The purpose of this RFP is to solicit Proposals for a Contractor to design and implement a platform that will allow Ohio to realize a fully integrated, reliable, and State controlled 988 system to properly develop the crisis continuum specifically for the State. The Ohio 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was created as part of the national 988 network to provide Ohioans experiencing a mental health crisis with the ability to call, chat, or text 988 to reach mental health professionals quickly and securely to obtain lifesaving 988 crisis intervention services and appropriate follow-up crisis services. After utilizing the national model, the State has determined that it is not an appropriate solution for Ohio. The nation’s 988 system is under the control of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which selected a vendor as the national vendor to administer the program, network, training, policies, and all related data. The selected vendor has direct relationships with the nation’s 988 call centers, including the nineteen in Ohio, but no contractual obligation to the states. As the administrator and primary funder of 988 in Ohio, it is not operationally feasible that the Agency does not have a direct contractual relationship between its call centers and the national vendor.
