RFP 1175 Dialectical Behavior Therapy - Consultation and Training

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has released this request for proposals (RFP) to solicit competitive applications for the provision of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This will primarily be accomplished through consultation and training services provided to staff in the Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) secure, limited secure, and non-secure facilities, Community Multi-Services Offices (CMSOs), and OCFS Home Office.

DJJOY is currently providing DBT training and consultation to staff in the OCFS-operated facilities and is looking to continue those services via this competitive procurement to: (1) maintain DBT treatment in a manner that is customized and adapted for each of our facilities; and (2) provide training for state staff within each of our secure, limited-secure, and non-secure facilities, CMSOs, and the OCFS home office.

OCFS is responsible for the safety, well-being, treatment, and rehabilitation of the youth in our care who reside in the DJJOY facilities or receive services at regional CMSOs throughout New York State (see Attachment 3 – DJJOY Facilities and Regional CMSOs Maps). Many youths involved in the juvenile justice system have personal histories characterized by trauma, abuse, chaotic home environments, and/or chronic mental illness. These variables contribute to emotional vulnerability and are often exacerbated by exposure to “invalidating environments,” where there is an absence of empathy, respect, and/or attention. OCFS seeks to foster a therapeutic environment where both our staff and youth can thrive, benefit, and work toward the youth making positive choices when they are reintroduced into communities. To this end, OCFS wishes to provide ongoing DBT consultation and training adapted to our juvenile justice facilities. An adaptation of DBT (and its focus on mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and validation strategies) serves to address many of the mental health needs of the youth in New York State juvenile justice facilities.

DBT is an integral part of the New York Model (NYM). The NYM is the behavioral treatment program that is used by OCFS to serve the needs of youth placed in its custody. The NYM is utilized throughout a youth’s placement, from their facility stay through their reintroduction to the community through our CMSOs. DBT is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on the role of cognition (i.e., thoughts and beliefs) as it relates to behaviors (i.e., actions). DBT proposes that all behaviors serve a specific function and are a product of a person’s learning/history. The philosophy and theory underlying DBT maintain that self-destructive behaviors are learned as coping strategies to deal with strong, negative emotions. DBT works well with both adults and youth who have multiple diagnoses that are severe, chronic, and considered difficult to treat. While traditional cognitive behavioral therapy focuses only on change strategies, DBT treatment balances change strategies with acceptance to acknowledge the severe distress some clients experience. For DBT to be effective, there must be a structured environment that assists youth with investing and participating in treatment. Contingency management, or systematic use of reinforcement, is a treatment tool used to reward or (less often) punish certain behaviors. Contingency management can only be effective when staff and families understand what is reinforcing the problem behavior and suppressing adaptive behavior. Staff use this structure to (1) ensure that all events immediately following a positive behavior appropriately reinforce that behavior and (2) that staff do not unconsciously reinforce unwanted behaviors or suppress positive behaviors.

Please refer to the RFP document on the "Documents" tab for additional information and submission requirements.