Parent Peer Professional Led Workforce Development

Maximum points available for this section: 25

Describe how the program requirements will be met.

• Address the needs of the population(s) of focus.
• Identify and target areas of focus across the state to provide mental health and substance use information to through parent peer professionals to strengthen and support families.
• Recruit, train, and ensure appropriate fit of peer professionals to deliver workshops and trainings within their local communities and systems of care.
• Ensure workshops and trainings are delivered statewide, reaching all types of communities including rural and urban parts of the state.
• Identify relevant topics and create workshop and training content that covers the following topics as well as others identified:
  • Emotional well-being
  • Parenting skills
  • Mental health and substance use
  • Education and employment
  • Connecting to services/resources
    • Identify and secure workforce development opportunities within Tribal nations, counties, community organizations, provider organizations, schools, etc., and secure and compensate local parent peer professional trainers to facilitate the workshop/training.
• Identify and secure workforce development opportunities within Tribal nations, counties, community organizations, provider organizations, schools, etc., and secure and compensate local parent peer professional trainers to facilitate the workshop/training.

Describe how the program will address and integrate all the following activities in one operational program.

• Identify and secure workshop and training opportunities to be delivered by parent peer professionals in their communities.
  • Process to contract with and/or compensate parent peer professional workshop/training facilitators across the state.
  • Train the trainer process to develop parent peer professionals’ knowledge and skills related to training and workshop facilitation.
• Provide workforce development opportunities to Tribal nations, counties, community-based providers, and other youth and family serving system agencies that promote the value of parent peer professionals within child and family serving systems and programs.
• Establish a statewide consultation body operated by parent peer professionals that offers consultation to families, Tribal nations, counties, community-based providers, and other youth and family serving systems and agencies.
• Expand the parent peer professional workforce in under-resourced areas of the state by coordinating with the Wisconsin Hub for Peer Professionals to host two-to-three certification trainings annually in targeted geographical areas.

Maximum points available for this section: 10

The capacity to do the work and meet the program requirements is different from the experience doing the work.

Describe capacity to implement the program design.

• New or existing staff positions, including professional licenses or peer professional certifications, that will work under this grant and the anticipated number of hours each position will work per week specific to this grant.
• Recruitment process and the anticipated timeline to hire new positions.
• Continuation of the program in the event of staff turnover.
• Resources or partnerships and their role in ensuring program success.

If subcontractor(s) will be used to perform activities to achieve program goals, describe:

• The extent of the relationship.
• How the subcontractor(s) capacity relates to the overall ability to implement this program.
• Roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the subcontractor(s).
• Experience managing and monitoring subcontractor(s).

Maximum points available for this section: 15

Describe your agency's sustainability plans when the contract term ends. Include how you will ensure services and supports continue long term. Specifically describe:

• How your agency will provide education and support related to entrepreneurialism to assist trainers to secure and provide trainings as independent contractors post grant funding to ensure continued parent peer professional led workforce development efforts.
• Efforts to integrate parent peer professionals in all aspects of youth and family serving systems of care in roles beyond service provision.

Maximum points available for this section: 15

Describe experience and/or knowledge similar to this program.

• Providing services, conducting activities, and/or fulfilling requirements.
  • Specify your agency's experience in providing services or working with parent peer professionals to carry out goals similar to those of this funding opportunity.
  • Specify your agency's experience working with children and families.
• Building relationships with and/or working with the population(s) of focus or similar population(s).
• Collecting and using data or other information to determine if efforts had an impact.
• Hiring and supervising staff with specialized knowledge, training or credentials.

If your agency will be using subcontractor(s) to perform activities to achieve program goals, describe their experience with, and/or knowledge similar to, this program:

• Providing services, conducting activities, and/or fulfilling requirements.
  • Specify their experience in providing services or working with parent peer professionals to carry out goals similar to those of this funding opportunity.
  • Specify their experience working with children and families.
• Building relationships with and/or working with the population(s) of focus or similar population(s).
• Collecting and using data or other information to determine if efforts had an impact.
• Hiring and supervising staff with specialized knowledge, training or credentials.

