Technincal Assistance, Questions, & Answers High Risk Family Case Management (Pilot Program) 444-80-3383-01

Technical Assistance Session

Questions & Answers

  • 09/17/2024

    1. Question: What is the designated data management information system for data collection and documentation for the High-Risk Family Case Management Pilot Program?
      • Answer:  There is not a designated MIS established at this time.  Awardees will be given further guidance on data collection and program reporting.
    2. Question:  The NOFO for the High-Risk Family Case Management (pilot program) NOFO states there will be a TA session, and the date/time/registration information will be on the Q & A page, but there is currently no information on that page. Is that session date/time set yet?
      • Answer:  The TA session/bidders conference data/time has not been announced.  It will be announced on the Q&A page when available.
    3. Question: I received the notification and wondered if the counties that aren't pilot counties will be funded for FCM as before. Or will that program end on July 1st, 2025?
      • Answer: This Q&A is intended to address questions related to submitting an application for the High Risk Family Case Management Pilot Notice of Funding Opportunity 25-444-80-3383-01. The question asked is related to a separate IDHS program and outside of the scope of this Q&A. Please reach out to your IDHS program contact for questions related to an existing grant agreement for an existing program.

  • 09/25/2024

    1. Question: I'm 99.9% sure this funding is only for register nurses and Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) programs, and not for non-medical home visiting programs like Parents As Teachers (PAT), but could you please confirm that? We are a PAT program only. We are trying to decide if we should pursue this NOFO. We do not currently employ any nurses. I am assuming that, if we were to write for this funding, we would need to change that and provide a plan for adding a nurse-based model to our programming. Is that correct?
      • Answer: This program is not a MIECHV-funded evidenced-based model. The program is not intended as a supplement to an existing MIECHV program, but is a stand-alone program offered through IDHS Bureau of Maternal and Child Health. Registered Nurses are required for this program.
  • 09/26/2024
    1. Question: Can you confirm that if this pilot program is renewed (per the NOFO stating eligibility for two one-year renewals) that it will not impact current providers?
      • Answer: This Q&A is intended to address questions related to submitting an application for the High Risk Family Case Management Pilot Notice of Funding Opportunity 25-444-80-3383-01. The question asked is related to a separate IDHS program and outside of the scope of this Q&A. Please reach out to your IDHS program contact for questions related to an existing grant agreement for an existing program.
    2. Question: What will determine if the pilot was successful? How will the results of the pilot be made public/ communicated?
      • Answer: This Q&A is intended to address questions related to submitting an application for the High Risk Family Case Management Pilot Notice of Funding Opportunity 25-444-80-3383-01. The question asked is outside of the scope of this Q&A.
    3. Question: Are the two one-year renewals separate from the new NOFO Stephanie Bess mentioned on the call on 9/18/24 that current FCM / BBO grantees will need to apply for in order to continue to offer State funded case management services in FY26?
      • Answer: This Q&A is intended to address questions related to submitting an application for the High Risk Family Case Management Pilot Notice of Funding Opportunity 25-444-80-3383-01. The question asked is related to a statewide grantee call on 9/18/24 regarding other existing IDHS grant agreements for separate IDHS programs. This question is outside of the scope of this Q&A. Please reach out to your IDHS program contact for questions related to an existing grant agreement for an existing program.
    4. Question: In the performance measures it mentions face-to-face contacts (in clinic or home setting) as well as one specific to home visits. In the program overview it states "nurse visits are expected to occur exclusively in the home setting monthly for the duration of pregnancy and at least the first three months after birth." Can you please clarify what the required contacts for this model include and where they are required to take place?
      • Answer: Nurse visits are expected to occur exclusively in the home setting monthly during pregnancy and for each of the first three months after birth. Monthly nurse visits can occur in a clinic setting or in the home setting for each of the postpartum visits during postpartum months four through twelve while enrolled in the program.
    5. Question: On the 9/18 call, Stephanie Bess suggested that applicants "be creative" in their budgets and the NOFO states "Agencies are allowed and encouraged to use a multi-disciplinary approach for client contacts above and beyond the required nurse contacts." Knowing the pilot is requiring a high-cost and highly competitive (difficult to recruit) workforce, would the department consider funding agencies that proposes leveraging licensed team members other than RNs or APRNs to complete some or all of the required nurse contacts?
      • Answer: This Q&A is intended to address questions related to submitting an application for the High Risk Family Case Management Pilot Notice of Funding Opportunity 25-444-80-3383-01. The question asked is related to a statewide grantee call on 9/18/24. The 9/18/24 call was specific to existing programs and no information provided was intended to inform the NOFO application. This question is outside of the scope of this Q&A. Please reach out to your IDHS program contact for questions related to an existing grant agreement for an existing program.
    6. Question: Will collaborative applications be accepted? Please also clarify Section E 2.b and c for this current pilot opportunity. Does this mean you will also potentially award multiple agencies with separate applications to serve one region at a lower caseload?
