CONTACT
Lee Rettig, Communications and Legislative Services, (402) 471-8287; lee.rettig@nebraska.gov
Lincoln – DHHS is seeking qualified applicants to provide Resource Family Services as part of a year-long pilot project including the delivery of foster care services, respite care, family support and visitation services to Nebraska children and families. The Request for Applications (RFA) focuses on high quality foster care and wraparound services, the implementation of evidence-based models of foster care consistent with the Families First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) and integrating a family focused and family driven approach that builds protective factors in families.
Resource families assist with the reparation of the natural family, supporting a return of children to their homes by promoting family wellbeing, enhancing protective factors and working cooperatively with case managers, parents and involved professionals. They also help families meet goals designed to prevent or remedy abuse and neglect, improve basic daily living and develop coping skills and better manage their home, income and resources.
“The FFPSA shifts federal child welfare dollars toward prevention services and this pilot program supports Nebraska's commitment to keep families together, when it's safe to do so," said Matt Wallen, Director, Division of Children and Family Services. “By supporting efforts to build up and strengthen families through this and other programs, we are helping people live better lives and helping make Nebraska a better place for everyone."
The pilot program will initially include five accredited, licensed service providers, one for each service area, to provide resource family services for one year with the intent to identify the impact the program has on time to reunification or permanency, incidents of reentry into the system, the cost of providing such family supports and the general impact resource families have on foster families.
Approximately 95% of children and families involved with the Division of Children and Family Services receive either foster care services, family support services, visitation services or a combination of these services, all of which can be affected by resource family supports.
Successful applicant providers will conduct face-to-face meetings with resource family parents, encourage and facilitate the use of respite care and will engage, teach and role model nurturing parenting practices
Applications are being sought through June 24, applications will be evaluated through July 12 and an intent to subaward will be issued July 15.
The one-year period of performance begins with the implementation of Nebraska's FFPSA plan October 1 and will be followed by an assessment of outcomes beginning in July 2020.
The RFA technical paper can be found on the DHHS website.