Emergency Financial Assistance Services

Description

Multnomah County seeks responses from suppliers interested in providing the services described below.  The purpose of this Notice of Intent (NOI) is to determine if there are multiple parties interested in providing these services who have the qualifications to do so.  If multiple qualified parties are available the County intends to issue a Request for Proposals to select a provider. BACKGROUND Multnomah County Health Department (MCHD) is offering interested organizations an opportunity to provide services for Emergency Financial Assistance.  These services are provided by Ryan White Part A funds or program income generated from Ryan White funding, under funding from the federal Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. Funds will be used to support Emergency Financial Assistance in the Portland Transitional Grant Area (TGA), as defined by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), the federal grantor of Ryan White funds, and with guidance by the Portland Area HIV/AIDS Services Planning Council (hereafter the Planning Council). For more general information about Ryan White, visit the HRSA website http://hab.hrsa.gov/index.html.  Emergency Financial Assistance for limited one time or short term payments to assist clients with emergency costs. Allowable expenses include government issued identification documentation and birth certificates to access benefits, prescription eyeglasses, and eye exams. Emergency Financial Assistance can occur as a direct payment to an agency or through a voucher program. Direct cash payments to clients are not permitted. Emergency financial assistance will be a payer of last resort and for limited amounts, uses, and periods of time. Continuous provision of an allowable service to a client should not be funded through emergency financial assistance. Providers will be expected to establish clear eligibility standards for access to assistance and a limit for the amount of assistance a client may receive.  Services are intended to fill gaps in services for low-income individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS disease. Only programs that provide services within this specific category will be eligible for funding. The Portland Transitional Grant Area (TGA) is made up of Multnomah, Yamhill, Columbia, Washington, and Clackamas Counties in Oregon, and Clark County in Washington. Proposed programs must determine clients are eligible for Ryan White assistance every six (6) months.  HIV status and identification must be collected at initial service initiation. Persons eligible to obtain services through these funds must: Reside in Multnomah, Yamhill, Columbia, Washington, or Clackamas Counties in Oregon and Clark County, Washington. (Funding source determines county resident eligibility.) Have an HIV disease diagnosis Have incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and be re-evaluated and eligible every six (6) months  The proposed program must be accessible to cultural and linguistic minorities, sexual minorities, gender minorities, women, youth and children, people with mental illness, people who use drugs/alcohol and people who are homeless.  The proposed program must have a process to receive payment request referrals from other Ryan White funded programs, as well as a workflow for issuing payments for approved costs. Client level data for all clients’ demographic and services paid by Ryan White funds must be directly entered or imported from another source into HIV Care Service data system, CAREWare. Funds are targeted for HIV services only. Estimated funds are allocated in the following service categories: Service Category Estimated Amount Available Emergency Financial Assistance $55,000 Actual funding amounts are contingent on State of Oregon or Federal allocations. Administrative costs for these services cannot exceed a 10% cap.  Funding of the work described in this NOI is not guaranteed.  Fluctuations in funding year to year should be expected. The County cannot assure that any particular level of work and/or funding will be provided and the contract will permit the County to add or remove work as necessary depending on availability of funding. As mandated by federal legislatures, Ryan White Act funds shall not be used to make payments for any item or service for which payment has been made or can reasonably be expected to be made by a third party payer, including private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or other federal, state or local health benefits or entitlement programs. The following types of programs are not eligible for Ryan White Act funding: epidemiological projects research studies capital projects purchasing or improving land, or the purchase, construction or permanent improvement of any building or facility cash payments to service recipients non-targeted marketing promotions, advertising about HIV services that target the general public or broad-scope awareness activities that have HIV services that target the general public entertainment costs, including the cost of amusements, solely social activities and related incidental costs foreign travel fundraising expenses lobbying expenses. Interested suppliers will need to maintain the required insurance below: Type of Insurance Amount Per Occurrence Aggregate Professional Liability  $1,000,000  $1,000,000  $2,000,000 Commercial Gen Liability  $1,000,000  $1,000,000  $2,000,000 Commercial Auto Liability  N/A  N/A  N/A Workers Compensation  $500,000 Required    Insurance certificates should include Multnomah County as additional insured. Depending on funding source, the State of Oregon may need to be added as an additional insured. Insurance requirements may change depending on the final negotiated contract language.

Attachments

This project has the following solicitation documents. You will need to visit the agency's original website to download these documents.

For Questions or Additional Information, Contact:

No contact listed