Budgeting for School-based Mental Health Community of Practice:

Request for Proposals

Date Distributed: April 17, 2024
Deadline for Questions: April 26, 2024
Response Due Date: May 10, 2024
Submission: RFP Submission Portal
Contact: Zoe Schlesinger

Background

Opportunity Labs, a national non-profit organization, invites school districts to apply for participation in an innovative Community of Practice (CoP) focused on the long-term preservation and enhancement of mental health support for students–such as individual-based interventions like one-on-one counseling or therapy, case management or coordinating mental health services, and referrals for care outside of  school–in the face of looming budget challenges. This initiative aims to facilitate mutual learning, innovation, and collaboration among 15 selected districts (or LEA equivalents) to promote the effective exchange of knowledge and best practices in budgeting that supports the sustainability of school-based mental and behavioral health interventions.

Confidentiality Statement 

The information and materials contained in this Request for Proposals are strictly confidential and proprietary to Opportunity Labs and distributed for the sole purpose of providing information for your response to Opportunity Lab’s Request for Proposals. The information and materials are supplied with the understanding that they will be held in confidence and not disclosed to third parties without the prior written consent of Opportunity Labs.  The recipient may not copy or reproduce, in whole or in any part, any portion of this Request for Proposals without the prior written consent from Opportunity Labs.

Objectives

  • Promote mutual learning, innovation, and collaboration within the CoP.

  • Provide access to sector-specific knowledge and deep subject matter expertise to support districts in the development of evidence-based principles and decision-making rationales for mental and behavioral health-focused budget decisions.

  • Support districts in developing evidence-based strategies and communication plans for ongoing investment in mental health services within schools. 

  • Publish in-depth case studies to enhance knowledge sharing and advance the field through examples of evidence-based practices, the reasoning behind decisions, and the communication of those decisions.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Urban, suburban, and rural districts interested in participating must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Student Demographic Composition: a significant percentage of low-income students within the district (>25%).

  • Demonstrable evidence of school-based mental health services and mental health education, for instance at least three of the interventions described below: 

    • tiered mental health services program in place (Tier I, II, III).

    • mental health and/or trauma screenings in place to appropriately identify students with highest needs. 

    • referral mechanism and system to document referrals for students who may benefit from Tier 3 interventions (internal or external).

    • demonstrable efforts to reach the recommended ratios of counselors and/or psychologists to students.

    • demonstrable investments in telehealth services. 

    • demonstrable early intervention services for students in need of additional support such as skill groups to deal with grief, anger, anxiety, sadness, and so on.

    • demonstrable commitment to mental health literacy education or instruction.

  • Demonstrable and sustained investments in school-based mental health services since 2020. 

    • Specific funding levels are not expected. 

    • If a district's FY2025 budget is already approved, they may apply provided it includes an on-going commitment to mental health services. 

Opportunity Labs will review all submitted proposals. Each proposal will be reviewed carefully for the following: 

Eligibility Criteria (Total: 20 Points)

  • Student Demographic Composition (6 Points): Proposals should clearly demonstrate that the district has a significant percentage of low-income students (>25%).

  • Evidence of School-based Mental Health Services (14 Points):

    • tiered mental health services (2 Points)

    • mental health and/or trauma screenings (2 Points)

    • referral mechanism and documentation system for Tier III intervention (2 Points)

    • counselors and/or psychologists ratios (2 Points)

    • investments in telehealth and early intervention services (2 Points)

    • demonstrable  early intervention services for students in need of additional support such as skill groups to deal with grief, anger, anxiety, sadness, and so on (2 Points)

    • demonstrable commitment to mental health literacy education or instruction (2 Points).

Commitment to Community of Practice Participation (Total: 40 Points)

  • Appointment of a Dedicated Contact (8 Points): Willingness to appoint a senior leader – who must serve on the superintendent's leadership team – for participation in the CoP.  For example, this must include: superintendent, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, director of student supports (or equivalent).

  • Active Participation (8 Points): A clear commitment to actively participate in CoP activities, including virtual meetings and in-person gatherings.

  • Case Study Participation (8 Points): Willingness to have the district highlighted in case studies. Note: no student information will be requested or shared. The case studies will focus on measuring effectiveness, frameworks for budget decision-making, and messaging and communications. 

  • Confidentiality and Liability Agreement (8 Points)

  • Commitment to Sign the Required Agreements (8 Points)

Innovation and Collaboration (Total: 10 Points)

  • Collaboration Willingness (10 Points): Evidence of willingness to collaborate, share information openly, and contribute to the mutual learning goals of the CoP.

Budgeting and Sustainability (Total: 15 Points)

  • Evidence-based Budgeting (10 Points): Demonstration of the use of evidence-based principles in budget decisions supporting mental health services.

  • Sustainability Plan (5 Points): Description of strategies for ongoing investment in mental health services.

Proposal Quality and Completeness (Total: 15 Points)

  • Clarity and Organization (5 Points): The proposal is well-organized, clear, and easy to understand.

  • Completeness (10 Points): All sections of the proposal are fully completed, and all requested information is provided.

Proposals received after deadlines, where applicable, and incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Benefits for Participating Districts

Selected districts will receive:

  • Financial Support: A $20,000 unrestricted grant to support their participation in the CoP.

  • Professional Expertise: Direct access to subject matter experts in federal funding to support school-based mental and behavioral health, school-based mental health interventions and effectiveness, district finance and budgeting, and family and community engagement.

  • Expense Reimbursement: Coverage of travel-related expenses for program-related activities for the district representative.

District Commitments

Participating districts are required to:

  • Appoint a dedicated individual as the primary point of contact.

  • Commit to active participation in the CoP for a duration of six months (May-October) including virtual meetings and in-person events.

  • Agree to have your district highlighted in case studies.

  • Agree to sign a confidentiality and liability agreement.

Community of Practice Structure

  • Approximately five hours of work per month.

  • Virtual Meetings: Six monthly sessions for collaboration and insight exchange.

  • Virtual Office Hours: Four, one-hour thematic sessions for specialized support.

  • In-Person Events: Two events to mark the program's commencement and conclusion.

Subject Matter Experts

As mentioned above, districts will have access to four, one-hour thematic sessions for specialized support from subject matter experts. Additionally, subject matter experts will be present at in person gatherings. An example of subject matter experts include:

  • Dr. Sharon Hoover, Co-Director, National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH), University of Maryland - implementation of comprehensive school mental health systems. 

  • Project Evident - evidence-based budgeting. 

  • Dr. Jessica Swanson, Fmr. Edunomics and DC Public Schools Deputy CFO - district budgeting and accessing federal funding.

Application Process

Districts should complete an application outlining their current efforts and challenges in mental and behavioral health, how they meet the eligibility criteria, and their goals for participating in the community of practice. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the RFP Submission Portal. For additional details and frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the program, please visit our FAQ page.

Final Selection and Notification

Each participating respondent will be notified of the selection/approval or denial of their submission by June 1, 2024. This will be the final decision for qualification under the RFP. There will be no interview. Opportunity Labs reserves the right to reject any portions of or all proposals without giving reason for the rejection.

Deadline for Submission

Proposals must be submitted by Friday, May 10 at 5:00 ET

Disclaimer: Any information contained in this Request for Proposals or subsequently provided by Opportunity Labs Foundation, Inc. (“Opportunity Labs”)  or its employees or advisors during the course of this project does not and is not intended to constitute, and should not be interpreted as, policy, accounting, legal, medical, tax, or other advice or recommendation on any specific course of action. Further, any reference to specific products or organizations are solely for illustration and do not constitute any endorsement or recommendation by Opportunity Labs.