Service Procedures & Policies

Transcription

1 Service Procedures & Policies Alameda County Revised December 2012 Alameda County Transportation Commission 1333 Broadway, Suite 220 & 300 Oakland, CA

2 1 Contents Description...1 Eligibility Requirements...1 Service Linkage to Local Paratransit Programs...2 Monthly Required Service Procedures...2 Discharge Transportation Costs...3 Service Area...3 Hours of Operation...3 Scheduling a Discharge Transportation Ride...3 To Schedule a Ride...3 Canceling or Changing a Ride...4 Pick-up and Drop-off Procedures...5 What do I do if the ride is late?...5 Boarding with a Mobility Device...5 Transporting Packages...6 Transporting Life-support Equipment...6 What assistance can a driver provide?...6 Customer Service...7 Other Transportation Resources...8 The is a collaborative project between the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), city-based paratransit programs, and area hospitals. The service is supported by Measure B Funds. Description The is a collaborative project between the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), city-based paratransit programs in Alameda County, and area hospitals. The Transportation Service is supported by Measure B funds. The service provides same-day, door-to-door transportation for people with disabilities who have a health or disability condition that prevents their use of public transit and who have no other resources for transportation from the hospital. Key features of the program include the following: Discharge transportation rides are available to ambulatory individuals as well as those persons using wheelchairs. Boarding chairs will be provided for individuals needing wheelchair transportation but who lack a wheelchair to travel in. A single family member or friend may accompany the discharged patient; this person, who would travel as an attendant, does not have to pay a fare. Service destinations may include: a patient s or family member s home, skilled nursing/rehabilitation facility, residential care or assisted living facility, etc. This service does not provide gurney transportation or transportation of individuals needing medical support en route. Access to discharge transportation service triggers an application process to city-based paratransit programs (and ADA paratransit) for patients who are not already signed up with paratransit services. Eligibility Requirements In order to be eligible for Transportation Service, an individual must be: 1. A resident of Alameda County, and 2. Eighteen (18) years of age or older, and, 3. Unable to drive and unable to use public transportation (AC Transit buses or BART trains) independently due to a medical or disabling condition. (The medical or disabling condition may be short-term or temporary.)

3 2 Service Linkage to Local Paratransit Programs Alameda County All individuals accessing the Transportation Service are required to complete a paratransit application for the local city-based paratransit program where they reside or the area s ADA paratransit provider, unless they are already enrolled in a paratransit program. You may verify whether an individual is enrolled with a paratransit program by contacting the specific program where the patient resides (see Attachment 1 for paratransit program contact information). If an individual is not enrolled in a paratransit program, please assist the patient in completing a paratransit application and fax the application to the appropriate program office. This ensures that the individual will have access to transportation for medical care and other needs once they are discharged from the hospital. Paratransit application packets will be provided to hospitals on a regular basis. Additionally, applications may be downloaded from the Alameda County Paratransit Information website ( Please inform patients (and family members, as necessary) to follow-up with the respective paratransit programs for service enrollment. Monthly Required Service Procedures Participating hospitals are asked to provide a Log to Alameda CTC on at least a monthly basis (see Attachment 2). A designated person within the medical social work department should fax the Log within 7 days of the end of the service month to: Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) Fax: Ph: KPASCO@AlamedaCTC.org.

4 Discharge Transportation Costs Pre-paid trip vouchers are purchased in advance from Alameda CTC (at a cost of $5 each) by each participating hospital (see Attachment 3). Vouchers do not expire and remain valid pending available funding. Passengers utilizing the discharge transportation service are not charged for the service. A family member or friend may travel as an attendant to the paratransit rider at no charge, but must be dropped off at the same location as the rider. The program is supported by tax payer dollars; the costs for trips provided are subsidized by Measure B funds. Service Area The will provide transportation from hospital facilities taking part in this program to destinations within Alameda County only. Hours of Operation Discharge transportation rides are available during the following hours: Monday - Sunday, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm. These service hours generally reflect the work hours of hospital discharge planners who will be responsible for making discharge transportation arrangements. The rider must be dropped off at his/her destination by 7:00 pm. Discharge planners may call to schedule a ride for a patient during the following hours: Monday - Sunday, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Reservations must be made with a minimum of 1 hour notice. Scheduling a Discharge Transportation Ride Reservations must be made at least 1 hour before the trip is to be taken. Reservations will not be taken without the minimum 1 hour advance notice. It is preferable that trip reservations be made with as much notice as possible. Reservations can be made by hospital discharge planners only. To Schedule a Ride: 1. Call MV Transportation at (510) and tell the reservation agent that you want to schedule a one-way Hospital Discharge Transportation ride. 2. Give the reservation agent the following information: Your name, phone number and the hospital you are calling from; The name of the individual you are scheduling a ride for; 3

