HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-15-2016-13-3 - Information Item - Memorandum - Human Services Transportation Research and Orange Public Transit’s Challenges and Solutions INFORMATION ITEM 1
MEMORANDUM
To: Orange County Board of County Commissioners
From: Micah Guindon, Fiscal & Research Manager and Peter Murphy, Transportation Administrator
RE: Human Services transportation research and Orange Public Transit's challenges and solutions
Date: November 9, 2016
Purpoc
• Share results of the recent research project that examined the transportation needs of human services clients.
• Share prioritized solutions (planned or currently in place) to address the transportation needs of human services
clients and current barriers to these solutions.
Problem
Human Services staff consistently hear and see transportation being a barrier for clients. Thus,the Human Services Data
Collaborative conducted a research project to gather quantitative and qualitative data to better understand client
needs. This four-pronged research project shows there is currently an unmet transportation need for human services
clients. While a full report is available upon request, research findings include:
• Nearly one in five (18%)clients reported transportation is difficult for them. Various car problems (car trouble,
no car, don't drive, and cannot find rides) are the most common reasons clients have difficulty with
transportation.
• Low transportation access clusters were identified in three areas of the County: Mebane (Elmwood Apartments
and Cedar Hill Apartments), Southwest Hillsborough (Gateway Village Apartments, Oakdale Mobile Home Park,
Colonial Estate, and Patriot's Point Apartments), and Southern Hillsborough (Woods Edge Mobile Home Park).
• Twenty-eight instances of missed service opportunities due to transportation were captured over a period of
two months.
• Current human services staff strategies can be organized into four categories: dedicating resources to aid client
transportation; offering services in homes, off site, and at convenient locations; transporting clients, and
providing education and assistance navigating the public transportation system. Please see Appendix A:
Alternative Transportation Systems Used by Human Service Departments for a detailed list of strategies currently
in place.
Current Solutions
Through existing routes, Orange Public Transportation (OPT) provides bus stops at some of the locations identified in the
research project. OPT has also mapped the low access clusters to show proximity to current transportation options.
These Low Access Cluster Maps can be found in Appendix B of this memo. As part of OPT's five-year expansion
program, new services on the Route 70 corridor and three zonal deviated fixed routes will provide additional
transportation options to human services clients currently experiencing difficulty. In order to implement the new
services, OPT is hiring additional staff and adding vehicles. Working with Human Resources, recruitment and retention
challenges have been identified and implemented. Another priority is educating riders and potential riders on how to
navigate public transportation. In order to do so, OPT and human services departments will:
• Develop maps to critical human services locations
• Work with clients on how to use Google maps and Go Triangle's trip planner
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• Provide intensive navigation assistance when needed
Conclusion
The Human Services departments are currently working to address clients' needs through a variety of formal and
informal strategies, including working with Orange Public Transit (OPT). Moving forward,the Human Services team and
OPT will address the top two priorities: filling vacant driver positions and educating riders about public transportation
options. Staff will come back to address the Board of County Commissioners in 2017 with additional information in
conjunction with the new Transit Director.
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Appendix A: Alternative Transportation Systems Used by Human Services Departments
We are dedicating resources to aid client transportation:
o Providing funding to clients for Uber: Health is piloting an Uber ride share program where families will be given
a gift card in exchange for setting up and using Uber, but they're finding that there are not many Uber drivers
available in Hillsborough/N. Orange.
o Providing funding to partners to transport clients: The Family Success Alliance (Health) provides service
providers funding to provide transportation options for parents including gas cards and reimbursements for
taxis and carpools. Child Protective Services (DSS) has three part-time drivers who occasionally transport kids in
foster care.
o Contracting with OPT: Housing pays OPT to transport disabled citizens.
o Providing reimbursement: Child Protective Services (DSS) reimburses foster parents when they transport a child
to/from school when their school of origin is outside of the foster parent's school district. Health reimburses
parking passes for mammogram appointments with grant funding.
o Using outside funding:Aging uses Durham Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Area funds for the
volunteer driver program and the transportation specialist position; HCCBG funds the daily senior center routes.
We are offering services in homes and off site and at convenient locations:
o Offering in-home services: Health has family home visiting teams who provide home visits assisting clients to
receive services even if they do not have transportation.
o Holding events at convenient times and locations: Health provides height and weight measurement and
nutrition counseling at the annual Latino Health Fair after Latino Mass at St. Thomas Moore. They are also
piloting new education workshops at Refugee Support Centers to provide tips on working with providers, info
about betel nut health risks, and more. The Adolescent Parenting Program (DSS) hold events in convenient
locations and at convenient times. Smoking cessation classes (Health) have evening offerings at locations closer
to clients' homes.
o Offering flexible drop sites: DSS clients can drop off applications to either Chapel Hill or Hillsborough offices no
matter where they live.
We are providing education and assistance navigating public transportation systems:
o Referring to medical transportation services: Health makes referrals to DSS to arrange medical transportation if
it is within the county. DSS has staff coordinating the Medicaid transportation program with OPT.
o Providing assistance and education on bus routes/schedules: Health assists clients to access bus routes and
schedule information. Aging publicizes and gives out transportation brochures.Their front line staff are familiar
with local transportation options.
o Dedicating staff positions to liaising transportation:Aging has a "Transportation Specialist" position on staff.
We are transporting clients:
o Dedicating staff positions Child Protective Services (DSS) has 2 FTEs who provide transportation for CPS clients
(primarily children).
o Social workers provide transportation: In the Adolescent Parenting Program (DSS), social workers provide
transportation in county vehicles to program events as well as prenatal and well-child medical appointments.
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Appendix B: Low Access Cluster Maps
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Access to Transit- Patriot's Pointe Apartments, Colonial Estates Apariniciils, Legend
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