STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Human and Social Needs
AGENDA DATE: February 26, 2020
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Community Care
EXECUTIVE: Nadia Chandler-Hardy
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SUBJECT
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Authorize an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Dallas and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) to implement the Senior Medical Transportation Program utilizing DART’s Transportation Assistance Program, known as the DART Rides Program in an amount not to exceed $674,458.18 for the period February 26, 2020 through April 30, 2022, with matching funds to be provided through a grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments for the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program to provide transportation services throughout Dallas County for low-to-moderate income seniors aged 65 and above, enabling them to access medical, health and wellness services - Not to exceed $674,458.18 - Financing: North Central Texas Council of Governments Grant Funds ($337,229.09) and General Fund ($337,229.09) (subject to annual appropriations)
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BACKGROUND
The City of Dallas Senior Medical Transportation Program (SMTP) seeks to support seniors who reside within the City of Dallas in accessing transportation services to and from scheduled medical appointments and other health and wellness programs. Until September 30, 2016, the program was administered in-house, and City staff provided transportation services to senior clients using City vehicles, and was responsible for client screening, scheduling and transportation provision.
In FY 2018, the City was awarded a North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) grant, the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program, to enable the expansion of the SMTP to serve more clients and include wellness visits and appointments throughout Dallas County, based on the program’s structure at the time. Federal Transit Administration Section 49 U.S.C. 5310 authorizes and sets forth the provisions for the Program, which is intended to enhance mobility for seniors and persons with disabilities by providing funds for programs to serve the special needs of transit-dependent populations beyond traditional public transportation services and Americans with Disabilities Act complementary services.
On February 28, 2018, a contract extension for seven months and increase in funding by $242,592.00 with Real Time Transportation was brought before City Council. City Council expressed concerns about overall program operations. City Council postponed and deferred discussion of contract extension to March 28, 2018; and on April 11, 2018, City Council authorized Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to the service contract with Real Time Transportation Corporation to continue to provide transportation services to medical appointments within the City of Dallas for low-to-moderate income seniors for the period March 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018, in an amount not to exceed $90,000.00, from $190,000.00 to $280,000.00, as amended by Resolution No. 18-0559. The vendor opted not to execute the renewed contract, thus requiring the identification of another provider to prevent interruption of services. Staff completed a bid process to identify providers of transportation services and wheelchair-accessible transportation services and identified Southern Dallas Link, Inc. and Medixcar, with whom contracts were executed via Administrative Action. Southern Dallas Link, Inc. was contracted to provide transportation services and Medixcar was contracted to provide wheelchair-accessible transportation.
Beginning March 2018, staff completed a program and client-based review process to ensure that the SMTP was being utilized as a program of last resort. Over the course of several months, staff worked closely with each client to provide application support and referral service to other programs for which they might have been eligible. Through this process, the client roster was reduced from more than 2,000 to about 400 clients.
In June 2018, the assessment findings were presented to the Human and Social Needs Committee and a plan was laid out to transition program management to a community organization via Request for Competitive Sealed Proposals process. Part of that plan was to work with NCTCOG and the City of Dallas Department of Transportation to adjust the grant contract and timeline to better align with the new program format and to adjust programming and services sought to align within the local landscape of transportation programming and information and referrals services for seniors in Dallas.
In FY 2018-19, negotiations began between DART, the City of Dallas SMTP and NCTCOG. DART provides a Transportation Assistance Program in selected areas within the DART service area which allows eligible seniors to schedule and pay for transportation services from the user’s transportation subsidy account, as well as providing on-demand service. The City of Dallas has determined that it may be beneficial to contract with DART to provide senior medical transportation using the DART Rides Program service. Chapter 791 of the Texas Government Code and Texas Transportation Code Article 251 provide authorization for local governments to contract with each other for the performance of governmental functions and services. The City shall provide the funding to support the service as operated by DART. In August 2019, staff completed a bid process to identify a transportation provider that could provide transportation services and wheelchair-accessible transportation services for clients to ensure that there would be no service interruption and a contract was executed with Southern Dallas Link, Inc. to provide these services.
On March 18, 2019, City Council approved the authorization of the NCTCOG contract, which will provide one-to-one match for senior medical and wellness transportation services.
CONTRACT METRICS
• Population Services - Seniors (65+)
• # Residents to be Served - 373
• Services to Clients - On-demand transportation
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On February 8, 2017, City Council authorized a one-year service contract, with two one-year renewal options, with Real Time Transportation Corporation to provide transportation services to medical appointments within the City of Dallas for low-to-moderate income seniors by Resolution No. 17-0298.
On March 27, 2019, City Council authorized the acceptance of a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation passed through the NCTCOG for the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program by Resolution No. 19-0431.
The Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee was briefed on this item on January 21, 2020.
City Council will be briefed by memorandum regarding this item on February 14, 2020.
FISCAL INFORMATION
|
Fund |
FY 2019-20 |
FY 2020-21 |
FY 2021-22 |
|
General Fund |
$120,312.43 |
$120,965.95 |
$ 95,950.71 |
|
North Central Texas Council of Governments Grant Funds |
$120,312.43 |
$120,965.95 |
$ 95,950.71 |
|
Total |
$240,624.86 |
$241,931.90 |
$191,901.42 |
*Matching funds to be provided through a NCTCOG grant award.