FY27 Well-Being Best Practices and Training

FY27 Well-Being Best Practices and Training

This grant award will have an initial period of performance starting in FY27 (07/01/2026 (or upon execution of the agreement) through 06/30/2029). A budget should be submitted for FY27 only.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DESCRIPTION

The Provider is responsible for research, evaluation, training, and implementation support services necessary to advance the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) priorities related to child well-being, system improvement, and evidence-based and -informed practice.
The Provider will deliver professional, administrative, training, and analytical support functions including but not limited to:
• Evaluation of program implementation and fidelity
• Development of data collection tools, measurement frameworks, and data dictionaries
• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) support
• Cross-system collaboration and research translation
• Reporting, presentations, trainings, and strategic consultation

The Provider’s work must align with state and federal requirements, including those associated with Title IV-B, Title IV-E, and other applicable child welfare policies and initiatives.

The Provider is responsible for research and evaluation support for programs and initiatives supervised by the Office of Research and Child Well-Being (ORCW), including but not limited to:
• Early Childhood Court Teams (ECCT)
• Child Well-Being Indicators Project
• Early Intervention Supports and Outreach Efforts
• Coaching and Workforce Development Outcomes
• Additional projects aligned with DCFS priorities as identified in collaboration with the Deputy of ORCW.

The Providers’ work must emphasize a developmental and equity-centered lens, with a focus on understanding how race, ethnicity, and other structural factors influence implementation, access, and outcomes.

Well-being is defined as individual’s current state of health, happiness, prosperity, and stability, shaped by their experiences, opportunities, adversities, and values. Well-being encompasses six domains: education and cognitive health; connection; physical and mental health; safe and secure environments; economic security; and racial-cultural-gender identity.

Well-becoming extends beyond current functioning and focuses on long-term growth, development, and empowerment, ensuring that individuals have access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities necessary for sustained success.

The Provider will support the ORCW framework by:
• Evaluating how services impact child, family, and system-level well-being outcomes.
• Examining how well-being is conceptualized, measured, and operationalized across programs.
• Identifying factors that influence well-being, including service access, quality, and system processes.
• Assessing the relationship between well-being indicators and key outcomes such as placement stability, permanency, and system involvement.
• Integrating equity-focused and intersectional analysis to better understand disparities and inform targeted improvements.

Through research-driven analysis and collaboration, the Provider will support ORCW in strengthening evidence-informed and evidence-based practices that enhance outcomes for children and families across prevention, intact, and permanency pathways.

Provider Responsibility:
• Conduct data collection, analysis, and reporting in alignment with DCFS priorities.
• Develop research-based planning tools and trainings and provide recommendations to DCFS.
• Produce monthly and quarterly reports summarizing research findings and their implications.
• Develop data dictionaries for each project that define key indicators, variables, data sources, collection methods, and reporting structures; ensure alignment with fidelity modes, CQI processes, and cross-system data integration.

Department Responsibility:
• Direct, monitor, and establish research priorities.
• Establish communication protocols.
• Utilize research findings to inform policy and program improvements.
• Review and approve all proposed programming.
• Review and approve all data collection processes.
• Review, evaluate, and determine the approval status of publications and presentations to ensure they align with departmental standards, confidentiality requirements, and strategic goals.
• Ensure adherence to federal and state requirements.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROGRAM DETAILS

Provider will deliver a coordinated evaluation of well-being best practices, implementation supports, and workforce development efforts across DCFS and its partners. Provider will examine how the Department invests in and advances well-being, workforce capacity, engagement, and long—term sustainability through the following:
1. Implementation Evaluation of the Early Childhood Court Teams (ECCT) program.
2. Evaluation of the Child Well-Being Indicators Project.
3. Evaluation of Early Intervention Supports and Outreach Efforts (including the DCFS-Erikson Partnership outreach to children aged five and under).
4. Evaluation of Coaching and Workforce Development Outcomes.
5. Evaluation of Kaleidoscope’s Thrive pilot program to provide enhanced community-based services and supports to families following participation in Intact Family Services.
6. Additional projects aligned with DCFS priorities as identified in collaboration with the Deputy of ORCW

Collectively, these evaluations assess short-, mid-, and, where appropriate, long-term indicators of staff and family’s well-being, implementation quality and fidelity, practice adoption, and child, family, and system outcomes. Provider will also recognize and examine the distinct roles of lived-experience consultants, direct service staff, supervisors, program coordinators, and agency partners in contributing to a high-functioning, equitable, and sustainable child welfare workforce.

IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COURT TEAMS (ECCT) PROGRAM
Provider will evaluate the implementation, fidelity, and continuous quality improvement (CQI) of the Early Childhood Court Teams (ECCT) program across implementation sites. The evaluation will focus on understanding how ECCT core components are implemented in practice, identifying variability across sites, and generating actionable data to improve service delivery, court processes, and child and family outcomes.

Provider will emphasize early childhood development, parent engagement, service access and dosage, court timeliness, and permanency outcomes, with a specific focus on equity and differences in experiences and outcomes across populations.

Objectives:
1. Assess the degree to which the ECCT fidelity model core components are implemented consistently and in alignment across sites.
2. Measure key process indicators, including service access and dosage, parent engagement, court timeliness, and early permanency planning activities.
3. Evaluate variability in implementation outcomes across sites, courts, agencies, and populations with an emphasis on equity.
4. Identify implementation strengths, barriers, and facilitators, and provide actionable sustainability.

Key Activities:
• Fidelity-Aligned Implementation Assessment
• Case-Level and Program-Level Data Collection
• Data Integration and Management
• Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Support
• Equity and Outcome Analysis
• Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

Deliverables:
• Monthly reports summarizing caseload dynamics, openings/closings, and key program indicators.
• Quarterly reports including fidelity-aligned implementation analysis, CQI insights, and outcome trends.
• Annual report synthesizing implementation progress, key findings, and recommendations.
• Development and refinement of data collection tools and tracking systems.
• Maintain a timeline of key events, program refinements, and challenges that may affect implementation and/or outcomes.
• Develop an annual evaluation of parent’s perceptions in Early Childhood Court Team.
• Presentations to ECCT stakeholders, leadership, and partner groups (minimum of two annually).
• Ongoing consultation to support CQI and implementation improvements.

EVALUATION OF THE CHILD WELL-BEING INDICATORS PROJECT
Provider will evaluate child well-being across prevention, intact, and permanency populations using standardized measurements and administrative data. The evaluation will examine how well-being is defined, measured, and experienced, and how well-being indicators relate to key child welfare outcomes such as placement stability, permanency, and behavioral health.
The work will support the development of a comprehensive, equity-centered understanding of well-being and its role in informing practice, policy, and system improvement.

Objectives:
1. Evaluate the reliability, validity, and applicability of standardized well-being measures across prevention, intact, and permanency populations.
2. Examine relationships between well-being indicators and key child welfare outcomes, including placement stability, permanency, and behavioral health.
3. Identify disparities and patterns in well-being and outcomes across demographic groups using an equity and intersection lens.
4. Generate evidence to inform the use, refinement, and integration of well-being measures into practice, policy, and decision-making.

Key Activities:
• Well-Being Measurement and Analysis
• Linking Well-Being to Outcomes
• Equity and Intersectional Analysis
• Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Support
• Culturally Responsive Assessment Support

Deliverables:
• Develop data dictionaries and measurement tools defining key well-being indicators and data sources.
• Quarterly summaries of activities, analysis, and key findings.
• Annual report on well-being findings, implications, and recommendations.
• Presents of findings to DCFS leadership, partners, and partner groups (minimally two annually).
• Provide technical assistance, training, and consultation support to inform CQI and system improvement efforts.
• Finalize the guide for administration of the Spanish language Devereux Early Childhood Assessments.

EVALUATING REFERRALS TO EARLY INTERVENTION SUPPORTS
Provider will design and implement a well-being focused and fidelity aligned data collection and analysis framework that ensures very young children involved in IL DCFS prevention, intact, and permanency programs are identified timely, referred, and connected to early intervention (EI) services and supports. Provider will focus on understanding current pathways, identifying gaps and barriers, and generating actionable data to improve cross-system coordination and outcomes.
Collaborative partners include but are not limited to: Erikson Institute DCFS Early Childhood Project, Chapin Hall, DCFS, and other researchers associated with the Erikson Institute DCFS Early Childhood Project.

Objectives:
• Identify how and when youth involved in IL DCFS prevention, intact, and permanency are screened for early intervention needs.
• Assess referral pathways, processes, timelines, and handoffs between child welfare and early intervention systems.
• Measure access, engagement, and 6 months of follow-through with early intervention services
• Identify system-level barriers, disparities, and opportunities for improvement.
• Provide data-informed recommendations to strengthen early intervention access and continuity.

