[0:00] Mark isn't able to be here and Nolan
[0:02] said he would come for the regular
[0:04] meeting. Oh, no. Mark's in Washington
[0:06] DC. Mark is not coming tonight at all.
[0:09] Nolan will be here for a regular council
[0:10] meeting. So, we'll go ahead and call
[0:13] this meeting to order. Um, thank you for
[0:16] being here. And we have some we have
[0:19] Elizabeth
[0:21] Oiggua. Did I say that right?
[0:23] >> Yes.
[0:23] >> Oh, good. Okay. And Avery Walsh. And
[0:26] we're gonna just turn some time over to
[0:27] you guys to present to us if we'll we'll
[0:29] have you come to the podium up here and
[0:32] um state your name and who you are with
[0:36] and start your presentation.
[0:42] » Oh, perfect. Welcome,
[0:46] >> welcome, welcome.
[0:52] and sit on the chair if you want me.
[0:56] I'll be right there if you want
[0:58] contribution.
[1:02] » Um, okay. Do I
[1:04] >> Yep.
[1:04] >> Am I allowed to touch the mic?
[1:06] >> Yes. Please make it.
[1:07] >> You know, sometimes they're like, "Don't
[1:08] touch the mic. It's perfect."
[1:10] >> Avery Walsh. I'm Brightar Consulting.
[1:13] I'm a subcontractor for the state of
[1:16] Utah through the Utah Developmental
[1:17] Disabilities Council.
[1:21] And I am Elizabeth um Osagera aka Libby.
[1:25] Um so you can call me Libby if you'd
[1:26] like. And I am the executive director of
[1:29] the Utah Developmental Disabilities
[1:31] Council.
[1:33] Do you want to introduce yourself or
[1:35] >> Yeah. Are we doing introductions first
[1:37] or should we just dive in?
[1:38] >> Yeah, that's perfect.
[1:44] [laughter]
[1:46] » I am Alyssa Cronin. I am the mobility
[1:49] manager over at Brag Forever Association
[1:51] of Governments for transportation stuff
[1:54] and I'm also a member of the UDC
[1:56] council.
[1:57] >> Perfect. Alyssa is
[2:00] >> okay.
[2:06] >> Well, thank you very much. Um I
[2:09] appreciate your time today having us
[2:11] here. Uh first I just wanted to
[2:13] introduce who we are. um who is the
[2:15] developmental disabilities council and
[2:18] um just in short we are a state entity
[2:22] and we are housed within the you um the
[2:24] Utah department of health and human
[2:26] services and we are um federally funded
[2:30] through the administration for community
[2:32] living.
[2:34] Um we we have a um a pretty unique
[2:39] situation going on um where we
[2:42] um like I said we are a state entity who
[2:44] receives federal funding and um we have
[2:47] some autonomy to help support and
[2:51] advocate for people with intellectual
[2:53] and developmental disabilities to um
[2:57] live self-determined and communitybased
[3:00] lives um as independent and um you know
[3:05] the the lives that they would like to
[3:07] live. Um we we really promote choice and
[3:10] um self-direction and these kinds of
[3:12] things. Our members are
[3:16] governorappointed
[3:17] and the federal law that guides us is
[3:20] the developmental disabilities
[3:22] assistance and bill of rights act. And
[3:25] that law requires that at least 60% of
[3:27] our membership are either individuals
[3:30] with intellectual and developmental
[3:32] disabilities
[3:34] um or family members of individuals with
[3:38] intellectual and developmental
[3:39] disabilities. And the other 40% of our
[3:42] membership are vital state partners who
[3:44] either provide services for people with
[3:47] disabilities or related conditions. So
[3:50] those would be um individuals from um
[3:54] maternal and child health u vocational
[3:56] rehabilitation.
[3:58] We've got representation from the uh
[4:00] state board of education and partners
[4:03] such as these.
[4:05] Um
[4:08] we operate on a state plan um a
[4:14] five-year state plan. And what we do to
[4:16] create this is um kind of this little
[4:18] model we've got in front of you here. We
[4:20] take public input, right? We survey the
[4:24] state um asking people with disabilities
[4:28] what kind of needs and um what kind of
[4:33] um services they would like to receive.