Describe the relevant training and professional development staff and/or subcontracted staff will receive over the anticipated total funding period.

Maximum points available for this section: 25

For each priority, describe the:

• Objectives: Measurable and time-bound efforts to achieve the priority.
• Activities: Specific steps you will take to meet the objectives.
• Timelines: When you anticipate starting and finishing each activity.
• Measurable impact: Describe how you will measure or demonstrate a desirable outcome is being achieved for the priority (for example, data source(s) or measurements that will be used, surveys of clientele, etc.).

Applicants must develop a plan that aligns with the priorities outlined in this section. The priorities represent key outcomes that Parent Peer Professional Led Workforce Development will work toward during the five-year grant period.

Priority one

Maximum points available for priority one: 5

Co-create workshops and trainings with parent peer professionals for youth, parents/caregivers, families, and youth and family serving providers based on local knowledge or skill gaps in the children’s system of care across the state. This includes providing support to parent peer professionals to develop and maintain training delivery skills through a train the trainer process.

Workshops and training include topics related to emotional well-being, parenting skills, mental health and substance use, education and employment, and connecting to services/resources. This also includes working with youth, families and local providers to identify gaps and training topics.

Priority two

Maximum points available for priority two: 5

Create and secure opportunities through networking, promotion, and marketing for parent peer professionals to deliver the co-created workshops and trainings in local communities across the state.

Priority three

Maximum points available for priority three: 5

Create and sustain workforce development opportunities with Tribal nations, counties, and other community-based agencies to promote the value of parent peer professionals.

Priority four

Maximum points available for priority four: 5

Establish a statewide parent peer professional consultation body available to provide consultation to Tribal nations, counties, and other community-based agencies on topics such as policy or program development, teaming, engagement, workforce development, etc.

Priority five

Maximum points available for priority five: 5

Expand the Certified Parent Peer Specialist (CPPS) workforce in under-resourced areas of the state by coordinating with the Wisconsin Hub for Peer Professionals to host two-to-three CPPS certification trainings annually in targeted geographical areas.

Maximum points available for this section: 10

The following documents must be submitted with the narrative response. These documents do not count toward the narrative response page limit.

• IRS Form W-9.
• Line-Item Budget (Form F-01601-C) outlining the costs for the first year.
• Letters of commitment (required from each project partner with an active role in the program). Do not include letters of support; they will not be considered.
• Organizational chart(s) that show where the program will be positioned within the organizational structure. Include what position(s) will have oversight of the program.
• Position description for each position directly involved with this program.

Question 1: May the lead applicant use regional nonprofit subcontractors to host workshops and certified parent peer specialist trainings, recruit participants, support local employer connections, and contribute approved family-recovery content?

Answer 1: The applicant must meet the eligibility criteria and is allowed to use subcontractors to perform activities to achieve program goals.

Question 2: What minimum experience and capacity documentation must a regional subcontractor provide separately from the statewide lead applicant?

Answer 2: Letters of commitment are required from each project partner with an active role in the program. Letters of commitment must be on the partner agency’s letterhead and signed by the partner agency. Letters should describe the support the project partner has agreed to provide.

Question 3: Must each proposed subcontractor submit a signed letter of commitment, organizational chart, and position descriptions with the application, and are draft scopes of work also requested?

Answer 3: The applicant must submit documentation required under section 6. Each project partner with an active role in the program must provide a letter of commitment to be included in the application. Letters of commitment must be on the partner agency’s letterhead and signed by the partner agency. Letters should describe the support the project partner has agreed to provide.

Question 4: May grant funds compensate parent peer professionals and other people with lived experience for curriculum development, training, consultation-body participation, travel, and workshop delivery?

Answer 4: Yes, as long as compensation practices are consistent with state, federal and funding requirements and regulations.

