2018 -- H 7551

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LC004543

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC TRANSIT

AUTHORITY, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES, DEVELOP A TRANSPORTATION LOCATOR SERVICE FOR OLDER

RHODE ISLANDERS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE TO

ACCESS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, McNamara, Carson, Shekarchi, and
Blazejewski

     Date Introduced: February 09, 2018

     Referred To: House Finance

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island population of people aged 65 and over is projected to

increase dramatically over the next decade, going from 152,000 in 2010, to 247,000, with almost

one out of every four Rhode Islanders being aged 65 and over; and

     WHEREAS, The Aging in Community Subcommittee of the Long Term Care

Coordinating Council has found, through focus groups conducted across the state with Rhode

Island seniors, that transportation is one of the most important areas of concern not being

addressed, with significant unmet needs of older Rhode Islanders who no longer are able to drive

themselves; and

     WHEREAS, Research findings suggest that after age 70, women may spend 10 years

dependent on others for transportation, with men spending seven years in such need. Thirty

percent of persons aged 75 and over have given up driving altogether; and

     WHEREAS, Approximately six percent of the state's population have an ambulatory

disability, meaning they have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. Others may have

cognitive or other disabilities which limit their ability to use regular fixed route bus service, and

     WHEREAS, Family and friends of older Rhode Islanders are not always available to

provide transportation to those who are not able to drive or who lack vehicles; and

     WHEREAS, Transportation availability impacts most aspects of successful community

living, including health care access, community and social engagement, food security,

employment, and use of open spaces, parks and public venues; and

     WHEREAS, The January 2018 Rhode Island Coordinated Public Transit Human Services

Transportation Plan identified some 41 entities in the state, including state agencies,

municipalities and nonprofit organizations, that provide some form of transportation for transit-

dependent persons; and

     WHEREAS, There exists no centralized place for transit-dependent persons to access

information about available transportation services; now therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests that the Rhode Island Public Transit

Authority collaborate with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to develop a

centralized transportation locator clearinghouse to provide older consumers and persons with

disabilities with information about the transportation programs available to assist them, to include

public fixed route, flex route and paratransit services operated by the authority, transportation

services for older persons and persons with disabilities provided by the state and municipalities,

transportation services provided for persons with disabilities by private community agencies and

companies, transportation services provided by veterans' service agencies, transportation provided

for persons on Medicaid, volunteer transportation programs and shared ride programs; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives respectfully requests that the

transportation locator clearinghouse shall include: a consumer toll-free call-in phone number and

a website to provide information about the transportation options noted above which shall include

contact information, eligibility requirements and cost or fee information for each type of program;

and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives respectfully requests that the Public

Transit Authority identify Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 "Enhanced

Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program" or other available grant funding to

develop the Transportation Locator Directory Program; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Director and Board members of the Rhode

Island Public Transportation Authority and the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and

Human Services.

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LC004543

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