[4:36] We also review different data sources.
[4:39] Um what kind of services are available,
[4:42] where we finding gaps, uh what federal
[4:45] mandates exist, what have best practices
[4:47] look like, and then we take those and
[4:49] reshape them into what are our state
[4:51] plan goals. Currently, we've got uh four
[4:54] goals in this current plan period, which
[4:57] is um our 2022 to 2026 plan. And within
[5:01] that, um, it's supporting physical and
[5:03] mental health and safety, uh, improving
[5:05] public policy skills and, um, community
[5:07] advocacy skills, expanding and enhancing
[5:11] access to formal and informal community
[5:13] supports, and, um, what we came to talk
[5:16] to you about today, and um, very
[5:19] important is uh, transportation,
[5:21] expanding access to accessible and
[5:23] affordable transportation.
[5:26] We do this uh a number of different
[5:30] ways. We have um the DD act which is
[5:32] like I said the legislation that
[5:34] authorizes us is very prescriptive in
[5:36] how the council can do our work. And um
[5:39] we've got some different activities um
[5:42] like building coalitions um working with
[5:47] policy makers and government leaders to
[5:50] help um to improve policies to change
[5:56] laws to um work with these kinds of
[5:59] different mechanisms. As far as policy
[6:01] advocacy goes, we also deliver training.
[6:04] We provide technical assistance and we
[6:06] also um include stakeholder voices and
[6:09] like through building coalitions and
[6:11] stuff like that. We also provide
[6:14] funding. So we um will provide grants or
[6:19] uh subawwards with our federal funding
[6:22] so that communities can try new and
[6:24] innovative ways to provide services to
[6:27] um people with disabilities who live in
[6:29] um Utah's communities. So just before I
[6:33] turn it over to my colleagues here, one
[6:36] of the reasons that transportation is um
[6:38] officially designated in our state plan
[6:41] as well as been identified as one of our
[6:43] vital goal areas is because we really
[6:45] want to cultivate this idea of uh
[6:48] systems change in expanding accessible
[6:51] transportation options because it really
[6:53] helps to create communities where
[6:55] individuals are u naturally included.
[6:59] Right? That's kind of like I said
[7:00] earlier, the the whole mission of our
[7:02] council is making sure that people are
[7:03] included in their communities and also
[7:06] uh more empowered to work and live and
[7:09] play independently um where they want to
[7:11] be, right? We all want to be a part of
[7:13] our our neighborhood to the fullest
[7:15] extent and transportation really can
[7:18] make or break that for a lot of
[7:20] individuals.
[7:22] >> Can I ask a question real quick? I I
[7:25] just am wondering how that all melds
[7:27] into our senior population, especially
[7:29] those that are homebound or like is that
[7:32] I I I think when you think of
[7:35] disabilities, you maybe don't think of
[7:37] just older people who are just older
[7:39] people and that's their that's not
[7:41] really a disability, but they are just
[7:43] as hampered sometimes. How does that
[7:45] work into the plan that you have?
[7:47] >> Um that's a that's a wonderful question.
[7:49] So where um we don't necessarily exclude
[7:52] those who are aging um our immediate
[7:56] focus is those individuals with
[7:58] intellectual and developmental
[7:59] disabilities uh but we do closely
[8:02] partner with aging and adult services
[8:04] because like you're saying um those
[8:06] populations overlap and they have a lot
[8:07] of very similar needs. So um through
[8:10] some of these initiatives like
[8:13] transportation
[8:14] um we're trying to work very creatively
[8:17] on how can we engage senior centers and
[8:20] um area area agencies on aging um to
[8:24] solve these problems and and to identify
[8:26] solutions for transportation because
[8:29] they're very similar. So, um, our plan
[8:32] doesn't immediately address aging
[8:34] adults,
[8:36] but it also does.
[8:38] >> Yeah.
[8:39] >> Got it. Thank you.
[8:41] >> And maybe we can put Alyssa on the spot
[8:43] a little bit later.