Question 5: Are venue, accessibility, technology, participant-support, and regional travel expenses allowable when directly tied to required workshops and certification training?

Answer 5: All expenses under this funding opportunity must align with allowable costs under the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant.

Question 6: May a faith-based nonprofit participate as a regional subcontractor when grant-funded services are available without required religious participation and restricted religious activities are separately funded and voluntary?

Answer 6: Faith-based organizations can be subcontractors as long as they meet federal, state and program requirements.

Question 7: Does DHS have a recommended process for regional organizations seeking connection with prospective statewide lead applicants before the application deadline?

Answer 7: DHS does not provide guidance in this area. Applicant information is only made available through the open records request process.

Question 8: Can this funding be used to train a parent peer and train them to be a trainer?

Answer 8: Certified parent peer specialist certification training and certified parent peer specialist certification train-the-trainer trainings must be coordinated through the Wisconsin Hub for Peer Professionals. The funding opportunity requires the grantee to work with the Wisconsin Hub for Peer Professionals to host two-to-three CPPS certification trainings annually in targeted geographical areas. 

Training CPPS as trainers of topics identified as knowledge and skills gaps amongst child and family serving systems is in alignment with goals outlined in the funding opportunity:

• Collaborate with youth and families to identify local knowledge and skills gaps in child and family serving systems of care across the state.
• Create trainings and workshops with parent peer professionals to be delivered by parent peer professionals in their local communities based on local needs.

Question 9: Could this be used as an offering to the parent’s that are clients to become parent peers?

Answer 9: See Question 8.

Question 10: I own a small business very well experienced in peering with parents and youth. Seeking resources to maintain a good quality of life for our future generations of parents and youth. My question is would the grant be able to support my agency growth, I’m seeking funding for parenting transiting back into the community employment training transportation office visit or home visit tutoring preparation for high school equivalency diploma or GED. My agency plan to assist 25 to 50 applicants so I’m wondering if my agency will be eligible for this grant.

Answer 10: Refer to the purpose of the funding and priorities outlined in the funding opportunity. Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the funding opportunity.

Question 11: Direct and indirect costs: Does this funding opportunity allow both direct program costs and indirect/administrative costs? If so, is there a maximum allowable indirect rate or percentage? May an organization use a federally negotiated indirect cost rate, the federal de minimis rate when applicable, or an established organizational cost allocation methodology?

Answer 11: Allowable costs are dictated by Community Mental Health Services Block Grant guidance, the purpose of the funding opportunity and the contract, including the approved workplan and budget.

Question 12: Staffing and allocation of existing positions: May existing organizational staff be partially allocated to this award when their responsibilities directly support implementation of the funded program, rather than creating entirely new grant-funded positions? If so, are there any limitations on the percentage of staff time that may be charged to the award?

Answer 12: Staff time may be allocated at any percentage of their time commensurate with federal guidelines and the approved workplan and budget.

Question 13: The RFA anticipates contracting with and/or compensating parent peer professionals to facilitate workshops, trainings, and other program activities. Are there any limitations on the amount or proportion of the award that may be used for compensation of parent peer professionals serving as trainers, facilitators, consultants, or subject matter experts?

Answer 13: No

Question 14: May members of the statewide parent peer professional consultation body be compensated for their time and lived-experience expertise? If so, may compensation include stipends, contracted payments, mileage reimbursement, childcare, or other participation supports necessary to reduce barriers to meaningful involvement?

Answer 14: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opportunity, be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget, and Wis. Stat. § 15.04(1)(c) as applicable.

Question 15: The RFA allows applicants to incorporate subcontractors into the program design. Are both contractual relationships and subawards allowable under this funding opportunity? Are there any limits on the percentage of the award that may be subcontracted or any DHS approval requirements applicants should consider when developing the initial budget?

Answer 15: Subcontracting is allowed and there are no percentage limitations. Subcontractor information must be provided in the relevant sections of the application.

