Enhancing the Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Access and Use of Targeted...

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Enhancing the Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Access and Use of Targeted Transportation Funds August 17, 2015

Transcript of Enhancing the Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Access and Use of Targeted...

Enhancing the Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities

Access and Use of Targeted Transportation Funds

August 17, 2015

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Meet Your Presenters

Brian Baker, South Plains Community Action Association

Maurice Pearl, Citibus

Donna Smith, ESPA Consulting

Carol Wright, ESPA Consulting

Intended to enhance mobility

for seniors and persons with

disabilities by providing funds

for programs to serve the

special needs of transit-

dependent populations beyond

traditional public transportation

services and the Americans

with Disabilities Act (ADA)

complementary paratransit

services. 3

Section 5310 Program Goal

60% - Designated Recipients in Large Urbanized

Areas

20% - States for Small Urbanized Areas

20% - States for Rural Areas

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Allocation of Funding

State may transfer funds between the small

urbanized areas and the rural areas and from these

areas to large urbanized areas, but it must certify the

needs are being met in the area where the funds

were originally apportioned

No provisions for transfer of funds from large

urbanized areas to small urbanized or rural areas

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Transfer of Funds

• Administration Funds – no match required

• Capital Funds – 20% local match required

• Operating Funds – 50% local match required

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Match Requirements

• Coordination among transportation and human service

providers

• In the development of the Coordination Plan,

there must be active participation by older

adults and individuals with disabilities

• There must be representation from public, private and

non-profit transportation providers and human services

transportation providers

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Program Requirements

• Plan must be coordinated to the maximum extent

possible with transportation services funded by other

federal departments and agencies

• All funded projects must be included in the

Coordinated Plan.

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Program Requirements

• Section 5310 projects are designed to fill gaps in

public transit services for older adults and individuals

with disabilities when public transportation is

insufficient, inappropriate, or unavailable.

• Projects that go “above and beyond”

what is required under the

Americans with Disabilities Act

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Eligible Projects

• Projects should improve access to fixed-route

services and decrease reliance on ADA

complementary paratransit.

• “Traditional” Section 5310 projects

(generally capital purchases)

• Projects that were eligible previously under New

Freedom funding (Section 5317)

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Eligible Projects

• 55% MUST BE used on capital purchases

• Up to 45% CAN BE spent for operating expenses

• AT MOST, 10% is allowed for administration and to

provide technical assistance

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Eligible Expenses

The Survey

• Conducted in August & September 2014

• Received 188 responses

People with disabilities • 63 respondents (33.5%)

Individuals representing organizations• 125 respondents (66.5%)

Key Findings

• Interests of people with disabilities most often represented by human service providers instead of people with disabilities

• 68% of respondents are not satisfied with the level of involvement of people with disabilities

Barriers to Involvement

• Transportation to meetings

• Lack of effective outreach

• Apathy

• Timing of meetings

• Need for education about planning

• Lack of access at the meetings

Solutions• Involve people with disabilities early in the process

• Apply for positions on transportation boards, commissions and planning committees

• Hold meetings at disability organization locations

• Teach about holding accessible meetings

• Learn about the planning process

• Under MAP-21, Mobility Management is an eligible

capital expense under Section 5310

• Must be carried out by eligible subrecipients

• Must be planned, designed and implemented to meet

the needs of older adults and individuals with

disabilities

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Mobility Management

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Mobility Management

Making a commitment to solve as many transportation needs as empathetically, creatively, and efficiently as possible.

Includes:• Tracking unmet transportation needs• Fostering existing and building new

partnerships• Being a resource to the community• Improving and expanding transportation

services

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Voucher Programs

Funding agency provides vouchers to eligible recipients:

• To be used to purchase rides from a specific transportation provider, or

• Recipients choose transportation provider who then submits vouchers for reimbursement

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Travel Training

Travel training programs include:• Orientation to the transit system• Group trips on transit as training• One-to-one training for teaching travel skills

Examples of Texas programs:• DART (Dallas) • DCTA (Denton) • El Metro (Laredo)• Panhandle ILC (Amarillo)• VIA Metro (San Antonio)• East Texas CIL (Tyler)

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Wheelchair Accessible Taxis

• Capital expense to purchase accessible

taxicabs

• Increases mobility for people with disabilities and older

adults

• Increases business for both public and private transit

providers

• Can be very effective when combined with a voucher

program

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Gap-Filling Projects • Focuses effort and funding on

satisfying unmet need

• Reduces opportunity for duplication of service

• Increases mobility for older adults and people with disabilities

• Mobility Options Project

Coastal Bend CIL

Corpus Christi, TX

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Innovative Uses of Technology

Fast-growing area of interest and research

Direct applications include:

• Automated stop announcements

• Smartphone apps for travel supports

• Applications to improve scheduling and customer contact

• One-call/one-click centers

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Coordination

• Regional coordination across communities, cities, counties, and state lines

• Top down model initiated at the state level such as in Texas

Thank you!

1425 K Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20005

(844) 277-3772

www.projectaction.com

[email protected]