Our vision for accessible transportation in the Alamo Area is to ensure that all seniors and people with disabilities have safe, least restrictive and barrier free access to affordable transportation to meet personal needs
Vision Statement,
Alamo Area Accessible Transportation Coalition Initiative (AAATCI)
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For an All-Text Version Please Call:
(210) 362-5227
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| Greetings!
Welcome to the October edition of the Alamo Area Accessible Transportation & Mobility Newsletter, a forum to inform our community about accessible transportation and mobility issues and discuss opportunities for improvements. This month's topics:
We encourage your contributions and feedback each month! Please forward any information you would like to share.
Sincerely,
Isa
Isa Fernández, MPA
Mobility Specialist
Bexar Area Agency on Aging
Alamo Area Council of Governments
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Alamo Area Accessible Transportation Coalition Initiative Milestone Meeting
Offers Opportunities
(Senior transportation advocate Betty Eckert addresses AAATCI members and community stakeholders at Fourth Quarter meeting on October 19, 2012)
The fourth quarter Alamo Area Accessible Transportation Coalition Initiative (AAATCI) meeting took place on October 19th at the Alamo Area Council of Government Al J. Notzon III. Board Room. The meeting marked the one-year milestone for the coalition. The meeting was open to the public and was well attended by AAATCI members and community stakeholders. Topics discussed at the meeting were:
Progress on current projects of the five subcommittees:
- ADA Infrastructure: discussing proposed Unified Development Code amendments
- Sensitivity Etiquette: updates on tentative Easter Seals Project Action collaboration at the ADA Conference scheduled for May 2013
- Urban-Rural Link: reviewed current and potential opportunities for coordination
- Grant Research: celebrated the success of AAATCI being awarded the Federal Transit Administration Veteran's Transportation and Community Living Initiative grant to fund a One-Call, One Click Alamo Rides.org
- Dialysis Transportation: reviewed preliminary findings of a trip efficiency patterns report on patients using alternative transportation
For more details on AAATCI Subcommittee projects, Click Here to Read Fourth Quarter Report.
The meeting also offered opportunities to expand coalition membership for all subcommittees and become active in the development of new subcommittee initiatives:
Opportunities to help form AlamoRides.org:
- the One-Call, One-Click funded by the Veteran's Transportation Community Living Initiative Federal Transit Administration grant to AAATCI. Click Here to download a Volunteer Application to help with planning and implementation
New AAATCI initiatives to support:
- Social Trips Subcommittee will promote transportation for seniors and people with disabilities to non-medical appointments
For information on current and future AAATCI projects and to inquire about membership, please contact Isa Fernandez at (210) 362-5227 or email isafernandez@aacog.com.
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Preliminary Findings from
AAATCI Dialysis Transportation Study
(Richard E. Martinez, Ph.D., AICP presents Dialysis Transportation Research findings to AAATCI attendees at Fourth Quarter meeting held October 19, 2012)
Dialysis is a growing need in the Alamo Region. The Alamo Area Accessible Transportation Coalition Initiative (AAATCI) Dialysis Transportation Research Subcommittee has conducted a preliminary study on the efficiency of dialysis transportation in order to promote patient-centered improvements in service.
Research was presented at the Fourth Quarter AAATCI meeting held October 19th. The study was conducted by Richard E. Martinez, Ph.D., AICP and centered around data provided by the City of San Antonio senior transportation program Supportive Services for the Elderly Program (SSEP).
Research findings suggest there may be inefficiencies in the travel patterns of dialysis patients using public transportation. This finding makes the case for expanding the study in order to incorporate route data from additional providers taking community members to and from dialysis appointments.
Data for this study was given to author for sole purpose of constructing a summary report for the dialysis subcommittee and will not be used for any other purpose. The report is property of the author and AAATCI. Views and opinions expressed in the report reflect only those of the author.
For a copy of the preliminary report, please contact Isa Fernandez at (210) 362-5227 or email isafernandez@aacog.com.
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Proud to Be Me
by Diane M. Price, MPS, DisAbility Consultant
I was born in San Antonio, and was raised on the Southside of town. My parents never had much, but they gave all they had to me and my three older sisters. I never felt poor, although, I guess I have always been poor. My dad always found a way to provide for his family and for that he is my hero. My parents were very involved in the church, dad help in any way he could and mom was a CCD teacher. She later became the school's librarian at St. James Catholic School.