[8:44] >> Any comments about the senior the senior
[8:47] population that you work with? Um, so
[8:50] this is nationwide. Just some statistics
[8:53] and facts for you. Um I think the most
[8:57] interesting part about the facts that
[9:00] I've shared here um is that across all
[9:03] the different states 145 different
[9:06] standalone services cost $781 million at
[9:10] the time of this study that is um
[9:12] referenced here. So instead of, you
[9:15] know, putting that 781 million into more
[9:19] thoughtful programs or direct care, you
[9:22] know, you're spending it on
[9:23] transportation because the
[9:24] infrastructure doesn't necessarily
[9:25] support um a larger volume based type of
[9:29] service. Um Medicaid requires the
[9:33] individuals who receive waiverss uh for
[9:35] home and community based services which
[9:37] is geared towards the um the disability
[9:40] community that they have access to
[9:43] transportation. If the transportation
[9:45] system doesn't exist or the
[9:47] infrastructure is not there then the
[9:49] provider uh is required to provide that
[9:52] transportation service. So you'll see a
[9:55] lot of transportation programs
[9:56] interwoven into residential and day
[9:58] programs. um that becomes part of the
[10:01] service that they provide.
[10:05] Um and then I guess cash is sort of an
[10:08] exception, but 40% of rural counties in
[10:10] the United States don't offer any form
[10:13] of public transit. We're aware of how
[10:15] great you guys are doing with some of
[10:16] your transportation. Um, but you should
[10:19] know that you're kind of in the the
[10:21] minority for how that most counties in
[10:24] um, America that are rural
[10:26] um, don't offer any form of public
[10:28] transit.
[10:31] Um, specifically, so that's nationwide.
[10:35] Um, and then statewide,
[10:37] um, the council did a survey and here's
[10:41] some of the results of the survey. And I
[10:43] can let Libby speak to how the survey
[10:46] was conducted. um and maybe some of the
[10:48] results.
[10:49] >> Yeah. Um and Lisa can speak to this as
[10:52] well because she helped she was very
[10:55] instrumental in creating the survey
[10:57] instrument and helping us to um collect
[11:00] this information. Uh at the time the the
[11:03] survey is a little bit our data is a few
[11:06] years old. Um and the reason for that is
[11:09] because at the time we didn't have
[11:11] statewide data that um represented
[11:15] where
[11:17] accessible, affordable transportation
[11:19] was available and where some services
[11:21] were lacking. So, um although we didn't
[11:24] have necessarily the number of people
[11:29] that would be ideal, um we did have um a
[11:33] pretty good representation of um cities
[11:36] and counties across the state. So, we do
[11:39] have a pretty good picture of what
[11:42] people are really experiencing when it
[11:44] comes to transportation limitations and
[11:47] um what they're reporting as far as what
[11:49] they're experiencing in their
[11:51] communities. And when we talk about
[11:53] transportation, we're not just talking
[11:55] about fixed route service, right?
[11:57] Getting on and off the bus and and
[11:59] whether a bus is even available. We're
[12:01] talking about whether or not your
[12:03] community has sidewalks or um if you've
[12:07] got uh debris in pathways or are there
[12:10] curb cuts available so that you can
[12:12] navigate your wheelchair. Um or uh if we
[12:16] want to be more universally
[12:18] designminded,
[12:20] lots of people benefit from curb cuts,
[12:23] right? Um wagons, people with strollers,
[12:27] uh shopping carts. I know bikes aren't
[12:29] allowed on the sidewalk, but if you got
[12:31] little ones, you kind of want them on
[12:32] the sidewalk. Um so anyway, these are
[12:35] some of the things that are um people
[12:37] are experiencing in their communities.
