OCA-DGCP-044 NYS Multi-Site Mental Health Screening and Assessment Tool

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The mission of the UCS is to deliver equal justice under the law and to achieve the just, fair and timely resolution of all matters that come before our courts. In the service of our mission, the UCS is committed to operating with integrity and transparency, and to ensuring that all who enter or serve in our courts are treated with respect, dignity, and professionalism. We affirm our responsibility to promote a court system free from any and all forms of bias and discrimination and to promote a judiciary and workforce that reflect the rich diversity of New York State. More information about the UCS is available at https://www.nycourts.gov.

UCS currently operates forty (40) Mental Health Courts (MHCs) in twenty-eight (28) counties in New York State, with an anticipated expansion of sites in 2025. MHCs are designed to link justice-involved individuals living with a mental illness to the recommended treatment and community-based services, monitor the individual’s engagement in the services, and successfully divert individuals out of the criminal justice system. Utilizing a screening tool tailored to this specific population will not only enhance outcomes for mental health court participants but also inform data driven policy and practice, improve public safety, and enable the efficient allocation of resources.

The Project budget allocates the maximum available funding of $900,000 for the multi-year Contract Term to accomplish the Project Services and Deliverables required. Applicants will be required to submit four (4) budgets corresponding with each year of the Contract Term, as indicated in section VII Required Documents, d. Line-Item Budgets. Allocations subsequent to the first budget period are dependent upon fiscal year appropriations.

AWARD

Term of Award

A single contract (“Contract”) will be awarded to a single successful bidder (“Awarded Contractor”) for an Initial Term of thirty-six (36) months (“Initial Term”). The Contract is expected to commence on or about August 1, 2025 and terminate on or about July 31, 2028 (“Contract Term”). The initial budget period of the Contract will be for eight (8) months, from August 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026.

Any Contract resulting from this solicitation is subject to the approval of the NYS Attorney General and Office of the State Comptroller.

Method of Award

A single award will be made pursuant to this RFP. The selected awardee must: (1) meet the minimum qualifications outlined in Article IV below; (2) be a responsible bidder as determined in accordance with the criteria in Article XI (General Specifications); and (3) receive the highest composite (average technical + cost) score in excess of the minimum score as determined by the selection criteria set forth herein.

In the event of a tie composite score, the applicant with the higher cost score, i.e., lowest total cost, will prevail.

Proposals will be reviewed and rated by a team composed of qualified UCS staff, and will be scored as follows:

Detailed criteria are contained in the Evaluation Rating Tool attached as Exhibit 5 hereto. Cost submissions will be scored as follows:

The proposal with the lowest cost will be awarded maximum cost points (20); each higher cost proposal will be awarded points according to the following formula:

Lowest cost proposal ÷ Higher cost proposal × 20

For example: Assuming the lowest cost proposal is $100, and the next higher cost proposal is $125, the $100 cost proposal would be awarded 20 points and the $125 cost proposal 20 points based on the following computation:

100 ÷ 125 = (. 8) × 20 = 16

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Qualification 

Proposals will be considered only from applicants who have at least three (3) years of experience developing and implementing a validated comprehensive risk and needs screening tool and, furthermore performing services relevant to those described herein.

Mandatory Requirements

The screening tool developed under this RFP will be the sole property of the New York State Unified Court System (NYS UCS), which will retain all rights, title, and interest in the tool, including but not limited to any content and documentation. The awarded contractor will not retain any ownership or licensing rights to the UCS tool and may not reproduce, distribute, or otherwise use the tool for any other purpose without the express written consent of NYS UCS.

PROJECT SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES

UCS seeks proposals describing how the applicant will provide the services and deliverables listed below (collectively, “Project Services”). The Awarded Contractor shall be required to:

1. Review existing mental health screening and Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) tools validated for use with justice-involved adults. This includes the male and female felony and misdemeanor population, with varied race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic settings.

2. Develop (or adapt an existing that is customizable by UCS and complies with the licensing requirements of Exhibit 6 (Appendix B) a mental health screening and assessment tool for use in Mental Health Courts (MHCs), to identify and address the comprehensive needs of justice-involved adults living with mental illness. These needs may include trauma, postpartum conditions, risk of violence, history of exposure to violence, and co-occurring substance use disorders. The tool must include mental health screening with a Risk Needs Responsivity plus Risk of Violence (RNR/V) -based assessment and risk-responsive case management protocol, embedded into the daily practice of diverse MHCs an RNR/V assessment tool for statewide MHC implementation (digital and manual) to assess mental health conditions, criminogenic risks, and violence exposure among justice-involved individuals living with mental illness. The tool will integrate structured assessments based on DSM-5 criteria and criminogenic risk models, ensuring accurate identification of behavioral health needs. The tool will include static and dynamic factors including criminal history, mental health symptomology, criminogenic factors, and exposure to trauma and violence. The final product will be known as the New York State Mental Health Screening and Assessment Tool (M-SAT).

