Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Southwest Florida
Regional Coordination Study
on
Transportation Access
for
Veterans and Their Families
Veterans Transportation and
Community Living Initiative
Draft: March 5, 2014
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Table of Contents
E. Transportation Services Available for Veterans and Families in Bay Pines VA Healthcare
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Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
The Department of Veterans Affairs -- commonly called the VA -- was launched in the 1920s with the words of President Abraham Lincoln as its inspiration: "..to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan." Today, that care must include the ability to connect to all of the health care and social services available to veterans, and to ensure that for those who have given so much, basic mobility never impedes overall quality of life.
1
A.
Introduction & Background
1.
Project Background
This regional planning study focuses on Veterans’ transportation needs in southwest Florida. The report documents the origins of the study, the methods utilized by the Southwest Florida
Regional Planning Council to conduct the study, and the findings of its research efforts.
One of the factors that lead to the creation of this report was the expansion of the Lee County
VA Health Care Clinic. The VA has maintained a clinic in Lee County since 1979; the old clinic served approximately 26,000 Veterans with over 178,000 patient visits in 2009. Demand for medical services, and an opportunity to expand services offered by the Bay Pines VA Healthcare
System in Lee County, resulted in the decision to build a larger, more modern facility in Lee
County. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) purchased 30 acres of land in
Cape Coral, Florida, to build a new state-of-the-art facility to replace their facility in Fort Myers; in December 2012, the VA opened the new 220,000 square foot outpatient healthcare center.
The new facility greatly expanded the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s ability to provide primary and specialty health care services to Veterans in the southwest Florida region; it is more than three times larger than the old clinic in Fort Myers.
Prior to the opening of the Lee County VA Health Care Clinic, Lee County’s transportation planners proactively looked at the transportation network from a regional perspective, and realized that the opening of the new facility would create a greater regional demand for access to the facility. Lee County prepared for the facility’s impact by bringing fixed route service to the facility, and by coordinating with project partners on funding opportunities such as the primary
VTCLI grant and the regional transportation study subcomponent.
In order to better evaluate regional Veterans’ transportation needs, Lee County partnered with the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC). SWFRPC developed a proposal to
1 Introduction to special edition of Community Transportation magazine focusing on veterans' transportation challenges. Link: http://web1.ctaa.org/webmodules/webarticles/anmviewer.asp?a=1989
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evaluate regional transportation issues for Veterans, with the goal of utilizing regional cooperation to meet Veterans’ needs by providing improved access to regional facilities that provide services for Veterans and other members of the public. Factors driving the need for the study other than the opening of the new health care clinic included increasing demand for transit service, an increasing Veteran population, an increasing older population, and an expanding service area as population increases and new residential development occurs.
Scope of Activities
The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC) provided technical outreach expertise and regional representation to execute a program of comprehensive planning activities for the six county region within SWFRPC's jurisdiction: Lee, Hendry, Glades, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties. The SWFRPC examined the regional transportation network, regional coordination, and opportunities for improving the transportation network.
In conducting research for the study, SWFRPC staff communicated with a wide variety of individuals, agencies, and organizations, including: federal, state and local government agencies that work with Veterans; Veterans service organizations; state and local transportation agencies; traditional and non-traditional community organizations; and non-governmental civic and fraternal organizations. In addition, SWFRPC utilized the following techniques to garner participation by potential clients of the regional VA facilities:
1.
Social media;
2.
Links on organizational websites to on-line surveys;
3.
Soliciting participation at community events known to be frequented by the target audience, e.g. Veterans events, homeless events, and bike nights;
4.
Presentations with interactive surveys; and
5.
One-on-one interviews.
This approach maximized outreach to the region’s Veterans, and utilized collaborative efforts with transportation and human service providers.
The planning study achieves the following goals:
1.
Defines and documents the transportation needs of the region;
2.
Creates a regional profile by mapping existing services, networks, and resources;
3.
Identifies transportation gaps, needs, and barriers to coordination;
4.
Proposes a plan of action to address the barriers;
5.
Evaluates opportunities to create greater regional coordination;
6.
Documents efforts to coordinate transportation systems and human services agencies; and
7.
Creates a plan for regional coordination within and between the six counties in the
Region, including connections between transportation networks and human service providers.
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2.
Timeline for SWFRPC Component of Project (2013 - 2014)
[Staff is working on this section; still in development]
The 2013/2014 meeting schedule:
July 25, 2013 – Project Kickoff Meeting
September 16, 2013 at 3:00 pm
November 4, 2013 at 3:00 pm
December 9, 2013 – Regional Transportation Directors
January 27, 2014 at 3:00 pm
March 10, 2014 at 3:00 pm
May 5, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Timeline for Committee Review of Report:
2013: Outreach - Surveys
February 26, 2014: 1 st
full draft –Committee and web portal
April 15, 2014: 2 nd
Draft
April 2014: Review month with Committee Members
April – May 2014: Public Outreach - website sharing, post at LeeTran, VA Clinic, etc.
May 15, 2014: Final Draft Posted online for comment period (45 day)
June 30, 2014: Project Complete
3.
Technical Advisory Committee and Other Expertise
The SWFRPC worked with a technical stakeholders committee of persons knowledgeable about
Veterans’ affairs to advise and guide its research work. The committee met every other month to discuss research and outreach efforts, and to review proposed findings. The SWFRPC also created a web-based project portal for use by the committee members and others: http://www.swflregionalvision.com/VA.html
.
The technical stakeholders committee includes members from the Florida Department of
Transportation; LeeTran, Lee County’s transit agency; Lee County MPO; Lee County Human
Services; Lee County Veterans Affairs; Lee Memorial Health System; Florida Gulf Coast
University; American Red Cross, Florida Southern Gulf Region; United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades; Southwest Florida Works; Good Wheels, Inc.; Cape Coral Mini Bus; Goodwill
Industries of Southwest Florida; Disabled American Veterans; and others.
In addition, a meeting of regional transportation providers was held on December 9, 2013, that included participants from the following entities: Collier County, Collier Area Transit; Collier
MPO; Omnibus Innovations Group; GoodWheels, Inc.; Lee County Transit (LeeTran Planning
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Department; Paratransit Division; Fixed Route Division); Charlotte County, Punta Gorda MPO;
Cape Coral Mini Bus; Lee MPO; FDOT; Sarasota-Manatee MPO; Charlotte County Transit;
Sarasota County Area Transportation.
B.
Veteran Demographics
1.
U.S. Military Demographics
Military service has touched most American families. In 2004, there were 1.4 million active-duty uniformed personnel serving in the four military branches of the U.S. Department of Defense, with 1.9 million dependents. Nearly 26 million living Americans had served in the military - 24 million were men, 12 million over age 60. But the demographics of the active-duty military was very different from the military of 30 and 50 years prior, when the military relied on the draft for personnel and warfare required more troops. The all-volunteer military is more educated, more married, more female, and less white than the draft-era military.
2
Number of active duty military in U.S. armed forces
3
:
Date
September 30, 1970
September 30, 1980
September 30, 1990
September 30, 2000
September 30, 2009
December 31, 2013
Active Military
2,983,868
2,050,627
2,043,705
1,618,343
1,797,730
1,410,224
The following demographic information was published November 11, 2011 4 :
In uniform at present time (2011)
There are currently 2,317,761 men and women in uniform. Of this total number, 1,348,405 have been deployed since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Population: 0.75% active duty military, 7% Veterans (2011)
According to the 2010 Census, the population of the United States is 308,745,538. Including active duty, national guard and reserves, the population of Americans in uniform is
2,317,761, meaning that less than 1 percent, .75 percent to be exact, of the country's population is a member of the military. While only a fraction of a percent of the country's
2 “America’s Military Population,” Population Bulletin, December 2004.
3 Information from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), Office of the Secretary of Defense: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/dwp/reports.do?category=reports&subCat=milActDutReg
4 “ U.S. Veterans: By the Numbers ”, abcnews.com, Nov. 11, 2011.
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population is currently serving, 7 percent of the population is Veterans. There are 22,658,000
Veterans in America today, just 8 percent of which are female.
As of September 30, 2011, there are about 1,981,000 living Veterans of World War II, a war that more than 4 million Americans were deployed to fight. About 800 of those Veterans die every day.
America has been at war with Iraq and Afghanistan for more than a decade, and during that time, more than 2 million Americans have been deployed overseas. As of Aug. 30, 2011,
2,333,972 American military personnel had been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or both. Of that total, 1,353, 627 have since left the military and 711,986 have used VA health care between fiscal year 2002 and the third-quarter fiscal year 2011.
According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, nearly half, or 977,542, of those who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan have been deployed more than once. There are 1,286 service members who are now amputees as a result of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
There are currently 2,317,761 men and women in uniform. Of this total number, 1,348,405 have been deployed since the Sept. 11 attacks. About 58.2 percent of those currently in uniform have served a deployment since 9/11.
Unemployment Rate: 12.1% (2011)
Although members of the military make up a tiny fraction of the country's population, the unemployment rate for America's Veterans far exceeds the national average. About 12.1 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans are unemployed, compared with 9.1 percent of
Americans nationwide, according to the Labor Department.
In 2007, 6.1 percent of current-war Veterans were unemployed. In 2009, the unemployment rate for Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars had risen to 10.2 percent, and in 2010 it stood at 11.5 percent. It is now 3 percentage points higher than the national average.
According to a Labor Department report released last week, Iraq and Afghanistan vets have higher unemployment rates than living Veterans from previous wars because of their young age. Regardless of Veteran status, young people have higher unemployment rates than older people.
The unemployment rate in 2010 for Veterans between the ages of 18-24 was 20.9 percent, up from a prerecession rate of 11.7 percent in 2007. As with the general population, young
Veterans experienced higher rates of unemployment than Veterans between the ages of 25 and 34, about 12.6 percent of which are unemployed.
Young male Veterans had an unemployment rate of 21.9 percent, not statistically different from the jobless rate of young female Veterans (15.3 percent). However, the median duration of unemployment for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans is shorter -- 17.8 weeks -- than it is for
WWII, Korean War and Vietnam-era Veterans -- 31 weeks. This is due in part to the fact that older workers as a group experience longer spells of unemployment.
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In 2010, more than one-third of recent Veterans had been unemployed 27 weeks or longer, while about half of unemployed Veterans from other periods had been unemployed that long.
Unemployment rates are lower for people who have a bachelor's degree or higher. In 2010, both Persian Gulf War and Iraq/Afghanistan vets 25 years old and older who had a bachelor's degree had an unemployment rate of 4.1 percent, much lower than for those with some college or an associate degree -- 10 percent -- or high school graduates --11.5 percent.
2.
Homeless Veterans
Despite an active push by the Obama Administration to end Veteran homelessness by 2015, on any given day, there are approximately 60,000 men and women who have worn their country’s uniform who are homeless. 5 There are a multitude of national, state, and local initiatives working to assist homeless Veterans and Veterans at risk of becoming homeless, including the
Veterans Administration Supportive Services for Veterans and Families, the Department of
Labor-VETS Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, and VA/HUD supportive housing collaboration (HUD-VASH).
There has been a significant reduction in Veteran homelessness over past decade 6 :
National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers (NSHAPC) conducted in 1996 was only comprehensive national count prior to 2005. NSHAPC estimated 23% of all homeless were Veterans.
HUD PIT (2009) estimates 13.1% of homeless adults are Veterans. Decrease from 2006
HUD PIT estimated 15.5% (Source-HUD AHAR Reports)
Currently, 10% of U.S. adult population is composed of Veterans.
HUD-VASH is the largest permanent, supportive housing initiative for homeless Veterans; it provides housing (HUD) with case management (VA) and supportive services (VA). As of June
2010:
20,440 vouchers funded through the 2008 and 2009 appropriation.
Additional 10,000 vouchers recently released for 2010.
21,736 homeless Veterans have received vouchers.
15,304 formerly homeless Veterans placed in housing with case management and supportive services
7% of all Veterans served in VA’s specialized homeless services are women (11% in
HUD-VASH), up from 4% prior to the HUD-VASH expansion in 2008.
HUD provides section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
VA provides supportive services and case management
5 Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Veteran Homelessness Report , July 2013.
6 “Evolving Paradigms in Addressing Homelessness Among Veterans and Their Families,” presentation by HUD
Office of Community Planning and Development.
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Homeless Veterans in Florida and the Region
The National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans estimates that there were 5,331 homeless Veterans in Florida in 2012, including 1,864 women Veterans. Four states account for
50% of all homeless Veterans: California, Florida, New York and Texas. There are numerous groups working with the homeless in the southwest Florida region; some specialize in homeless persons generally (e.g., Lee County Homeless Coalition), while others target Veterans specifically (e.g., Hearts and Homes for Veterans, Inc.)
Homeless Persons By County 7
County
Charlotte
Collier
Glades
Hendry
Lee
Sarasota
Region:
Homeless Veterans 8
2010
598
401
220
727
1,041
787
3,774
2011
716
390 n/c
17
1,054
787
1,858
2012
828
390 n/c n/c
969
890
1,859
2013
573
375 n/c n/c
848
1,234
2,082
Of the homeless persons responding to the question on active duty in the U.S. military, 16.1% indicated that they were Veterans. This is up from the 2011 level of 13.3%. Give the increased focus of resources, like the HUD/VASH rent vouchers targeted to the homeless Veterans, the increase in the percentage of the homeless who are Veterans needs further research and assessment.
Served /Active Duty
YES
NO
TOTAL
2013 Numbers
4,915
25,616
30,531
2013 Percentage
16.1%
83.9%
2011 Numbers
5,696
37,090
42,786
2011 Percentage
13.3%
86.7%
3.
Veteran Demographics – Southwest Florida
At the time of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007-2011 American Community Survey, the Veteran population of the six county region of southwest Florida was estimated to be 176,686. Of these,
168,299 were men and 8,387 were women. Most of the Veterans in the region were from the
Vietnam War.
7 2013 Report of the Florida Council on Homelessness, www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/homelessness .
8 Ibid.
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a) Maps Depicting Southwest Florida Veteran Demographics
(1) Regional Transit Routes and Veterans Facilities
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(2) Regional Veteran Population
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(3) Regional Median Income for Veterans
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(4) Regional Unemployment Rate for Veterans
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C.
Regional Coordination and Outreach
The staff of the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council conducted outreach work for several months to collect regional information for this study. This consisted primarily of survey work, although staff also conducted informational interviews with individuals familiar with
Veterans’ transportation issues.
A complete list of outreach locations and events is included in the Technical Report &
Appendices section; a sampling of events attended and persons contacted are listed below:
Miles of Smiles Foundation - Opening Reception:
“Honor, Country And Heroism”
Location : Lee County Alliance for the Arts
Veterans Stand Down
Location : Port Charlotte, FL
2nd Annual Military Appreciation Day
(Information and services for Veterans)
Location : First Christian Church, Fort Myers
Veterans Day Service
Location : Riverside Park, Bonita Springs
Cape Coral Veterans Day Celebration and Parade
Location : Cape Coral
Naples Veterans Day Memorial Service
Location : Cambier Park, Naples
Regional VFW Symposium 9
Location : VFW Post 10100, LaBelle FL 33975
Homeless Service Day & Veterans Stand Down
(Lee County Homeless Coalition)
Location : City of Palms Stadium, Fort Myers, FL
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Transportation
Network
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs
County Veterans Service Officers (list below)
Individual Veterans at locations throughout the region
9 VFW District 13 includes Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties. This was a joint meeting of the VFW with the ladies and men’s auxiliaries on a Sunday; SWFRPC staff made a presentation to the joint assembly asking for people to take the survey and provide feedback; subsequently, the Regional Commander sent out an email to members requesting that they take the online survey.
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County Veteran Service Officers
Contact
Florida Department of
Veterans Affairs 10
COL Mike Prendergast
Executive Director
Charlotte County
David W. Donohew, VSO
David Rockow, AVSO
Collier County
Gary A. Vincent, Veteran
Services Manager
Heriberto Hartnack, VSO
Anne Cardenas, Admin.
Ass’t/ Trans. Coordinator
Glades County
Jim Harrington, CVSO
Hendry County
David Abney, CVSO
Lee County
John Ebling, Director
Sarasota County
Location Phone Email
4040 Esplanade Way,
Suite 152
Tallahassee, Florida
32399-0950
850-487-1533 x7710
1050 Loveland Blvd.
Port Charlotte, FL
33980 prendergastm@fdva.state.fl.us
(941) 764-5579 David.Donohew@charlottefl.com
Collier County
Housing, Human, and
Veteran Svcs. 3339 E.
Tamiami Trail, Suite
212
Naples, FL 34112
(239) 252-8387
(239) 252-4826
(Transportation,
8 am – noon)
Veteranservices@colliergov.net
PO Box 1018
Moore Haven, FL
33471-1018
(863) 946-6000
(863) 946-0566
110 Broward Street,
LaBelle (M-W-F)
1100 S. Olympia
Avenue, Clewiston
(Tu-Th)
2440 Thompson St.
Ft. Myers FL 33901
(863) 675-5250
(LaBelle)
(863) 983-1491
(Clewiston) dabney@hendryfla.net
(239) 533-8381 leo911@aol.com
10 The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs has seven state Veterans’ homes, and has Veterans’ claims examiners at all VA Medical Centers and most VA Outpatient Clinics.
