The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of an Adult Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team and a Treatment Apartment Program (TAP) in New York City. The initiative aims to address the mental health and housing needs of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) who are involved in the criminal justice system. The selected applicant will be responsible for establishing one FACT team with a capacity of 68 individuals and developing a TAP with 30 dedicated units for FACT clients.

The FACT team will serve adults aged 18 and older with SMI who are involved in the criminal justice system, pending release from incarceration, or under community supervision such as probation or parole. These individuals may have co-occurring substance use or physical health disorders and are often high users of emergency and crisis services. The TAP units will be available to individuals who meet FACT eligibility criteria and are either homeless, in temporary shelters, or being discharged from psychiatric hospitals or state-operated residential programs.

Eligible applicants must be nonprofit agencies with 501(c)(3) status and experience in providing mental health services such as ACT, Mental Health Outpatient Treatment, and other rehabilitative services for individuals with SMI and criminal justice involvement. Additionally, applicants must have a continuum of housing that includes a Treatment Apartment Program. All applicants must be prequalified through the Statewide Financial System (SFS) before submission.

Proposals must be submitted online through SFS, and applicants must adhere to specific submission guidelines. The application timeline includes a release date of March 13, 2025, a question submission deadline of April 3, 2025, responses to questions posted by April 24, 2025, and the final proposal submission deadline on May 8, 2025, at 2:00 PM EST. Award notifications are expected by June 17, 2025, with an anticipated contract start date of January 1, 2026. The contract will have a five-year term.

The evaluation process will consist of a technical review and financial assessment, with proposals rated on a 100-point scale. Key evaluation criteria include the applicant's experience, program design, implementation strategy, quality improvement measures, and financial sustainability. Proposals that do not meet the minimum score of 70 points will be disqualified. The highest-scoring applicant will receive the award, and in the event of a tie, the applicant with the highest implementation score will be prioritized.

Awardees will receive funding through Medicaid and net deficit funding. A one-time start-up allocation of $100,000 and a transition/ramp-up fund of $350,000 will be provided. The ongoing net deficit funding for the FACT team is $741,157, with additional service dollars of $39,787. TAP funding will be supported by a combination of SSI and Medicaid, with Program Development Grant (PDG) funds available at an estimated rate of $9,667 per bed.

Selected applicants must comply with all state regulations, including licensing requirements for FACT and TAP programs. Compliance with Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements is expected. Additionally, awardees must submit required data and reports to OMH and participate in quality assurance and program evaluation activities.