Advisory committee recommends RFP for transition-age-youth advocacy contract, advances $2.01M outline to full commission

The Legislative and External Affairs Advisory Committee voted 7-0 on Sept. 18 to recommend that the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission approve a request-for-proposal outline for a transition-age-youth (TAY) advocacy contract.

Assistant Deputy Director Ryan Kopcheck, who led the presentation to the committee, said the proposal sets a three-year term worth $2,010,000 — $670,000 per year — and requires contractors to run statewide cohorts that train TAY (defined by the commission as ages 16 to 25) in leadership, advocacy and pathways into behavioral-health workforce roles.

“Our specific advocacy goal is to support the population to identify their priorities, build strategies and engage directly with decision makers,” Kopcheck said.

The outline asks proposers to include: a planning phase to co-develop curriculum with TAY; three statewide cohorts with final cohort projects that are elevated to decisionmakers; connections to career pathways (peer specialist, wellness coach, community health worker); a data collection and evaluation component; paid recruitment and retention stipends for participants; and a minimum set-aside for equity access expenses such as transportation, internet access or clothing to support participation.

Kopcheck said evaluation will assess both participant learning and whether the contractors’ engagement produced measurable system impact or new opportunities for participants. He told commissioners the contract intentionally shifts from event-based deliverables toward multi-cohort, measurable outcomes.

Commissioners who spoke in support emphasized outreach to BHSA priority populations and continuity of services. Commissioner Larson asked that proposal scoring give extra consideration to bidders that demonstrate outreach into settings serving the most vulnerable youth — for example, juvenile facilities, short-term residential treatment programs and homeless youth centers. Commissioner Mitchell asked that the contract include a requirement or expectation that the awardee map and make visible existing TAY programs statewide to improve referrals and coordination.

Public commenters and current contract holders stressed that TAY-focused work requires significant preparatory training and ongoing support for youth who participate in advocacy within institutional settings. Heidi Strunk, CEO of Mental Health America of California (the umbrella organization for the current California Youth Empowerment Network contractor), said the preparatory and supervisory work for youth entering facilities is resource-intensive and should be budgeted accordingly.

The committee motion read: “That the Legislative and External Affairs Advisory Committee recommends that the Commission approve the request for proposal outline for the transition age youth advocacy contract.” The roll-call vote recorded seven yes votes and no noes; Commissioner Thomas Beckett was marked absent. The committee will forward the recommended RFP outline to the full commission for consideration and, if approved, staff will release a formal RFP so prospective contractors can submit proposals.

Kopcheck said staff expect to include requirements that contractors recruit from BHSA priority populations and to require an evaluation component; the team will also develop rubric language for the RFP that reflects commissioner feedback before bringing the outline to the full commission. No funding award was made at the Sept. 18 meeting; the committee only recommended the RFP outline.

The commission’s current TAY advocacy contracts began in 2016 and 2019 and have historically emphasized event-based outreach; the recommended outline represents a planned shift toward cohort-based training, measurable outcomes and explicit supports to reduce access barriers for underserved youth.

Votes at a glance: The committee recommendation passed unanimously (7-0).