Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Transforming Massachusetts Pediatrics for Early Childhood Project (TMPEC) at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) is issuing a Request for Response (RFR) for pediatric primary care practices to form and implement a team-based integrated primary care model focused on children ages birth-five that includes a team member with lived experience. The TMPEC project, funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, aims to increase equitable access to integrated, team-based pediatric care for young children that includes a team member with lived experience, provides a continuum of racially just, family-centered services, and addresses the holistic needs of children and families. To support the scale and spread of early childhood team-based primary care across the Commonwealth, TMPEC partners with key stakeholders to demonstrate the value, impact and financial viability of implementing high quality team-based pediatric primary care for young children and identify policy and payment mechanisms to support sustainability. MDPH anticipates issuing 5 awards to pediatric primary care practices located in Massachusetts communities that disproportionately experience health inequities and that serve a high percentage of pediatric patients who are eligible for MassHealth, CHIP or are uninsured. Awarded practices will receive approximately $210,000 through cost reimbursement contracts over two years to: 1) form an integrated team within pediatric primary care that has a focus on serving children birth-five and includes a team member with lived experience who is unique in their training to lead with their experience as a parenting caregiver who has navigated systems to meet the developmental and health-related social needs of a young child, and; 2) participate in capacity building and technical assistance activities to support early childhood development practice transformation, effective teaming, including integration of the role that centers lived experience, and planning to sustain the early childhood integrated team. This contract is anticipated to begin on July 1, 2024. All contracts are contingent on federal funding.