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Contact
Jerry Derrick, CVSO –
Sarasota
Gary Valinski VSO
Terry Acton VSO
Darrell Butler VSO
Greg Worth VSO - Venice
James Stivers VSO - North
Port
Location
2200 Ringling Blvd,
#125
Sarasota, FL 34237
4000 S Tamiami Trail,
#139
Venice, FL 34293
4970 City Hall Blvd.,
Room 264
North Port, FL 34286
Phone
(941) 861-2899
(Sarasota)
(941) 861-3047
(Venice)
(941) 429-7214
(North Port)
Jerry Derrick (Sarasota): jderrick@scgov.net
Greg Worth (Venice): ggworth@scgov.net
James Stivers (North Port): jstivers@.scgov.net
D.
Regional Transportation Network
1.
Veterans Transportation Overview
The transportation system for Veterans varies by geographical location. There are federal, state, regional, and local programs that are targeted at increasing transportation accessibility and affordability for Veterans. Nationwide, resources and efforts are being increasingly focused on providing increased mobility for Veterans, especially elderly and disabled Veterans.
Veterans can access the general public transportation system, which is administered by the individual counties for the most part in southwest Florida; some counties provide specialized services for Veterans (see individual county sections below.) Throughout the country, local public transit providers decide whether they will provide special services or fare discounts to
Veterans of different categories: free passes, free or discount cards, special paratransit services
(door-to-door shared-ride service) to assist in getting Veterans to VA medical facilities, etc.
Depending on the location, these services may be offered to active-duty service members, senior
Veterans, disabled Veterans, or all Veterans.
To participate in some programs offered through the VA and state Veterans departments, clients are at times required to use a Veterans Identification Card (VIC). Beyond a proof of identification, VICs also designate the programs for which an individual Veteran is eligible. To take advantage of a state or local transit benefit, a Veteran is usually required to be designated as disabled due to service-related reasons; the designation appears on their VIC.
In addition to the general public transportation provider network, there are private and nonprofit entities that provide specialized transportation services for Veterans. The most frequently utilized service for transporting Veterans to VA medical facilities in Southwest Florida – other than private vehicles – is the VTN network; this is described below in the section titled Transportation
Services Available for Veterans and Families in Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.
Transportation options and services are wide-ranging and ever-evolving. For example, Angel
Flight Southeast, which belongs to the Air Charity Network, provides free air transportation by private aircraft to distant medical facilities when commercial service is not available, impractical
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or simply not affordable. It is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization of more than 650 volunteer pilots who utilize their own aircraft, fuel and time to provide free air transportation to medical facilities for citizens who are financially distressed or otherwise unable to travel on public transportation, including Veterans.
2.
Regional Transportation Overview
The regional transportation network is composed of federal, state and local roads. There is no passenger rail in the region, and for all practical purposes, there is no regional bus system.
Although it is technically possible to connect between individual county transportation systems, interconnectivity is limited. Private automobiles are the dominant form of transportation utilized by residents of the region, including its Veterans.
Most of the counties have their own transportation system, consisting of bus service with fixed routes providing service in the most densely populated parts of the counties. In addition, there are regional metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) involved in regional transportation planning. Public transit providers are required to provide ADA-accessible paratransit service along fixed routes.
Florida has a unique program, the Transportation Disadvantaged program, which was created to ensure the availability of efficient, cost-effective and quality transportation services for transportation disadvantaged persons, including Veterans. Statewide TD Information - FY 12
On the private and non-profit side, there are a number of transportation providers in the region, including formal and informal systems for transporting Veterans to regional
VA medical facilities.
Potential TD Population is
7,682,786 (40% of State
Population)
667,588 passengers were served in
2012 (8.9% of State Population)
3.
Florida’s Transportation Disadvantaged
Population
Total expenses were $367,635,376
47,741,494 trips were provided:
Today, most Americans enjoy an extraordinarily high level of personal mobility, relying on their own resources to meet most of their travel needs and benefiting from huge public investments in roads and highways. But many people currently have no choice in their transportation decisions. They are either not licensed to drive, cannot afford a car of their own, or are unable to drive and are not served by public transit.
35.8 % medical
9.1 % employment
20.0 % education/training/day care
20.9 % nutritional
14.0% life sustaining/other
Nearly one third of all Floridians—primarily the elderly, people with disabilities and lower income families—have trouble getting around. They are considered to be
Source: Center for Urban
Transportation Research, University of South Florida, 5/20 Year Plan and the U.S. Bureau of the Census,
Population Division
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"transportation disadvantaged," meaning that they must depend on others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities and other life sustaining trips. In just 20 years, as the "baby boomer" population becomes "elderly", the number of Floridians lacking transportation alternatives will grow by another 50%.
4.
Summary of Regional Transportation Providers
County General Public Transit
Transportation
Disadvantaged 11
Transportation
Medicaid
Transportation 12
Charlotte County
Dial-A-Ride
ADA paratransit: Dial-A-Ride 13
Sunshine Ride Sunshine Ride
Collier County
Collier Area Transit ( CAT )
ADA paratransit: Collier Area
Paratransit
Collier Area
Paratransit
Medical
Transportation
Management
(MTM)
Glades & Hendry
Counties 14
Lee County
None
Lee County Transit ( LeeTran ) 15
ADA paratransit: PassPort
Good Wheels
Good Wheels
Good Wheels
Good Wheels
Sarasota County
Sarasota County Area Transit ( SCAT )
ADA paratransit: SCAT Plus
Sarasota County
Transportation
Authority
LogistiCare
Solutions LLC a) Charlotte County Transit Division
The Dial-A-Ride program is a curb-to-curb bus service available to the general public for a small fee. It provides the freedom of curb side transportation to and from your destination on an advance reservation basis. The service area for Dial-A-Ride covers
11 Florida has a unique transportation disadvantaged program, created to ensure the availability of efficient, costeffective and quality transportation services for transportation disadvantaged persons; see below.
12 In June 2014 the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will remove Medicaid funding from the state-wide Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) Coordinated system, and provide it to HMOs in regional locations.
The HMOs will begin providing transportation to Medicaid-eligible people, or will subcontract with the TD
Community Transportation Coordinators to provide the transportation.
13 All of Charlotte County’s paratransit vehicles are accessible to people who use mobility devices.
14 Good Wheels’ services in Glades & Hendry counties: (1) DIAL-A-RIDE program allows the general public to schedule a ride, on an existing route, to go anywhere within those counties, for $2.00 co-pay per one-way trip; (2)
Transportation Disadvantaged program: $2.00 co-pay per one-way trip (Personal Care Attendants and children under the age of eighteen are not required to pay); (3) Medicaid Program: person must establish Medicaid eligibility; service for approved medical appointments only; $1.00 co- pay per one-way trip.
15 All of LeeTran’s full-size buses are accessible to people who use mobility devices; citizens with mental or physical disabilities are entitled to ride LeeTran at a discounted fares and purchase discounted passes.
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most urban parts of the county (excludes Boca Grande, Pirate Harbor, and far eastern part of county.)
The Sunshine Ride program is a door-to-door transportation service for those unable to provide or purchase their own transportation due to disability, age, income or rural residents (Transportation Disadvantaged.) The service operates to connect passengers to medical centers, pharmacies, grocery stores and other prioritized destinations. There is no service area for Sunshine Ride, the county’s Transportation Disadvantaged service;
Sunshine Ride provides curb-to-curb service throughout entire county.
Fixed Route Transit
In Charlotte, there is no fixed-route transit; the public transit system is paratransit.
ADA-complementary Paratransit
Dial-A-Ride (Charlotte County Transit Department)
Connectivity with Transit Systems for Adjoining Counties
Sarasota County: Charlotte provides Dial-A-Ride service into Sarasota, to North Port and
Englewood; these are easy connections, close to Charlotte County border.
Lee County : no place to link close to county border that is safe and convenient.
Transportation Disadvantaged Program
Official Planning Agency (OPA): The Charlotte County - Punta Gorda MPO is the official planning agency (OPA) for the Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) program in
Charlotte County.
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Charlotte County Transit Department
Medicaid Transportation Provider: Sunshine Ride (Charlotte County Transit
Department)
Reduced Transit Fares for Veterans
Indirect – see below.
Transportation for Veterans
Charlotte County Transit Division
Charlotte County Transit Department provides daily service for Veterans to the Port
Charlotte VA clinic via Sunshine Ride and Dial-a-Ride.
Charlotte County has a Veterans’ van service, a joint program between the Charlotte County
Transit Department and the Charlotte County Veterans’ Council, in which the county supplies the vans, and the council supplies the drivers. Currently, this program provides rides three days a week to regional Veterans’ health care clinics in Bay Pines and Cape Coral.
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b) Collier County Transportation Providers
Collier Area Transit (CAT)
CAT provides both fixed route transit and ADA-complementary paratransit service.
The Collier County Alternative Transportation Modes Department administers the Collier
Area Paratransit system for Collier County.
As the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC), the Department administers coordination of transportation services for the disabled and economically disadvantaged.
Funding for these transportation services comes from a variety of sources including the State
Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged, Medicaid, Americans with Disabilities
Act Federal grant, local County funding and other State grants.
Connectivity with Transit Systems for Adjoining Counties
Lee County: LinC route
LinC is a route linking Collier County and Lee County (LinC stands for Lee in Collier.) The
Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration grant funds are helping to fund the route. The future of the route is uncertain, as it is dependent on continued funding.
Transportation Disadvantaged
Official Planning Agency (OPA): Collier County MPO
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Collier Area Paratransit
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: Collier Area Paratransit
Medicaid Subcontracted Transportation Provider (STP): Medical Transportation
Management (MTM)
Reduced Transit Fares
??
Transportation for Veterans
CAT fixed route and paratransit
Disabled American Veterans Van Service? c) Glades County & Hendry County Transportation Providers
There is no general public transportation agency in Glades or Hendry County; most of the transportation services are provided by Good Wheels, a nonprofit paratransit transportation provider.
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
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Fixed Route Transit
Clewiston to Belle Glade Community Bus Route provided by Good Wheels. Bus service is available Monday-Friday from 7 am to 7 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 5 pm.; the fair is $1 one-way.
ADA-complementary Paratransit
None
Transportation Disadvantaged
Designated Official Planning Agency (DOPA): Southwest Florida Regional Planning
Council
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Good Wheels, Inc.
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: Good Wheels, Inc.
Medicaid Transportation Provider: Good Wheels, Inc.
Reduced Transit Fares
N/A
Transportation for Veterans
The Disabled American Veterans van service provides curb-to-curb paratransit service for
Veterans, from their home to VA medical facilities. Due to the rural nature of the counties, volunteer drivers have not been available, so the counties subsidize the service to pay drivers of the DAV vans. d) Lee County Transportation Providers
LeeTran (Lee County)
Lee County provides both fixed route service and paratransit service (Passport.)
Connectivity with Transit Systems for Adjoining Counties
Collier County: LinC route
LinC is a route linking Collier County and Lee County (LinC stands for Lee in Collier.) The
Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration grant funds are helping to fund the route.
Charlotte County: ?
Transportation Disadvantaged
Official Planning Agency (OPA): Lee County MPO
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Good Wheels, Inc.
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: LeeTran Passport
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
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Medicaid Transportation Provider: Good Wheels, Inc.
Reduced Transit Fares
??
Transportation for Veterans
DAV van service e) Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT)
Sarasota County provides both fixed route service and paratransit service (SCAT Plus.)
Transportation Disadvantaged
Official Planning Agency (OPA): Sarasota/Manatee MPO
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): SCAT
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: SCAT Plus Service - Accessible
Transportation
Medicaid Transportation Provider:
The Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged contracted with a thirdparty provider, LogistiCare Solutions LLC , to provide Medicaid transportation services in
Sarasota County.
Reduced Transit Fares
SCAT Gold Card. Passengers 65 years of age and older and persons with disabilities can ride
SCAT for half price.
Transportation for Veterans
SCAT offers Veterans daily transportation (Monday-Friday) to two out-of-county medical facilities, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System in Bay Pines and James A. Haley Veterans’
Hospital in Tampa. This service is provided from six pickup and drop-off points in Sarasota
County and costs $8-$13 round trip, depending on the pickup point.
Disabled American Veterans Van Service.
E.
Transportation Services Available for Veterans and Families in Bay Pines VA
Healthcare System
The VA provides funding for Veterans’ transportation in numerous ways.
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
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1.
Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN)
The most frequently utilized service for transporting Veterans in Southwest Florida to VA medical facilities (other than private vehicles) is the Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN).
This network has evolved over the years as a partnership between the Disabled American
Veterans (DAV) organization and the VA.
VTN is a system of transportation operated by volunteers. This service is free of charge and is available to Veterans who do not have available transportation to and from their medical appointments at the Bay Pines VAMC or Bay Pines operated Community Based Outpatient
Clinics (CBOCs).
In th VTN system, vehicles are donated to the VA – in our Region, to the Bay Pines VA
Healthcare System - by the DAV or another entity; the vehicles are then maintained by Bay
Pines’ Voluntary Service Department. The vehicles are operated, for the most part, by volunteer drivers. VTN is a volunteer transportation system – volunteers handle the phone calls, do the trip scheduling, and drive the vehicles. The service is free of charge and is available to Veterans who do not have available transportation to and from their medical appointments at the Bay Pines
VAMC or Bay Pines operated Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), including the Lee
County VA Healthcare Center.
Eligibility Requirements
Enrolled in VA healthcare
Reservations must be made in advance, as volunteer drivers provide service.
2.
Veteran Transportation Service (VTS)
The Veteran Transportation Service (VTS) is a supplement to the existing transportation available for Veterans. The service is available for Veterans with special needs and for those who do not have available transportation to and from their appointments at the Bay Pines VA Medical
Center (VAMC). VTS is available at no cost to the Veteran.
In contrast to the VTN, the Veteran Transportation Service (VTS) program is a funded VA program with paid VA drivers. In the Bay Pines VA System, they currently have two VTS vehicles and drivers that provide transportation to and from the Lee County VA Healthcare
Center. One VTS vehicle is used as a daily shuttle between Lee County and Bay Pines (see below); the other VTS vehicle is used for local special mode transports (wheelchair) in the Lee
County area for Veterans who have appointments at the Lee County VA Healthcare Center. VTS is a supplement to existing transportation options available for Veterans.
The Bay Pines VAHCS states that due to limited resources, they are unable to assist all special mode Veterans, but make every effort to assistance as many as possible. (Veterans must see a
VA provider or Social Worker for a referral to receive special mode transportation.)
16
16 Email from Cora Omari, Mobility Manager, Health Administration Services, Bay Pines VAHCS, March 5, 2014.
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Eligibility Requirements
You must be a Veteran enrolled for VA Health Care benefits
You must have a scheduled and authorized medical appointment requiring travel
NOTE: A Veteran may be accompanied by one caregiver, spouse, or family member
3.
Fixed Route Daily Shuttle Between Lee County CBOC and C.W. Bill Young
Hospital
VTN shuttle departs at 6:00 am from the Lee County VA Healthcare Center to accommodate Veterans with early appointments; this shuttle departs from the Bay Pines
C.W. Bill Young Hospital around 2:00 pm to return to Lee County.
VTS shuttle route departs at 10:00 am from the Lee County VA Healthcare Center for the daily trip to Bay Pines; the VTS shuttle departs Bay Pines around 3:00 – 3:30 pm to accommodate Veterans with late appointments.
A list of VTN and VTS contacts is provided as an appendix to the report; additional information about various transportation services available for Veterans can be found on the Bay Pines webpage: http://www.baypines.va.gov/BAYPINES/PublicTransportation.asp
.
4.
Family Members of Veterans
Unfortunately, family members of Veterans do not qualify for Veterans’ services, other than survivor’s benefits. They can accompany an eligible Veteran on a medical transport trip, if they are needed as a caregiver or space is available.
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F.
Veterans’ Healthcare Services in Southwest Florida
1.
Bay Pines Healthcare System, VA Sunshine Healthcare Network
Access to health care involves transportation from a Veteran’s home, if they have one, to a healthcare provider. Many Veterans in southwest Florida utilize the VA healthcare system, and transportation to and from medical appointments at VA medical facilities was one of the most frequently cited transportation issues listed by Veterans in the study’s survey responses.
The VA healthcare facilities in southwest Florida are part of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. The Bay
Pines VA Healthcare System service area includes all of the four coastal counties in the Southwest Florida
Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC) planning area, as well as Manatee, Pinellas, Desoto, Hardee, and
Sebring counties. The two inland counties in the
SWFRPC planning area, Glades and Hendry counties, are located in the West Palm Beach VA Medical
Center service area.
Although the Veterans in southwest Florida receive most of their healthcare services through the Bay
Pines Healthcare System, they are referred to doctors and health care facilities in other parts of the state as well, including Miami, Okeechobee, West Palm
Beach, and the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System's main facility, the C.W. Bill Young VA
Medical Center, located between St. Petersburg and Madeira Beach, across Tampa Bay from
Tampa, Florida.
Bay Pines VA Healthcare System Facilities in Southwest Florida Region:
Contact
Charlotte County
Port Charlotte VA Community
Clinic
Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4:30 pm
Collier County
Naples VA Community Clinic
Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4:30 pm
Naples Vet Center
Location
4161 Tamiami Trail,
Suite 401
Port Charlotte, Florida
33952
2685 Horseshoe Drive
S., Suite 101
Naples, Florida 34104
2705 South Horseshoe
Dr., Unit 204
Naples, FL 34104
Phone
(941) 235-
2710
(239) 659-
9188
(239) 403-
2377
County
Charlotte
Collier
Collier
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 24
Contact
Glades and Hendry
Counties 17
See footnote below
Lee County
Lee County VA Healthcare
Center
Fort Myers Vet Center
Jeanna Troia, Team Leader
Location
2489 Diplomat
Parkway East
Cape Coral, FL 33909
4110 Center Pointe Dr.,
Unit 204
Fort Myers, FL 33916
Phone
(239) 652-
1800
(239) 652-
1861
County
Lee
Lee
Bay Pines VA Medical Center
Mon-Fri, 10 am - 4 pm
10000 Bay Pines Blvd.
Bay Pines, FL 33744
(727) 398-
6661, Ext.
