A: Yes, applicants may include administrative expenses to support the project, however, final contract amounts are limited to up to $793,000 per agency over the 18–20-month funding period. Project expenses that exceed this amount must come from another funding source.

A: We did not provide a budget template because we want the budget to be as flexible as possible to meet the needs of providers. We recognize that there will be diversity in responses and requested expenses based on agency and community needs, if selected we will work with you after the selection process to help formalize your budget.

A: Below is a summary of the workshop schedule, recommended attendees, and the modality for engaging. On-site workshops can be hosted in a hybrid format so key stakeholders could join virtually without needing to travel or travel expenses can also be considered as a reimbursable expense.

Online Organizational Preparation Workshop (2 half days) – virtual workshop for up to 10 key stakeholders to establish expectations and readiness for BSFT® implementation. Attendees include referral sources, program directors, administrative personnel, etc.

On-site organizational Readiness Workshop (1 full day) – on-site workshop for up to 20 key stakeholders to validate readiness for BSFR implementation. Attendees include administrative personnel, supervisors, trainees, IT staff, etc. Referral sources do not attend this one.

o Trainees and supervisors will be trained in person on-site. Travel expenses would be reimbursable if required.

o Stakeholders can opt to join this virtually or be reimbursed for their travel expenses.

BSFT® Trainee Workshop #1 (3 days on-site), Workshop #2 (2 days on-site), & Workshop #3 (2 days on-site) – training for trainees will be in person and travel expenses will be reimbursed if applicable.

A: Only the BSFT® purveyor (Family Therapy Training Institute of Miami) can train new staff so staff turnover would require additional offerings of the workshops. Previously trained staff onsite would not be able to directly train new hires. However, once a graduated BSFT competent therapist completes the BSFT Certification training as a BSFT supervisor (which usually starts 1-2 years after graduation and typically lasts for 6-8 months), they will be able to provide supervision and adherence monitoring for new BSFT® trainees during their initial training period. But the initial workshops and obtaining competency certification can only be conducted by the model purveyor for new hires. Staff turnover would necessitate additional training workshops at an additional cost. As it becomes available, FTTIM will make every effort to match you up with other agencies needing new training so you may then share the cost of the workshops accordingly. The Center for Excellence (CfE) will work with you on coordinating additional training requirements for selected agencies.

A: Children and families receiving BSFT® can engage in additional ancillary services that are non-psychotherapeutic in nature. BSFT® has been found effective in treating children with depression and anxiety disorders, as well as behavioral disorders. However, if the child needs medication management or a support/skills group, this can be ancillary services to the BSFT® therapy. The same is true for adults, they may receive ancillary, non-psychotherapeutic services along with BSFT®. For example, if a member of the family is diagnosed with depression and receives mental health treatment and medication management, that family could receive BSFT®. BSFT® works with each and every individual member of the family as needed.

The goal of this RFA is to expand services and fill gaps in service delivery, not to divert children and families from other evidence-based programs. If a member of the family is already receiving a form of psychotherapy (such as Multisystemic Family Therapy) they would not be an ideal candidate for a BSFT® referral.

A: As with any other open prevention services case, documentation in Connections is required. Documentation for receipt of BSFT services will be the same as for any other contracted service that the family receives. In the FASP, BSFT® should be entered as one of the services the family is receiving, and all family members receiving BSFT® should be listed. Service start and end dates should also be documented as per current practice in the FASP.

Additional data will be collected by the Center for Excellence to ensure that families are being referred, receiving services in a timely manner, and include family assessment data measured at the start and end of services for evaluating the efficacy of BSFT®.

A: No, there is not a required location for service delivery. Applicant agencies have the flexibility to propose an innovative service delivery plan that is tailored to meet the needs of families in their communities. Agencies can consider providing BSFT® services in clients’ homes, local schools, community locations such as community centers, the agency’s office, or a combination of service delivery sites. The key criteria is developing an approach that aligns with identified community needs and gaps in service. Applicant agencies are encouraged to craft creative solutions for service provisions that make BSFT® both accessible and convenient for the target client population.

A: We understand the deadline for applications poses challenges around the holiday season. The December 11th deadline was set to allow sufficient time for our review team to evaluate applications and notify selected agencies before the end of the year. Keeping to the original timeline is necessary so that agencies chosen to receive awards can begin the hiring and onboarding process for new staff members promptly at the start of 2024 in preparation for training sessions to begin in February.

A: At this time, the three-to-four BSFT implementation awards described in the current RFA reflect the extent of our planned funding opportunities. However, we hope to expand evidence-based programs aligned with state priorities in the future. We encourage all interested service providers to continue to monitor the Contract Reporter and http://www.yri.org/center-for-excellence for announcements.

A: Unfortunately, due to the limited funding we have available, we must prioritize applications meeting the established caseload criteria in order to maximize impact. We encourage exploring creative partnerships with neighboring counties that could allow you to meet requirements.

A: Yes

A: Yes, you could add BSFT as an additional program that your agency is offering to local districts. BSFT can be offered to known clients as long as they are not actively engaged in other forms of psychotherapy.

A: Bachelor’s levels therapists, if properly trained and certified in the model, can implement BSFT.

Any county contracting with a provider for BSFT services for preventive cases can claim federal reimbursement under FFPSA reducing local cost to 19 cents per dollar.