Facility Standards and Operational Requirements Maintain administrative office space accessible to eligible Youth that is capable of ensuring a consistent array of Statewide Youth Peer Support Statewide Network (YPSSN) services for Youth. Provide office hours, at minimum, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., excluding State holidays and administrative closings. Maintain one (1) location per Region accessible to eligible Youth. Provide a venue(s) in each Region for Peer Support Activities occurring outside of the Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. operating hours. Ensure YPSSN services are provided in geographic populations where services to Youth are needed. Ensure one-on-on (1:1) Youth Peer Support is provided Statewide, including in most remote areas of the State. Ensure underserved, minority populations, such as individuals involved with Department of Corrections, Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex and Allied individuals (LGBTQIA), and/or Tribal populations, have access to YPSSN services. Ensure staff providing YPSSN supports and activities are located in the specific communities being served. Obtain and maintain insurance as outlined in the State of Maine IT-Service Contract, under Rider B-IT, 19. Insurance Requirements. Youth Eligibility, Intake, and Service Level Policies and Procedures Develop and implement, within thirty (30) calendar days of the start of the initial period of performance, Department-approved policies and procedures to determine Youth eligibility to participate, including but not limited to Youth who: Are between the ages of fourteen (14) and twenty-six (26); Self-identify as having a Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and/or Serious Mental Illness (SMI); and Do not have health insurance; or Do not have health insurance that covers YPSSN services. Develop and implement, within thirty (30) calendar days of the start of the initial period of performance, Department approved policies and procedures for intake including: Ensuring Youth receive initial contact within five (5) business days of the referral from Youth or community providers. Ensure one-on-one Youth who are not reached at initial contact attempt, receive one (1) contact attempt each week for four (4) weeks. If no contact is made after four (4) weeks, the referral shall be closed. Appropriate intake forms and tracking tools, including but not limited to: Referral form/face sheet; Referral tracking; Unique client tracking; Service agreement (agreement between the Youth and YPSSN); Plan for individualized documentation of services for each Youth contact; Rights of recipients summary and acknowledgement; Notice of privacy practices; Consent to participate; Notification of complaint and grievance procedure; Confidentiality statement; Release of information, as appropriate; and Process for Statewide and Regional Peer Youth Advisory Boards. Develop and implement, within thirty (30) calendar days of the start of the initial period of performance, Department-approved policies and procedures to determine each participating Youth’s level of service, including but not limited to: How service levels are to be determined and individualized; and Connecting Youth to YPSSN services within ten (10) calendar days of the request.
