The vendor is required to provide telephone answering services are required for the following two (2) mental health programs:
• Mental health clinic from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30a.m. Monday and Friday; 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; all weekends; county holidays; and emergency closures (ex. snow days, safety drills).
1. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the phones will be answered by staff at the clinic.
2. In the event of an emergency call, the call will be forwarded to the answering service to contact the on-call person, following all urgent call procedures.
• Alcohol and substance abuse services from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30a.m. Monday and Friday; 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; all weekends; county holidays; and emergency closures (ex. snow days, safety drills).
1. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., the phones will be answered by staff at the clinic.
2. In the event of an emergency call, the call will be forwarded to the answering service to contact the on-call person, following all urgent call procedures.
- The answering service is experiencing difficulty preventing them from providing after-hours service as stipulated, they must notify the designated on-call therapist for the mental health clinic, alcohol and substance abuse services immediately.
- The answering service is experiencing service difficulty during the mental health clinic’s normal working hours, they must alert county mental health administration immediately.
- The answering service is back up and fully operational, and it is within the normal operating hours of the mental health clinic, the service must notify the administration immediately.
- If the service is restored during the after- hours period, they must notify each program’s on-call therapist immediately.
- The answering service currently handles approximately 600 calls per month for all programs and staff covered.
- These calls include: clients and providers needing to reach on-call emergently; clients and providers call to leave messages to cancel appointments; and on-call staff reporting their whereabouts or reporting going on or off the beeper.
- There is one person on call each day for the mental health clinic and alcoholism and substance abuse services.
- The answering service will obtain the name and telephone number of the caller, and when the caller indicates an emergency, will immediately contact the appropriate on-call staff member with this information.
- The service will also be required to take non-emergency messages as well.
- All information must be emailed (password protected, email to be provided) as follows:
• Mental Health Clinic at 8:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., and 9:00 a.m. on the next business day;
• Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services at 8:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., and 9:00 a.m. on the next business day.
- All incoming calls must be answered immediately; it is not acceptable to have any incoming calls placed on hold for any length of time.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year