Community Crisis Home (CCH)

SERVICE DESCRIPTION: 

Westside Regional Center is seeking a provider(s) to develop one (1) Community Crisis Homes. A Community Crisis Home is a new service model approved in the State of California Budget Act of 2014, through Trailer Bill Language SB 856. The statute and regulations pertaining to a CCH are enumerated in the Welfare and Institutions Code, starting in section 4698 and in Title 17 emergency regulations, starting with Section 59000.

A Children’s Community Crisis Home is an residential facility certified by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and licensed by the Department of Social Services (DSS) that provides 24-hour nonmedical care to individuals with developmental disabilities receiving regional center services and in need of crisis intervention services, who would otherwise be at risk of admission to a more restrictive setting. A Community Crisis Home is eligible for, and must meet all the requirements for, vendorization as a residential facility by a regional center.

Crisis services are needed in Southern California to support individuals with possible forensic involvement and mental health diagnosis. These individuals will require evidence based, therapeutic intervention and services to help stabilize the person pursuant to transition to a less restrictive living arrangement. Services including assessment and intervention, should be provided directly by licensed or certified, experienced clinician consultants or by DSP staff highly trained in implementation of the specified support plan. Individuals may exhibit institutional behaviors and severe behavioral challenges which may include all or some of the following: active and/or history of inappropriate sexual behavior, verbal aggression, physical aggression, property destruction, self-abuse, substance abuse and high risk of elopement. Individuals require a highly structured setting that supports them in learning emotional self-regulation and effective, pro-social interpersonal skills. These homes will serve as an alternative to Institution for Mental Disease (IMD) facilities, Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers (MHRC), out of state facilities and developmental centers. Each resident will have their own bedroom.

The home will provide services to adolescents with significant behavioral challenges, severe self-care deficits, risk of elopement, and/or SIB with possible dual-diagnosed with mental health diagnosis or substance abuse issues, may currently or historically face forensic complications, and will primarily be transitioning to community placement from a developmental center, institute for mental disease, or acute crisis facility. Each resident of the home will have an individual behavior supports plan documenting the individual’s behavioral needs and the supports and services to be provided to address those needs. The provider is required by law to have a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or qualified behavior modification professional on-staff or contract for monthly observation and treatment recommendations of the residents, at least four of which per year are to be unannounced. Residents will receive support from the regional center and the clients’ rights advocate.

The CCH must be developed to meet the new regulations issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding standards that must be met in order for home and community-based services (HCBS) to continue to receive federal funding beyond March 2019. The prospective provider must ensure that services developed as part of this project are provided in accordance with person-centered plans that focus on the achievement of goals the individual values. The CCH must provide a high degree of community integration.

The service provider will be required to obtain a license as a Children’s Residential Facility (CRF) from the California Department of Social Services’ Community Care Licensing division and will be answerable to all applicable statutes and regulations, including those currently under development upon their publishing.

The home will be owned and renovated by a Non-Profit Housing Organization (NPO) that will develop the property, under a separate grant process, to the specifications of this regional center. The successful applicant for this CPP grant will lease the property from the NPO. The start-up funds identified  in  this  RFP  are  solely for the use  of  the service  provider  for  activities integral  to  the establishment of the licensed home, e.g. licensing, household furnishings and supplies, and personnel recruitment, development, training, transition planning, meetings, travel related to consumer visits, etc.