[12:39] So, uh what we found that I think is we
[12:44] really want to call attention to was
[12:46] most people expressed that they had very
[12:49] limited access to their very fundamental
[12:51] needs. Um medical visits and access to
[12:55] grocery shopping. um a accessing
[12:58] prescription medication, right? They
[13:00] can't even go to Walgreens to fill their
[13:02] prescriptions. They can't get their
[13:03] groceries. They can't get to medical
[13:04] appointments. um which is concerning
[13:08] enough, but they
[13:11] didn't have access to recreational
[13:14] opportunities or the ability to
[13:16] participate in their community, which
[13:19] has a pretty hefty toll on how you feel
[13:22] as far as being included in your
[13:25] community and takes a toll on people's
[13:28] mental health. Right? If you're excited
[13:30] to go to the the 20 the Pioneer Day
[13:34] parade, but you can't get there and you
[13:36] wanted to go and enjoy the fireworks and
[13:39] the community barbecue at the park and
[13:42] you don't have no way there that really
[13:45] has a big impact on an individual's
[13:47] life. So, um these are just some of the
[13:52] things that the survey uh brought to our
[13:55] attention. So I guess um I don't know if
[13:58] you have any questions about that. Like
[13:59] I said the data is a little bit old and
[14:01] I can share with you what cities
[14:04] participated from cash. Um we can pull
[14:08] that up but
[14:08] >> we can provide the full report if you
[14:10] guys like it.
[14:11] >> Is this so this is just Cash County or
[14:13] this is the whole state? Some of our cities were part of it.
[14:17] >> Okay.
[14:18] >> Got it.
[14:19] >> Yeah.
[14:20] Um so one of the pieces of the research
[14:26] that the council is is funding um that
[14:28] we're leading through this activity is
[14:30] really understanding what other counties
[14:32] are doing um and what works. And we've
[14:35] we are finding that innovative solutions
[14:38] is really the answer in rural counties.
[14:40] Fixed route doesn't make sense all the
[14:41] time. And I know you guys have connect
[14:43] Transit that has a pretty solid fixed
[14:45] route but that you're only hitting, you
[14:48] know, a certain bubble. And so being
[14:50] able to expand beyond that is a is a big
[14:54] solution that
[14:56] um rural counties really need to lean
[14:58] on. Cash County does really well. Um and
[15:01] Bragg, thanks to Alyssa, I think really
[15:04] helps um a lot serve a lot of
[15:06] individuals across the region.
[15:09] Um we've found that um
[15:13] the the use of
[15:17] these you know voucher type programs or
[15:21] um mobility management programs really
[15:23] helps put the dollars to use in in a
[15:27] effective volume based way um and can
[15:30] serve a lot of people with a little bit
[15:32] of little bit of money that may not
[15:34] require as much infrastructure that
[15:36] maybe a fixed route does. Um, so we've,
[15:40] you know, we've talked to a number of
[15:41] different government groups, um, and
[15:44] counties, rural counties across the
[15:46] region, including I spoke with some
[15:48] folks in Twin Falls who have a similar
[15:50] voucher style program with buses and
[15:52] vans. Um, and then Bragg helps support
[15:56] with Connect Transit's help, um, voucher
[16:00] programs and then also single source
[16:02] contracting. And then um there's also
[16:05] mileage reimbursement available in other
[16:08] areas of the state through the UN basin
[16:11] um and down in the fivecount region. We
[16:14] see solutions like this being applied in
[16:16] these rural counties and they seem to be
[16:18] working really well. Um and we just we
[16:21] love to see those kinds of things
[16:23] continue and make sure that you are all
[16:25] aware of you know the efficacy of the
[16:27] dollars that you're spending um in this
[16:29] area.
[16:31] Can I ask what Alyssa what Bragg how how
[16:34] bragg participates in the like I know
[16:37] that there's people with disabilities
[16:39] that can call connect right and does
[16:42] brag is brag a part of that is that the
[16:44] conduit or how does that usually work
[16:46] >> yeah so the calleride system and stuff
[16:50] that connect doesn't interface directly
[16:53] with um I'm the mobility manager so I do
[16:57] mobility management
[16:59] which includes
[17:02] uh travel training for individuals which
[17:04] individuals can call and tell us what
[17:06] their situation is and what kind of
[17:10] type of services that they need to get
[17:13] to and we can connect them with whatever
[17:15] is available. So we'll go out and teach
[17:18] people how to ride the bus or fill out
[17:20] applications for uh the paratransit
[17:24] caller ride system. Um one of the other
[17:26] options that we do have at we our
[17:29] lifeline mobility program, which is a
[17:31] voucher program for people in the county
[17:34] that cannot use connect transit to get
[17:38] to their critical quality of life
[17:41] services, medical, nutrition, stuff like
[17:43] that. And we use volunteers, usually
[17:48] family members or something that then
[17:49] can take their
[17:52] the individual that needs the ride to
[17:55] the destination that they need to get
[17:56] to. So that program is funded through
[18:03] federal dollars and connect actually
[18:06] puts funding into that and that most of
[18:10] the clients that we have for that are
[18:12] seniors or individuals with disabilities
[18:15] >> that so the family member would get
[18:17] reimbursed for fuel type of a thing.
