DBH - Establishing Behavioral Health Workforce Development Academy

I. MISSION & GUIDING PRINCIPLESThe mission of the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is to provide statewide leadership of a high-quality mental health and addiction prevention, treatment and recovery system that is effective and valued by all Ohioans. DBH strives to be a national leader in implementing a comprehensive, accessible, and quality-focused system of addiction and mental health care and wellness for all Ohio citizens. II. PURPOSE The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to support the design, coordination, and delivery of the Behavioral Health Workforce Academy, an initiative that equips behavioral health organizations with the knowledge and tools to strengthen strategic planning, workforce development, financial sustainability and performance monitoring. The selected contractor will collaborate with the Department to deliver a high-quality learning experience that develops and enhances business acumen, promotes organizational sustainability, ethical practice, and measurable improvement across Ohio’s behavioral health system.III. BACKGROUNDOhio’s behavioral health system is navigating sustained demand, workforce shortages, evolving payment and regulatory environments, and rising expectations for measurable outcomes. The Academy will help Ohio’s behavioral health providers improve agency performance across client relations and administrative functions, strengthen engagement with employees and stakeholders, enhance staff experience by bolstering recruitment and retention, and achieve results so that Ohioans receive higher-quality behavioral health services across the continuum of care. The Academy will provide comprehensive assistance for developing and implementing integrated capability areas: strategic planning, workforce planning, sustainability and performance monitoring. Ethics and ethical practice will serve as cross-cutting themes that informs all aspects of the Academy. Participants will embed ethical leadership, privacy and data stewardship, and transparency into strategy, workforce policies, and performance practices.VI. SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLESApplicants should propose plans to design, develop, and deliver a cohort-based training series with a minimum of two cohorts started by October 1, 2026. The target audience for this series will be behavioral health professionals in upper management and supervisory roles. Individuals involved in agency human resources roles, financial management and leadership will be encouraged to apply. Participants will be selected in collaboration with DBH via an online application process. Training topics should include the three areas below:Strategic Planning and Sustainability: Organizational Direction Ethical Leadership and Governance: Developing leadership approaches that integrate clinical values and business acumen. Strategic Planning and Resource Alignment: Aligning financial, human, and operational resources to support long-term sustainability. Workforce Planning: People Development Strategic Recruitment and Retention Strategies: Developing competitive workforce strategies and leveraging partnerships with educational institutions and training pipelines. Professional Growth and Career Pathways: Creating internal structures that support skill development, advancement, and leadership cultivation. Supervision, Coaching and Engagement: Strengthening clinical and administrative supervision as a driver of retention and quality, and developing a collaborative and team-based workplace culture. Succession Planning and Pipeline Development: Building sustainable internal and external talent pipelines. Workforce Wellness and Resilience: Implementing organizational strategies to mitigate burnout and improve well-being and aligning wellness initiatives with productivity and performance goals. Performance Monitoring: Results and Accountability Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement: Linking program outcomes to organizational strategy. Data Analysis and Dashboards: Using dashboards metrics, and visualization tools to guide leadership decisions. Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management: Navigating legal, ethical, and accreditation requirements. Change Management and Adaptive Leadership: Leading organizations through policy shifts, funding changes, and workforce challenges. The selected vendor will be responsible for: Designing and delivering cohort-based training for behavioral health professionals in Ohio. Cohorts will be regionally based as defined by DBH (or cohorts will be established based on the focus area of interest identified in the application process (Strategic Planning and Sustainability, Workforce Strategy, and Performance Monitoring) Providing a mix of in-person and virtual instruction, including: Didactic sessions Case studies Peer learning groups Applied organizational projects Developing a cohort schedule and timeline, subject to approval by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). Demonstrating expertise in: Organizational leadership in behavioral health or human services Workforce development Performance management and quality improvement The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, the following logistical elements: Marketing and Registration Develop plan to market Workforce Academy statewide. Submit plan as part of proposal. All materials used in registration, recruitment and communication will be approved by DBH. Unless approved by DBH, awardee will not develop or