The Department of Human Services, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports, is offering funds through a Request for Applications (RFA) to implement or continue Family Center (FC) programs that include evidence-based home visiting services and an approved fatherhood program. This Project combines the Commonwealth’s existing FC and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood (PRF) Initiatives.

Since its inception in 1992, the Pennsylvania FC Initiative has been a vehicle for integrating and providing services to help children and families become healthy, safe, and self-sufficient. The FC Initiative primarily focuses on providing early childhood education services and supports to parents and their young children, prenatal through age five. These services are intended to strengthen families and build their protective factors. FC’s provide an array of programs that are responsive to the communities they serve.

 

The RFA focuses on providing funding for programs that support and strengthen families by providing screenings, supports and services that enhance positive parenting skills and connecting families with community resources when additional needs are identified during pregnancy and through their child’s infant and toddler years through their first year of schooling. 

The Department’s specific objective is to secure the services of qualified Applicants to effectively implement and operate community-based FCs and implement high-quality evidence-based home visiting and family support services including services focused on fathers as defined within the requirements of the RFA. 

Visit the PA - eMarketplace to view the RFA and all supporting documents. If an Applicant has any questions regarding this RFA, the Applicant must submit the questions by email (with the subject line “RFA 23-18 Question”) no later than the date specified in the Calendar of Events to the Issuing Officer. The Applicant may not contact the RFA Issuing Officer by any other means. Contacting any additional DHS staff beyond the RFA Issuing Officer may be cause for DHS to reject the offending Applicant’s application. Email questions to RA-pwrfaquestions@pa.gov. 

Deadline Dates