Overview of the Florida Transportation Disadvantaged Program

1. Overview of the Florida Transportation Disadvantaged Program MPOAC MeetingNovember 2, 2006

2. Who Are We? The Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged is an independent state agency serving as the policy development and implementation agency for Florida’s Transportation Disadvantaged Program. The Commission is administratively housed within the Florida Department of Transportation.

3. Who Is the Commission? • 7 Voting Members • 5 members who must have significant experience in the operation of a business. • 2 members must have a disability and use the transportation disadvantaged system • Of these 7 members, one must be over 65. • 8 Ex Officio, Nonvoting Advisors- • Secretary of Transportation • Secretary of Children and Families • Director of Workforce Innovation • Executive Director of the Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs • Secretary of Dept. of Elder Affairs • Secretary of Agency for Health Care Administration • Director of Agency for Persons with Disabilities • County Administrator/Manager (appointed by the Gov) • Delegates may be appointed by the Secretaries/Directors.

4. What’s Our Mission? To ensure the availability of efficient, cost-effective and quality transportation services for transportation disadvantaged persons.

5. Who is Transportation Disadvantaged? Those persons who because of physical or mental disability, income status, age are unable to transport themselves or purchase transportation and are, therefore, dependent on others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities, or other life-sustaining activities or children who are handicapped or high-risk or at-risk as defined in s. 411.202, Florida Statutes.” (Chapter 427, Florida Statutes)

6. Who are Our Partners? • Community Transportation Coordinators • Transportation Operators • Designated Official Planning Agencies • Local Coordinating Boards • Purchasing Agencies • Consumers

7. Organization of Florida’s Coordinated Transportation Program May contract with

8. Commission Responsibility • 427.013(22)-Designate the official planning agency in areas outside the purview of a metropolitan planning organization. • 24 MPOs/TPOs • 6 RPCs • 7 Other entities

9. Planning Agency Responsibilities • Chapter 427.015 (1)(2)(3)- • Estimate cost and revenue that will be derived from the TD services in its area, must be in the TIP • Recommend to the Commission a CTC • Staff the LCB

10. Who Funds TD Services? Total FY 2005 Revenues = $353,008,807 As reported in the FY 2005 Annual Performance Report

11. Who is Riding the System? As reported in the FY 2005 Annual Performance Report

12. Medicaid vs. Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund (TDTF) • Medicaid • Fixed fee, per month • All valid trips must be provided • AHCA determines eligibility, Medicaid transportation provider determines transportation eligibility • Provider can keep profit, must assume risk • 30 day opt out

13. Medicaid vs. Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund (TDTF) • TDTF • Maximum dollar amount per month, billed by the trip/mile/hour/zone, etc. • CTC determines eligibility (LCB sets guidelines) • Trips can be denied based on priorities set by LCB

14. Does Coordination Save $? • An Independent Assessment conducted for the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) showed the coordinated system saved $41 million to the State of Florida in Fiscal Year 2002. • Bus Pass Program- • Client contacts CTC for a trip • CTC screens the applicant • If appropriate, CTC issues a bus pass instead of a door-to-door trip • Only 23 Florida counties have access to a transit system, many of these systems provide limited service.

15. New Legislation • Changed membership • Members must receive a Level II background screening • Governor appoints Chair • Strict conflict language • Technical Working Groups • Transportation Allocations will be Reviewed!!

16. Technical Working Groups • Private paratransit providers (shall appoint) • CTCs (may appoint) • MPOs and RPCs (may appoint) • Insurance, Marketing, Economic Development or Financial Planning (may appoint) • Persons who use the TD system (may appoint)

17. Role of Working Groups • Shall advise the Commission on issues of importance to the state, including information, advise and direction regarding the coordination of services for the Transportation Disadvantaged. • Process to appoint will be discussed in October.

18. Upcoming Planning Agency Items • Planning agencies receive a cost of living increase in allocations when state employee salaries increase • FY 2006-2007- 3% increase • FY 2007-2008- 3% increase • SAFETEA-LU legislation requires coordinated planning!

19. Upcoming Planning Agency Items • Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plans (TDSP) Instructions will be updated. • All CTCs will complete the Rate Methodology Process- Rates will Change! • Allocations may change (both Medicaid and TDTF) • Rule must be reviewed.

20. Hurricane Efforts • Special needs are the first to evacuate • Most CTCs are the local entity to facilitate evacuations • CTCs continued to provide services to dialysis and urgent care medical trips • Assisted in the delivery of water and food

21. State and National Recognition • Federal Transit Administration’s State Leadership Award in February 2004. • US Department of Transportation and US Department of Human Services “Best Practice” Model • Received the Florida Tax Watch and Florida Council of 100’s Davis Productivity Award in 1998 and 2004 • Received Community Transportation Association of America’s State Achievement Award in May 2000 and June 2004

22. Thank You! Thank you for listening and learning about the Transportation Disadvantaged Program. Any questions?

23. Contact Information Lisa Bacot Executive Director Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged 605 Suwannee Street, MS 49 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450 Lisa.bacot@dot.state.fl.us (850) 410-5711, (850) 410-5752 fax (800) 983-2435 www.dot.state.fl.us/ctd