Question 16: Because the funding opportunity calls for statewide reach, is the selected grantee expected to directly implement activities in all areas of Wisconsin, or may the grantee use a coordinated network of regional partners, parent peer professionals, Tribal nations, counties, and community-based organizations to achieve statewide coverage?

Answer 16: The awardee is responsible for all aspects of the contract and may use partnerships/subcontracts to achieve stated goals and objectives. Partnerships may be established through letters of support.

Question 17: The RFA asks applicants to describe relevant training and professional development staff and/or subcontracted staff will receive during the funding period. May grant funds support continuing education, certification renewal, continuing education credits, conferences, train-the-trainer opportunities, and other professional development when directly connected to successful implementation of the funded program?

Answer 17: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 18: Are travel costs allowable when necessary to carry out grant activities, including statewide training delivery, outreach, partnership development, consultation, certification activities, and professional development? If so, are both in-state and out-of-state travel allowable and are there specific reimbursement limits or prior approval requirements?

Answer 18: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 19: May grant funds be used to reduce transportation or participation barriers for youth, parents, caregivers, and families participating in grant-supported activities? For example, would mileage reimbursement, gas cards, public transportation, rideshare costs, childcare, meals, or similar supports be allowable when necessary for participation?

Answer 19: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 20: The RFA identifies networking, promotion, and marketing as part of creating opportunities for parent peer professionals to deliver workshops and trainings. Are associated expenses such as community tabling, outreach events, printing, promotional materials, digital outreach, advertising, and community engagement activities allowable?

Answer 20: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 21: Would reasonable costs associated with family engagement or community-based learning activities be allowable when directly connected to the objectives of the program? For example, could grant funds support admission, passes, or family memberships to community resources such as museums, zoos, botanical gardens, recreational facilities, or similar organizations when incorporated into a defined family engagement, skill-building, wellness, or resource-connection activity?

Answer 21: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 22: May the award support technology or infrastructure needed to administer a statewide program, such as computers, software, virtual meeting platforms, data collection systems, communications tools, website development, or other technology directly supporting coordination, training, outreach, consultation, or grant reporting?

Answer 22: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 23: Are costs associated with developing and delivering workshops allowable, including curriculum development, printing, supplies, training materials, participant workbooks, educational resources, interpretation/translation, accessibility accommodations, food or refreshments, and facility rental when needed?

Answer 23: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 24: May reasonable incentives be provided to youth, parents/caregivers, families, or parent peer professionals for participation in surveys, focus groups, needs assessments, co-creation activities, or other structured engagement activities? If allowable, are there limits on the type or value of incentives?

Answer 24: Expenditures must comply with federal guidance on allowable costs for Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding, align with the purpose of the funding opporunity, and be commensurate with the approved workplan and budget.

Question 25: For the required coordination with the Wisconsin Hub for Peer Professionals to host two-to-three certified parent peer specialists certification trainings annually in targeted geographic areas, should applicants anticipate budgeting for costs associated with those trainings, or will any portion of the certification training costs be supported separately through DHS or the Wisconsin Hub for Peer Professionals?

Answer 25: The costs associated with the certification training should be included in the budget.

Question 26: The application requires letters of commitment from each project partner with an active role in the program. For a five-year statewide initiative where additional regional partners are expected to be identified and engaged throughout implementation, should letters of commitment be limited to partners with a defined role at the time of application, with additional partnerships developed after award?

Answer 26: Yes

Question 27: The application requires a line-item budget for the first year, while the anticipated funding period extends for five years subject to annual renewal. Should applicants anticipate generally maintaining the year one budget structure throughout the award, or will annual budgets and modifications be developed based on implementation experience, regional needs, and evolving program activities?

Answer 27: Contracts are developed annually.

Question 28: Allowable cost guidance: Beyond the requirements contained within the RFA, is there an allowable/unallowable cost guidance document or other fiscal guidance applicants should use when developing the year one line-item budget? Are there particular categories of expenditures that require DHS prior approval?

Answer 28: Allowable cost guidance can be found at SAMHSA budget guidance (PDF).