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Lead agencies are not supposed to be collecting and reporting data for the new statewide metrics at this time. However, the Public Transportation Division anticipates that agencies will start doing this during the next few months. The division will provide guidance including orientation/training opportunities before data collection and reporting begins. This will include details on the process for collecting and reporting this data. The division presented a general update on statewide metrics at the Regionally Coordinated Transportation Planning workshop in Austin in November (see an attached Power Point presentation and handout). Again, details will be included in the yet-to-be-scheduled orientation/training sessions. (Steve Wright)
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You must be logged in to view attached files.rspforumMemberThank you for your follow-up questions.
1. Regions should use their best judgment and reason in determining which health/human services/social services programs to include. Again, the purpose for gaining this information is to assist region’s in assessing gaps and unmet transportation needs of transit-dependent populations who are often served by these programs. Regions can then use this information to develop strategies to help connect people with a transportation need with agencies/organizations with transportation resources. With this in mind, regions should make a good faith effort to include relevant programs that serve transit-dependent populations (in particular, individuals with disabilities, people 65 and older, persons with low incomes and so on) so that your plan can take into account and plan for the transportation needs of people served by these health/human services/social services programs. If a region makes reasonable, good-faith efforts to coordinate with and get information concerning these programs, but is unsuccessful, then document these attempts and move on. If you think that a particular program might not be relevant, then your region can assess and make the determination to not include that program. As a possible example — we are not familiar with the “Health Data Compilation” program that you mentioned, but if this program is simply an administrative program that deals with compiling data bases, but has nothing to do with the provision of health services to people who need transportation, then this program may have no relevance and your region may determine to not include this program. Again, the purpose is to gain information that will help you to develop the best plan for bridging gaps and fulfilling unmet transportation needs of the people in your region, in particular those who are most dependent on public transportation. Keeping this in mind should help as you determine which health/human services/social services agencies are relevant.
2. The Table of Contents (TOC) was attached to each regional planning project grant agreement in FY 2016 and FY 2017 and there was a reference in each workplan stating that every plan must include the information called for in the attached TOC.
3. Also, your earlier note asked whether their are existing inventories of health and human services agencies and I think we inadvertently did not address this question in our initial response to you. The response is that each planning region should have its own unique inventory from 2011 when the last 5-year plan was developed.
We hope this helps. Thanks again for your questions. (Steve Wright)
rspforumMemberRina, thank you for your question. The purpose for gaining this information is to assist region’s in their assessment of gaps and unmet transportation needs of transit-dependent populations, in particular priority population groups including individuals 65 and older, individuals with disabilities, individuals with low incomes and others. One of the primary reasons for having a public transit-human services transportation plan is to help connect people who need transportation services with those with transportation resources. Human services agencies serve the very population groups who we seek to serve and serve as a vital link for people with resources. The regional plan is greatly enhanced and the people of your region are better served by having these agencies identified and engaged in this process. These human/social services agencies can be invaluable in helping to identify gaps and unmet needs as well as identifying viable solutions for bridging these gaps and resolving these unmet needs. This set of activities is listed under Section III of the table of contents because this is generally seen as part of the comprehensive needs assessment, but your region can include this information wherever in your coordinated plan that your stakeholders feel is most appropriate. Your approach to start with the major public agencies such as DADS, DARS, DSHS and so on is a good one. You can start with these and then expand from there. Regions have approached gaining this information in various ways such as sending questionnaires to human services agencies or meeting face to face for personal interviews. At this point, lead agencies should have established relationships or contacts with many of the human/social services agencies in their respective regions. Of course, these agencies have staff turnover so contacts may have changed since your agency was in communication with some of these, so you may have to make some phone calls to connect with the right people. You might not connect with every single human services agency in your region, but you should make a good faith effort. Remember, the intent is not for this to be a meaningless exercise, but to gain highly valuable information on gaps and unmet needs of the various priority population groups. Once again, these human services and social services agencies are often the vital link for identifying and addressing gaps and unmet transportation needs of the very groups of individuals whom we seek to serve with the public transit-human services transportation plans. Establishing and maintaining relationships with these agencies will serve your region well in the future. Thanks again for your question. (Steve Wright)
rspforumMemberWhile it is somewhat labor intensive, I have offered to go to the transit provider and collect the inventory information we are collecting through an on-site interview. For some, it seems scheduling and holding an informal meeting is easier than getting around to completing a survey. For more technical fleet information we allow providers to submit in any format that may already exist. (Bob Schwab)
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