5489
Pinellas
Sarasota County
Sarasota Vet Center
4801 Swift Road, Suite
A
Sarasota, FL 34231
Sarasota VA Community Clinic
Mon-Fri, 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
5682 Bee Ridge Rd.,
Suite 100
Sarasota, Florida 34233
(941) 927-
8285
(941) 371-
3349
Sarasota
Sarasota
The Bay Pines Healthcare System in Southwest Florida is part of the VA Sunshine Healthcare
Network, which includes the entire state of Florida, as well as South Georgia, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Below are descriptions and historical information on the VA healthcare systems and facilities where Veterans living in Southwest Florida are treated.
Bay Pines Healthcare System is part of the VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8), the nation’s largest system of hospitals and clinics, serving a population of more than 1.6 million
Veterans in a vast 61,101 square mile area spread across 79 counties in Florida, South Georgia,
Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
VISN 8’s seven healthcare systems include eight Joint Commission-accredited VA medical centers and more than 50 outpatient clinics. About 25,100 full-time VISN employees work at these facilities, providing a full range of high quality, cost-effective medical, psychiatric and extended care services in an inpatient, outpatient, nursing home, and home care settings. In 2013, over 545,000 Veterans received their healthcare at VISN 8 facilities—more patients than any other VA network in the country.
17 There are no VA healthcare facilities in Glades or Hendry counties; Veterans residing in these counties go to VA health care facilities in other counties.
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The primary hospital facility in the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is the C.W. Bill Young VA
Medical Center, located between St. Petersburg and Madeira Beach on the west coast of Florida, across Tampa Bay from Tampa, Florida. This hospital, commonly referred to as the Bay Pines
VA hospital, is slightly north of the six-county region served by the Southwest Florida Regional
Planning Council, whose northern boundary includes Sarasota County.
The new Lee County VA Health Care Clinic offers new and expanded services in a number of areas, including primary care, mental health, audiology, cardiology, compensation and pension exams, Coumadin clinic, dermatology, eye care, gastroenterology and endoscopic procedures, home and community care, x-ray, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, neurology, nuclear imaging, nutrition counseling, orthopedics, pharmacy consultation and medication pick up, podiatry, prosthetics, rheumatology, tobacco cessation, Telehealth, telephone call center, social work, spinal cord injury, urology, dental, women’s care, and phlebotomy.
The new facility specializes in mental health care, including care for Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder and other needs of returning combat Veterans, and also offers medical services for women Veterans’ care, including gender specific exam rooms and dedicated staff specialized in women Veterans’ health care.
G.
Gaps/Needs
1.
Barriers to Mobility for Veterans – National a) General Information on Veterans Transportation
The issues for Veterans in southwest Florida mirror the mobility issues facing Veterans across the country; mobility barriers for Veterans is a growing concern in both Florida and the rest of the country. In 2010, there were about 23 million veterans of military service in the United
States, about 40 percent of whom were 65 years of age and older. More than eight million veterans were enrolled in services involving various kinds of medical care provided by the
Veterans Health Administration; the number of Veterans needing medical care is expected to grow significantly.
18
The VA offers assistance to eligible veterans who are traveling for medical care through the
Veterans Health Administration (VHA), one of three administrations within the VA. The VA’s policies describe the kinds of persons and kinds of trips that are eligible under VHA’s
Beneficiary Travel program for reimbursement of travel expenses; transportation expenses can be allowed if the expenses are part of VHA-provided or VHA-authorized outpatient and inpatient medical services provided to eligible individuals.
18 Burkhardt, Rubino, and Yum, Improving Mobility for Veterans, Transit Cooperative Research Program, Research
Results Digest 99 (April 2011). Link: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_rrd_99.pdf
.
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Expenses for the Beneficiary Travel program were $750 million in 2010. The Veterans Benefits
Administration administers the program entitled Automobiles and Adaptive Equipment for
Certain Disabled Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces, which had an estimated budget of
$65.8 million; the combined cost of the VA’s Beneficiary Travel and Automobile and Special
Adaptive Equipment Grants programs was $820 million in transportation assistance to veterans in 2010. Despite this level of support, there are many reports of veterans having difficulties accessing VA health care or other destinations that offer resources which are critical for life sustaining and life enriching activities.
19 b) Eligibility for VA Transportation Assistance 20
Some of the persons and trips eligible for travel reimbursements include the following:
Veterans who travel to or from a VA facility or VA-authorized health care facility in connection with treatment or care for a Service Connected (SC) disability (regardless of percent of disability).
Veterans with a SC disability rated at 30 percent or more who travel to or from a VA facility or VA-authorized health care facility for examination, treatment, or care for any condition.
Veterans receiving a VA pension traveling to or from an authorized health care facility for examination, treatment, or care.
An attendant who is accompanying and assisting a Veteran or beneficiary eligible for beneficiary travel payments because of the Veteran’s physical or mental condition.
Other persons (for example, a member of a Veteran’s immediate family or a Veteran’s legal guardian), if they are traveling for consultation or other specified services concerning a Veteran who is receiving care for a SC disability; or a member of a
Veteran’s immediate family traveling for bereavement counseling relating to the death of the Veteran in the active military service in the line of duty.
Trips by Veterans to authorized health care facility for scheduled compensation and pension (C&P) examinations.
Trips for emergency situations or other specified situations. c) Transportation Options for Veterans
While there are numerous ways that Veterans could travel to VA Medical Centers (VAMCs),
Veterans in many localities in southwest Florida often experience quite limited transportation options available for their medical trips. The most common transportation options for Veterans traveling to VAMCs are as follows:
Veterans drive themselves to VAMCs.
19 Ibid .
20 Ibid .
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Veterans receive transportation services via nonprofit Veterans’ service organizations, including the Disabled Americans Veterans (DAV) and other Veterans’ organizations.
VAMCs use their own staff to operate vehicles to transport Veterans.
VAMCs contract with local transportation vendors to provide trips to Veterans.
Veterans use transportation services operated by public transit agencies, local governments, or community-based organizations.
Some VAMCs provide information about local transportation options for Veterans. d) Mobility Challenges Facing Veterans
This report and other reports have identified problems, concerns, and challenges with transportation services now provided to Veterans. The kinds of problems that have been observed include the following:
Veterans report problems accessing VA medical services.
The need for Veterans’ transportation is growing rapidly due to an increase in injuries.
Currently, for every fatality in Iraq, there are 16 wounded or injured soldiers, which is an injury rate five times greater than in the Vietnam War.
With annual VHA medical transportation expenses increasing rapidly—$750 million was spent in FY 2010 on Beneficiary Travel—cost-effectiveness of transportation services is a growing concern.
Rural areas offer special transportation challenges for transportation services serving
Veterans.
Forty percent of Veterans live in rural areas. The younger Veterans who served in
Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely than other Veterans to live in rural areas.
Veterans living in rural areas may need to travel extremely long distances to receive medical care and the other services to which they are entitled.
Veterans living in rural areas are reported to be in poorer health than Veterans living in urban areas.
Veterans who miss medical appointments exhibit higher rates of depression, poor health care access, socialization problems, and suicide.
There is a huge and growing need for transporting aging and younger Veterans with traumatic brain injuries.
According to some sources, Veterans’ transportation services are frequently not coordinated with existing community and public transportation services at this time, with the result that neither the Veterans’ transportation services nor existing community transportation services operate as cost-effectively as they might.
Some volunteer-based services (such as those provided by DAV) are struggling to obtain or maintain a sufficient number of volunteer drivers to meet the mobility needs of
Veterans.
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Most volunteer services do not now operate vehicles accessible to Veterans in wheelchairs.
Some of the current transportation services are characterized by excessive wait times for trips or for appointments for trips.
As Veterans’ transportation services tend to be administered locally, local administrators may not be aware of other travel options or best practices in Veterans’ transportation services.
With decentralized decisionmaking for transportation services for Veterans, these services exhibit a lack of uniformity and consistency.
H.
Connectivity
Connectivity is an indicator of a passenger’s ability to use more than one transit system for a single trip. Good connectivity improves transit trips needing multiple operators to travel to work, school, medical offices, government service centers, grocery and drug stores, or other destinations. By making a multi-operator trip as seamless as a single-operator trip, good connectivity can attract new transit riders by reducing travel times, providing more reliable connections, making it easier to pay, and ensuring that transfers are safe and easy.
Poor connectivity, on the other hand, creates barriers that impede customers’ ability to make efficient multi-operator trips. When connectivity is poor, multi-operator transit trips are frustrating, time-consuming, and costly, lowering service quality for users and making transit unattractive for new customers.
Connectivity is also an important consideration when planning for expansion of existing public transit systems to meet the needs of multimodal transportation systems.
General Connectivity Recommendations:
identify connectivity features that are in greatest need of improvement;
identify priority connection locations or transit “hubs”;
recommend, where applicable, regional standards or procedures for adoption by transit operators, local governments and regional agencies to promote more seamless use of transit by customers.
1.
Barriers to effective transit connectivity
The following can act as impediments to good connectivity:
service connections;
information and amenities at transfer points;
pretrip planning; and
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
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fare policies and fare collection. a) Service Connections
Customers making inter-county transit trips need timely, efficient connections between their service providers. However, transit riders in southwest Florida who must make inter-county trips face significant barriers that make their journeys long and inconvenient. Examples of service problems include:
infrequent service, uncoordinated schedules, and poor schedule adherence sometimes force passengers to endure long waits for connecting service;
some connecting bus services stop running at night and on weekends, leaving riders unable to reach their final destinations;
some county transportation provider services do not directly connect to transportation providers in adjoining counties, forcing customers to walk long distances, or even take taxis or transfer to another agency’s local bus to make their connections; and
poor connections can cause riders to feel unsafe while transferring, especially if they have to walk through rural areas that are not well lit and do not have much traffic. b) Transfer Point Information and Amenities
Customers who are transferring from one transportation provider to another often need key information and guidance at the transfer point. Switching between buses in transit centers can be a confusing task, particularly for first-time riders.
Key transfer locations should provide shelter from the elements, and be comfortable and safe.
Beyond these transfer point basics, amenities such as food and drink, bathrooms, telephones and reading materials provide welcome support for transit riders, and help to attract new customers.
Signage that directs passengers to connecting services at transit centers is inadequate at most stations and highly inconsistent from transportation provider to another transportation provider.
Institutional barriers (e.g., not knowing whom to contact, signage restrictions imposed by cities, lack of resources for signage maintenance) contribute to and exacerbate signage problems.
Specific problems that discourage new riders and hamper existing users are as follows:
transit operators at times lack signage that clearly directs customers to the correct connecting buses;
local transit information displays in stations can be confusing, overwhelming, hard to decipher, out of date, or poorly located;
station staff provide inconsistent levels of customer service, leaving customers unable to count on personal assistance with vital information on connecting services; and
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many transfer points lack basic customer amenities — shelter, seating, safe environment, bathrooms, food and drink, reading materials, etc. c) Pretrip Planning
Obtaining good pretrip planning information, whether by telephone or over the Internet, is essential for transit riders making new trips or reconfirming information for a trip that has been taken before. Easy, quick access to up-to-date information is especially important for people starting a new job or enrolling in school, residents who have recently moved, seasonal residents, or visitors from outside the area.
Customers with access to cars who have trouble getting information on intertransportation provider transit trips may decide to not use transit.
Transit-dependent customers who encounter problems getting trip planning information may experience longer, inefficient trips or may actually miss work, school, etc.
As Internet use continues to rise, transit connectivity stakeholders recognize the value of fully implementing a regional transit web site with an automated trip planner. Other planning tools that are either being planned or that could be developed include:
Targeted location and programming of transit information kiosks;
Web sites with automated trip planners for both desk computers and mobile phones;
The creation of a Regional Transit Database (RTD) that contains route, schedule and fare information for all regional transit operators, and is maintained and updated in a unified manner, enabling transit trip planning across transportation provider boundaries.
Despite increasing use of the Internet, direct customer assistance is still the best way for many people to get the transit information they need. Many transit operators do not provide operator assistance at night or on weekends, and most do not provide information about services provided by connecting transit operators. d) Fare Policies and Fare Collection
Transit agencies establish their own fare and transfer policies with the goal of attracting and retaining riders while maximizing revenues. Even Veteran riders get confused about transfer procedures and discounts, passes, rules for seniors and youths, etc.
Common Fare Problems:
Customers attempting to use more than one system are often faced with a confusing array of transfer and fare policies.
Separate transit systems have competing interests which need to be resolved in order to create a regional fare system, including determining who gets trip credits for certain riders and how to share fare monies.
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Customers using two bus systems sometimes pay two fares for a single trip; providers in a regional system need to set up a seamless process for handling transfers.
Transit agencies have different age definitions for youths, students and seniors, creating confusion for customers using multiple systems.
2.
Connectivity Recommendations
Recommendations for improving transit connectivity by addressing identified gaps and barriers:
Establish a regional network of transit hubs and services;
Improve regional signage and information assistance;
Implement a regional transit trip planning system;
Expand real-time transit information; and
Improve customer information telephone services.
Further development of these recommendations will occur as part of
In some cases, the best way to improve transit connectivity would be to expand existing transit service levels, since more frequent operations would minimizing the time necessary to transfer from one service to another; however, fiscal restraints often make this an untenable choice. a) Establish a Regional Transit System
In order for there to be connectivity, there needs to be a regional transit system. The lack of a regional system is a potential barrier for customers whose trips involve more than one transportation provider.
Design and implementation of a regional transportation system should focus on increasing awareness of inter-agency transportation services, so customers can learn where they can most easily transfer between services.
The Regional Transportation Plan should identify all of the transportation providers in the regional network, and identify and establish an integrated system of that links all of the region’s bus, ferry, bike, walking and other transportation networks. b) Develop a Regional Signage and Information Assistance Program
Create a regionally consistent program of signage and information assistance, with the goal of providing all travelers — both residents of the region and visitors — with a dependable level of information and assistance across the region.
Consider conducting a study to:
identify agencies and jurisdictions needed to participate in signage and information improvement;
obtain customer input;
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determine regional standards and guidelines for signage (graphics, colors, location, sizes, amounts, relationships);
recommend a signage and on-site information program;
develop an implementation plan, including cost estimates for ongoing maintenance and monitoring; and
recommend a regional information program and develop an implementation plan, including cost estimates for ongoing operation. c) Regional Transit Trip-Planning System & Real-Time Transit Information
In order to create a regional trip planning system, there would need to be interconnectivity between county transportation providers’ real-time trip planning information. If achieved, this would allow customers to enter an origin, destination and trip time, and receive a detailed, multisystem provider trip itinerary showing service providers, routes, times and fares. d) Improve Customer Telephone Information Services
Customer information phone services can typically be improved in two ways:
After-hours service can be available by phone so customers from any part of the region can obtain comprehensive transit information when they need it, even if their local transportation provider’s information center is closed;
Transit service information can be provided in languages other than English.
3.
LeeTran VTCLI Grant and SWFRPC Regional Veterans Transportation Study
One of the primary reasons for conducting a regional transportation study was to assess the transportation needs of Veterans and their families who live in the southwest Florida. The methodology followed was to determine the transportation gaps by comparing the feedback from outreach efforts with existing transportation options, then to work with the Veterans’ community transportation providers to assess the feasibility of providing additional transportation options.
The final step is to provide improved information to Veterans and their families about how to find the most reliable and affordable transportation options to meet their needs, including transportation to work, day care, schools, colleges, medical facilities, and other essential
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
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destinations, via the "one-click, one-call" center component of the grant, including recommendations for Lee County’s 211 referral system.
I.
Barriers to Coordination
The determination of whether barriers to coordination exist in the region depends on the definition of barriers. The existence of barriers to coordination are typically related to lack of communication; however, this does not appear to be an issue in Southwest Florida. There are many opportunities for transportation providers to interact on a regular basis, and county transportation agencies coordinate as needed.
In southwest Florida, the primary barriers to improved transportation service are scattered patterns of development and low population density in noncoastal areas.
1.
Regional Transportation Coordination
The Transit Counties: Collier, Lee and Sarasota
There is no passenger rail service in the six-county region. The coastal communities that have sufficient density to support a fixed route bus transit system are Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties. In these counties, the transit systems are only accessible to a limited percentage of the population, due to limitations in service areas and routes. Of the three counties, only two are contiguous, Lee and Collier; the transit systems for Lee and Collier did establish a Lee-Collier transit connection in October 2011, the LinC, established with funding from the Florida
Department of Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration, and local matching funds. The
LinC route is performing well; it has the second highest usage of any route in Lee County. The two agencies are discussing how to continue the service, since it is anticipated that funding will end in 2014. Other than the LinC route, there is little interconnectivity between the region’s counties.
Charlotte County
In Charlotte County, there is no fixed-route transit; the public transit system is paratransit. There are two paratransit programs, Dial-A-Ride and Sunshine Ride.
The Dial-A-Ride program is a curb-to-curb bus service available to the general public; it provides curbside transportation to and from a destination, on an advance reservation basis. The service area for Dial-A-Ride covers most urban parts of the county (excludes Boca Grande,
Pirate Harbor, and the far eastern part of the county.) Dial-A-Ride will connect passengers to
Sarasota County; it provides service to North Port and Englewood, which are close to the
Charlotte County border. The Sunshine Ride program is Charlotte County’s Transportation
Disadvantaged service. There is no service area for Sunshine Ride; it provides service throughout the county.