[18:19] >> Yes. We have we have the mileage
[18:22] reimbursement that we can do under that
[18:24] program and if they do not have a family
[18:27] member that can provide that
[18:28] transportation. Now, we've started a
[18:30] partnership with a nonprofit
[18:32] organization called Susie Senior
[18:34] Companionship Services and they will uh
[18:39] accept under our contract basically
[18:43] uh reimbursement money and then that
[18:45] person can come and get that individual
[18:48] to take them where they need to go. The
[18:50] majority of those trips end up being
[18:52] individuals that have like medical needs
[18:54] or like Salt Lake because we don't have
[18:57] any inner city
[19:01] services
[19:01] >> and that's door to door, right?
[19:03] >> Yes.
[19:04] >> So, I I didn't even know about this. So,
[19:05] if someone wanted to help with that,
[19:07] would they contact Suz's or would they
[19:09] contact Bragg and just say, "Hey, I have
[19:11] some time and I could take people
[19:13] places."
[19:14] >> Uh, if they would like to, we are going
[19:16] to be starting that this fiscal year in
[19:18] July of actually having volunteers.
[19:20] We've been working through the red tape
[19:22] of who's in charge of the liability
[19:24] portion for having a random volunteer
[19:27] come in. Sure, we are starting that one
[19:29] now. It used to just be an individual
[19:31] would have to have a friend or a family
[19:33] member or somebody that was able to
[19:36] transport them. It didn't matter who,
[19:38] but they had to select whoever it was.
[19:40] And then we had people that were in a
[19:44] wheelchair for instance or needed a
[19:46] needed that accessible vehicle and a
[19:50] friend or family didn't have it or
[19:51] somebody that just didn't have family.
[19:53] Um Sus's has been wonderful. They came
[19:56] in and were like, "Yeah, we'll we'll go
[19:58] ahead and help you [laughter]
[19:59] help you do that." So
[20:01] >> yeah, because I'm sure there'd be a
[20:02] vetting process. You'd want to do a
[20:03] background check. You want to make sure
[20:04] their car is up to standard. That sort
[20:07] of thing.
[20:08] >> Yeah, that's that's our next step. first
[20:10] one when we had that like well there we
[20:12] go we've got at least people can get the
[20:15] transportation they need but that's our
[20:17] end goal because when it includes the
[20:20] community uh there's all sorts of other
[20:23] benefits other than just the just the
[20:25] transportation and it makes individuals
[20:28] that would like to volunteer and give to
[20:30] the community and the members and the
[20:32] opportunity to do so without being
[20:35] something that they feel like they can't
[20:36] do because they can't afford it Right.
[20:39] >> Really would like that not to be a
[20:41] barrier, especially when it is shown to
[20:43] be the most cost affordable way to
[20:45] provide transportation
[20:47] >> that is out there so far.
[20:48] >> I mean, I'd like to help promote that
[20:50] when it is available. So,
[20:53] >> let us know. Yeah.
[20:57] » Um, do you have any questions for us
[20:59] other than that? Would appreciate that
[21:01] question.
[21:03] >> Uh, you say you were 100% federally
[21:06] funded.
[21:09] Is it matched with state monies at all?
[21:12] >> We
[21:15] don't know I don't talk very loud so
[21:17] I'll come to the microphone. Um we don't
[21:19] have any state funding.
[21:21] >> No state monies or anything.
[21:23] >> So uh
[21:26] >> are you concerned?
[21:27] >> Yeah. Yeah,
[21:29] >> there's a lot of federal monies that are
[21:32] starting to kind of
[21:35] >> losing
[21:36] >> Yeah.