distribute additional training materials or release communication regarding the academy using alternate language. Awardee will follow provided DBH branding guidelines. Maintain webpage dedicated to the deliverables of this RFP, including registration information, registration form, training calendar, etc. Training Delivery Generally: Applicants must detail their proposed training delivery plan for the course. Applicants may propose any combination of scheduled in-person sessions, live virtual instruction, and independent asynchronous learning, as long as the approach aligns with the Academy’s goals. However, proposals that rely solely on a single delivery method—such as fully in-person, entirely asynchronous, or exclusively scheduled virtual sessions—will not be considered. For In-Person Training: Conduct trainings at locations approved by DBH. Provide all necessary materials, supplies, and equipment (e.g., printed handouts, name tags, audiovisual needs). Maintain an engaging, interactive learning environment that adheres to professional development principles. Manage participant sign-in, evaluation collection, and attendance tracking. For Online/Virtual Training: Deliver live online trainings using options such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or another virtual training platform acceptable to DBH. Vendor will be required to host the sessions on their own platform with participants providing their own computer access. Utilizing engagement tools (e.g., breakout rooms, polls, chat, interactive whiteboards). Recording sessions and providing recordings and participant data to DBH. Other Responsibilities Include: Managing registration, participant access, and pre-session communications. Providing real-time technical support to participants and facilitators. Develop and administer processes to assess the overall impact of the course, including the extent of skill development achieved by each participant. This should include, at a minimum, a pre- and post-Academy knowledge check to measure learning gains, regardless of participants’ starting skill levels. Scheduling and Coordination Coordinate training dates and times with DBH to ensure minimal overlap with other events and permit reasonable DBH observation of training activities. Confirm all logistics (venue, trainer, tech setup) at least 2–3 weeks before each session. Provide a finalized training calendar and registration links at least 4 weeks in advance of the first session. Manage participant registration, confirmation emails, and reminders. Participant Support and Communication Serve as the primary point of contact for participant inquiries related to training logistics (e.g., registration, access, travel). Provide clear pre-training communications, including agenda, materials, and technology instructions. Offer technical assistance during virtual sessions and day-of support for in-person events. Resource Library and Materials Management Maintain a centralized online resource library where participants and agency staff can access materials, recordings, slide decks, handouts, and supplemental learning tools. The library must be: Secure and accessible to approved users. Organized by topic, date, or program area. Compatible with standard browsers and mobile devices. Provide administrative access to DBH for oversight and content management. Ensure that all uploaded content meets accessibility and copyright requirements. Continuing Education Continuing education (CE) applications will be completed for training opportunities when coursework allows. Determination of continuing education types will be jointly agreed upon by vendor and DBH. Selected vendor will be responsible for ensuring all requirements are met for awarding CEs. Data and Reporting Track attendance for each session and submit rosters to DBH. Collect participant evaluations and compile summary reports that include: Attendance numbers Participant feedback and satisfaction metrics Technical or logistical challenges encountered and resolutions Submit a final summary report after all cohorts are completed. Quality and Compliance Ensure all trainings meet industry standards for professional development and accessibility. Maintain confidentiality of participant information. Adhere to all applicable agency policies and state/federal requirements. VI. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTOR Eligible contractors include: Accredited Academic Institutions Workforce Development Organizations Nonprofit Organizations with Training Experience Professional Training and Consulting Firms Contractors should have demonstrated experience in: Behavioral health systems and workforce development Organization development or business operations in health/behavioral health Instructional design and learning strategies for working professionals Prior work or experience with the public behavioral health system is preferred.Contractor shall not be subject to an “unresolved” finding for recovery under Section 9.24 of Ohio Revised Code