Glades and Hendry Counties
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Glades and Hendry counties are the inland rural counties of the region. They do not have transit; their transportation needs are served by Good Wheels, a private non-profit transportation entity that operates in Lee, Glades and Hendry counties. Good Wheels’ services in Glades and Hendry counties include the following paratransit programs: the Dial-A-Ride program, which allows the general public to schedule a ride on an existing route to go anywhere within those counties; and the Transportation Disadvantaged program.
Transportation Disadvantaged Program
All counties in Florida are covered by the Transportation Disadvantaged program, which provides paratransit service for persons unable to provide or purchase their own transportation due to disability, age, or income. Transportation Disadvantaged service connects passengers to medical centers, pharmacies, grocery stores and other prioritized destinations; the program is described in greater detail in Regional Transportation System Appendix.
J.
Opportunities for Regional Coordination
The primary subject areas addressed in this report that could benefit from increased regional coordination are transportation and Veterans’ services.
1.
Regional Transportation Coordination
Currently, there are limited opportunities for regional coordination of transportation issues.
There are regular joint MPO meetings between the following MPOs:
Lee MPO and Collier MPO, and
Charlotte County/Punta Gorda MPO and Sarasota/Manatee MPO.
[insert summary of other transportation coordination efforts]
Transportation Disadvantaged Programs
DAV
Etc.
2.
Regional Veterans Services Coordination
There is already a fair amount of coordination and communication between regional Veterans’ agencies and transportation providers; however, there is always room for improvement. A significant percentage of Veterans are elderly and depend on community-based supportive services such as case management, meals on wheels, adult day health care, in-home and
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caregiver support and transportation. Transportation assistance is a high priority for the elderly population, and the need for transportation assistance is growing.
[insert summary of existing coordination – veterans councils, etc.]
K.
Conclusions & Recommendations
1.
Identified Barriers
Identifying Transportation Barriers for Veterans and Families
One of the primary purposes of the regional transportation study of Veterans and their families was to identify transportation barriers. In order to do this, the following methodology was followed.
1.
Appoint Technical Stakeholders Committee to assist with designing research methodology, outreach plan, survey design, identifying persons to interview, and review of survey findings and documents.
2.
Develop outreach plan, including list of individual locations.
3.
Conduct surveys and interviews (in person at locations identified in outreach plan, and online.)
4.
Conduct research of published materials.
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Technical
Stakeholders
Committee
Outreach
Plan
How were barriers identified?
Surveys &
Interviews
Research
2.
Outreach Efforts
The SWFRPC performed outreach to get Veterans’ feedback on transportation issues from a number of locations, including the following: American Legion, Disabled American Veterans,
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, Lee County VA Healthcare Center,
Lee Memorial Health System 2nd Annual Military Appreciation Day, Veterans Stand Down in
Port Charlotte, Regional VFW Symposium in LaBelle, and various Veterans Day events.
In addition to visiting Veteran service organizations and various Veterans’ events, staff also met with and talked to persons familiar with Veterans’ transportation issues, including DAV transportation coordinators, county Veterans service officers, homeless shelters and soup kitchens, and persons involved with outreach to homeless Veterans.
In addition to efforts to get Veterans to complete paper surveys at outreach events, staff also created an online survey, which it promoted via web links, emails sent to members by Veteran service organizations, and business cards with the web address of the survey site distributed at outreach events.
To summarize, SWFRPC staff utilized the following techniques to garner participation by
Veterans and their families:
6.
Utilizing social media;
7.
Providing links on organizational websites to on-line surveys;
8.
Soliciting participation at community events that are known to be frequented by the target audience;
9.
Presentations at Veteran organization meetings and social service offices that work with
Veterans; and
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10.
Outreach to homeless Veterans.
This approach maximized outreach to Veterans, and utilized collaborative efforts with transportation and human service providers.
3.
Barriers to Transportation Mobility for Veterans
The outreach conducted (surveys and interviews) revealed that the transportation issues facing
Veterans in the Region are similar to the issues facing Veterans across the country, especially in rural areas.
1.
Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN)
The most frequently utilized service for transporting Veterans in Southwest Florida to VA medical facilities (other than private vehicles) is the Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN).
This network has evolved over the years as a partnership between the Disabled American
Veterans (DAV) organization and the VA.
VTN is a system of transportation operated by volunteers. This service is free of charge and is available to Veterans who do not have available transportation to and from their medical appointments at the Bay Pines VAMC or Bay Pines operated Community Based Outpatient
Clinics (CBOCs).
In th VTN system, vehicles are donated to the VA – in our Region, to the Bay Pines VA
Healthcare System - by the DAV or another entity; the vehicles are then maintained by Bay
Pines’ Voluntary Service Department. The vehicles are operated, for the most part, by volunteer drivers. VTN is a volunteer transportation system – volunteers handle the phone calls, do the trip scheduling, and drive the vehicles. The service is free of charge and is available to Veterans who do not have available transportation to and from their medical appointments at the Bay Pines
VAMC or Bay Pines operated Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), including the Lee
County VA Healthcare Center.
In total, more than 200 surveys were completed by Veterans and family members. The most frequently cited transportation challenges in the surveys were:
1.
Getting to the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center (located between St. Petersburg and
Madeira Beach, “Bay Pines”);
2.
Getting to the Lee County VA Healthcare Clinic in Cape Coral by 6:00 AM, the departure time for VTN/DAV van to Bay Pines (can’t take transit because van leaves too early);
3.
Doctors at Bay Pines changing appointment times for patients using the VTN/DAV van service;
4.
Lack of transportation options in rural areas not served by transit; and
5.
Lack of connectivity and limited route times in areas served by transit.
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Transit
Limitations
Cost
Awareness and
Knowledge
Eligibility
What barriers block access to transportation and services for Veterans and their family members in Southwest Florida?
Distance
Accessibility
2.
Transit Limitations and Other Barriers
Transit issues were frequently cited by respondents. In fairness to the transit providers, the vast majority of the respondents said that they drove themselves to wherever they needed to go, and for those unable to drive themselves, the most frequent transportation option is to rely on family or friends for transportation needs. For the limited number of persons interested in taking transit, the reasons provided for not utilizing transit were inconvenience, cost, too much time, no stops close to their home or where they needed to go, not understanding transportation options, and not knowing routes, destinations, and running times.
Issues raised in national studies are similar. Disability, illness, or financial constraints often create transportation difficulties for Veterans and their families, making it difficult for them to get family members to work, school, medical appointments, shopping, social events, or other activities.
In addition, societal and demographic changes are contributing to transportation issues for
Veterans, as many of the volunteer drivers for Veteran service organizations are getting too old to drive their fellow Veterans to VA medical facilities and other locations.
Veterans are more at risk than the general population for unemployment, homelessness, posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression and suicide. Veterans need access to jobs, training, social services, mental health care and social activities; however, a disproportionate number of them live in rural areas where community services and affordable transportation options are often limited, and it is often necessary to travel long distances to receive medical care, drive to work, and access other necessary services, such as going grocery shopping.
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3.
Recommendations
This regional study has brought to light a number of opportunities for improving our regional transportation system in southwest Florida: a) Promote increased cooperation between veterans service organizations and transportation providers b) Establish Free or Discounted Fare Programs for Veterans
Local governments should consider implementing a fare reduction program for Veterans, especially for disabled and homeless Veterans. A commitment by local leaders acknowledges the relationship that exists between transit systems and those most in need of their services. c) Create a Regional Transportation Plan
In order to create regional transportation, there first needs to be improved connectivity. Ideally, there would be a regional transit system, with coordination among transportation providers. The regional transportation plan would identify all of the transportation providers in the regional network, and identify and establish an integrated system that links all of the region’s transportation modes. The regional transportation system should be focus on increasing opportunities for seamless interconnectivity and awareness of inter-agency transportation services. d) Regional Transit Trip-Planning System & Real-Time Transit Information
In order to create a regional trip planning system, there would need to be interconnectivity between county transportation providers’ real-time trip planning information. If achieved, this would allow customers to enter an origin, destination and trip time, and receive a detailed, multisystem provider trip itinerary showing service providers, routes, times and fares.
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II.
Technical Report & Appendices
A.
Identification of Barriers for Veterans
1.
Key Findings
Detailed information on the gaps identified by survey respondents and persons interviewed by staff are attached as Appendices A-D. The most frequently identified transportation difficulties are listed below:
Getting to Bay Pines regional medical center in St. Petersburg;
Getting to VA Clinic in Cape Coral in time to get VA van to Bay Pines (can’t take transit because van leaves too early);
Doctors at Bay Pines changing appointment times for patients using the VA van service;
Lack of transportation options in areas not served by transit; and
Lack of connectivity and limited route times in areas served by transit.
Issues raised in national studies are similar. Disability, illness, or financial constraints often create transportation difficulties for Veterans and their families, making it difficult for them to get family members to work, school, medical appointments, shopping, social events, or other activities.
In addition, societal and demographic changes are contributing to transportation issues for
Veterans, as many of the volunteer drivers for Veteran service organizations are getting too old to drive their fellow Veterans to VA medical facilities and other locations.
Veterans are more at risk than the general population for unemployment, homelessness, posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression and suicide. Veterans need access to jobs, training, social services, mental health care and social activities; however, a disproportionate number of them live in rural areas where community services and affordable transportation options are often limited, and it is often necessary to travel long distances to receive medical care, drive to work, and access other necessary services, such as going grocery shopping. a) Wars in which Living Veterans Served
The survey utilized by the SWFRPC included a question regarding the time of service; a number of the survey respondents wrote in specific wars rather than years of service. The following table helps to interpret the survey results.
1917-1918
1941-1945
1950-1953
1950-1954
First World War
Second World War
Korean War
First Indochina War
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1953-1975
Vietnam War (Second Indochina War)
(Advisors in 1950; significant numbers of combat troops in
1965)
Persian Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm) 1990-1991
1993-1995
1999
Bosnian War
Kosovo War
2001-Present War in Afghanistan
2003-2011 Iraq War
2004-Present War in North-West Pakistan
2007-Present Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara
2006–2009 War in Somalia
2010-Present Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen b) Key Findings: Summary of Findings
SWFRPC Veterans Transportation Survey
Summary of Findings, 2013-2014
Number of surveys completed:
Online surveys: 46
Paper surveys: 164
210 Total:
Summary of survey results:
Time of military service:
1941 (Second World War) to present (active duty)
Primary transportation:
By order of frequency:
1.
Drive themselves
2.
Family and friends
3.
DAV or other Veteran-specific paratransit
4.
General public transit or ADA paratransit
5.
Taxi
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Biggest transportation challenges:
6.
Getting to Bay Pines regional medical center in St.
Petersburg
7.
Getting to VA Clinic in Cape Coral in time to get VA van to Bay Pines (can’t take transit because van leaves too early)
8.
Doctors at Bay Pines changing appointment times for patients using the VA van service
9.
Lack of transportation options in areas not served by transit
10.
Lack of connectivity and limited route times in areas served by transit c) Key Findings: Selected Survey Responses – List Format
SWFRPC Veterans Transportation Survey
Selected Survey Responses
1.
Reasons why Veterans/families who don’t use their own car for most transportation needs do not use transit: a.
Homeless:
Not affordable
Unable to get to bus stops
Do not have access to information b.
Veterans/families who are not homeless:
Not convenient (most frequent response)
Not reliable (second most frequent response)
Times/schedules not convenient
Takes too long
Bus stop too far from home
Drop-off points not close to clinics, doesn’t stop close enough (LCHCC/Cape Coral)
Not easy to understand or use transit
Difficult finding accessing bus service in north and west Cape Coral
2.
Veterans/families who have transportation accommodation needs:
Wheelchair
Eyesight
Cane
3.
Biggest transportation challenge:
Fuel cost (frequent response)
Getting transportation to VA health care facilities
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Scheduling trips to Bay Pines facility
Having to take a taxi from home in Ft Myers to Cape Coral to catch DAV van to Bay
Pines at 6 am
Paying for insurance
No car and two autistic kids
Bus schedule
Not understanding transportation options
Not knowing routes, destinations, and running times
Finding transportation (relies primarily on friends)
Not having transportation to get to VA clinic appointments
Traffic
Finding where I’m supposed to be
4.
Additional comments
Doctors at VA facilities change appointment times
Buses and vans take so much time that people prefer riding with family or friends
Inconvenient bus routes and times
Takes a week to schedule an appointment at Bay Pines, then need to schedule extra shuttle
Transit is not convenient
Need to improve scheduling for trips to Bay Pines
Veterans need better transportation from home to points of access to transit
Veterans who can’t drive, and don’t live in urban areas served by transit, have great difficulty getting around.
Local VA clinic does not provide needed medical treatment
Tampa area was a lot more accessible
Extend bus service to other areas
Route 590 used to run every 15 minutes, now only runs once per hour
Bus not always available when needed
Lives in NW Cape Coral, there is not a bus stop in NE or NW Cape Coral to catch a bus to the VA clinic
Oncologist at Bay Pines frequently changes appointment time at last minute, and patient unable to get new reservation with DAV van on the new day (no space); or, appointments take longer than expected, and van and other riders are forced to stay and return late
Please bring more access to northwest Cape Coral; would ride LeeTran daily if they could
Transportation Options for Veterans
Drive themselves
Get a ride from a family member or friend
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DAV van
Shuttle service from other VSOs (VFW, etc.)
Transit /paratransit (bus, Passport, Good Wheels, etc.)
Assisted living facility vehicle
Taxi
General Findings
The DAV van system is a preferred transportation method
Veterans want assistance getting to the LCHCC (Cape Coral) facility
Transit is too time consuming or not a viable option for many vets
Taxis are too expensive
Unique Situations
Veterans’ spouse is in wheelchair, doesn’t qualify for VA medical care – Passport can’t accommodate, must rely on Good Wheels
When Veteran drives is father, who lives in Le High and is also a Vet, to VA medical appointments, he has to take time off from work and/or pay for child care d) Key Findings: Selected Data from Written Surveys
SWFRPC Veterans Transportation Survey
Selected Data from Written Surveys
2. When did you serve in the armed forces?
21
4. If you do not currently use transit for transportation, why not?
5. What are your transportation needs?
6. What is your biggest transportation challenge? xx. Additional comments or questions
Q2
Years Served
1942 - 1945
1942 - 1945
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
Q5
Transportation Needs
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge xx
Comments
Not able to use facilities due to too much income
21 WW II 1941 - 45; Korean 1950 - 53; Vietnam 1965 - 75; Persian Gulf 1990 - 91; Afghanistan 2001 - present; Iraq
2003 - 11
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Q2
Years Served
1942 - 1970
1944 - 1978
1945
1950 - 1953
1950 - 1954
1951 - 1954
1951 - 1972
1951 - Korean War
1952 - 1962
Air Force, National Guard
1952 - 1991
1953 - 1958
1953 - 1958
1954 - 1957
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1957
1955 - 1961
1955 - 1963
Army
1957 - 1964 Navy
1958 - 1962
Army
1959 - 1962
1960 Marines
1962 - 1965
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
POV never tried
Q5
Transportation Needs
Electric chair, Walker wife is not entitled to
VA healthcare knees wheelchair
Location
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge
Having to use a taxi from Fort Myers to
Cape Coral to access
Veterans Van to go to
Bay Pines xx
Comments
Would like to see if they could eliminate taxi charge to get to
Cape Coral by 6am not having transportation on appointment date was not injured no one answers for transportation impossible to get to the bus stop due to disability takes too long to get to merchants crossing
Location to Bus stops, Vet museum needs to be a drop off
Bus line drop off is too far from clinics unable to obtain any information
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Q2
Years Served
1962 - 1966
1962 - 1966
1963 - 1965
1963 - 1967
1963 - 1967
Navy
1963 - 1970
Marines
1964 - 1967 - 1970 - 1990
Army
1965 - 1967
1965 - 1969
1965 - 1969
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
POV
Q5
Transportation Needs
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge not knowing what to do if she couldn't drive xx
Comments
Not located in convenient places
1965 - 1969
1966 - 1968
1966 - 1968
1966 - 1969
1966 - 1969
1966 - 1969
1966 - 1970
1966 - 1970
1966 - 1970
1967 - 1968 too many people daughter drives fuel cost availibility fuel cost currently have a broken ankle scheduling trips to Bay
Pines unware of Tri Care
Medical
Transportation not familiar with transit system not enough stops close by
Oncologist frequently changes appointments at last minute, and unable to change reservations with
DAV.
Appointments run late, Van is held up or leaves you. need to improve scheduling for trips to Bay Pines
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Q2
Years Served
1967 - 1971
1967 - 1971
1967 Army 100 first
Airborne
1968 - 1970
1968 - 1972
1968 - 1974
Airforce
1969 - 1971
1969 - 1971
Navy
1969 - 1972
1970
1970 - 1972
1970 - 1973
1970 - 1973
1970 - 1974
1970 - 1983
1971 - 1975
1971 - 1996
1973 - 2003 - 2004
Army
1974 - 1978
1974 - 1980
1974 - 1980
1975 - 1978
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
POV
POV
Q5
Transportation Needs distance to facility
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge takes too long xx
Comments
One week notice to Bay Pines. Need an extra shuttle takes an hour to get to Merchants crossing takes too long from start to end has no info about transit
No buses,weekends eliminated to every hour, need rail from lehigh
Distance to facility delay in response to claims are 3 - 4 months
Delay times in response to claims
3 to 4 months
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Q2
Years Served
1975 - 1979
1975 - 1996
1975 - 1999
1976 - ?
