TIME SENSITIVE: RFP #20-011 - Addressing the Latinx COVID-19 Spike in Sonoma County
Sonoma County, California sent this bulletin at 07/15/2020 01:31 PM PDT
Sent on behalf of the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services (DHS), Division of Public Health. DHS announces a Request for Proposal for a Holistic Community Outreach, Engagement and Wrap-Around Service Program to address the Latinx COVID-19 Spike in Sonoma County.
Deadline for proposal: July 20, 2020, 2pm.
Communities of color have disproportionately shouldered the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and in Sonoma County. In Sonoma County, Latinx and indigenous workers make up the majority of essential personnel, and are more likely to live in expensive, unstable, and insufficient housing due to long-standing exclusionary practices at all levels of governmental and financial institutions. This has left a significant percentage of our community at higher risk of infection and transmission. At its peak so far, the Latinx spike in positive cases represented almost 80% of all cases, and 98% of cases in the 0-17 population. Together, our economy, our policy choices and existing systems result in the current situation: this community cannot shelter in place; they continue to work, sometimes in dangerous conditions, and at higher risk than those privileged to telecommute; and the path to access supportive resources to quarantine and isolate is difficult to navigate, bureaucratic, and unnecessarily complex.
In May 2020, recognizing the ways in which such recent trauma and increased inequity would result in this disparate impact, the Department of Health Services (Department) established the Latinx Health Work Group in an effort to bring an equity lens to its emergency response. By bringing together and elevating the voices of community leaders and service providers to provide recommendations and strategies for improving the Department’s efforts, the Department facilitates the Work Group to bring community voices to the forefront in program design. By combining development and implementation of targeted strategies, strategic and focused resource allocation, and culturally-responsive service provision, the proposed project addresses the underlying inequities and creates the conditions to support the reduction of COVID-19 infection and transmission in the Latinx and indigenous language-speaking communities. The proposed project recognizes that many effective service providers exist throughout our County, and calls for a collaborative and coordinated approach. The proposed project also recognizes the County’s role to institutionalize its connection to these service providers with financial support and clear referral protocol.
The Work Group identified a number of focus areas for its work with DHS. These areas include the development of culturally responsive engagement, outreach and education, as well as wrap around case management services. The Work Group’s efforts revealed an immediate need for community engagement, educational materials, and outreach efforts specifically designed to meet the needs of Latinx and indigenous language speaking workers and families, as well as employers of these community members. These strategies address prevention as well as isolation support to ensure that those who are awaiting COVID-19 results or after receiving a positive COVID-19 diagnosis receive the resources and services needed to comply with the order. The goal here is to present to Latinx and indigenous language-speaking residents an integrated system of social service and other resources, to support and recognize their important role in our community, and to create a stronger, healthier, and more unified Sonoma County.
Interested proposers may submit questions to the county by July 15, 2pm, to which the county will reply by July 17. Final proposals are due July 20, 2pm. After a period of review, the county will issue notice of intent to award on July 23, 2020.
The successful proposer(s) must be able to demonstrate: 1) experience providing culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate services; 2) capacity for service delivery across all regions of Sonoma County; 3) experience collaborating with other community based organization; 4) successful equity process design and delivery experience, and 5) experience and demonstrated capacity to serve the Latinx and indigenous language-speaking individuals and families who are most vulnerable to the consequences of COVID-19.