PART FOUR: EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS Evaluation Process DBH's evaluation process of responses submitted to this request may consist of up to four distinct phases: DBH’s initial review of all proposals for timely submission; An evaluation committee review of the proposals for defects and scoring; DBH’s request for more information (clarifications, interviews, presentations, and/or demonstrations); and, Negotiations or best offer requests. At its sole discretion, DBH will determine whether phases three and/or four are necessary under this RFP, reserving for itself the ability to eliminate or add phases three or four at any time during the evaluation process. DBH may add or remove sub-phases to phases 2 through 4 at any time if DBH believes doing so will improve the evaluation process. Proposal Evaluation Criteria In the proposal evaluation phase, DBH staff or reviewers selected by DBH (the committee) will rate the proposals submitted in response to this RFP based on the following criteria and weight assigned to each criterion. Evaluation CriteriaWeightRating Extended ScoreAlignment with Academy vision and learning domains 20 Quality of proposed curriculum, learning goals and training delivery 20 Demonstrated experience in effective professional development training 20 Capacity to incorporate ethics and ethical practice into curriculum 15 Experience with the behavioral health field 15 Quality of proposal and demonstrated experience in professional development marketing, registration and course administration 10 Proposer submits a cost proposal that is complete, reasonable, and competitive 10 Total:
Project administration or planning
Items I1_1 | Required Item | Total Project Cost for FY26
Inquiries Inquiry 83071 | Is there a certain amount of years of experience designing learning that is required? | Answer: There is no minimum numbers of years required for the proposal, but we do want to see demonstrated success in building a learning model. | Answered: 3/2/2026 Inquiry 83943 | Can the State provide additional clarification on the target behavioral health workforce that will participate in the Academy? Specifically: • What professional roles are anticipated (e.g., licensed counselors, social workers, peer support specialists, community health workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, etc.)? • What credentialing or licensure levels should proposers assume when designing curriculum and training materials? | Answer: Can the State provide additional clarification on the target behavioral health workforce that will participate in the Academy? Specifically: • What professional roles are anticipated (e.g., licensed counselors, social workers, peer support specialists, community health workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, etc.)? • What credentialing or licensure levels should proposers assume when designing curriculum and training materials? | Answered: As stated in the RFP, “The target audience for this training series will be behavioral health professionals in upper management and supervisory roles. Individuals involved in agency human resources roles, financial management and leadership will be encouraged to apply.” This series of trainings is not targeting front line professionals.As stated in the RFP, “The target audience for this training series will be behavioral health professionals in upper management and supervisory roles. Individuals involved in agency human resources roles, financial management and leadership will be encouraged to apply.” This series of trainings is not targeting front line professionals. No specific licensure or credential is targeted for this training series; however, participants may be licensed professionals as listed above. Inquiry Can the State provide additional clarification on the target behavioral health workforce that will participate in the Academy? Specifically: • What professional roles are anticipated (e.g., licensed counselors, social workers, peer support specialists, community health workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, etc.)? • What credentialing or licensure levels should proposers assume when designing curriculum and training materials? Inquiry 83947 | Can the State provide additional guidance on the anticipated scale of training delivery (e.g., number of participants annually)?What is the expectation around the training delivery window. Cohorts start in October, will training continue to be offered ongoing and if so, for what duration/frequency? | Answer: The anticipated scale of training delivery will be determined jointly when a vendor is identified.As stated in the RFP, “Applicants should propose plans to design, develop, and deliver a cohort-based training series with a minimum of two cohorts started by October 1, 2026.” The length and frequency of the cohorts will be determined jointly when a vendor is identified. | Answered: 3/10/2026 Inquiry 84100 | Is there an anticipated balance between in-person and virtual learning components for the Academy cohorts, or should vendors propose the modality mix based on best practices for leadership development and peer learning? | Answer: This will be decided jointly with the vendor, but yes, for the proposal please include what mix of in-person/virtual you would recommend to be used in the trainings. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84103 | Does DBH intend for the Academy to align with an existing leadership competency framework for behavioral health administrators, or should the contractor propose a competency model to guide curriculum design and participant development? | Answer: Please propose a competency model to guide curriculum design. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84106 | Are there specific state strategic priorities, transformation initiatives, or workforce policy goals that the Academy curriculum should align with? | Answer: All state priorities are listed in Section IV - Scope of Work and Deliverables of the RFP. