Specifications include, but are not limited to: 3.1.1 Positive Youth Development Framework: Consistent with best practice recommendations of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) Standards of Excellence, services provided by vendors must be culturally competent and grounded solidly in a positive youth development framework. Successful applicants must demonstrate the following: • A clear program and organizational philosophy of positive youth development, including an emphasis on developing social capital; • Experience in providing a strength-based approach which is inclusive of youth as primary partners in both the assessment of youth and in the design, implementation and evaluation of services and supports; and • How it will ensure structured and ongoing opportunities for youth to participate in leadership, decision-making, policy and program development, evaluation and peer assistance. • All staff are trained in Positive Youth Development. 3.2 Enhanced Case Management for identified VEC participants: • Enhanced Case Management (ECM) is defined as intensive contact designed to support and augment the DCYF caseworker’s role with addressing the youth/young adults transition goals as described in the youth’s transition plan. ECM includes a broad range of more intensive, supportive services available on a 24/7/365 basis in person or via phone/email/texting. Examples of this broad range of ECM services, include but are not limited to, the following: o Focused assistance with accessing and effectively utilizing workforce assessments/readiness and career development opportunities to ensure employment success and employment stability; o Focused assistance with accessing and effectively utilizing housing support services to ensure housing stability, including addressing tenant/landlord challenges; o Focused assistance with developing and effectively utilizing skills to address interpersonal relationship issues, including challenges with family members, adult supporters, friends and roommates; o Focused assistance with accessing educational supports and services to ensure educational success; o Focused assistance with accessing and effectively utilizing services and supports to address healthcare needs, including developing positive health care consumer habits; o Focused assistance with addressing daily living skill needs to be able to live independently in the community; o Focused assistance with accessing and effectively utilizing supports and services, including those covered through health insurance, necessary to stabilize mental health and substance abuse challenges related to both legal and illegal drugs that interfere with daily living; o Focused assistance with accessing and effectively utilizing the range of community based supports and services, including services offered by private or other public agencies, to aide a young adult in living independently in the community; o Focused assistance with accessing and effectively utilizing supports and services focused on addressing any potential or actual involvement with the criminal justice system; o The successful vendor may be required to serve as a payee for youth receiving Service Level 3 enhanced case management, if the youth cannot manage their own finances during the designated period of service; and o The ability to respond to urgent and crisis needs of participants.