3. Implement statewide virtual information sessions for all operational MHCs to provide an overview of the RNR model and introduce the M-SAT. These sessions will also outline the process of integrating the M-SAT into the operations of the MHCs, beginning with a pilot in a selected group of MHCs across New York State. Once informed, MHCs will have the opportunity to volunteer to participate in this pilot project.

4. Select pilot sites from volunteer courts in collaboration with the Office for Justice Initiatives, with the number of sites to be determined based upon sample size requirements needed to obtain representative data. A minimum of six MHC pilot sites will be included.

5. Adapt M-SAT to be compatible for integration into the existing data collection system used by NYS MHCs, the Universal Case Management System, Treatment Services Module (UCMS-TSM). This includes integrating the M-SAT with the NYS Problem Solving Screener in UCMS–TSM and collaborating with OCA’s Division of Technology and Court Research (DoTCR) programmers to incorporate the M-SAT into the UCMS-TSM. Once these steps are complete, OCA DoTCR will integrate the M-SAT into the pilot MHC sites UCMS-TSM platform. The technical design, user interface adaptation, development, and implementation of the M-SAT into the UCMS-TMS will be fully handled by OCA’s Division of Technology and Court Research; the awardee will provide the set of assessment questions, answers, and any logic requirements.

6. Develop and deliver in-depth training programs and written materials to support MHC practitioners in administering the tool and to pilot site MHC staff on the development, structure, and administration of the M-SAT, as follows:

a. Pre-training calls to each site to determine current court practice and to inform training needs.  

b. Deliver a one-day onsite training at each pilot site, focusing on the following components:

i. Overview of the RNR model, including its principles and application in the court context.

ii. A detailed review of the tool, including step-by-step instructions on its administration and best practices.

iii. Guidance on how to interpret the results of the tool, emphasized how the information informs risk assessment, decision-making, and case management planning. 

iv. Work with OCA staff to detail the operationalization of the M-SAT withing the UCMS-TSM, ensuring clear protocols for its integration into daily court practices.

c. Develop a training manual that includes instructions on administering the M-SAT and interpreting results as well as basic RNR principles.

7. Work collaboratively with each of the pilot MHCs to create a feasible, risk-based case management protocol informed by the M-SAT results.

a. Create Risk-Based Case Management Protocol Matrix based upon risk-need and local resources.

 i. Risk – differentiate the supervision and case management intensity for the MHC based on criminogenic risk factors.

ii. Need - identify local resources available for each identified need and modify as needed throughout the pilot.

8. Conduct a pilot test of the M-SAT and the risk-based case management protocol to evaluate their effectiveness and inform broader implementation.  

9. Provide ongoing technical assistance to pilot MHCs during M-SAT implementation to address challenges and questions about the tool and case management protocols.

10. Conduct process evaluation activities in the pilot MHCs to assess functionality and effectiveness, as described below:

a. Conduct quarterly surveys of each pilot MHC site to monitor the use of the M-SAT.

b. Use survey results to identify site specific technical assistance needs and inform modifications.

c. Hold two virtual meetings with each pilot MHC site throughout the course of the project to address concerns and to monitor fidelity to project protocols.

11. Validate and re-norm the M-SAT for use in the NYS MHC population, as described below:

a. Collect and analyze data from pilot sites to assess reliability and predictive validity within the MHC population.

b. Use findings to inform tool refinement and re-norming as needed.

12. Collaborate with the OCA Office for Justice Initiatives, Problem-Solving Justice Division, to support the operationalization and integration of the M-SAT assessment tool across all NYS MHCs.

13. Provide appropriate supervision and oversight of any contractor staff or subcontractors  included on this project. 

14. Submit a comprehensive report detailing the development process, validation outcomes, and implementation recommendations.

RFP Issue Date May 13, 2025

Deadline to Submit Written Questions June 27, 2025 at 2:00PM EDT

Deadline to Submit Proposal July 11, 2025 at 2:00PM EDT

Estimated Contract Start Date August 1, 2025

The UCS looks forward to your response.