Key Activities:
• System Mapping and Process Review
• Data Identification and Collection
• Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis
• Cross-System Collaboration
• Reporting and Recommendations

Deliverables:
• Create a data dictionary and measurement framework with defining key indicators and data sources.
• Create a quarterly summary of activities and key findings.
• Create an annual report on the findings and implications of analyses.
• Create a minimum of two presentations summarizing findings and next steps.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

LONG-TERM COACHING OUTCOMES AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION
Provider will measure the long-term impact of coaching initiatives on staff practice and system outcomes, rather than implementation processes. Provider will assess whether coaching investments lead to meaningful, sustained changes in how staff engage families and whether those changes contribute to improved safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children and families involved with child welfare services.

Objectives:
• Measure sustained changes in staff behavior and professional practice related to coaching.
• Assess the long-term impact of coaching on family engagement and experience.
• Examine downstream system outcomes associated with coaching practice.
• Align outcome measurement with internal priorities and external research partners (i.e., Northwestern University, NIU Translational Research).
• Generate evidence to inform future coaching investments and scaling decisions.

Key Activities:
• Work with the Deputy of Research and Child Well-Being to define long-term outcomes expected from coaching.
• Align outcomes with the fidelity models.
• Collaborate and coordinate with DCFS designated research partners to support shared learning.

Deliverables:
• Create a data dictionary and measurement framework with defining key indicators and data sources.
• Create a quarterly summary of activities and key findings.
• Collaborate with DCFS assigned research partners to develop an annual evaluation of coaches, Implementation Administrators, supervisors, and frontline staff perceptions of coaching programs.
• Create an annual report on the findings and implications of analyses.
• Create a minimum of two presentations summarizing findings and next steps.

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS ALIGNED WITH DCFS PRIORITIES
The Provider will support additional research and evaluation projects aligned with DCFS priorities, as identified in collaboration with the Deputy of the Office of Research and Child Well-Being. These projects will focus on implementation, fidelity support, well-being, outcomes, workforce capacity, and system improvement across prevention, intact, and permanency services.
Projects may include, but are not limited to, emerging initiatives, pilot programs, cross system collaborations, and targeted research questions that support DCFS strategic goals.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND METRICS

Collaborate with research partners to design and distribute a fidelity model survey annually that captures the workers perspective on implementation of fidelity models. The survey will include the following domains: engagement in creating the model, adoption, usability, support, impact on practice, meaningfulness, and sustainability. Domains are adjusted with the Deputies’ approval. Additional data collected:
• Survey completion rate
• Role
• Region
• Demographic information

Work with research partners to create CQI cycles that are informed by and aligned with fidelity models for each project. Additional data collected:
• Number and percentage of CQI cycles completed per project
• Identify the number of fidelity gaps

Insights from implementation are consistently captured and used to inform adaptation and scale quarterly and annually. Data collected and documented:
• Strengths
• Barriers
• Facilitators
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROVIDER QUALIFICATIONS

Principal Investigator: Executive Vice President
• Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or DSW) in Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, or related field from an accredited school
Research Faculty 1: Professor
• Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or DSW) in Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, or related field from an accredited school
Research Faculty 2: Professor
• Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or DSW) in Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, or related field from an accredited school
Research Faculty 3: Professor
• Doctoral degree (Ph.D. or DSW) in Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, or related field from an accredited school
Research Faculty 4: Research Specialist
• Master’s degree in social work, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, or related field from an accredited school
Quality Improvement Specialist: Research and Quality Improvement Specialist
• Master’s degree in social work, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, or related field from an accredited school

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Under the direction of the DCFS Deputy of Research and Child Well-Being, the Provider will develop, deliver, manage, and evaluate a comprehensive suite of staff development activities that advance:
• Early Childhood Court Teams (ECCT)
• Child Well-Being Indicators Project
• Early Intervention Supports and Outreach Efforts
• Coaching and Workforce Development Outcomes
• Additional projects aligned with DCFS priorities as identified in collaboration with the Deputy of ORCW

Activities will prioritize well-being, well-becoming, healing-centered, equity-centered, and lived-experience-informed approaches that build capacity across program staff, frontline staff, supervisors, program coordinators, and partners.

