this happen, we work with more than 100 organizations across seven counties to promote practical solutions that meet the needs of the people and communities we serve. BHT was founded on the principle that when we step back and let local community lead, we find the best and most sustainable solutions to some of our most complex problems.
We advocate for policies centered on accountability, accessibility, and affordability. We disrupt the status quo by facilitating conversations and partnerships that level the playing field for community health throughout our region.
BHT’s vision is an integrated and anti-racist health system accountable for better health for ALL in eastern Washington.
BHT’s strategic initiatives are to:
Link health care and social determinant of health services through a community-based workforce
Invest in primary care, behavioral health, and oral health to ensure access and culturally relevant care for all
Organize our power collectively to solve our most urgent and (sometimes) hidden equity needs
Purpose
BHT is inviting proposals from organizations providing care coordination and services for social determinants of health (also called health-related social needs), to plan and deliver such services to Medicaid enrollees in the region. The primary goals of this funding opportunity are to:
Strengthen Infrastructure in community-based organizations providing care coordination and health related social needs.
Encourage Connectivity across sectors in the care system, improving client access to care.
Shift Power by supporting organizations that represent the communities they serve.
Intent: Broad vs Focused Support
Focused. Intent is to provide support to approximately 9 projects up to $400,000.
Intent: Current vs New Partners
Current and new partners are invited to apply. Organizations funded in the first round of BHT Social Determinant of Health funding are eligible to apply. If the applicant organization already has a project agreement with BHT, the proposed project in this application should represent new work or growth/expansion of current work. See eligibility below.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are organizations that are:
Based in BHT’s region (Spokane, Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens counties)
Offer services that address health related social needs of the Medicaid population in BHT’s region, or co-apply with an organization that does
A 501c nonprofit, a local governmental agency (such as a local health jurisdiction or public hospital), or an unincorporated entity with a 501c fiscal sponsor
Clinical organization applicants must have an SDoH/CBO co-applicant, and include a shared savings, reinvestment, value-based contracting, or similar partnership model
Note: For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply for this funding. For-profit entities may partner with an applicant who meets the eligibility above. If awarded, BHT would contract with the eligible applicant and funds would flow through them. The eligible applicant must have a significant and meaningful role in the implementation of the proposed project (i.e. the for-profit partner cannot be the primary implementer of the project while the eligible applicant plays only a nominal role).
Selection Criteria
The award process will be competitive. A panel of reviewers will make award decisions based on this scoring rubric and panel discussion.
Priority will be given to:
Community-based organizations (CBO definition) & by/for organizations (organizations led by and for impacted communities, with 50% or higher leadership, Board, and/or staff comprised of individuals from impacted groups)
Projects that demonstrate connection to housing, food, transportation, employment
Projects serving youth and/or justice involved populations
Other organization types, project focus areas, and focus populations will be considered
Award Information
A total of $3,600,000 is available under this funding opportunity for a two-year period (April 2023 – March 2025). BHT anticipates funding approximately 9 projects at $400,000 each but reserves the right to fund a larger number of smaller-budget projects, or a smaller number of larger projects.
Award funds will be disbursed to successful applicants as follows:
40% of funds will be released at the beginning of the project period.
10% of funds will be earned at 10 months, for achieving year one project outcomes proposed by the applicant and approved by BHT.
40% of funds will be earned at renewal of contract, with identified goals and outcomes for year two based on experience in year one.
10% of funds will be earned at end of contract, for achieving year two project outcomes proposed by the applicant and approved by BHT.
Use of Funds
Awards may not be used to directly fund Medicaid-billable services, or services covered in contracts between Medicaid managed care organizations and the clinical partner(s) involved in the project. The expectation from CMS for Initiative 1 DSRIP earned incentives is that providers would reinvest those dollars into their system in positive ways and all investments support the goals of Medicaid Transformation.
Acceptable uses of these awards include but are not limited to services, staffing, materials, interpretation or translation, staff training, software or IT tools, and travel.