1976 - 1980
Navy
1976 - 1981
1976 - 1997
1976 - 80,
1987 - 1992
1977 - 2001
1978 - 1981 Army
1978 - 1984
1978 - 1988
Army Airborne
1979 - 1982
1980 - 1984
1980 - 1986
1980 - 2003
1980 - 2010
1982 - 1985
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
POV
Q5
Transportation Needs
No car, no license, live in le high
Getting to Bay Pines bus schedule bicycle income traffic wheelchair
Bus is not available
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge fuel cost xx
Comments not affordable,unjable to get to bus stops
Not accessible to
Veterans unless you live an Urban area
6am to 6pm rides.
Fort Myers to
Bonita does not show up at bus stops. Income should not dictate
Veterans transportation not knowing routes, buses run late easier to ask family not Affordable for homeless
Veterans need better transportation from home to other point of transportation
No bus stop in NE and NW cape available
Too long hourly for busses to run
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Q2
Years Served
1982 - 2002
1983 - 1987
1983 - 89 - 08 - 2012
1987 - 1991
1987 - 2013
1988 - 1992
1991 - 2011
1993 - 1996
1994 - 2001
1995 - 1999
Marines
1997 - 2001
1997 - 2004
1999 - 2005
1999 - 2009
2000 - 2013
2001 - 2005
2001 - 2005
2005 - 2008
2007 - 2009
2007 - active
2008 - 2012 active active
Army
Army
Army 22 years
Army, Marines, Navy likes own car
POV
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit have POV
Q5
Transportation Needs traffic fuel cost fuel cost difficulty finding service in North and West Cape
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge xx
Comments
No childcare for VA
Medical. Not transit in area
Needs more access to Cape Coral, would ride daily bus stop is too far from home no car, two Autistic children childcare bus schedule income fuel cost finding where location is clinics do not perform medical services he needs has to hitchhike to stops
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Q2
Years Served
Bush Administration 22
Desert Storm
(1990 - 91)
Korean War
Korean War
Korean War
Korean War
Korean War
Korean War
Korean war
Korean War
Korean War 1953 - 1955
Korean War Marines
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
Does not operate after normal business hours
Q5
Transportation Needs
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge finding transportation fuel cost buses are late
Children drive
Bad knees wheelchair wheelchair handicapped, and eqipment needs xx
Comments
Not understanding it
Not reliable transit drop offs not close to clinics takes four times too long to take buses
Appointment times change, buses run late buses don’t go far enough on stops
Doctors change times, buses take too long. Easier to have daughter drive
Went to Coconut
Point transferred to Naples. Four buses, several hours. Terrible experience not easy to understand or use doesn’t know what she is entitled to would appreciate transportation information
Commander of post drives members with his own vehicle
22 Vague: GHWB: 1989 - 1993, GWB: 2001 - 2009
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Q2
Years Served
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
World War 2
World War 2, Army
World War Two
World War Two
World War Two
World War Two
WW II, Korean, Vietnam
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
Q5
Transportation Needs can't walk, heart condition wheelchair
Some members have handicaps but the post provides equipment needed unable to walk well wheelchair bad eyesight wife needs Good
Wheels, was Passport wheelchair paying insurance
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge finance
Several last minute changes, needed new appointments wheelchair not convenient at all xx
Comments in need of info for heart condition, can't afford to get to clinics and have no info on them unhappy with the inconvenience
All members use a shuttle provided by a member who uses his personal vehicle.
Commander of post advises all members of services and facilities
Confusing to figure out how to take routes. They take too long, buses are crowded
Merchants crossing bus takes a long time to get back not convenient times, and schedules
Passport won't accommodate, wife is in a wheelchair and needs good wheels. Obama
Care medicaid charges passport
Buses run too late
Doesn’t stop close enough to home
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Q2
Years Served
Q4
Other reasons they don’t use transit
Q5
Transportation Needs
Q6
Biggest Transportation
Challenge xx
Comments
Extend bus services to area.
Route 590 is frequently used but only goes every hour
Tampa Area was a lot more accessible
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e) Key Findings: Survey Responses from Online Surveys
SWFRPC Veterans Transportation Survey
Online Survey Results
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B.
Regional Transportation Organizations
Southwest Florida Regional Transportation System
Federal, State, Regional and Local
1.
Summary of Regional Transportation Providers
County General Public Transit
Transportation
Disadvantaged 23
Transportation
Medicaid
Transportation 24
Charlotte County
Dial-A-Ride
ADA paratransit: Dial-A-Ride 25
Sunshine Ride Sunshine Ride
Collier County
Collier Area Transit ( CAT )
ADA paratransit: Collier Area
Paratransit
Collier Area Paratransit
Medical
Transportation
Management
(MTM)
Glades & Hendry
Counties 26
None Good Wheels Good Wheels
Lee County
Sarasota County
Lee County Transit ( LeeTran ) 27
ADA paratransit: PassPort
Sarasota County Area Transit ( SCAT )
ADA paratransit: SCAT Plus
Good Wheels
Sarasota County
Transportation Authority
Good Wheels
LogistiCare
Solutions LLC
Link to Public Transportation Entities in Florida
23 Florida has a unique transportation disadvantaged program, created to ensure the availability of efficient, costeffective and quality transportation services for transportation disadvantaged persons; see below.
24 In June 2014 the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will remove Medicaid funding from the state-wide Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) Coordinated system, and provide it to HMOs in regional locations.
The HMOs will begin providing transportation to Medicaid-eligible people, or will subcontract with the TD
Community Transportation Coordinators to provide the transportation.
25 All of Charlotte County’s paratransit vehicles are accessible to people who use mobility devices.
26 Good Wheels’ services in Glades & Hendry counties: (1) DIAL-A-RIDE program allows the general public to schedule a ride, on an existing route, to go anywhere within those counties, for $2.00 co-pay per one-way trip; (2)
Transportation Disadvantaged program: $2.00 co-pay per one-way trip (Personal Care Attendants and children under the age of eighteen are not required to pay); (3) Medicaid Program: person must establish Medicaid eligibility; service for approved medical appointments only; $1.00 co- pay per one-way trip.
27 All of LeeTran’s full-size buses are accessible to people who use mobility devices; citizens with mental or physical disabilities are entitled to ride LeeTran at a discounted fares and purchase discounted passes.
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2.
General Public Transportation Issues a) ADA-complementary Paratransit
Required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Shared ride, advanced reservation, origin-to-destination service for persons with disabilities who are unable to use the regular fixed route public transit service because of their disability
Provider determines eligibility of persons and determines co-pay if applicable
Provider is only required to make pick-ups and drop-offs at places that are within three-quarters of a mile of a fixed bus route stops
Provider is only required to provide service during the hours and days when fixed route service in that area operates b) Service Area Boundaries
The service area for general public transit is set by the governing board for the transit service delivery entity controlling the area served by the transit entity, typically the board of county commissioners.
The service areas for the various county Transportation Disabled entities are the geopolitical counties of the State of Florida. In some cases one Community Transportation Coordinator
(CTC) will maintain an interlocal agreement with another CTC or contract entity to provide specific required or desired services. Status of CTC is reviewed by the Commission on the
Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD) in terms of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the CTC and the CTD every five years. Some of the service areas are regional in nature such as
Hendry and Glades counties. c) Types of Paratransit Transportation
Paratransit transportation available in the region:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit service
Transportation Disadvantaged Program (TD) services
Medicaid transportation
FTA Section 5310 - Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities
FTA Section 5316 - Job Access and Reverse Commute Program (JARC)
FTA Section 5317 - New Freedom Program
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3.
Federal Transportation Funding
The transportation programs are often referred to by the section of the federal statute authorizing the program, most of which are in 49 U.S.C. 53, Public Transportation (Title 49, Chapter 53,
U.S. Code.) These programs are administered by the Federal Transit Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
A few federal programs funding transportaion:
Section 5310 - Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities
Section 5311 - Formula Grants for Other Than Urbanized Areas
Section 5316 - Job Access and Reverse Commute Program (JARC)
Section 5317 - New Freedom Program a) SAFETEA-LU Discretionary & Formula Grants
The programs on this page were authorized under SAFETEA-LU, which expired on Sept. 30,
2012. However, Congress establishes the legal authority to commence and continue FTA programs through authorizing legislation covering several years. On July 6, 2012, the President signed Moving
Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), reauthorizing surface transportation programs through fiscal year 2014. Each reauthorization amends the Federal Transit Laws codified in 49 USC Chapter 53.
MAP-21 took effect on October 1, 2012. Information on programs authorized by MAP-21 is available at http://www.fta.dot.gov/map21 . b) SAFETEA-LU Discretionary Grants
Grant Title
Section of
Statute
Brief Description
Alternatives Analysis (5339)
Bus and Bus Facilities (5309,
5318)
Capital Investment Program:
New Starts, Small Starts and
Core Capacity Improvements
Clean Fuels Grant Program
(5308)
National Research & Technology
Program (5312)
5339
Assist in financing the evaluation of reasonable alternatives and general options in a particular, broadlydefined travel corridor.
5309,
5318
New and replacement buses and facilities.
5309 (b)(1)
Construction of new or extensions to existing fixed guideway systems (New Starts).
Capital projects less than $75 million and total capital cost less than $250 million (Small Starts).
5308
5312
Achieving/maintaining standards for ozone and CO and support emerging clean fuel and propulsion technologies for transit buses.
Develop innovative products and services assisting transit agencies in better meeting the needs of their customers.
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Grant Title
Over-the-Road Bus Program
Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks
Program (5320)
Public Transportation on Indian
Reservations (5311(c))
TIGER (USDOT)
TIGGER Program
Transit Cooperative Research
Program (5313)
University Transportation
Centers Program (TEA-21 5505)
Veterans Transportation and
Community Living Initiative
Section of
Statute
Brief Description
5320
5311 (c)
5313
TEA-21
5505
To assist intercity fixed-route, commuter, charter, and tour bus services in complying with "Transportation for
Individuals with Disabilities" (49 CFR Part 37, Subpart H).
Address the challenge of increasing vehicle congestion in and around our national parks and other federal lands.
Direct funding to federally recognized tribes for the purpose of supporting tribal public transportation in rural areas.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) established the Transportation Investment Generating
Economic Recovery Program (TIGER), which fosters innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that promise significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, a region, or the nation.
Works directly with public transportation agencies to implement new strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and/or reduce energy use within transit operations.
Research program that develops near-term, practical solutions such as best practices, transit security guidelines, testing prototypes, and new planning and management tools.
Awarded to non-profit institutions of higher learning, focuses on knowledge transfer (national, state, and local) and building transportation workforce.
The Department of Transportation has joined with the
Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, Defense, and
Health and Human Services to establish an initiative that will improve transportation options and mobility for
America's Veterans, service members, and their families. c) SAFETEA-LU Formula Grants
Grant Title
Section of
Statute
Brief Description
Fixed Guideway Modernization
(5309 (b)(2))
Formula Grants for Other than
Urbanized Areas (5311)
5309 (b)(2)
Modernization of existing rail systems and new fixed guideway systems.
5311
Provides funding to States for the purpose of supporting public transportation in rural areas with population of less than 50,000.
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Grant Title
Section of
Statute
Brief Description
Job Access and Reverse
Commute Program (5316)
Metropolitan & Statewide
Planning (5303, 5304, 5305)
New Freedom Program (5317)
5316
5317
Address transportation challenges faced by welfare recipients and low-income persons seeking to obtain and maintain employment.
5303,
5304, 5305
Supports cooperative, continuous, and comprehensive planning for making transportation investment decisions.
Additional tools to overcome existing barriers facing
Americans with disabilities seeking integration into the work force and society.
Rural Transit Assistance
Program (5311(b)(3))
Transportation for Elderly
Persons and Persons with
Disabilities (5310)
Urbanized Area Formula
Program (5307)
5311 (b)
(3)
5310
5307
Training, technical assistance, research, and related support services in rural areas.
Formula funding to States for the purpose of assisting private nonprofit groups in meeting transportation needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Transit capital and operating assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning. d) Section 5310 Program Overview (Transportation for Elderly Persons and
Persons with Disabilities)
The Section 5310 program was established in 1975 as a discretionary capital assistance program. In cases where public transit was inadequate or inappropriate, the program awarded grants to private non-profit organizations to serve the transportation needs of elderly persons and persons with disabilities. FTA (then the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) apportioned the funds among the States by formula for distribution to local agencies, a practice made a statutory requirement by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991
(ISTEA). In the early years of the program, many of the subrecipient non-profit agencies used the vehicles primarily for transportation of their own clients. Funding for the Section 16(b)(2) program, as it was then known, ranged between $20–35 million annually until the passage of
ISTEA, when it increased to the $50–60 million range. ISTEA also introduced the eligibility of public agencies under limited circumstances to facilitate and encourage the coordination of human service transportation. Increasingly, FTA guidance encouraged and required coordination of the program with other Federal human service transportation programs. In lieu of purchasing vehicles, acquisition of service in order to promote use of private sector providers and coordination with other human service agencies and public transit providers was made an eligible expense under ISTEA. Other provisions of ISTEA introduced the ability to transfer flexible funds to the program from certain highway programs and the flexibility to transfer funds from the Section 5310 program to the rural and urban formula programs.
The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA–21) enacted in 1998, reauthorized the
Section 5310 program. TEA–21 increased the funding levels for the Section 5310 program but
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made no significant program changes. In 2005, Congress enacted SAFETEA–LU. SAFETEA–
LU introduced the requirement that projects funded with 5310 funds be derived from a locally developed, coordinate public transit-human services transportation plan; removed the flexibility that funds can be transferred to Section 5311 for Section 5311 program purposes during the fiscal year apportioned, if funds were not needed for Section 5310 program purposes; introduced a seven State pilot program that allows selected States to use up to one-third of the funds apportioned to them for operating assistance; and allowed transfers to Section 5307 or 5311, but only to fund projects selected for Section 5310 program purposes.
Title 49 U.S.C. 5310 authorizes the formula assistance program for the special needs of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities. FTA refers to this formula program as “the Section
5310 program.” FTA, on behalf of the Secretary of Transportation, apportions the funds appropriated annually to the States based on an administrative formula that considers the number of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities in each State. These funds are subject to annual appropriations.
Title 49 U.S.C. 5310 authorizes the formula assistance program for the special needs of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities. FTA refers to this formula program as “the Section
5310 program.” FTA, on behalf of the Secretary of Transportation, apportions the funds appropriated annually to the States based on an administrative formula that considers the number of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities in each State. These funds are subject to annual appropriations.
Title 49 U.S.C. 5310(a)(1) authorizes funding for public transportation capital projects planned, designed and carried out to meet the special needs of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities.
Title 49 U.S.C. 5310(a)(2) provides that a State may allocate the funds apportioned to it to: a. a private non-profit organization, if public transportation service provided by State and local governmental authorities under Section 5310(a)(1) is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate; or b. a governmental authority that:
(1) is approved by the State to coordinate services for elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities; or
(2) certifies that there are not any non-profit organizations readily available in the area to provide the special services.
The code assigned to the Section 5310 program in the Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance is 20.513.
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e) Section 5310 Program Overview (Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized
Areas)
The Formula Grants For Other than Urbanized Areas is a rural program that is formula based and provides funding to states for the purpose of supporting public transportation in rural areas, with population of less than 50,000. The goal of the program is to provide the following services to communities with population less than 50,000:
Enhance the access of people in nonurbanized areas to health care, shopping, education, employment, public services, and recreation.
Assist in the maintenance, development, improvement, and use of public transportation systems in nonurbanized areas.
Encourage and facilitate the most efficient use of all transportation funds used to provide passenger transportation in nonurbanized areas through the coordination of programs and services.
Assist in the development and support of intercity bus transportation.
Provide for the participation of private transportation providers in nonurbanized transportation.
The Rural Transit Assistance Program and the Tribal Transit Program are funded as a takedown from the Section 5311 program.
Eligible Recipients
Section 3013 (s) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), amend eligible recipients to include a State or Indian tribe that receives a Federal transit program grant directly from the Federal Government. A subrecipient of the program includes a State or local governmental authority, a nonprofit organization, or an operator of public transportation or intercity bus service that receives federal transit program grant funds indirectly through a recipient.
Eligible Activities
An eligible recipient may use the funding for capital, operating, and administrative expenses for public transportation projects that meet the needs of rural communities. Examples of eligible activities include: capital projects; operating costs of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation; and the acquisition of public transportation services, including service agreements with private providers of public transportation services.
The state must use 15 percent of its annual apportionment to support intercity bus service, unless the Governor certifies, after consultation with affected intercity bus providers that the needs of the state are adequately met.
Statutory Reference
49 U.SC. 5311
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Funding Availability
Funds are available the year appropriated plus two years (total of three years).
Allocation of Funding
FTA apportions Section 5311 funds to the States by a statutory formula using the latest available
U.S. decennial census data. Eighty percent of the statutory formula is based on the nonurbanized population of the States. Twenty percent of the formula is based on land area. No State may receive more than 5 percent of the amount apportioned for land area. In addition, FTA adds amounts apportioned based on nonurbanized population according to the growing States formula factors of 49 U.S.C. 5340 to the amounts apportioned to the States under the Section 5311 program.
Match
The Federal share of eligible capital and project administrative expenses may not exceed 80 percent of the net cost of the project. For operating, the Federal share may not exceed 50 percent of the net operating cost of the project. For projects that meet the requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, the Clean Air Act, or bicycle access projects, they may be funded at 90 percent Federal match. f) Section 5311 Program Overview (Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized
Areas)
The Formula Grants For Other than Urbanized Areas is a rural program that is formula based and provides funding to states for the purpose of supporting public transportation in rural areas, with population of less than 50,000. The goal of the program is to provide the following services to communities with population less than 50,000:
Enhance the access of people in nonurbanized areas to health care, shopping, education, employment, public services, and recreation.