[21:38] >> losing availability.
[21:39] >> That is that is true. Um Yes. And I I
[21:42] can I can understand your question and
[21:46] um there have been some days when we've
[21:48] been like, "Oh, buckle up." But I think
[21:50] we're um we have um I think we're well
[21:56] positioned. I think um Congress really
[21:59] understands the value of our program and
[22:04] um
[22:05] in the
[22:07] budget recommendations at the federal
[22:09] level for the next fiscal year, we've
[22:11] remained level funded. So if that comes
[22:15] to pass, that's that's good news. When
[22:17] lots of programs are seeing reductions
[22:18] in funding, we're we're hanging in
[22:22] there. So
[22:23] >> share about how much of your money that
[22:25] comes from the federal is actually
[22:27] passed through in the form of grants
[22:29] >> and is that to counties to
[22:33] nonprofits or to who who applies for
[22:36] these
[22:37] >> uh anybody with a tax ID number. Um we do a competitive process so we'll um
[22:46] you know release a scope of need and
[22:49] anyone can apply that's eligible. We do
[22:52] have to follow the the state of Utah's
[22:54] competitive bid process and then we
[22:57] review those um based on the project and
[23:00] we usually um will open projects based
[23:03] on our goal areas. Right now we are
[23:08] wrapping up our state plan. So the um
[23:12] only
[23:13] open
[23:15] grant we have at this time is a um I'm losing my words here. It is a
[23:25] health related project and the funding
[23:28] is is a kind of a small amount to be
[23:30] honest. It's about $50,000.
[23:33] And so, um,
[23:35] what we typically do is either,
[23:39] um, many grants that are either, you
[23:42] know, 10 to $50,000 up annually and
[23:47] then, um, that are open for
[23:50] um, you know, whether or not the
[23:53] contractor is meeting their
[23:54] deliverables, we'll renew up to three
[23:56] years. That's usually how we write our
[23:58] agreements. But if it's a larger scope,
[24:01] obviously,
[24:03] not obviously, sometimes you can do a
[24:05] whole lot in transportation for 10,000
[24:06] bucks, but sometimes it takes a a bigger
[24:09] amount of money. Um, and those kinds of
[24:12] projects, we've invested more like a
[24:16] $100,000 for those kinds of activities.
[24:19] Um, but
[24:22] >> depends on what it is we're trying to
[24:24] accomplish, right?
[24:24] >> Well, Bragg's really easy to work with,
[24:26] right? Yeah.
[24:27] >> I mean, they're
[24:28] >> fantastic. just just keep dumping it to
[24:30] them and they'll be fine.
[24:31] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[24:32] >> They're they're they're really good with
[24:34] their dollars.
[24:34] >> Yes. Well, uh just so we're very clear
[24:37] on this, um Alyssa is not a grant
[24:40] recipient. She is a governor appointed
[24:42] council member.
[24:43] >> Okay.
[24:44] >> Yeah. Yeah. So, they are not one of our
[24:46] grantees.
[24:46] >> So, you does that mean that she that
[24:48] Brad can't can a grant bragg apply for
[24:51] those grants?
[24:51] >> Um no, not not while she is a council
[24:54] member.
[24:56] >> But that's that's okay.
[24:59] the county could
[25:00] >> leverage those dollars.
[25:02] >> Yes.
[25:03] And there's been projects that the
[25:05] council's funded like the pilot project
[25:07] for last mile final um other
[25:10] transportation initiatives that have
[25:12] been innovative in their approach trying
[25:15] to see what actually works, what the
[25:17] infrastructure requirements are and how
[25:19] to actually get some of these things
[25:21] into play and then work with the larger
[25:24] part
[25:26] to make sure that we actually
[25:29] >> So we need to link up uh our grant
[25:32] writer with Bragg and you guys put
[25:36] together what your needs are so and then
[25:38] we can apply for those, right?
[25:39] >> Yep.
[25:40] >> We can do that.
[25:41] >> Yep.
[25:43] >> Good to know.
