Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is announcing, by this Notice of Intent to Purchase, that it will enter into a contract with Commonwealth Corporation (CommCorp), for the purpose of providing policy and program advice to EOHHS, and serving as a liaison to Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) grantees. The work order under this contract will help build the capacity of all SSYI grantees to design and deliver a range of employment-related services to the targeted population. SSYI is a multi-faceted strategy for reducing youth violence in the Commonwealth. The initiative combines public health and public safety approaches to eliminating youth violence and works with comprehensive community coalitions in key communities across the state. SSYI requires the implementation of a coordinated intervention strategy focused on proven risk youth, young men (age 14-24) identified by each city as the highest risk individuals for being perpetrators or victims of shooting or stabbing violence, and their families. Specifically tailored to address gaps and needs, SSYI in each city supports a continuum of services that includes street outreach and engagement, trauma counseling, intensive supervision, employment and education services and supports, and services for family members. SSYI redirects young men who, absent a constructive alternative, might otherwise continue to contribute to street violence. At its core, the SSY Initiative is a comprehensive violence prevention strategy aimed at reducing youth homicides and serious assaults in Massachusetts. As part of the SSYI service continuum, SSYI cities must implement a clear strategy for employability of and employment placement services for SSYI youth. Strategies include addressing work readiness, utilizing assessment tools, and identifying and assisting with placement in subsidized-wage opportunities.