Assist in the maintenance, development, improvement, and use of public transportation systems in nonurbanized areas.
Encourage and facilitate the most efficient use of all transportation funds used to provide passenger transportation in nonurbanized areas through the coordination of programs and services.
Assist in the development and support of intercity bus transportation.
Provide for the participation of private transportation providers in nonurbanized transportation.
The Rural Transit Assistance Program and the Tribal Transit Program are funded as a takedown from the Section 5311 program.
Eligible Recipients
Section 3013 (s) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), amend eligible recipients to include a State or Indian tribe that receives a Federal transit program grant directly from the Federal Government. A subrecipient of the program includes a State or local governmental authority, a nonprofit
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organization, or an operator of public transportation or intercity bus service that receives federal transit program grant funds indirectly through a recipient.
Eligible Activities
An eligible recipient may use the funding for capital, operating, and administrative expenses for public transportation projects that meet the needs of rural communities. Examples of eligible activities include: capital projects; operating costs of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation; and the acquisition of public transportation services, including service agreements with private providers of public transportation services.
The state must use 15 percent of its annual apportionment to support intercity bus service, unless the Governor certifies, after consultation with affected intercity bus providers that the needs of the state are adequately met.
Statutory Reference
49 U.SC. 5311
Funding Availability
Funds are available the year appropriated plus two years (total of three years).
Allocation of Funding
FTA apportions Section 5311 funds to the States by a statutory formula using the latest available
U.S. decennial census data. Eighty percent of the statutory formula is based on the nonurbanized population of the States. Twenty percent of the formula is based on land area. No State may receive more than 5 percent of the amount apportioned for land area. In addition, FTA adds amounts apportioned based on nonurbanized population according to the growing States formula factors of 49 U.S.C. 5340 to the amounts apportioned to the States under the Section 5311 program.
Match
The Federal share of eligible capital and project administrative expenses may not exceed 80 percent of the net cost of the project. For operating, the Federal share may not exceed 50 percent of the net operating cost of the project. For projects that meet the requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, the Clean Air Act, or bicycle access projects, they may be funded at 90 percent Federal match. g) Section 5311(b)(3) Program Overview (Rural Transit Assistance Program)
The Rural Transit Assistance Program (49 U.S.C. 5311(b)(3)) provides a source of funding to assist in the design and implementation of training and technical assistance projects and other support services tailored to meet the needs of transit operators in nonurbanized areas.
Eligible Recipients
States, local governments, and providers of rural transit services.
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Eligible Activities
States may use RTAP funds to support nonurbanized transit activities in four categories: training, technical assistance, research, and related support services.
The State should develop State RTAP activities through a process that provides maximum opportunity for the participation of rural transit operators, both public and private, in identifying and establishing priority areas of need for transportation research, technical assistance, training, and related support services in other than urbanized areas.
Statutory Reference
49 U.S.C. 5311(b)(3)
Funding Availability
Funds are available the year appropriated plus two years (total of three years).
Allocation of Funding
The State RTAP program is allocated to the states based on an administrative formula. The
RTAP formula first allocates $65,000 to each of the states and Puerto Rico, and $10,000 to the
Insular Areas of Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Marianas, and then distributes the balance according to nonurbanized population of the states. The national component is competitively selected every five years and is funded under a competitive cooperative agreement.
Match
There is no Federal requirement for a local match. h) Section 5316 Program Overview (Job Access and Reverse Commute – JARC)
The Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program was established to address the unique transportation challenges faced by welfare recipients and low-income persons seeking to obtain and maintain employment. Many new entry-level jobs are located in suburban areas, and lowincome individuals have difficulty accessing these jobs from their inner city, urban, or rural neighborhoods. In addition, many entry level-jobs require working late at night or on weekends when conventional transit services are either reduced or non-existent. Finally, many employment related-trips are complex and involve multiple destinations including reaching childcare facilities or other services.
Eligible Recipients
States and public bodies are eligible designated recipients. Eligible subrecipients are private nonprofit organizations, State or local governments, and operators of public transportation services including private operators of public transportation services.
Eligible Activities
Capital, planning and operating expenses for projects that transport low income individuals to and from jobs and activities related to employment, and for reverse commute projects.
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Statutory References
49 U.S.C. 5316
Funding Availability
Section 5316 funds are available to the States and designated recipients in large urbanied areas during the Fiscal Year of apportionment plus two additional years (total of three years).
Allocation of Funding
Of the total JARC funds available, FTA apportions 60 percent among designated recipients in large urbanized areas; 20 percent to the states for small urbanized areas; and 20 percent to the states for rural and small urban areas under 50,000 in population. Section 5316 funds are apportioned among the recipients by a formula which is based on the ratio that the number of eligible low-income and welfare recipients in each such area bears to the number of eligible lowincome and welfare recipients in all such areas.
Match
JARC funds may be used to finance capital, planning and operating expenses. The Federal share of eligible capital and planning costs may not exceed 80 percent of the net cost of the activity.
The Federal share of the eligible operating costs may not exceed 50 percent of the net operating costs of the activity. Recipients may use up to 10 percent of their apportionment to support program administrative costs including administration, planning, and technical assistance, which may be funded at 100 percent Federal share. The local share of eligible capital and planning costs shall be no less than 20 percent of the net cost of the activity, and the local share for eligible operating costs shall be no less than 50 percent of the net operating costs.
Other Program Highlights
Title 49 U.S.C. 5316, as amended by SAFETEA-LU, requires a recipient of Section 5316 funds to certify that projects selected are derived from a locally developed, coordinated public transithuman services transportation plan. i) Section 5317 Program Overview (New Freedom)
Program Overview
The New Freedom Program is a formula grant program created by the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) legislation, to support capital and operating costs of services and facility improvements in excess of those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The FTA issued its circular entitled, New
Freedom Program Guidance and Application Instructions, on March 29, 2007. This circular issues guidance on the administration of the New Freedom Program under 49 U.S.C. 5317, and guidance for the preparation of grant applications.
The New Freedom formula grant program aims to provide additional tools to overcome existing barriers facing Americans with disabilities seeking integration into the work force and full participation in society. Lack of adequate transportation is a primary barrier to work for
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individuals with disabilities. The 2000 Census showed that only 60 percent of people between the ages of 16 and 64 with disabilities are employed. The New Freedom formula grant program seeks to reduce barriers to transportation services and expand the transportation mobility options available to people with disabilities beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) of 1990.
Eligible Recipients
States and public bodies are eligible designated recipients. Eligible subrecipients are private non-profit organizations, State or local governments, and operators of public transportation services including private operators of public transportation services.
Eligible Activities
Capital and operating expenses for new public transportation services and new public transportation alternatives beyond those required by the American with Disabilities Act of 1990
(ADA), that are designed to assist individuals with disabilities.
Statutory References
49 U.S.C. 5317
Funding Availability
Section 5317 funds are available to the States during the Fiscal Year of apportionment plus two additional years (total of three years).
Allocation of Funding
Of the total New Freedom funds available, FTA apportions 60 percent among designated recipients in large urbanized areas; 20 percent to the states for small urbanized areas; and 20 percent to the states for rural and small urban areas under 50,000 in population. Section 5317 funds are apportioned among the recipients by a formula which is based on the ratio that the number of individuals with disabilities in each such area bears to the number of individuals with disabilities in all such areas.
Match
New Freedom funds may be used to finance capital and operating expenses. The Federal share of eligible capital and planning costs may not exceed 80 percent of the net cost of the activity. The
Federal share of the eligible operating costs may not exceed 50 percent of the net operating costs of the activity. Recipients may use up to 10 percent of their apportionment to support program administrative costs including administration, planning, and technical assistance, which may be funded at 100 percent Federal share. The local share of eligible capital and planning costs shall be no less than 20 percent of the net cost of the activity, and the local share for eligible operating costs shall be no less than 50 percent of the net operating costs.
Other Program Highlights
Title 49 U.S.C. 5317, as amended by SAFETEA-LU, requires a recipient of Section 5317 funds to certify that projects selected are derived from a locally developed, coordinated public transithuman services transportation plan.
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4.
Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative
The Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative (VTCLI) is an innovative, federally coordinated partnership that will make it easier for U.S. Veterans, active service members, military families, and others to learn about and arrange for locally available transportation services that connect them with work, education, health care, and other vital services in their communities. Drawing on existing federal resources, and in consultation with advocates for Veterans and people with disabilities, projects are being funded in urban, suburban, and rural communities around the nation to strengthen and promote "one-call" information centers and other tools that conveniently "connect the dots" as never before. As a result, these deserving men and women and their families may quickly and conveniently turn to trusted sources who have been specially trained to help them access local transportation options and other support services, ranging from workforce training to food pantry locations.
Who Benefits?
Veterans and military families are a traditionally under-served population when it comes to transportation access, so they're an important focal point. However, the VTCLI grant program is structured to fund projects that will potentially benefit anyone living within the jurisdiction of a grant recipient, with or without Veteran status. In particular, the initiative aligns with the
Administration's implementation of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision, which addresses the rights of people with disabilities to live independently. It also reflects the President's commitment to assist economically disadvantaged workers and people who need access to health care.
Who is Responsible?
The initiative is developed and supported by members of the federal Coordinating Council on
Access and Mobility
—a federal inter-agency council established in 2004 currently chaired by
Secretary LaHood—and other stakeholders. Council member participants include the
Departments of Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Labor, and Health and Human Services. The
Department of Defense and over a dozen leading Veteran service organizations are also involved. The VTCLI grant program is managed and administered by the FTA.
Note: This document is created, in part, with funding provided through this program.
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5.
United We Ride Program
United We Ride is an initiative of the federal government’s Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility
, charged with advancing the Council’s mission of improving the availability , quality , and efficient delivery of transportation services to people with disabilities, older adults and people with low incomes.
It works to coordinate the more than eighty sources of federal funding to support transportation .
Its work is furthered through activities including:
Special Initiatives supporting enhanced mobility for person-centered groups. Read more about the: o Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative that is currently working around the country to link Veterans, their families and others to transportation resources with One-Click, or One-Call.
Technical Assistance Centers that create solutions around mobility management , address barriers for specific rider groups, and promote state-level action. o National Center for Mobility Management o Easter Seals Project ACTION o National Center on Senior Transportation o National Conference of State Legislatures
Inter-Agency Work Groups that foster collaboration at the federal level, and find solutions to issues around Policy; Coordination Infrastructure; Open Government; Back to Work; Emergency Preparedness; Health, Wellness and Transportation and Veterans
Transportation.
Its efforts are guided by the CCAM Strategic Plan .
What has it done so far? Read the Progress Report .
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6.
Florida Transportation Disadvantaged Program 28
Florida Law
Chapter 427, Florida Statutes establishes the transportation disadvantaged (TD) program
Chapter 41-2, Florida Administrative Code, establishes specific rules/regulations, and sets requirements that govern the process.
Definition of TD
Those persons who, because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation.
TD persons are, therefore, dependent upon others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities and other life sustaining trips.
Passengers in the Coordinated System may be ambulatory, non-ambulatory (use a wheelchair or a scooter or a walker), or need a stretcher.
Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged
Florida's transportation disadvantaged program was created in 1979 and reenacted in 1989. The
1989 act created the Florida Transportation Disadvantaged Commission (now the Florida
Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged) and enhanced local participation in the planning and delivery of coordinated transportation services through creation of local coordinating boards (LCB) and community transportation coordinators (CTC). The Florida
Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged is an independent commission housed administratively within the Florida Department of Transportation in Tallahassee, Florida. Its mission is to ensure the availability of efficient, cost-effective and quality transportation services for transportation disadvantaged persons.
What is Coordinated Transportation?
Florida has 67 counties and all are served by Coordinated Transportation Systems. Coordinated transportation is arranged by a single entity in each county, the Community Transportation
Coordinator (CTC), which is competitively selected by the Designated Planning Agencies and approved by the State Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged. Coordinated transportation goals:
utilize strategies that result in more trips for more riders;
produce service that is cost effective and efficient;
reduce fragmentation and duplication of service; and
increase vehicle utilization and ridership.
28 Parts of this section were gleaned from a presentation on the history of Florida’s Transportation Disadvantaged program in October 2013 by Julia Davis, President, Omnibus Innovations Group, Inc., JBDavis1AICP@aol.com.
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Community Transportation Coordinators (CTS)
Community Transportation Coordinators (CTS) are businesses, 501(c)(3) organizations, or county departments that are responsible for the arrangement of the delivery of transportation services to the transportation disadvantaged. The CTC is responsible for the actual arrangement or delivery of transportation services: fixed route, deviated fixed route, or paratransit. The CTC may function as a sole source, a partial brokerage, or a complete brokerage service. The TD
Commission approves the CTC for each county, per the recommendation of the MPO or DOPA.
In counties where the CTC and the STP (provider for Medicaid non-emergency transportation services) are different entities, the STP information is listed in the right-hand column.
Link to web page with County contact information for CTCs (and Subcontracted Transportation
Providers (STPs) for Medicaid non-emergency transportation services if applicable): http://www.dot.state.fl.us/ctd/contacts/ctcsbycounty.htm#top
Local Coordinating Boards (LCB)
The LCB is an advisory board in each county, composed of 16 members (elected officials, citizens, governmental agencies, purchasing agencies, and non-profit or for-profit service providers.) The LCB provides information, advice and direction to the CTC regarding coordination issues. It is responsible for annual evaluations of the CTC, and for the creation and maintenance of the Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP).
Designated Official Planning Agency (DOPA)
In accordance with Rule 41-2.009, Fla. Admin. Code, the metropolitan planning organization
(MPO) shall serve as the DOPA in areas covered by MPOs; the regional planning council, or another agency, serves as the DOPA in areas without an MPO. The MPO or DOPA perform long-range planning, and assist the Commission and LCBs in implementing the transportation disadvantaged (TD) program in designated service areas.
Purchasing Agencies
Each purchasing agency is required to use the coordinated transportation system for provision of services to its clients, unless each department or purchasing agency meets the criteria outlined in rule or statute to use an alternative provider (§ 427.0135, F.S.) In theory, all transportation funds used to transport people who meet the definition of TD should be coordinated through the CTC, but coordination is not mandatory.
Service Boundaries
The service area for general public transit (i.e., Dial-A-Ride) is set by the governing board for the transit service delivery entity controlling the area served by the transit entity – the Charlotte
County Board of Commissioners.
The service areas for the various county TD entities are the geopolitical counties of the State of
Florida. In some cases one Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) will maintain an
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interlocal agreement with another CTC or contract entity to provide specific required or desired services. Status of CTC is reviewed by the Commission on the Transportation Disadvantaged
(CTD) in terms of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the CTC and the CTD every five years. Some of the service areas are regional in nature such as Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties.
7.
Florida Medicaid Program 29
Florida Medicaid is the medical assistance program that provides access to health care for lowincome families and individuals. Medicaid also assists the elderly and people with disabilities with the costs of nursing facility care and other medical expenses. Eligibility for Medicaid is usually based on the family’s or individual’s income and assets. Medicaid serves approximately
3 million people in Florida. Over half of those are children and adolescents 20 years of age or younger. Estimated expenditures for fiscal year 2012-13 (July 2012 through June 2013) are approximately $21 billion.
Florida implemented the Medicaid program on January 1, 1970, to provide medical services to low-income people. Over the years, the Florida Legislature has authorized changes to the scope of Medicaid services covered, as well as changes to Medicaid reimbursement for services. A major expansion occurred in 1989, when the United States Congress mandated that states provide all Medicaid services allowable under the Social Security Act to children 20 years of age or younger.
The Medicaid program is different in every state. The federal government sets the general guidelines and each state decides how to run the program.
In Florida, the State Legislature determines who qualifies for Medicaid, what services will be covered, and how much to pay for the services.
The Medicaid program is funded by state and federal funds, with the counties contributing to the cost of inpatient hospital and nursing facility services.
Matching federal funds are contingent upon the state’s continued compliance with federal laws and regulations. The following federal and state laws govern Florida Medicaid:
Title XIX of the Social Security Act
Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations
Chapter 409 Florida Statutes
Chapter 59G Florida Administrative Code
WHO DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY
The Agency does not determine eligibility for Medicaid recipients. Eligibility is determined by the following agencies:
29 2012-2013 Florida Medicaid Summary of Services , pg. 1-3.
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The Social Security Administration determines eligibility for Supplemental Security
Income (SSI). Recipients of SSI are automatically eligible for Medicaid.
The Florida Department of Children and Families determines eligibility for low-income children and families, aged persons, persons with disabilities, and persons seeking institutional care.
Florida Healthy Kids Corporation determines eligibility for MediKids.
8.
Transportation Services Covered by Florida Medicaid 30
DESCRIPTION
Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services are defined as medically necessary transportation for a recipient and a personal care attendant or escort, if required, who have no other means of transportation available to any Medicaid- compensable service location to receive treatment, medical evaluation, or therapy.
NEMT services are provided through contracts with the Florida Commission for the
Transportation Disadvantaged, and through certain Medicaid health maintenance organizations
(HMOs), Medicaid Pilot HMOs, Medicaid Pilot provider service networks (PSNs), and Medicaid
Pilot fee-for- service specialty plans.
Medicaid emergency transportation services provide medically necessary emergency ground or air ambulance transportation to Medicaid eligible recipients. Necessary emergency transportation services are reimbursed as Medicaid fee-for- service for all recipients not enrolled in a health plan that covers transportation.
LIMITATIONS
NEMT services are available only to eligible recipients who cannot obtain transportation through any other means, such as family, friends, or community resources.
NEMT services are scheduled through the community transportation coordinator (CTC) in each county under contract with the Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged.
All transportation must be the most cost-effective and appropriate method of transportation available.