5 The date the ride is needed and the desired pick-up time; The hospital pick-up address and information about where the rider will be waiting. For example: San Leandro Hospital, E. 14th Street, San Leandro Rider will be waiting in hospital front lobby for pick-up The destination address for the patient: specify if destination is a patient s home or facility (give name of facility, if applicable), number, street address, and city; Whether the rider will be using a mobility aid: please specify if the patient will have his/her own wheelchair or if he/she will need the boarding chair on the vehicle; Confirm that the mobility aid does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length measured 2 inches above the ground, or more than 600 pounds when occupied; Whether the rider will have a personal care attendant accompanying him/her on the ride; Whether the rider will need any special assistance from the driver (for example, assistance carrying bags, help to push a wheelchair to and from the vehicle, etc.); Any other information the paratransit driver should know to help the patient travel. 3. MV Transportation reservation staff will give discharge planner a 20 minute pick-up window for the ride. Canceling or Changing a Ride If a discharge transportation ride reservation is no longer needed, hospital staff is required to inform MV Transportation as soon as that determination is made. Rides that are not cancelled with a minimum of an hour s notice will be charged to the County. Please help us conserve funds by canceling rides in a timely manner (with at least 1 hour notice). 4

6 5 Alameda County Pick-up and Drop-off Procedures The paratransit driver will arrive to transport the rider at any point within the designated 20 minute pick-up window. Remember to complete the required information on the patient s trip voucher prior to the arrival of the vehicle. The rider must present the driver with the required trip voucher in order for the individual to take the ride. Please present the completed voucher to the driver at the beginning of the trip. Patients must be waiting at the designated hospital pick-up locations with a hospital staff member or volunteer during the predetermined 20 minute pick-up window. The passenger is not required to board the vehicle if it arrives before the beginning of the 20-minute pickup window. If the passenger is not waiting in the designated pick-up location, the driver and/or dispatcher will attempt to contact the discharge planner to inquire about the passenger s location. The driver will wait no longer than 5 minutes for the passenger to show up at the designated pick-up location and board the vehicle. If the passenger does not show up within 5 minutes, the driver will leave and the passenger will be considered a no-show, and the program will be charged. If a friend or family member is traveling with the patient, he or she must be waiting in the designated area with the patient. The patient s attendant must be picked up and dropped off at the same location as the rider. The driver will assist riders to board and disembark from the vehicle. The driver can also provide assistance with carrying the patient s belongings. If needed, the hospital staff and/or patient must make arrangements for someone to assist the individual once they arrive at their destination (home, skilled nursing facility, assisted living facility, etc). Drivers are not permitted to enter an individual s private home or accompany an individual beyond the main lobby of a facility. What do I do if the ride is late? If the vehicle has not arrived by the end of your pick-up window, please call MV Transportation at (510) to report the late ride and request further assistance. Boarding with a Mobility Device All wheelchair accessible vehicles used in this service are equipped with passenger lifts that meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Drivers are trained to operate the lift and to secure mobility devices on the vehicles. The vehicles

