RFP Information 2026

State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026 Request For Proposals (RFP)

Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR) is releasing the Request for Proposals (RFP) for programs to be implemented July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Proposals should address the needs in the Stark County community and align with StarkMHAR priority areas and priority populations. Higher priority areas and statutory mandates will be given first priority for funding.

Agencies interested in applying for funding must meet the applicable funding guidelines. To be considered for funding, applicants must submit one (1) signed RFP response packet via email to proposals@starkmhar.org or in person or via mail to 121 Cleveland Ave. SW, Canton, Ohio 44702 by the following deadlines:

 

Program Type Documents (see Face Sheet, Checklist, Guidelines document for details) Deadline
Treatment All required Noon, Friday, December 27, 2024
Recovery Support All required Noon, Friday, December 27, 2024
Government Entity All required Noon, Friday, December 27, 2024
Consultation & Prevention Face Sheet, Checklist, Guidelines and other required documents for all programs, as well as the narrative portion of the RFP Narrative and Budget document. Noon, Friday, December 27, 2024
Budget portion of the RFP Narrative and Budget document, Personnel Cost Schedule, and C&P Chart (C&P Chart will be emailed out January 3, 2025 to complete). Noon, Friday, February 28, 2025

Agencies who apply for funding who do not currently receive StarkMHAR funding are required to include with their RFP packet a copy of their most recent audit. If an audit has not been performed, StarkMHAR will request a copy of the financial statements from the end of the previous fiscal year, as presented to their board.

StarkMHAR reserves the right to revise budgets and fund less than the requested amount. Any agency that receives StarkMHAR funding will enter into a contract with StarkMHAR prior to any payment of allocated funds. All decisions of StarkMHAR on the allocation of funds are final and are contingent upon the receipt of allocations from the State of Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS). StarkMHAR acknowledges that Medicaid rules override any conflicted StarkMHAR policy and procedure.

Applicants shall address all requirements, shall contain the full name of each agency/company, and shall obtain signatures by officials authorized to execute a contract.

Optional technical assistance is available on the following dates and times for agencies interested in submitting a proposal:

  • Wednesday, November 3, 2024 from 2 to 4 P.M.
  • Monday, November 25, 2024 from 2 to 3 P.M.
  • Tuesday, December 3, 2024 from 10 to 11 A.M.

These three Q&A sessions will take place over Microsoft Teams. Please contact our Administrative Assistant to receive the links to join the meetings by emailing melinda.sohovich@starkmhar.org. The first session will go over all of the forms in their entireties. The remaining two sessions will go over any changes from last year’s RFP forms to this one.

Role of StarkMHAR

StarkMHAR serves as the community mental health and alcohol and drug addiction services planning entity for Stark County. The duties of StarkMHAR specifically include the evaluation, development, and assessment of community mental health and alcohol and drug addiction needs, services, and programs under the Ohio Revised Code. Through this work, StarkMHAR is considered a safety net for people with behavioral health needs in Stark County.

In this role, StarkMHAR is to ensure services are available for all people living in Stark County, meaning that StarkMHAR is obligated to prioritize risk to safety above all else. Within that context, priority is also given to certain populations who do not have access to alternative sources of services, and whose risk to self or others is highest. Services to reduce risk of harm are the first priority and are only limited by geographic domains.

Priority will also be given to certain populations that fall under the statutory responsibility of StarkMHAR: people with severe mental illness, children and youth with severe emotional disturbance and people with severe substance use disorders.

Click here for more about population definitions »

Funding Guidelines

StarkMHAR will allocate funding throughout SFY26, which runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. All funding requests must meet the following guidelines:

  • The organization must be certified by OhioMHAS in order to receive funding. Additionally, the organization must be certified to provide the service or program for which they are applying. If the provider organization is not already certified by OhioMHAS at the time of RFP submission, it is required that the provider organization be in process of certification with an application already submitted to OhioMHAS at the time of submission. Submission of proof is required at the time of RFP submission. Certification must be attained by the time of the June StarkMHAR Board meeting.
    • If a provider is not already certified by OhioMHAS for services requesting to be funded by StarkMHAR, the provider can work with an already-certified organization to see if their services would fit into the certified services. If so and both organizations are in agreement, the organization without OhioMHAS certification would not need to obtain certification. Both organizations can then collaboratively work on an RFP submission to StarkMHAR.
  • Funding for services and programs is based upon availability. StarkMHAR has a variety of funding sources, including federal, state, and local dollars. Some funding streams are mandated by the state to be used for specific purposes, and some funding streams are for specific services or programs. All other funding is based upon the priorities and needs of the local community. Funding is on a year-to-year basis.
  • Applicants must have a physical brick and mortar office space in Ohio in order to submit a program proposal. Programs being proposed must be based in Stark County in order to be considered for funding.
  • An RFP is the primary channel for allocating resources. All programs must submit an RFP to be considered for funding. Signed and completed proposals are due to StarkMHAR by noon, December 27, 2024.
  • Unfortunately, StarkMHAR is not able to accept late or incomplete proposals.