Details

• Awarding Agency: Department Of Children And Family Services
• CSFA Number: 418-00-0059
• CSFA Popular Name: Child Welfare Research Training or Demonstration
• Funding Opportunity Number: 418 - Well-Being Best Practices and Training
• Assistance Listings Number: State
• Announcement Type: Initial Announcement
• Award Type: Competitive
• Total Funding Available: $350,000.00
• Funding Sources: State
• Indirect Costs Allowed: Yes
• Posted Date: 2026-07-14
• Award Period: 2026-07-01 – 2027-06-30

Funding Restrictions

Grant awards will be subject to state statutory requirements that limit the administrative costs to 20%. Fringe benefits cannot exceed 25% of total salaries.

Indirect Cost Description

Indirect Costs are allowed. To charge indirect costs to a grant, the applicant organization must have an annually negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA).

There are three types of NICRAs:

1. Federally Negotiated Rate. Organizations that receive direct federal funding, may have an indirect cost rate that was negotiated with the Federal Cognizant Agency. Illinois will accept the federally negotiated rate. The organization must provide a copy of the federal NICRA.

2. State Negotiated Rate. The organization may negotiate an indirect cost rate with the State of Illinois if they do not have a Federally Negotiated Rate. If an organization has not previously established an indirect cost rate, an indirect cost rate proposal may be submitted to the State of Illinois through the indirect cost rate system no later than three months after the effective date of the award. If an organization previously established an indirect cost rate, the organization must continue to use that rate until its expiration. Upon expiration, the organization may re-submit a new indirect cost proposal through the system annually, within six months after the close of the grantee’s fiscal year, OR an organization may elect to use the de minimis rate instead of their State Negotiated Rate.

3. De Minimis Rate. An organization may elect a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct cost (MTDC). Once established, the de minimis rate may be used indefinitely. The State of Illinois must verify the calculation of the MTDC annually in order to accept the de minimis rate.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NOTE
• All grantees must complete an indirect cost rate negotiation or elect the De Minimis Rate in the indirect cost rate system to claim indirect costs. Indirect costs claimed without an established negotiated rate or a De Minimis Rate election in the system may be subject to disallowance.
• Grantees have discretion not to claim payment for indirect costs. Grantees that elect not to claim indirect costs cannot be reimbursed for indirect costs.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Restrictions on Indirect Costs

Yes

Citation Governing Indirect Cost Restriction

2 CFR 200.414(c)

State Award Notices

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS
All applications must be submitted by the posted deadline. IDCFS staff conducts an initial review of all applications received for eligibility and GATA compliance. Reviewers may consist of DCFS GATA staff, division leadership, and other internal DCFS staff. Each proposal will be reviewed by a minimum of three reviewers. The review and selection of grant award recipients is conducted in a fair and equitable manner that evaluates and selects grantees most likely to be successful in delivering results based on program objectives, and with limited disruption to the continuity of services. Proposals will be approved based on funding available.

While recommendations from the review team will be a key factor in funding decisions, the Department maintains final authority over funding decisions and considers the scores of the review team to be non-binding recommendations. The Department reserves the right to evaluate applications in the larger context of the overall portfolio by considering geographic distribution of awards (e.g., ensuring coverage of certain counties or service areas), client needs, and overall programmatic/ financial risk assessments in its pre-award decisions. Any internal documentation used in scoring or awarding of grants shall not be considered public information.

Final award decisions will be made by the Director (or their designee). The Department reserves the right to negotiate with successful applicants to adjust award amounts, locations, etc. Funds are disbursed based on the schedule agreed upon and included within the Uniform Grant Agreement. The release of this Notice of Funding Opportunity does not obligate the Department to make an award.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AWARD NOTIFICATIONS
An award status notification (approval or denial) will be delivered via an automated email from Euna Grants. This email will serve as notification that an award has been made. However, this email is not an authorization to begin performance or incur costs.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

APPEALS
Competitive grant (and in some cases non-competitive) appeals are limited to an appeal related to the evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested.

An appeal must be submitted in writing in accordance with the grant application document. An appeal must be received within 14 calendar days of Award denial.
The written appeal shall include at a minimum the following:
i. the name and address of the appealing party
ii. identification of the grant for which you are appealing the evaluation/review process
iii. a statement of reasons for the appeal

Response to Appeal
a. DCFS will acknowledge receipt of an appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the appeal was received.
b. DCFS will respond to the appeal within 60 days or supply a written explanation to the appealing party as to why additional time is required.
c. The appealing party must supply any additional information requested by DCFS within the time period set in the request.

Reporting

Grantees will be expected to submit both (monthly or quarterly) periodic performance reports and monthly financial reports. The exact reporting requirements of this award will be defined in the program plan of the Uniform Grant Agreement.