7 will accommodate mobility devices such as wheelchairs and threewheel scooters up to 48 by 30 and with a gross weight of up to 600 lbs. Mobility devices which exceed these standards may not be transportable. Please check with the reservation agent when you call to schedule the ride if you have questions as to whether a mobility device is transportable or whether the vehicle s boarding chair will accommodate the patient needing transportation. If the rider uses a walker or cane and has difficulty boarding the vehicle because of its steps, the rider may request to use the passenger lift instead. The driver will assist the rider in using the passenger lift to board a vehicle. Transporting Packages Riders should limit the parcels they bring on the vehicle to a reasonable number. Drivers must adhere to a schedule and may help the passenger to and from the vehicle with only one armload of packages, or the equivalent of three grocery bags. Passengers must carry additional packages. For the safety of all riders, individuals may not transport flammable liquids, explosives or acids, or other hazardous materials. Transporting Life-support Equipment Passengers may bring a respirator, portable oxygen, and/or other life-support equipment as long as it does not violate laws or rules related to transportation of hazardous materials. Equipment must be small enough to fit in paratransit vehicles. What assistance can a driver provide? Driver Assistance includes, but is not limited to: Offering ambulatory passengers a steadying arm, or other appropriate guidance or assistance when walking or using stairs. Helping persons in wheelchairs to maneuver on standard ramps and to and from the main door of their origin or destination. Carrying to and from the vehicles no more than 3 grocery bags or similarly sized packages. 6

8 7 Alameda County Drivers are not permitted to: Schedule rides or make unscheduled stops. Enter an individual s residence. Perform any personal care assistance to riders, including but not limited to assisting riders to dress. Lift riders or carry riders or wheelchairs up or down steps. Escort riders beyond the ground floor lobby of a public building or front door of a residence. Accept tips or gratuities. Customer Service The Alameda CTC welcomes your compliments, complaints, and suggestions regarding this service. We are committed to using customer feedback as a tool to improve service quality. Customers should expect the following service from the Hospital Discharge : All staff and drivers are professional and courteous. Vehicles will arrive within the designated pick-up window. Drivers will assist passengers, when needed, with securing seat belts and mobility devices, operating lifts, escorting riders to and from the vehicle, and carrying packages. Lifts shall be operational. Paratransit vehicles shall be clean. Drivers will be in uniform and will wear photo identification badges. Complaints should be filed any time that the service is not satisfactory, safe or secure. Complaints may be filed in writing or by telephone. To assist us in investigating your service concerns, please file the complaint as soon as possible. When filing a complaint, please provide us with the following information: Rider s name, address and telephone number Date and time of incident Details of the incident All complaints are taken seriously and every effort is made to resolve complaints in a timely manner. Please direct your service compliments or complaints to: Paratransit Education & Outreach Alameda CTC 1333 Broadway, Suite 300 Oakland, CA Phone: Fax: KPASCO@AlamedaCTC.org

9 Other Transportation Resources Alameda County Paratransit Program Information Information about Alameda County s ADA paratransit programs and city-based programs can be found on the internet at: www. accessalameda.org. The website has information about paratransit services available, eligibility requirements, how to apply for services. Information is also available by calling the Paratransit Hotline at PARA (7272). Wheelchair Scooter Breakdown Alameda County offers a transportation service to wheelchair and scooter users who experience a breakdown or other kind of emergency requiring transport of the individual and/or a mobility device. The program will also pick up a stranded wheelchair if someone is taken to the hospital in an emergency. This service is overseen by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC). For assistance, call toll-free WHEEL ( ). Road to Recovery Road to Recovery is an American Cancer Society service program that provides free transportation to cancer patients for their cancer-related medical appointments. Volunteer drivers bring cancer patients to and from medical treatment facilities, providing a friendly, supportive, and reliable presence for patients who are unable to drive themselves. For more information on this program, call the American Cancer Society at Veterans Shuttle Bus The Veterans Administration operates a free shuttle bus service between the Fremont Veterans Building and the VA Health Care Facilities in Palo Alto and Livermore. The service operates Monday through Friday and is available to veterans only. For shuttle schedules and more information, contact the Palo Alto VA at ext Travel Training Travel training is offered by a number of organizations in Alameda County to train seniors and people with disabilities to ride fixedroute transit. For more information and a list of programs, contact the Paratransit Hotline at PARA (7272). 8 Attachments: 1) Contact information for Alameda County paratransit programs 2) Flyer 3) Sample pre-paid HDTS trip voucher