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84110 | What level of implementation is expected for the applied organizational projects (e.g., conceptual planning, pilot implementation, or full organizational change initiative)? | Answer: Projects are expected to focus primarily on conceptual planning and early-stage implementation related to an organizational challenge, rather than full organizational change initiatives. Vendors should structure project support in a way that is feasible for participants to complete within the timeframe of the training cohort. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84114 | What is the expected budget for this engagement? | Answer: Please submit what you believe is the cost of creating and implementing the learning resources necessary for successful completion of the Academy priority areas. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84118 | Part 3, Section II. A- Technical Response includes four required prompts (a-d). On pages 16-19 of the RFP (Appendix I - II) are required forms (i.e., Standard Affirmation and Disclosure Form and Contractor Information Form) with instructions that the forms must be completed and submitted with our response. Where should these two forms be included within our Technical Response (or within the Technical Questionnaire on the bid posting on OhioBuys), i.e., should they be included with our response to Part 3 Section II.A.a., b., c., or d.? RFP pp. 8-9, Part 3, Section II and RFP pp. 16-19 | Answer: Please include these two forms with your response to Part 3 Section II A.a. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84121 | Part 3, Section II. A- Technical Response includes four required prompts (a-d) that should each be included in our technical response. In the Technical Questionnaire on the bid posting on OhioBuys, each of these required prompts (a-d) are listed as individual prompts requiring individually uploaded responses. Can you confirm our response to each of these prompts (i.e., Transmittal Letter, Organizational Experience, Technical Approach, Personnel Qualifications) should be uploaded as separate, individual documents on the Technical Questionnaire? RFP pp. 8-9, Part 3, Section II | Answer: Please uploaded your respond to each of the prompts (i.e., Transmittal Letter, Organizational Experience, Technical Approach, Personnel Qualifications) as separate, individual documents on the Technical Questionnaire. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84124 | Part 2, Section V. discuss optional submission of supporting materials that demonstrate proposers' overall instructional approach and educational management capabilities. The optional submission of these materials is also reflected on the OhioBuys bid page as item #5 on the Technical Questionnaire. May respondents mark any optional resources submitted in response to this request as Confidential or Proprietary?RFP pp. 6-7, Part 2, Section V | Answer: All information submitted by the Proposer will be considered to be public information unless the proposer specifically demonstrates, in writing, which information it considers to be proprietary. “Proprietary information” is information which, if made public, would put the proposer at a disadvantage in the market place and trade in which the proposer is a part. Consequently, an assertion of “proprietary” information must be clearly identified and the basis of the assertion must be included. It is not adequate for the bidder to simply state that disclosure of the information will put it at a disadvantage in the market place. DBH will make the final decision as to whether information is “public” or “proprietary”. | Answered: 3/11/2026 Inquiry 84305 | RFP Page 4, Section IV: Scope and Deliverables, states the vendor will be responsible for marketing and registration and that proposer's should submit marketing plan for Workforce Academy with our proposal. Can you confirm if the State's intent is for the selected vendor to manage the recruitment and application process, as part of the marketing and registration process? | Answer: It is anticipated that a vendor will have a role in the marketing of this academy but will be done so in partnership with DBH. The vendor will have the responsibility of registering participants, and those duties will be clarified with the chosen vendor. | Answered: 3/13/2026 Inquiry 84308 | Is there a minimum number of people who would need to sign up for a cohort in order for it to run? | Answer: This will be decided jointly with the vendor. This will be dependent on the approved curriculum and training model. | Answered: 3/13/2026 Inquiry 84311 | Can the State confirm the renewal terms for the contract for this work? How many renewals could happen after the initial term? | Answer: DBH cannot commit to any renewals after the initial term, because State funds are contingent upon lawful appropriations by the Ohio General Assembly and subject to R.C. 126.07. However, DBH may seek renewal of a contract if it determines there is a need to continue the work, there has been satisfactory performance of the work by contractor to date, and the General Assembly appropriates funds for the renewal. | Answered: 3/13/2026 Inquiry 84314 | Since the program is structured as a cohort model, will participants register once for the full cohort experience and be expected to complete all required content? Or, will they have the option to select individual training components within the cohort? | Answer: This will be decided jointly with the vendor. This will be dependent on the approved curriculum and training model. It is anticipated that there will be an option that participants have the opportunity to complete the full cohort experience. | Answered: 3/13/2026