[Nfbf-l] Advocating for TD program!

[Kirk]

Hi friends, I am forwarding this from a good friend of mine whom i was 
fortunate enough to have met many years ago with transportation advocacy 
work! I thought it would be something of interest for us all! Your friend in 
the cause,        Kirk Harmon




TD Friends:

I felt a personal obligation to do my part to educate the Governor and 
Legislature about pending legislative actions that would negatively impact a 
great program.  I hope each of you at the CTC, county government, MPO, RPC, 
LCB and user levels will do your part to educate your local legislative 
delegations as well as Governor Scott about what the TD program has meant to 
you and your communities.  Without this education, these proposals we are 
aware of and possible other ones may be adopted that would negatively impact 
the program.   It is critical that you do this education as soon as possible 
since the legislative session starts in early March.  Please help the 
Commission and others get the message acoss to protect this cost effective 
program but more importantly continue mobility for millions of Floridians 
who depend on these services.

Here is the letter I am sending.  I hope to see you at the TD Legislative 
Day and will continue to do my part for a program that is very special to 
me.  Thank you for helping!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dear Governor Scott and Members of the Florida Legislature


I am writing about the successful Transportation Disadvantaged Program that 
the Florida Legislature created in 1979 and later funded through the 
creation of the Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund in 1989.



As the former Executive Director of the Commission for the Transportation 
Disadvantaged (Commission), I was privileged to work on behalf of the State's 
most vulnerable citizens for nearly 25 of the 36 years before I retired from 
public service.  Because of this successful statewide coordinated 
transportation program, our elderly, persons with disabilities, low income 
and children at risk have been able to access medical care, employment, 
kidney dialysis, nutrition and other life-sustaining trips to maintain and 
improve their quality of life (over 50 million trips a year are provided).



In addition to improving their quality of life, it should be noted that by 
providing this type of coordinated transportation millions of dollars are 
being saved.  The Commission conducted an independent "Return on Investment 
Study by Florida State University" that projects over $8 is returned for 
every dollar expended on transportation.  In addition to these cost savings, 
the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) that oversees the Medicaid 
Non-emergency Transportation Program, conducted a study by the University of 
Florida that showed over $40 million dollars in cost savings due to the 
coordinated transportation program.  Since this study, AHCA has contracted 
with the CTD to manage its non-emergency transportation services which has 
allowed reductions in duplication of services, elimination of fraud and 
abuse, cost savings and improved access to health care.  This contractual 
arrangement continues to be a national model and should not be included in 
any proposals for transfer to health care organizations.



As can been seen in the two studies as well as the Statewide Annual 
Operating Reports for past performance of Florida's coordinated 
transportation program, costs for the services due to coordination have 
remained stable or reductions have occurred.  Safety is at an all-time high 
for transporting our most vulnerable citizens due to uniform standards of 
safety that are required by the Commission and the Department of 
Transportation.



I have been fortunate to work at the national and regional area since I 
retired as Executive Director of this program and I can attest to the fact 
that Florida has and continues to be a leader in coordinated transportation. 
Many states and the National Conference of State Legislatures are pointing 
to the Florida model as one that other states should adopt.



As you struggle with tough decisions to address budget deficits and meet 
other needs, I urge you to maintain this cost effective program under the 
leadership of the Commission.  Please leave the funding and administration 
of the non-emergency transportation program under the Commission so that the 
demonstrated cost savings can be continued and that uniform standards for 
all these services can continue. Lastly, please keep in place the 
Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund administered by the Commission that 
was created to protect access to dialysis, work, health care and other forms 
of mobility that those of us with our own transportation take for granted.



For more information about the program and the referenced reports, visit the 
Commission's website at: www.dot.state.fl.us/CTD.



If you need me to testify or provide more information, please contact me at 
850.524.0394.  Thank you for your consideration and for supporting Florida's 
elderly, disabled and others with their mobility needs in a coordinated 
manner.



Sincerely,



Jo Ann Hutchinson



Jo Ann Hutchinson

Former Executive Director (Retired in 2003)

Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged

401 Gould Road

Quincy, FL  32351












Kirk Harmon
President & CEO
Florida Disabled Citizens
for Progress
P.O.Box 61794
Jacksonville, FL 32236
PH(904) 783-9896
Cell: (407) 473-2176
DAV/BVA
Life Member

" TURNING HOPE INTO REALITY"