      • Answer: Applicants must be prepared to serve the entire geographical area to which they are applying. If an applicant wishes to accomplish this via subawards or subcontractors, that is allowed. IDHS intends to award one grantee per each of the three geographical areas specified in the NOFO. Section E2b and E2c in the NOFO speaks to the procedures followed in the event of a tie or in the event of multiple applicants bidding on more than one of the three service areas.
    7. Question: Our budgeting analysis shows a significant gap between funds allocated and funding needed to support the required workforce. As most social service agencies are currently in moments of extremely tight funding, can you elaborate on expectations around lead agency fiscal contributions to this program?
      • Answer: The NOFO notes anticipated numbers of RNs required for the projected caseload. The award provided allows for market value RN salary plus an additional amount included for other budget items such as travel, telecoms, and indirect costs.
  • 09/27/2024
    1. Question: The NOFO lists a total available funding amount of $2,457,000 (with award sizes varying between $300k-$1mm) but the slides today (during Bidder's Conference/TA call) reference just $1mm in total award, with a max per award of around $350k. Can the total be clarified?
      • Answer: There was an error on slide 20 of the NOFO Bidder's Conference/TA call slides and this was addressed at the end of the TA call. The total funding allocated for this SFY25 pilot program is $2,457,000. The NOFO posting is correct as listed in A2b of the NOFO. The maximum funding per award will be $351,000 - $1,053,000.
      • The Department seeks to fund the following:
      • Geographic Area Anticipated Number of Awards Anticipated monthly caseload of families/dyads to be served Anticipated RN FTEs Needed Anticipated total funding for pilot
        City of Chicago communities including and limited to: Austin, North Lawndale, South Lawndale, West Town, Near West Side, Lower West Side, Humboldt Park, East Garfield Park West Garfield Park Up to 1 award 450 9 $1,053,000
        Madison County Up to 1 award 450 9 $1,053,000
        Peoria County Up to 1 award 150 3 $351,000
        Total Up to 3 awards 1,050 21 $2,457,000
    2. Question: Could you please clarify funding and anticipated awards? What was shared today (in the TA call/Bidder's Conference) is not the same as written NOFO.
    3. Question: Written (NOFO) says total funding 2.457 total funding, and awards of 351-1.053 for 150-450 families. But today you said total funding was 1.053 for the program for 1,050 families. 2.5M for 900 families is very different than 1M for 1,050 families.
    4. Question: Is the program coordinator supposed to be considered one of the required number of RNs? Or is this an additional position we need to budget for?
      • Answer: The Program Coordinator is allowed may carry a client caseload as a Nurse Case Manager, so long as they are also able to perform the Program Coordinator responsibilities. If an applicant prefers to have the Program Coordinator also function as a Case Manager, the budget should reflect the anticipated % of the FTE allocated for each role.
    5. Question: If Family Connects nurses are cross-trained, are we able to count the monthly Family Connects visit towards the HRFCM?
      • Answer: No component of a Family Connects visit can be billed to the IDHS grant. However, if a family already enrolled in HRFCM has had a nurse visit recently completed as part of the Family Connects program, the HRFCM Nurse Case Manager should document this and use their clinical judgement to collaborate with the family to determine if an HRFCM visit is necessary within that same month. If it is determined that a visit is not needed, this will not negatively affect performance standards when adequately noted. Successful awardees may reach out to their IDHS Nurse Consultant to address questions regarding specific client scenarios such as this.
    6. Question: Are we able to apply for more than the anticipated award amount listed per region?
      • Answer: The amount listed is the maximum amount to be funded per geographic area.
    7. Question: I missed the Bidder's Conference. Will there be a recording shared?
      • Answer: The link to the recording can be found at the top of the Technical Assistance, Questions and Answers page.
  • 10/01/2024
    1. Question: Will there be any training provided by the State for nurses for the pilot program?
      • Answer: Training for Nurse Coordinators and Nurse Case Managers will be offered to successful awardees.
  • 10/02/2024
    1. Question: The Policy & Procedure Manual and TA Session stated we need 3 RNs for the Peoria area, but also requires a Program Coordinator. Is the Program Coordinator position intended to be an additional staff to be hired or are these duties to be placed on top of one of the required RNs caseloads?
    2. Question: Are we able to hire part-time RNs to cover the caseloads? If yes, how should we divide the caseload?
      • Answer: Required FTEs can be covered by any combination of part-time or full-time staff. It is expected that 1 FTE has a maximum caseload of 50 dyads. For example: If a grantee opts to use 2 0.5 FTE staff, each of those 2 staff would have a maximum caseload of 25 dyads.
    3. Question: I work for the Nurse-Family Partnership program. Can the funds from this award be utilized by an existing home-visiting model to expand their reach or does it require a separate program set up? This would be a great opportunity for them, but I wasn't sure if they would be able to apply.
      • Answer: Any applicant who can meet the eligibly and program requirements in the NOFO is encouraged to apply. The HRFCM award is not intended to be utilized to expand or operate an existing home-visiting model. However, an entity may choose to operate both programs.
  • 10/04/2024
    1. Question: Would phasing in staffing and volumes be considered appropriate? Is immediate achievement of nurse recruitment and case management ratios expected or would some phasing in of both be acceptable to the agency's grant review committee?
      • Answer: It is expected that 1 FTE has a maximum caseload of 50 dyads and that the required staffing be in place within 30 days of the grant agreement start date. If an applicant feels they will not be able to achieve the required staffing for the caseload proposed by IDHS in the chart of section A2b of the NOFO, the applicant may apply for a lesser amount of funding to cover less staff with a lower caseload, so long as the dyad to RN ratio is not exceeded in the applicant's proposal.