HCC Oct 2022 - The Provision of a Challenging Behaviour Service for Children with Learning Disabilities and/or Autistic Spectrum Disorder - Positive Behaviour, Autism, Learning Disability and Mental Health Service (PALMS)

Location

Hertfordshire:

Description

This is an Award Notice for the Provision of a Challenging Behaviour Service for Children with Learning Disabilities and/or Autistic Spectrum Disorder - Positive Behaviour, Autism, Learning Disability and Mental Health Service (PALMS). Direct award due to specialist and bespoke service for which continuity is of paramount importance and market enquiries have been unable to find other service providers.

Total Quantity or Scope

This is an Award Notice. Hertfordshire County Council have awarded a contract for The Provision of a Challenging Behaviour Service for Children with Learning Disabilities and/or Autistic Spectrum Disorder - Positive Behaviour, Autism, Learning Disability and Mental Health Service (PALMS).

Award Detail

Renewal Options

Initial term of 24 months with the option to extend for up to a further 24 months. The value quoted above is inclusive of any possible extensions.

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Indicators

• Options are available.

Legal Justification

Hertfordshire County Council is of the view that the contract award is in compliance with Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii). Due to the specialist, comprehensive and locally developed nature of the service offered by Positive Behaviour, Autism, Learning Disability and Mental Health Service (PALMS), when undertaking market research during 2021/22, commissioners have been unable to find anything of comparable service provision. Whilst there are providers that deliver elements of the service PALMS provide, we were not able to find a provider that delivers the whole holistic offer that is currently provided so no reasonable alternative or substitute exists. PALMS are delivering services to Children & Young People (CYP) with Autism and/or Learning Disability (LD) who are more likely to develop mental health problems. One of the key areas of focus for the Hertfordshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) system is to improve the availability of access to mental health service for CYP and expand support for CYP with Autism and/or LD who often have more complex needs. PALMS offer includes range of psychological interventions for challenging behaviour, mental health, sleeping, toileting, feeding and eating difficulties, and/or problematic sexualised behaviours for CYP with ASD and/or LD; crisis support to meet the needs of CYP through multi-agency response to crisis, including joint assessments, follow up & brief interventions. They host the Special School Mental Health Support Team (MHST) and provide consultation and training for other providers (health, social care and education) who support CYP and their families/carers, as well as providing clinical gatekeeping to out of County specialist mental health and challenging behaviour services. The PALMS model of support has been in existence in Hertfordshire since end of 2014 and since then has adapted to meet the local needs of CYP and the local Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) system and is now well embedded and established, with a proven track record of improving outcomes for those children and young people who are unable to access mainstream service due to their additional needs. It is, therefore, imperative that we have continuation of the service provision in Hertfordshire. Commissioners and Partners are currently working on transformation of the Hertfordshire CAMHS system (which PALMS is part of) and services and are moving towards an Integrated Care System in which providers work together and are accountable for a system rather than just their own service. The Contract will be for 2 years with the option for extend for up to 24 months.

Other Information

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