For treatment/recovery support/government entity RFP, the priority information is as follows:
We are a safety net provider, which means that we must prioritize risk to SAFETY. Priority Populations for adults include SMI/SEVERE SUD (excluding caffeine and nicotine) who does not have access to alternative sources of services, and for youth and adolescents include SED/SEVERE SUD (excluding caffeine and nicotine) who does not have access to alternative sources of services.
Non-priority populations include youth, adolescents, and adults with mental illness and/or mild to moderate substance use disorders.

Priority Areas Chart:
Priority Area Target Population  Category Name Definition
Priority 1 Hard Mandates Services we are legally required to provide, or those required based on a dedicated funding source.
Priority 2 Everyone in Behavioral Health population Urgent Risk 1) Risk of urgent and imminent harm includes need for emergency or urgent services due to danger to self/others or inability to care for self, 2) Potential life-threatening symptoms resulting from withdrawal from substances.
Priority 3 Priority Populations Only High Risk 1) Loss of basic self-care skills (secondary to Priority Population) which results in an inability  to manage functioning  2) Likely degeneration of condition that would result in imminent risk, 3) Identified public safety risks.
Priority 4 Priority Populations Only Serious Risk Significant functional issues related to SMI/SED/SEVERE SUD; that, without intervention, would likely result in degeneration to a higher-level risk at some point in the non-imminent future.
Priority 5 Priority Populations Only Important Needs Needs re: social functioning, higher cognitive development, employment success.
Priority 6 Non-priority populations or general populations Legitimate Needs Services that increases the quality of non-urgent outcomes with regard to any of the issues addressed in other priorities.

For the Consultation and Prevention (C&P) RFP, the priority information is as follows:

We are a safety net provider; which means that we must prioritize risk to SAFETY. Priority populations include those individuals eligible for indicated prevention/early intervention and selective prevention strategies.

Non-Priority Populations include individuals eligible for universal prevention strategies.

Priority Areas Chart:
Priority Area Target Population  Priority Population Definition
Priority 1 Priority Populations only Urgent Risk

Indicated prevention strategies are targeted to high-risk individuals who are identified as having minimal but detectable signs or symptoms that foreshadow mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, as well as biological markers that indicate a predisposition in a person for such a disorder but who does not meet diagnostic criteria at the time of the intervention; exhibit life threatening behaviors.

Early Intervention (previously known as Secondary Prevention) are interventions that happen after serious risk factors have already been discovered or early in disease progression soon after diagnosis. The goal is to halt or slow the progress of disease in its earliest stages.
Priority 2 Priority Populations only High Risk Indicated prevention strategies are targeted to high-risk individuals who are identified as having minimal but detectable signs or symptoms that foreshadow mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, as well as biological markers that indicate a predisposition in a person for such a disorder but who does not meet diagnostic criteria at the time of the intervention.
Priority 3 Priority Populations Only Serious Risk Selective prevention strategies are targeted to individuals or to a subgroup of the population whose risk of developing mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders is significantly higher than average.
Priority 4 Everyone in General Public Important Needs Universal prevention strategies are targeted to the general public or a whole population group that has not been identified on the basis of individual risk. The intervention is desirable for everyone in that group (IOM, 2009, p. xxix).

StarkMHAR priority populations are further defined in a white paper. This document outlines StarkMHAR’s philosophy in allocating funds for services and programs. Please review this document and familiarize yourself with it so that you can align your proposal with the priorities of StarkMHAR. Your proposal must align with the priorities of StarkMHAR to be considered for funding. Full details are in the Ohio Ethical Priorities White Paper document.

 

Additional Instructions

  • General principles and prioritization category descriptions can also be found in the abovementioned white paper document. This may help you when you write your proposal. Additionally, the RFP Guidance Document may assist you with other questions.
  • Please submit your RFP in the specified format. Please make sure your proposal is both thorough and succinct.
  • All funded programs are expected to report progress towards outcomes to StarkMHAR, along with additional required reports.
  • Proposals that do not meet the criteria for the RFP waiver must have a completed budget that demonstrates the expenses of the program. Some restrictions may apply, depending upon the funding source.
  • Funding agreements will be finalized through the use of a mutually agreed upon signed contract. Approval of final allocations will be made at the June board meeting.
  • All RFPs are reviewed by StarkMHAR staff. Recommendations for funding are reviewed by the StarkMHAR Program and Evaluation Committee, Finance Committee, and Executive Committee. The decision to fund a program rests with the StarkMHAR Board of Directors.
  • A scoring tool will be used to evaluate all proposals; however, the scoring tool has not been validated or objectified and is only used as a basis for internal discussion and review. The scoring tool is not the sole mechanism by which programs are recommended for funding.

    Additional Questions?

    All questions related to the RFP should be submitted to RFPquestions@starkmhar.org. Responses are guaranteed within 24 hours. Questions and responses will be transcribed and made available on the StarkMHAR website.

    Q&A Session Recordings

    Files

    How Are You Feeling?

    Feeling sad, down or empty? Constantly worried or anxious? Worried about drinking habits or substance use? Experiencing mood swings from very high to very low? If you are concerned about yourself or someone you love, please take a few minutes to complete a quick quiz and get connected with local resources.
    Take the Quiz