Maine Travel Voucher Workgroup

12 1 16

Attending

Simone, Mary Lou, Rachel, Mike M., Kelly, Dennis, Jim, Karen and Eric.

Absent: Mel, Riley, Matt and Dale

Mike opened the meeting and asked all to use past handouts and materials to help frame the upcoming report.

The hardest part maybe the pilot description

Group decided to go through the outline of materials and the drafted framework

Report pieces and responsible person (s)

Ex. Summary-Create at the end

Introduction- Mike (20% of need is shooting too low)

Background – Dennis

Relevant Fed and State – Mary Lou

Recommendations-1 Year Pilot, purchase of service model decided by the key agency, key element is self-directed, the usage is that all uses are valuable (consider things that can be paid otherwise), create an assumption of financial eligibility and disability eligibility, the ride is whom you can get to drive you-that can have many looks-you can go as far as it takes you-need to design a reimbursement system for the person who claims the voucher as payment-use Idaho model as a guiding tool, reference the Idaho report as a successful program

A final assessment after the pilot to look at the data, implement a successful pilot into a statewide (Rachel, write oversite of the RFP process and the pilot.), are these vouchers or purchases of service?, the program is meant for people with disabilities-the agency will decide the method of eligibility, recommendations should consider seniors in writing this up-perhaps as a future follow up, this will be for people 18 and older, we will be asking the legislature to fund this idea-small money to run the pilot, we would be asking for money for a follow up evaluation, we will be asking a department to oversee this (DHHS), Data gathering is part of the process, move this as soon as possible, explore other ways to fund and make self-sustaining.

--Writer (s)-feel free to use the minutes and notes as a guide.—

Make a broader recommendation that the state of Maine should be doing this and to begin we should start with a pilot. The states that are doing this well tend to have funding and partnership with the state DOT. Maine should provide new support to Maine DOT for this effort.

Appendix- Mary Lou

Notes-

Mike will find out the need for filing report on December 15

Add a reciprocal support for the MCOA work (below).

Mike is leaving town, Mary Lou offered to be point person until his return

Other

Dennis spoke of his interaction with the MCOA 2017 Transportation Agenda

Discussion: Organization will likely ask the legislature for approximately $14,000,000 to be given to DOT. Their focus is primarily towards seniors.

From Dennis

MCOA 2017 Transportation Agenda

The Maine Council on Aging (MCOA) strongly recommends a significant increase in state support for transportation for Maine seniors. The necessary investments will improve the quality of life for Maine seniors, and, by improving the overall public transportation system, provide benefits to the disabled and other populations without access to reliable transportation. Maine DOT’s own Transit Strategic Plan 2025 made clear the need for additional service, concluding that it would cost $14 million a year just to reach the modest goal of providing 20% of the unmet transportation need in Maine.

Transportation is a complex challenge, reflecting the many barriers to providing transportation in a rural state with residents often a long-distance from necessary health care and other goods and services. It requires a creative and multi-pronged approach that maximizes available resources of both human and other capital. Maine must increase the capacity of existing transportation providers, encourage the creation or expansion of volunteer driver networks, and provide residents, especially the disabled, with the resources to arrange for necessary travel in places and times not served by public networks.

Therefore, MCOA recommends the following actions:

  1. Increase Maine DOT funding to support public transportation to meet the 20% service goal (a $14 million increase).
  2. Dedicate a portion of that funding to support and expand local volunteer driver networks. Networks will be encouraged to:
  3. Work with regional transportation providers to leverage their experience, mobility management systems, vehicles, and other resources
  4. Seek financial assistance from local municipalities and other sources
  5. Charge modest fares
  6. Serve all interested residents
  7. Dedicate a portion of the funding to create a pilot "purchase of service" program for seniors and the disabled. The pilot will build on the work of the Maine Statewide Independent Living Council.
  8. Direct the remaining funds to regional transportation providers throughout Maine to expand their existing efforts. These funds will be distributed by the same formula as existing state public transportation funding:
  9. 50% to urban areas following the FTA formula
  10. 50% to rural areas following the federal 5311 program standards, which take into account:
  11. The % of senior residents
  12. Overall population
  13. Square miles served

Thanks for all you are doing!!

Mike

Mike McClellan

Executive Director

Maine SILC