Emergency transportation does not require authorization, but the ambulance provider must document the medical necessity of the emergency and keep that documentation on file for every
Medicaid recipient transported by emergency vehicle.Scheduled ambulance service (advanced life support or basic life support) is not emergency transportation. All scheduled ambulance services must be authorized prior to service being rendered.
EXCEPTIONS
30 2012-2013 Florida Medicaid Summary of Services , pg. 86
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Recipients who are enrolled in a Medicaid HMO or PSN or specialty plan that provides transportation as part of its scope of services must obtain all Medicaid non-emergency transportation through the plan’s network of transportation providers. If the plan does not provide NEMT services, transportation is arranged through the CTC in the recipient’s county of residence.
ELIGIBILITY
Medicaid NEMT services are provided for Medicaid recipients who meet the transportation eligibility requirements determined by the CTCs.
Medicaid reimbursed emergency transportation is necessary when the recipient’s condition meets emergency criteria.
PAYMENT
Under the Medicaid NEMT contract with the Florida Commission for the Transportation
Disadvantaged, reimbursement to individual providers is determined by agreement with the CTC in each county.
If the recipient is in a health plan that covers transportation, the recipient must obtain all
Medicaid non-emergency transportation through the health plan’s provider network. A provider who is not in the HMO or PSN network cannot be reimbursed for providing transportation to the recipient.
Medicaid emergency transportation is reimbursed at the Medicaid published allowable rate or the carrier’s customary fee, whichever is less, unless a negotiated rate is prior authorized.
COPAY
There is a $1 recipient copayment for transportation services for each one-way trip, unless the recipient is exempt. Round trips require two copayments.
There is no copay for Medicaid emergency transportation services.
9.
Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation Services
The Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) Program in Florida is administered by the
Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD).
Transportation services for Medicaid beneficiaries is a federally mandated service.
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) administers the state's Medicaid program which consists of both mandated and optional programs to carry out its mission.
Effective June 11, 2004, AHCA and CTD executed a contract to transfer the administration and management of the Medicaid NET Program to the CTD. The Medicaid NET Program provides training and technical assistance to all Subcontracted Transportation Providers (STPs) and beneficiaries regarding Medicaid Non-Emergency Transportation services.
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In June 2014 the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will remove Medicaid funding from the state-wide Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) Coordinated system, and provide it to HMOs in regional locations. The HMOs will begin providing transportation to
Medicaid-eligible people, or will subcontract with the TD Community Transportation
Coordinators to provide the transportation.
Southwest Florida is in AHCA Region 8, which includes Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades,
Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota counties.
10.
Metropolitan Planning Organizations
A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is an agency created by federal law to provide local input for urban transportation planning and allocating federal transportation funds to cities with populations of greater than 50,000. Statewide and metropolitan transportation planning is governed by 23 U.S.C. §§ 134-135; 23 U.S.C. § 134(a) states:
Policy.— It is in the national interest—
(1) to encourage and promote the safe and efficient management, operation, and development of surface transportation systems that will serve the mobility needs of people and freight and foster economic growth and development within and between
States and urbanized areas, while minimizing transportation-related fuel consumption and air pollution through metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes identified in this chapter; and
(2) to encourage the continued improvement and evolution of the metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes by metropolitan planning organizations, State departments of transportation, and public transit operators as guided by the planning factors identified in subsection (h) and section 135 (d).
The mission of a MPO is to provide comprehensive, coordinated and continuous (the "3Cs") transportation planning for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods consistent with the region's overall economic, social and environmental goals.
Special emphasis is placed on providing equal access to a variety of transportation choices and effective public involvement in the transportation planning process. Most MPOs are part of a city, county or area regional planning council. In 2012, there were 342 MPOs in the United
States, 26 in Florida, and 4 in the Southwest Florida region. a) Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council
The Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council is a statewide transportation planning and policy organization created by the Florida Legislature pursuant to Section
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
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339.175(11), Florida Statutes, to augment the role of individual MPOs in the cooperative transportation planning process. The MPOAC assists MPOs in carrying out the urbanized area transportation planning process by serving as the principal forum for collective policy discussion. b) Charlotte County - Punta Gorda MPO
MPO Director: Bob Herrington
Director E-mail: bob@ccmpo.com
Physical Address:
East Port Environmental Campus
25550 Harbor View Road, Suite 4
Port Charlotte, FL 33980
Phone: (941) 883-3535
Website: www.ccmpo.com c) Collier MPO
MPO Director: Lucilla Ayer
Director E-mail: LucillaAyer@colliergov.net
Physical Address:
2885 S. Horseshoe Drive
Naples, FL 34104
Phone: (239) 252-8192
Website: www.colliermpo.com
d) Lee County MPO
MPO Director: Donald Scott
Director E-mail: dscott@leempo.com
Physical Address:
815 Nicholas Parkway E.
Cape Coral, Florida 33915-0045
Phone: (239) 244-2220
Website: www.leempo.com
e) Sarasota/Manatee MPO
MPO Director: Michael Howe
Director E-mail: michael@mympo.org
Physical Address:
7632 15th Street East
Sarasota, FL 34243
Phone: (941) 359-5772
Website: www.mympo.org
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11.
Disabled American Veterans - Hospital Service Coordinator Directory (2013)
Ron Minter, National Director of Voluntary Services
National Headquarters
3725 Alexandria Pike
Cold Spring, KY 41076
Telephone (859) 441-7300
Florida DAV Hospital Service Coordinator List:
HSC NAME
Frank Chicollo
William C. Danley
Joseph E. Ward
Eppie Ortiz
Patricia Ann
Cocilovo
Otto Ledee
Donald Barnard
James Ferguson
Jonathan R. Turk
VAMC NAME & NUMBER
BAY PINES VAMC (516)
DAV Office, Bldg. 22, Rm. 106
P.O. Box 5005
Bay Pines, FL 33744
LEE CO. HEALTHCARE CENTER(516A)
2489 Diplomat Pkwy., Rm. 1B-186
Cape Coral, FL 33909
VA JOINT AMBULATORY CARE (520)
790 Veterans Way, Rm. 1A106
Pensacola, FL 32507
MIAMI VAMC
1201 NW 16th St., DAV-Rm. 2A 146
Miami, FL 33125
WEST PALM BEACH VAMC (548)
7305 N. Military Trl., Rm. 1-A-178
West Palm Beach, FL 33410
GAINESVILLE VAMC (573)
1601 SW Archer Rd., Rm. 1A 165A
Gainesville, FL 32608
LAKE CITY VAMC (594)
619 S. Marion Ave., Bldg. 38, Rm. 215 EXT
2649
Lake City, FL 32025
JAMES A. HALEY VAMC (673)
13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Rm. A240
Tampa, FL 33612
ORLANDO VAMC (675)
5201 Raymond St., Rm. 1201 EXT 1968
Orlando, FL 32803
TELEPHONE #
(727) 398-9404
(239) 652-1800 EXT
20064
(850) 912-2056
(546) (305) 575-3130
(561) 422-8312
(352) 379-4148
(386) 755-3016
(813) 972-2000 EXT
6596/97
(407) 629-1599
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12.
Transportation Provider Information by County a) Charlotte County Transportation Providers
Charlotte County Transit Division (Charlotte County General Public Transportation
Agency)
1050 Loveland Blvd
Port Charlotte ,FL 33980
Phone: (941) 764-4189
Website: http://www.charlottecountyfl.com/HumanServices/Transportation/
The Dial-A-Ride program is a curb-to-curb bus service available to the general public for a small fee. It provides the freedom of curb side transportation to and from your destination on an advance reservation basis. The service area for Dial-A-Ride covers most urban parts of the county (excludes Boca Grande, Pirate Harbor, and far eastern part of county.)
The Sunshine Ride program is a door-to-door transportation service for those unable to provide or purchase their own transportation due to disability, age, income or rural residents (Transportation Disadvantaged.) The service operates to connect passengers to medical centers, pharmacies, grocery stores and other prioritized destinations. There is no service area for Sunshine Ride, the county’s Transportation Disadvantaged service;
Sunshine Ride provides curb-to-curb service throughout entire county.
Fixed Route Transit
In Charlotte, there is no fixed-route transit; the public transit system is paratransit.
ADA-complementary Paratransit
Dial-A-Ride (Charlotte County Transit Department)
Connectivity with Transit Systems for Adjoining Counties
Sarasota County: Charlotte provides Dial-A-Ride service into Sarasota, to North Port and
Englewood; these are easy connections, close to Charlotte County border.
Lee County : no place to link close to county border that is safe and convenient.
Transportation Disadvantaged
Official Planning Agency (OPA): The Charlotte County - Punta Gorda MPO is the official planning agency (OPA) for the Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) program in Charlotte
County.
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Charlotte County Transit Department
Medicaid Transportation Provider: Sunshine Ride (Charlotte County Transit Department)
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Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP):
Charlotte Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP)
Commission Contracts
Reduced Transit Fares
??
Transportation for Veterans
Charlotte County Transit Division
Charlotte County Transit Department provides daily service for Veterans to the Port
Charlotte VA clinic via Sunshine Ride and Dial-a-Ride.
Charlotte County has a Veterans’ van service, a joint program between the Charlotte County
Transit Department and the Charlotte County Veterans’ Council, in which the county supplies the vans, and the council supplies the drivers. Currently, this program provides rides three days a week to regional Veterans’ health care clinics in Bay Pines and Cape Coral.
Disabled American Veterans Van Service b) Collier County Transportation Providers
Collier County – General Public Transportation Agency
Collier Area Transit (CAT)
Collier Area Transit
8300 Radio Road
Naples, Florida 34104
Phone: 239.252.7777
CAT Fixed Route Transit
CAT ADA-complementary Paratransit
Collier Area Paratransit
Michelle Edwards-Arnold, Director
239-252-5840 michellearnold@colliergov.net
Collier County Alternative Transportation Modes Department administers the Collier Area
Paratransit system for Collier County.
As the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC), the Department administers coordination of transportation services for the disabled and economically disadvantaged.
Funding for these transportation services comes from a variety of sources including the State
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Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged, Medicaid, Americans with Disabilities
Act Federal grant, local County funding and other State grants.
Connectivity with Transit Systems for Adjoining Counties
Lee County: LinC route
LinC is a route linking Collier County and Lee County (LinC stands for Lee in Collier.) The
Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration grant funds are helping to fund the route. The future of the route is uncertain, as it is dependent on continued funding.
Transportation Disadvantaged
Official Planning Agency (OPA): Collier County MPO
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Collier Area Paratransit
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: Collier Area Paratransit
Michelle Arnold
Collier Area Paratransit (TD & ADA)
Alternative Transportation Modes Department
2885 Horseshoe Drive South
Naples, FL 34104
Phone: (239) 252-5841
Fax:: (239) 252-3929
E-Mail: MichelleArnold@colliergov.net
Website: www.colliergov.net
Medicaid Subcontracted Transportation Provider (STP):
Medical Transportation Management (MTM)
Lisa Sanders, Program Director
789 South Federal Highway, Suite #201
Stuart, FL 34994
Phone: (772) 266-4971
E-Mail: lusanders@mtm-inc.net
Website: www.mtm-inc.net/martincounty
Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP):
Collier Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP)
Commission Contracts
Reduced Transit Fares
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Transportation for Veterans
CAT fixed route and paratransit
Disabled American Veterans Van Service? c) Glades County & Hendry County Transportation Providers
Glades and Hendry Counties – General Public Transportation Agencies
None
Fixed Route Transit
Clewiston to Belle Glade Community Bus Route provided by Good Wheels. Bus service is available Monday-Friday from 7 am to 7 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 5 pm.; the fair is $1 one-way.
ADA-complementary Paratransit
None
Transportation Disadvantaged
Glades & Hendry Counties CTC
Designated Official Planning Agency (DOPA): Southwest Florida Regional Planning
Council
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Good Wheels, Inc.
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: Good Wheels, Inc.
Medicaid Transportation Provider: Good Wheels, Inc.
Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP):
Glades & Hendry Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP)
Commission Contracts
Good Wheels, Inc.
Tom Nolan
10075 Bavaria Road, SE
Ft. Myers, FL 33913
Phone: (239) 768-2900
Fax: (239) 768-6187
E-Mail: tnolan@goodwheels.org
Reduced Transit Fares
N/A
Transportation for Veterans
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Disabled American Veterans Van Service d) Lee County Transportation Providers
LeeTran (Lee County General Public Transportation Agency)
Fixed Route Transit
LeeTran Passport (ADA-complementary Paratransit)
Connectivity with Transit Systems for Adjoining Counties
Collier County: LinC route
LinC is a route linking Collier County and Lee County (LinC stands for Lee in Collier.) The
Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration grant funds are helping to fund the route.
Charlotte County: ?
Transportation Disadvantaged
Official Planning Agency (OPA): Lee County MPO
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): Good Wheels, Inc.
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: LeeTran Passport
Medicaid Transportation Provider: Good Wheels, Inc.
Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP):
Lee Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP)
Commission Contracts
Good Wheels, Inc.
Tom Nolan
10075 Bavaria Road, SE
Ft. Myers, FL 33913
Phone: (239) 768-6184
Fax: (239) 768-0334
E-Mail: tnolan@goodwheels.org
Reduced Transit Fares
?
Transportation for Veterans
LeeTran (bus and paratransit)
Disabled American Veterans Van Service
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e) Sarasota County Transportation Providers
Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT)
Glama Carter, Department Director/Transit General Manager
5303 Pinkney Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34233
Phone: (941) 861-1006
E-Mail: gcarter@scgov.net
Web site: https://www.scgov.net/SCAT/Pages/default.aspx
Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT)
SCAT Fixed Route Bus Service
SCAT Plus Service - Accessible Transportation (ADA-complementary Paratransit)
Transportation Disadvantaged
Official Planning Agency (OPA): Sarasota/Manatee MPO
Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC): SCAT
ADA-complementary paratransit provider: SCAT Plus Service - Accessible Transportation
Medicaid Transportation Provider:
The Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged contracted with a thirdparty provider, LogistiCare Solutions LLC , to provide Medicaid transportation services in
Sarasota County.
Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP):
Sarasota Transportation Disadvantaged Service Plan (TDSP) – 2008-2013
TDSP (DRAFT) 2013
Commission Contracts
Reduced Transit Fares
SCAT Gold Card
Passengers 65 years of age and older and/or with disabilities can ride SCAT for half price.
Transportation for Veterans
Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT)
SCAT offers Veterans daily transportation (Monday-Friday) to two out-of-county medical facilities, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System in Bay Pines and James A. Haley
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Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa. This service is provided from six pickup and drop-off points in Sarasota County and costs $8-$13 round trip, depending on the pickup point.
Disabled American Veterans Van Service
C.
VA Transportation Services - Bay Pines VA Healthcare System
1.
Veteran Transportation Service (VTS)
The Veteran Transportation Service (VTS) is a supplement to the existing transportation available for Veterans. The service is available for Veterans with special needs and for those who do not have available transportation to and from their appointments at the Bay Pines VA Medical
Center (VAMC). VTS is available at no cost to the Veteran.
Eligibility Requirements
You must be a Veteran enrolled for VA Health Care benefits
You must have a scheduled and authorized medical appointment requiring travel
NOTE: A Veteran may be accompanied by one caregiver, spouse, or family member
To Schedule Transportation with VTS, please contact your primary care provider or call
(727) 398-6661 extension 5624. All reservations must be made in advance (48 hours).
2.
Volunteer Transportation Network (VTN)
VTN is a system of transportation operated by volunteers. This service is free of charge and is available to Veterans who do not have available transportation to and from their medical appointments at the Bay Pines VAMC or Bay Pines operated Community Based Outpatient
Clinics (CBOCs).
Eligibility Requirements
Enrolled in VA healthcare
Reservations must be made in advance, as volunteer drivers provide service.
To schedule transportation with VTN, please call one of the following dispatchers in your respective county:
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Jim Carstairs
(941) 575-3670
FAX (941) 639-7279
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COLLIER COUNTY
LEE COUNTY
GLADES &HENDRY
COUNTIES
SARASOTA/MANATEE
Anne Cardenas
3301 Tamiami Tr E Bldg H
Naples, FL 34112
(239) 252-4826
(239) 252-2870 FAX
Dale Kise
2489 Diplomat Pkwy
Cape Coral, FLl 33909
(239) 652-1800 Ext. 20366 or
William Danley (Fort Myers – Miami)
239-652-1800 Ext. 20069
Donald B. Lownds
(863) 675-2065
FAX (863) 675-0092
Leila Taylor
(941) 360-0827
Transportation Help and Support
For general questions, help and support related to transportation, please call Cora Omari,
Mobility Manager, at (727) 398-6661 x10308 or visit the mobility office located in building 2, room 357 at the Bay Pines VAMC.
City and County Transportation Resources
There are also several transportation options available in your local community. A list of helpful links is provided below.
Charlotte County * (Port Charlotte CBOC)
Dial-A-Ride – curb to curb bus service
Sunshine Ride – door to door transportation service
Collier County * (Naples CBOC)
Collier Area Transit (CAT) – fixed route public transportation
Collier Area Paratransit System (CAP) – public transportation
Medicaid Transport (MTM) – non emergency medical transportation
LinC – A new route that will link Collier County and Lee County
Lee County * (Lee County VA Healthcare Center)
Leetran – local fixed route
Passport – paratransit service
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Cape Coral Mini-Bus Service * - door to door transport service for transportation disadvantaged
Sarasota County * (Sarasota CBOC)
Local fixed routes
SCAT Plus – transportation for the disadvantaged
Transportation for Veterans to Bay Pines VAMC and James A. Haley Veterans
Hospital
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D.
SWFRPC Outreach Efforts
1.