At the age of three I started school at Wright Elementary, in the Harlandale School District. My mom and I would take the city bus every day to school and she would sit outside my class and wait for me. She said it was hard for her, because I would cry every day, yet every day we would go and every day she would wait for me. My mom is amazing.
After this introduction to school, my parents moved me to St. James Catholic School. My parents had four children in Catholic school at once, I always wondered how they managed, and all I know is that they did. I attended school at St. James, until the end of 1st grade. My parents had to move me back to Wright Elementary, because my first grade teacher told my parents that I was a distraction in her class and I was "un-teachable." I believe now that the teacher just did not know how to teach a child with special needs; it takes a very devoted and understanding individual to teach children with special needs.
I think during this time, which was the late 80's early 90's; children with special needs were kept away from mainstream education. After all when I was born in 1982, and doctors told my parents that I had Cerebral Palsy, the doctor suggested my parents put me "away." Away in an institution, it was very common for parents to do that in prior years. In my opinion it was just a "out of sight, out of mind" solution for parents. It was not the solution for curing the children of their disability; all it did was hurt the child and prevented them from living a full and productive life. My parents were told that I would never walk or talk, that I would be a vegetable. Yes, I would have if my parents had gave up, but they didn't and neither have I. Continue Reading |
Medical Transportation Program Stakeholder Meeting
Date: Nov. 12, 2012
Time: 9 a.m. to Noon
Meeting Site: CentroMed Encino Ballroom
3800 Commercial Ave., San Antonio, TX 78221
Agenda
- Welcome and Introductions
- Overview of Medical Transportation Program (MTP) current operations
- Presentation of proposed transportation services delivery models:
- Option 1: Full-Risk Broker Expansion
- Option 2: Managed Care Carve-in
- Option 3: Transportation Service Area Provider Enhancement
- Option 4: Regional Transportation Partnership
- Option 5: Hybrid Model
For more information on these options, please visit the Health and Human Services Commission website: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/medicaid/
- Public Comment
- Adjourn
Contact: Dimitria Pope, MTP Director, Twin Towers 1106 Clayton Lane, MC 0209 Austin, 78723, 512-706-4901, Fax 512-706-4999, dimitria.pope@hhsc.state.tx.us.
This meeting is open to the public. No reservations are required and there is no cost to attend this meeting.
People with disabilities who wish to attend the meeting and require auxiliary aids or services should contact LeShawn Manus 512-706-7184 at least 72 hours before the meeting so appropriate arrangements can be made.
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Support the Epilepsy Foundation
Epilepsy can affect any one, any time, at any age. It is not a single entity, but a combination of more than 40 syndromes that affects more than 3 million people in the U.S.and 50 million worldwide.
Seizures rob people of precious moments of time, moments lost forever.
Join the Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas to raise awareness, honor friends, family, and the community by bringing epilepsy out of the shadows. Join an upcoming event to show your support!
Phone: (210) 653-5353
Toll Free: (888) 606-5353
Email:events@efcst.org. |
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Support Escorted Transportation at the 21st Annual Jefferson Outreach for Older People Fundraiser
Join friends and neighbors at the 21st Annual Jefferson Outreach for Older People Fashion Show & Luncheon on November 2nd. Your tax-deductible donation will help to provide the following free services to our older adult community:
- Escorted Transportation for Older Adults
- Grocery-delivery and Mobile Meals
- Reassurance Phone Calls to Isolated Seniors
- Opportunities to Volunteer as a driver or in the office
For more information please call (210) 734-5016.
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Permission to reproduce or reprint: Please feel free to forward this newsletter. However, if you wish to use any information marked "original" please contact the owner of that information, or Isa Fernández.
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AAATCI members include representatives from:
ADA Advocates
Community Stakeholders
Social Workers
Urban and Transportation Planners
Transportation Engineers
Transit Users
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Contact Us: to submit stories, current events, article suggestions, data to share, best practices and/or with any comments or questions: isafernandez@aacog.com or call (210)-362-5227.
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