[25:44] >> Yeah. And I mean that's one of the
[25:45] council's goals especially um in the
[25:47] area of transportation is building
[25:49] capacity and seeing what we can do to
[25:50] make a little bit more robust for the
[25:52] communities that you guys serve um
[25:55] represent. And if a grant from the
[25:57] council helps build capacity, then
[25:59] that's definitely a conversation I think
[26:00] the council would be interested in.
[26:03] So,
[26:04] >> so I'm really today our goal is to just
[26:06] inform you and and make sure you're
[26:08] aware of who the council is and what
[26:10] we're trying to accomplish and the
[26:12] importance of transportation. I mean, I
[26:13] think you guys already know that you
[26:14] have a very strong transportation focus,
[26:17] but ensuring that disabilities are
[26:20] included in those plans is paramount for
[26:23] the council's goals.
[26:24] >> I have to apologize. I I'm not a
[26:26] multitasker. So, when you called, was I
[26:28] in the middle of hauling hay?
[26:30] >> [laughter]
[26:30] >> You were outside for sure.
[26:32] >> And it was a Saturday, so
[26:34] >> that's why I hate you.
[26:35] >> You were very helpful. I appreciate.
[26:36] >> Oh, well, okay.
[26:38] >> I work at a
[26:39] >> Hey, could you say that again so he
[26:41] could hear that?
[26:44] >> He takes off
[26:46] and I know how labor that is. So,
[26:49] >> thank you.
[26:50] >> I can I'm sympathetic.
[26:51] >> Does anyone else have any questions or
[26:53] comments?
[26:55] I used the service myself with Bragg.
[26:58] So, it worked worked in my case well.
[27:02] >> Wonderful.
[27:02] >> Which um can I ask which service?
[27:05] >> The transportation
[27:07] reimbursement.
[27:09] >> I'd had hip surgery and I had to go to
[27:12] Salt Lake and stuff and so they used it
[27:15] and then I was taking care of my son and
[27:18] so I got reimbured for taking him to
[27:20] Salt Lake for his appointments.
[27:22] >> I'm glad to hear that. I always like
[27:25] when I started out hardly nobody knew
[27:27] about it. We'd get two or three people a month that would
[27:31] submit their maybe 20 trips and this was
[27:35] a few years ago and now we're easily
[27:37] doing between 500 and a thousand oneway
[27:41] trips every month.
[27:43] >> That's awesome
[27:44] >> when I actually get to hear from it
[27:46] rather than somebody that's already at
[27:48] the table that already is in it. When I
[27:51] hear about
[27:54] I'm really happy to know that it's
[27:56] actually impacting people.
[27:58] >> Well, the only reason I found out about
[28:00] it was through the senior citizens
[28:03] and now I don't even remember how who I
[28:06] contacted. So, I might have to need that
[28:09] someday again. You never know.
[28:10] >> Let me send over the information to
[28:12] everybody so you have it at your hand.
[28:15] >> And I think one thing you mentioned to
[28:16] me yesterday that I thought was really
[28:18] interesting is um part of that program
[28:22] Transportation with Bragg is what would
[28:24] you call transportation social worker or
[28:26] it's like linking to other county
[28:28] resources or other public resources that
[28:31] the person may have um qualifications
[28:33] for so that they can we can really use
[28:36] as many services as possible trying to
[28:39] expand that that's just the whole
[28:42] mobility management thing for what what
[28:46] my job is basically is to work with
[28:48] individuals to make sure that they're
[28:50] connected transportation there is and
[28:52] then working with individuals that
[28:55] either serve the people that need
[28:57] transportation or provide it to make
[29:00] sure that we can fill the gaps that are
[29:03] identified.
[29:05] >> How do how do people discover if they're
[29:07] eligible? What's the best way to do that
[29:10] >> for the transportation services?
[29:11] >> Yeah. Or just any of the services really
[29:13] >> for which one? I was going to say the
[29:16] mobility management travel training
[29:18] absolutely anybody's qualified. There is
[29:20] no restrict
[29:21] somebody all they have to do is call and
[29:24] we'll go through and connect them with
[29:26] all of that. The actual transportation
[29:29] services so like the voucher program and
[29:31] stuff are based on
[29:35] >> either income being a senior or an
[29:38] individual with a disability.