Expectations of Awardees
Workshops
Once the panel selects projects to be funded, awardees will meet with BHT staff to move proposals to contract, including identification of goals and outcome measures for year one. Awardees will also complete a capacity needs assessment as part of the workshops.
Renewal
Contracted partners will meet with BHT again at ten months for reporting and to renew contracts for second year. Awardees will participate in a workshop with BHT staff to identify new goals and outcomes for year two of the project based on year one experience and progress. The workshop is an opportunity for course adjustment and assessment of year one outcomes.
Reporting
Awardees will be required to report on project progress and goals at the end of year one and at the end of the contract if renewed for a second year. Awardees will participate in verbal reporting on goals and project outcomes and provide a written report on shared outcome measures (see below).
Shared Measures
Awardees will report on a set of shared measures, in addition to their individual project progress and goals.
BHT Staff are currently developing shared measures and will finalize based on the types of proposals we receive. Measures may include:
Services screened for
Services provided internally, referred to, or in specific partnership for
Clients served & demographics (Total and receiving specific services that are part of project. Reporting may include specific demographic numbers or which demographics are being collected. Clients may always decline to report demographics.)
Number of CHWs/Peers/care coordinators employed, including changes during project
Caseload of CHWs/Peers/care coordinators, including change during project
Use of or connection to the Care Connect platform
Workforce development: Increase in certifications (CHW training, peer certification, etc.)
Informational Webinar
BHT will host a webinar on Friday, January 20, 12-1pm. Will include time for questions.
Application Process
Stage 1: Letters of Intent
Interested organizations must submit letters of intent as the first step of the application process. Content of these letters are non-binding, but will be used to determine eligibility and invitations to the Proposal Presentations (Stage 2).
Letter of Intent Submission:
Letters of intent will be submitted online via a Microsoft Form and are due by 11:59pm February 10th. The form asks for:
Applicant organization
Contact(s) name and email
Self-identify organization as: community-based and/or impacted led
Current services offered
Names of partner organizations, if required
Project title
Funding amount requested
Brief project narrative description
Project outcomes - Building Project Outcomes resource
Counties and/or reservations served
Target population(s)
Capacity to report on shared measures
Implementation readiness attestation
Stage 2: Proposal Presentations
Based on review of the letters of intent, BHT will invite eligible applicants to advance to present their proposal to a panel of community partners. This review panel will determine which projects to fund.* Community partner on the panel will be required to declare any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from review of specific proposals as needed.
*Note: BHT staff are not voting panel members. This is a community driven and decided process!
Panel Presentation
In lieu of a written RFP application, applicants will give an oral presentation of their proposed project to the review panel. Applicants will receive details about what to include in the presentation when they are invited to move forward to the oral presentation stage. The presentation is a chance to share about the proposed project, answer reviewer’s questions, and make your case for funding.
The panel presentations are scheduled for Monday, March 13 and Tuesday, March 14. Participation is required. Presentations are in-person, but remote & hybrid options will be available.
Proposal Presentation Supporting Documents
Timeline - process updated 03/06/23
On March 6th we adjusted the Community Linkages process to allow for all 44 organizations who submitted a letter of intent to move to the oral presentation stage of the application process if interested. This extends our timeline of sending notification of funding decisions to May 1, 2023. Workshops will follow and an appropriate contract start date will be determined with each partner.
Please see our communication about the process shift here.
The last day to schedule oral presentations is Thursday March 30, 2023.
Original Timeline
January 16 RFP application opens
February 10 letter of intent forms due
February 20 Invitation to oral presentation round sent
March 8 Deadline to submit oral presentation materials
March 13-14 Oral presentation of proposals
March 20 Notification of funding decisions
April Awardee workshops
May 1 Anticipated contract start date
Contact us
Staff are available to answer questions and talk through project ideas. Please contact:
Sarah Bollig Dorn at sarah@betterhealthtogether.org
Hannah Klaassen at hannah@betterhealthtogether.org