Mental Health Peer Patient Representatives

The Vermont Department of Mental Health is seeking one or more contractors to provide patient representative services under 18 V.S.A. § 7253. The selected providers will recruit, hire, and supervise peer support providers to advocate for individuals in state custody at various designated hospitals and facilities, including the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital, Brattleboro Retreat, and the University of Vermont Medical Center. Services must be informed by Intentional Peer Support principles and the Vermont code of ethics for certified peer support providers. Performance will be tracked through patient satisfaction surveys and the average wait time between session requests and delivery. The contract has an initial term of one year, starting in the fall of 2026, with options to renew for up to four additional twelve-month periods. Funding is provided through a combination of state and federal sources, requiring compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act and ALN #93.778 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Contractors must maintain sexual abuse and molestation insurance with minimum limits of 1 million dollars per claim and aggregate. All proposals must be submitted via the VTBuys portal, and selected vendors must execute a Business Associate Agreement and a Department of Mental Health approved Memorandum of Understanding before entering any facility. Evaluation is based on technical proposals, cost, and the bidder's organizational capacity, with preference given to Vermont resident bidders and those promoting clean energy.