Title
Vote to approve the sole source exemption for Allies4Outcomes for the capacity building project in the child welfare program using funds from Vaya Health and have the County Manager negotiate the contract
Abstract
Introduction & Background: The Department of Social Services has met with Allies4Outcomes to develop a customized solution to support and strengthen the child welfare workforce. This contract will be paid for with Vaya Health Foster Care Reinvestment Funding. These funds are flexible and Vaya Health has approved that funds can be utilized for this contract.
Discussion & Analysis: Allies4Outcomes is a capacity building organization that works with child welfare agencies, specifically providing workforce training and coaching that is tailored to the specific requests of the Department of Social Services.
While there are other known organizations that provide child welfare consulting, their focus is different than what is currently needed. One organization, CCR, has consultants who have NC specific child welfare experience, and their areas of focus are program design, program management and evaluation, communication and business development, policy and advocacy, strategic and business plans, people planning (i.e., recruitment and hiring), and grant/proposal writing. Public Knowledge, another organization, works directly with NC DHHS to do system level work including project management for implementing state level initiatives (e.g. NC child welfare practice model) and Joint Planning (an annual stakeholder meeting required be the federal Children’s Bureau).
How does this relate to the Comprehensive Plan: NA
Budgetary Impact: None
Recommendation/Motion: Motion to approve a sole source contract with Allies4Outcomes.