10 Attachment 1 Contact Information for Alameda County Paratransit Programs Please see the Access Alameda guidebook for information about eligibility requirements for each program. This information is also available online at City-Based Paratransit Programs City of Alameda Paratransit 1155 Santa Clara Avenue Alameda, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Albany Paratransit 846 Masonic Avenue Albany, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Berkeley Paratransit 1901 Hearst Ave. Berkeley, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Emeryville Paratransit 4321 Salem Street Emeryville, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Fremont Paratransit 3300 Capitol Ave., Building B Fremont, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Hayward Paratransit 777 B Street Hayward, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Newark Paratransit Cedar Boulevard Newark, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Oakland Paratransit 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza #4353 Oakland, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) City of Pleasanton Paratransit 5353 Sunol Boulevard Pleasanton, CA Phone: (925) Fax: (925) City of San Leandro Paratransit E. 14th Street San Leandro, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) ADA Paratransit Providers East Bay Paratransit Consortium: ADA Paratransit service in the area served by AC Transit, from Richmond or Pinole in the North, to Fremont it the South, to the Pleasanton/Dublin BART station in the East Broadway, Third Floor Oakland, CA Phone: (510) or (800) Fax: (510) TTD/TTY: (510) WHEELS Dial-A-Ride: ADA Paratransit service available in area served by Wheels (Livermore, Dublin and Pleasanton) Rutan Court, Suite 100 Livermore, CA Phone: (925) Fax: (925) Union City Paratransit: ADA Paratransit service available in the area served by Union City Transit (Union City) Alvarado-Niles Road Union City, California Phone: (510) Fax: (510) The is a collaborative project between Alameda CTC, Alameda County s city-based paratransit programs, and area hospitals. Supported by Measure B funds. Revised December 2012

11 Attachment 2 Alameda County About the Service Transportation is provided at no cost to the rider. The Transpor Riders who are not already tation Service provides same-day, enrolled in a Paratransit Program door-to-door transportation for will be asked to complete individuals who have a health or Alameda County s Universal disability condition that prevents their Paratransit Application (accepted use of public transit, and who have by all city-based paratransit no other resources for transportation programs in Alameda County) following discharge from the hospital. and an ADA paratransit This service also helps riders whose application, in order to provide mobility needs have changed connect for their future trips to and from to the local paratransit services that medical appointments. Hospital are available in their community. staff or volunteers are asked to The Transporassist riders with completing tation Service is a collaborative these applications. project between the Alameda County Transportation Commission Participating Hospitals (Alameda CTC) and area hospitals. Alameda Hospital Alameda It is supported by funds from Alameda County Medical Center, Measure B, the transportation sales Highland Hospital Oakland tax measure passed by Alameda County voters in Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Berkeley and Oakland Eligible Riders Eden Medical Center Castro Riders must live in Alameda Valley Hospital County and be unable to use Eden Medical Center San public transit (a short-term or Leandro Hospital temporary disability is OK). Kaiser Permanente Fremont Riders do not need to be enrolled in a Paratransit Kaiser Permanente Hayward Program to use the service, Kaiser Permanente Oakland but are asked to fill out an St. Rose Hospital Hayward application for future services. Valley Care Medical Center Service Information Pleasanton The service is available 9:00am For service at one of our participating 7:00pm, 7 days a week. hospitals, please contact your discharge planner. Transportation is provided from a participating hospital to the For additional information, rider s home or a Skilled Nursing please contact: Facility within Alameda County. Education and Outreach A ride will be available within Coordinator one hour of calling for a Alameda County Transportation reservation. Commission (Alameda CTC) 1333 Broadway, Suite 300 The service is operated using Oakland, CA wheelchair-accessible vehicles, kpasco@alamedactc.org and a boarding chair is available Phone: (510) on all vehicles.

12 Attachment 3 Pre-Paid Trip Voucher ** Transportation Only ** (Valid only for destinations in Alameda County) NAME OF FACILITY VOUCHER #: XX-### SAMPLE Revised 11/5/12 Vouchers are valid pending funding The is a collaborative project between Alameda CTC, Alameda County s city-based paratransit programs, and area hospitals. Supported by Measure B funds.