[29:39] >> Okay.
[29:40] >> So, uh we will we usually encourage
[29:44] people when they call in that we'll do
[29:45] like that uh training and stuff with
[29:49] them as explain it to her. The best way
[29:51] that I found to tell other people is you
[29:53] can think of it as like a social worker
[29:55] for transportation. Sit down what you
[29:57] need and and now we're going to connect
[29:59] you to wherever that
[30:01] >> wherever that leads. And since that
[30:03] one's free, we'll go through and our
[30:06] program that we have for like the
[30:08] voucher is a good fit. We would help
[30:11] them through that that whole process.
[30:15] And anyone that wouldn't qualify for
[30:17] that usually has enough funding to be
[30:19] able to afford it themselves. So we
[30:21] would still connect them with a place
[30:22] like Suz's or one of the other providers
[30:26] that would expect a payment that they
[30:29] can afford. I have a big advocate for
[30:31] supporting Suzies because they're the
[30:33] only nonprofit that provides
[30:35] transportation in their service and they
[30:37] do a sliding scale based on income. So
[30:40] if they don't qualify for ours, they'll
[30:43] be
[30:44] less according to how much they can
[30:47] actually afford.
[30:47] >> Okay. So, it would it wouldn't be like
[30:49] the same as a Uber or something.
[30:52] >> Um, no, it would be it would usually be
[30:56] less than that and it would also have
[30:58] the uh they do other services for
[31:02] seniors and individuals with
[31:03] disabilities that need help. So, they
[31:05] actually do like the door to door versus
[31:07] an Uber lift that will come and pick you
[31:08] up at the curb. But for a senior or
[31:11] somebody that might struggle to get out
[31:14] all the way down to the path, they can
[31:16] actually have their aid come up to the
[31:17] door and help them in and out of the car
[31:19] and stuff like that that new lift
[31:22] doesn't necessarily provide.
[31:24] >> And are all stands accessible?
[31:30] » Not all of her vehicles are accessible.
[31:32] Most of them are accessible. And anytime
[31:36] someone that needs one, they would match
[31:38] them with
[31:40] I think more than half of them are if
[31:44] not all of them in the county area up
[31:47] here for
[31:50] >> Yeah, Susie's applied for either a wraps
[31:53] tax or ARPA funding when we were going
[31:56] through the nonprofits for ARPA to get a
[31:58] new vehicle. I think that somehow we
[32:01] helped fund one of their vehicles um if
[32:03] I remember correctly.
[32:05] Yeah, you guys have helped fund uh some
[32:08] of their accessible mini events through
[32:10] the community block development.
[32:14] >> That's what it was. I know I' seen
[32:17] >> sometimes
[32:19] like using your procurement tools,
[32:21] right, to help them to get it in because
[32:23] maybe it's a lower cost or it's easier
[32:25] to acquire than it would be if they were
[32:27] to just go out and buy it off the lot.
[32:29] So, there's other ways that counties can
[32:32] support solutions like that.
[32:34] require money.
[32:37] >> Yeah. Well, we appreciate your time. Um
[32:40] but you know, we've already talked where
[32:42] funding is limited. Um anytime we can
[32:46] work together on a similar goal and kind
[32:49] of connect parts and and pieces that are
[32:51] already happening around the state.
[32:53] We're all moving in the same direction
[32:54] in a more coordinated way. I think we'll
[32:57] all be happier and spending our dollars
[33:00] more efficiently.
[33:01] >> Okay. Thank you so much for joining us.
[33:03] Appreciate it.
[33:04] >> Thanks for presenting.
[33:05] >> Thank you, Andrew.
[33:08] >> Thank you for the extra time as well.
[33:13] » For 20 minutes.
[33:14] >> Yep.
[33:15] >> Thank you.
[33:16] >> We didn't buy food today. I think it's
[33:20] >> I say not to if that's okay. I'm hoping
[33:22] we're done by
[33:24] >> iPad's only at 28%.
[33:26] >> All right. We have a time. Wait a
[33:28] minute. That's a