Public Workshops/Outreach Regional Events
Event Name Type Contact
2013
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 ST 5:00 PM – 7:30PM
Miles of Smiles Foundation 31
Opening Reception:
“Honor, Country And Heroism”
Location:
Lee County Alliance for the Arts
10091 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, FL
33919
Exhibition
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 ND 8:00 AM -1:00 PM www.artinlee.org
239-939-2787
Veterans Stand Down
Location: Port Charlotte, FL
Outreach
Rose Marie Stauffer
Bay Pines VA
727-398-6661 ext. 7552
Justine - Assistant
Terry Keene 941-681-3716
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 ND 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2nd Annual Military Appreciation Day
Military Stand Down Day
Information and services for homeless vets
Location:
First Christian Church
Family Center Main Area
2061 McGregor Boulevard
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Outreach
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 TH 1:00PM
Veterans Day Service - Veterans
Traveling Wall & Tribute
Location: 10450 Reynolds St., Bonita
Springs
Event
Military Support Program at Lee
Memorial Health System
Kim Gaide - 239-343-2045
239-949-6262
County
Lee
Charlotte
Lee
Lee
31 The Foundation helps Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans that are suffering with
PTSD, using Equine Assisted Psychotherapy & Equine Assisted Learning programs.
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Event Name
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9 TH 6:00PM
Veterans Day Car Show
Location: 2224 Tamiami Trail South
Venice
Type
Glades County Salute to Veterans’ dinner event 32
Location: Doyle Conner Bldg in Moore
Haven
Event
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10 TH 10:00AM -2:00 PM
Event
Donna Storter Long mamzellerox@hotmail.com
(863) 675-8850
Lance
941-371-1061
Contact
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 TH 11:00 AM
Veterans Day Service
Location: Riverside Park, Bonita Springs
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 TH 11:00 AM
Event 239-949-6262
Glades County Veterans Day Service
Location: Ortona Cemetery Pavilion,
Belle Glade
Event 863-946-6000
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 TH 11:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M & 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Cape Coral Veterans Day Celebration and Parade
Location: 47th St, Cape Coral
Between SE 15 th Street and SE 10th
Event
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 TH 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Veteran's Day Car show presented by
Veteran Motor Car Club
Location: Fishermen’s Village, Punta
Gorda
Event
239- 573-3122
941-639-8217
County
Glades
Sarasota
Lee
Glades
Lee
Charlotte
32 Lt. Col. Cary Pigman, MD who is Glades County’s State House Representative, will be the keynote speaker.
Dinner will be catered by Cracker Cookin’ & Caterin’ and the Glades County Sheriff’s Honor Guard will have a special presentation. Bob Way will provide special patriotic music. A recognition ceremony of all in Veterans in attendance representing all branches of the US Military will be a highlight. This dinner event is FREE to Veterans but RSVP is requested. Other guests may attend with a $12 donation to cover the dinner costs. Door prize drawings will close the event. Tickets are still available by RSVP (BoCC Chairman Storter, or Veterans Officer in the County
Manager’s office at the Courthouse, 863-946-6000)
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Event Name Type
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 TH 10:00 AM / 11:45 AM – 1:45 PM
Naples Veterans Day Memorial Service
(10 am-11:30 am) - Cambier Park,
Naples
USO Show (11:45-1:45)
Naples Depot Museum
1051 5th Ave S, Naples, FL
Sunday, November 17 th – 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM
Event
Regional VFW Symposium 33
Location: VFW Post 10100
20 Veterans Way
LaBelle FL 33975
Event
(239) 262-6525
Cdr. Ken Corr
Contact dist13cmdr@flvfw.org
239-603-2785
Post: 239-455-7721
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30 TH
Christmas Tree Lighting
Location: Veterans Community Park
Marco Island
Event
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 TH 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
FGCU 7th annual Veterans Appreciation
Luncheon
Location:
FGCU Cohen Center Ballroom
Event
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 ST 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Candlelight Vigil - Lee County Homeless
Coalition
Location:
Lee County Courthouse Steps, 2120
Main Street, Fort Myers, Florida
Event
FGCU Campus Veterans
Robert W. Green Jr.
Janet Bartos
Lee County Homeless Coalition
County
Collier
Hendry
Collier
Lee
Lee
33 VFW District 13 includes Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties. This was a joint meeting of the VFW with the ladies and men’s auxiliaries on a Sunday; SWFRPC staff made a presentation to the joint assembly asking for people to take the survey and provide feedback; subsequently, the Regional Commander sent out an email to members requesting that they take the online survey.
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Event Name Type Contact County
2014
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1 ST 8:45 AM TO NOON
Homeless Service Day & Veterans
Stand Down
(Lee County Homeless Coalition)
Location:
City of Palms Stadium
2201 Edison Ave.
Fort Myers, FL
Event
Janet Bartos
Lee County Homeless Coalition
Lee
2.
Bay Pines VA Healthcare System - Facilities in Southwest Florida Region
Contact
Charlotte County
Port Charlotte VA Community Clinic
Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4:30 pm
Collier County
Naples VA Community Clinic
Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4:30 pm
Naples Vet Center
Glades and Hendry Counties 34
See footnote below
Lee County
Lee County VA Healthcare Center
Fort Myers Vet Center
Jeanna Troia, Team Leader
Bay Pines VA Medical Center
Mon-Fri, 10 am - 4 pm
Sarasota County
Sarasota Vet Center
Sarasota VA Community Clinic
Mon-Fri, 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Location
4161 Tamiami Trail, Suite 401
Port Charlotte, Florida 33952
2685 Horseshoe Drive S., Suite 101
Naples, Florida 34104
2705 South Horseshoe Dr., Unit 204
Naples, FL 34104
2489 Diplomat Parkway East
Cape Coral, FL 33909
4110 Center Pointe Dr., Unit 204
Fort Myers, FL 33916
10000 Bay Pines Blvd.
Bay Pines, FL 33744
4801 Swift Road, Suite A
Sarasota, FL 34231
5682 Bee Ridge Rd., Suite 100
Sarasota, Florida 34233
Phone
(941) 235-2710
(239) 659-9188
(239) 403-2377
(239) 652-1800
(239) 652-1861
(727) 398-6661, Ext.
5489
(941) 927-8285
(941) 371-3349
County
Charlotte
Collier
Collier
Lee
Lee
Pinellas
Sarasota
Sarasota
34 There are no VA healthcare facilities in Glades or Hendry counties; Veterans in these counties go to VA health care facilities in other counties.
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3.
County Veteran Service Officers - Southwest Florida Region
Contact Location Phone Email
Florida Department of
Veterans Affairs
35
COL Mike Prendergast
Executive Director
4040 Esplanade
Way, Suite 152
Tallahassee,
Florida 32399-
0950
850-487-1533 x7710 prendergastm@fdva.state.fl.us
Charlotte County
David W. Donohew,
VSO
David Rockow, AVSO
1050 Loveland
Blvd.
Port Charlotte,
FL 33980
(941) 764-5579 David.Donohew@charlottefl.com
Collier County
Collier County
Housing,
Gary A. Vincent, Veteran
Human, and
Services Manager
Heriberto Hartnack, VSO
Veteran
Svcs. 3339 E.
Anne Cardenas, Admin.
Ass’t/ Trans. Coordinator
Tamiami Trail,
Suite 212
Naples, FL
34112
(239) 252-8387
(239) 252-4826
(Transportation,
8 am – noon)
Veteranservices@colliergov.net
Glades County
Jim Harrington, CVSO
PO Box 1018
Moore Haven,
FL 33471-1018
(863) 946-6000
(863) 946-0566
Hendry County
35 The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs has seven state Veterans’ homes, and has Veterans’ claims examiners at all VA Medical Centers and most VA Outpatient Clinics.
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 108
Contact
David Abney, CVSO
Location Phone
110 Broward
Street, LaBelle
(M-W-F)
1100 S.
Olympia
Avenue,
Clewiston (Tu-
Th)
(863) 675-5250
(LaBelle)
(863) 983-1491
(Clewiston)
Email dabney@hendryfla.net
Lee County
John Ebling, Director
2440 Thompson
St.
Ft. Myers FL
33901
(239) 533-8381 leo911@aol.com
Sarasota County
Jerry Derrick, CVSO –
Sarasota
Gary Valinski VSO
Terry Acton VSO
Darrell Butler VSO
Greg Worth VSO -
Venice
James Stivers VSO -
North Port
2200 Ringling
Blvd, #125
Sarasota, FL
34237
4000 S Tamiami
Trail, #139
Venice, FL
34293
(941) 861-2899
(Sarasota)
(941) 861-3047
(Venice)
(941) 429-7214
(North Port)
4970 City Hall
Blvd., Room
264
North Port, FL
34286
Jerry Derrick (Sarasota): jderrick@scgov.net
Greg Worth (Venice): ggworth@scgov.net
James Stivers (North Port): jstivers@.scgov.net
4.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapters - Southwest Florida Region
Chapter Name
R L Cochran Jr #82
La Belle #144
Location
1182 Market Circle
Port Charlotte, FL
33953
American Legion
699 Hickpochee Ave.
La Belle, FL 33935
Service Officer/Cdr. Phone
Michael Herman, Cdr.
William Gryzik, S.O.
941-629-2833
Robert T. Schall, Cdr.
Millard Wagnon, S.O.
863-612-0300
Monthly Meeting County
1st Thursday, 4:00
PM
Charlotte
1st Thursday, 7:00
PM
Glades &
Hendry
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
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Chapter Name
Charles Gustafson #94
James D Rader #108
Bee Ridge #97
Venice Gulf #101
Location Service Officer/Cdr. Phone
55 Homestead Rd.
Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
Elks Lodge
4631 SE 10th Pl.
Cape Coral, FL 33904
7177 Bee Ridge Rd.
Sarasota, FL 34241
600 Colonia Ln.
Nokomis, FL 34275
Dale R. Kise, Cdr.
Larry D'Angelo, S.O.
Gerald Conway, Cdr.
Greg Williams, S.O.
Cdr. David Stone
S.O. Tommy Swiney
Don Payne, Cdr.
239-368-7485
301-518-7467
941-371-7844
941-488-4500
Monthly Meeting County
3rd Thursday,
7:00 PM
Lee
2nd Thursday,
7:00 PM
Lee
3rd Saturday, 1:00
PM
2nd Thursday,
7:00 PM
Sarasota
Sarasota
5.
Regional Vietnam Veterans of America - Southwest Florida Region
Chapter
VVA CHAPTER #594
Firebase Chapter
VVA CHAPTER #706
VVA CHAPTER #1037
Gulf Coast
Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America
(AVVA)
Location
1106 SW 15th Ave
Cape Coral, FL 33991
2601 53rd St SW
Naples, FL 34116-7647
638 Toucan Dr
Englewood, FL 34334
Florida Rep.: Suzanne Blohm-
Weber
Phone Number Email / Web Site
(239) 772-2745 drmore11@embarqmail.co
m www.vva594.org
(239) 455-3719 j3399@aol.com
(941) 257-3022 vva1037@gmail.com
sbweber@avva.org
6.
AMVETS Posts - Southwest Florida Region
Post
AMVETS Post
Amvets Post 81
Amvets Post 312
AMVETS Post #23
AMVETS Riders
(Motorcycle)
Chapter 23
Location
2705 Garden St.
Fort Myers, FL 33917
1910 N Tamiami Trail
Fort Myers, FL 33903
7050 Chancellor Blvd.
North Port, FL 34287
2727 Bayshore Dr.
Naples, FL 34112
2727 Bayshore Drive, #
105
Naples, Florida 34101
Phone
(239) 995-
1001
(941) 429-
5403
(239) 417-
2626
239-774-
0288
Larry Via lvia55@comcas t.net
County
Lee
Lee
Sarasota
Collier
Collier
7.
Other Veterans Service Organizations - Southwest Florida Region
Contact Email
Allied Veterans
Location
8795 Tamiami
Trail N
Naples, FL
Phone County
Collier
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 110
Contact Location
34108
Phone Email County
City of Naples
Collier County
Chambers
Veterans Council contact@colliervets.org
750 8th Street S
Naples, FL
(239) 774-8448
Meetings: 3rd
Wednesday, 7:00
PM
American Red Cross
Florida Southern Gulf
Region
Jeremy Gentile, Armed
Forces Coordinator
2610
Northbrooke
Plaza Dr.
Naples, FL
34119
7051 Cypress
Terrace #110
Fort Myers, FL
33907
239-596-6868
(Collier County
Office)
239-278-3401
(Lee County
Office)
Collier
Jeremy.Gentile@redcros s.org
Collier,
Lee,
Glades,
&
Hendry
Wounded Warrior
Project
Workshops for
Warriors
Paralyzed Veterans of
America
Florida Gulf Coast
Chapter
4899 Belfort
Road, Suite 300
Jacksonville FL,
32256
(877) 832.6997
2970 Main St.
San Diego, CA
92113
(619) 550-1620 info@workshopsforwarri ors.org
n/a
15435 N.
Florida Avenue
Tampa, FL
33613
(813) 264-1111 info@floridagulfcoastpv a.org
8.
VFW Posts - Southwest Florida Region
Post Name
Port Charlotte
Rotonda Post
Marco Island
Naples Memorial
Golden Gate
Post #
5690
Commander/S
O
Joseph
Saphner
Phone
(941) 629-
4200
6370 James Lang
(239) 642-
4410
7369 Jeremy Fowler
(239) 793-
7369
7721 Hector Miranda
(239) 455-
7721
Location
23204 Freedom Ave
Punta Gorda, FL 33950
Monthly
Meeting
10:00 AM 2nd
Saturday
3725 Cape Haze Dr
Rotonda West, FL
33947
PO Box 1784
Marco Island, FL
341461784
2727 Bayshore Dr Ste
107
Naples, FL 34113
800 Neffs Way
Naples, FL 34119
12:00 pm 2nd
Saturday
7:30 p.m. 2nd
Tuesday
7:00 PM Last
Tuesday
7:00 PM 2nd
Tuesday
County
CharlotteCharlott e
CharlotteCharlott e
CollierCollier
CollierCollier
CollierCollier
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 111
Post Name
Bruce C. Embrey
Post #
Commander/S
O
Phone
10100
Robert
Middleton
(863) 675-
8008
Hawkins-Kirk-
Gordon
Harney Point
CSM George
Brodsky Memorial
4185
8463
Israel Vargas
Arne
Suominen
10127 Jeffrey Rousey
(863) 983-
9748
(239) 542-
8463
(239) 995-
0230
George D. Thiesen
Memorial
10097 Dale Mangione
(239) 466-
6400
Greater Pine Island 4353 Paul Birdwell
(239) 283-
2277
Harold C. Buck
Memorial
4254
Scott Cline,
Cdr.
Jim
Quartermaster,
SO
Byron W.
Catherwood
Memorial
4174
Lloyd
Hackworth
William A. Garvey 8203 Russell Crump
Clyde E. Lassen
Memorial
10178
Edgar
Brittingham
Tamiami Memorial 8118 Gerald Reinert
Sarasota Sunshine 3233 Bob Cockroft
(239) 992-
0023
(239) 369-
5100
(941) 426-
6865
(941) 681-
3160
(941) 484-
8118
941-365-
1918
Location
Monthly
Meeting
PO Box 1751 20
Veterans Way
LaBelle, FL 33935
501 S Francisco St
Clewiston, FL
334404803
4709 SE 11th Pl
Cape Coral, FL 33904
996 Pondella Rd
North Fort Myers, FL
33903
17770 Pine Ridge Rd
Fort Myers Beach, FL
33931
8150 Stringfellow Rd
Saint James City, FL
33956
7:00 PM 3rd
Wednesday
6:00 PM 1st
Tuesday
7:30 PM 1st
Monday
7:00 PM 1st
Tuesday
7:00 PM 1st
Thursday
7:00PM 1st
Monday
10972 K Nine Dr
Bonita Springs, FL
34135
25 Homestead Rd S
Lehigh Acres, FL
33936
4860 Trott Cir
North Port, FL 34287
550 N McCall Rd
Englewood, FL 34223
832 E Venice Ave
Venice, FL 34285
124 S Tuttle Ave
Sarasota, FL
342376332
7:00 PM 2nd
Tuesday
7:30 PM 2nd
Tuesday
7:00 PM 2nd
Tuesday
7:30 PM 2nd
Wednesday
7:30pm 2nd
Thursday
6:00 PM 3rd
Tuesday
County
HendryHendry
HendryHendry
Lee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
SarasotaSaraso ta
SarasotaSaraso ta
SarasotaSaraso ta
SarasotaSaraso ta
9.
American Legion Posts - Southwest Florida Region
District 8: Sarasota ( 8thdistrict@legionmail.org
)
District 13: Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Hendry (except Clewiston), Glades
( 13thdistrict@legionmail.org
)
Post Location
Post
103
Post
110
Post
135
2101 Taylor Rd, Punta Gorda, FL
33950
3152 Harbor Rd, Port Charlotte, FL
33952
2296 Tamiami Trail East, Naples, FL
34112
Phone
941.639.529
9
941.629.744
6
239.774.470
7
Post103@earthlink.net adjutant@post110.org cahnaplesfl@aol.com
Monthly
Meeting
2nd Thurs
19:00
1st Sat 10:00
County
CharlotteCha rlotte
CharlotteCha rlotte
2nd Wed
19:00
CollierCollier
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 112
Post Location Phone
Post
130
Post
299
Post
123
Post
136
Post
192
Post
274
Post
303
Post
323
Post
351
Post
113
Post
159
Post
254
Post
266
Post 90
Post 30
699 W Hickpochee, La Belle, FL 33935
P.O Box 575C, Moore Haven, FL
33471
4249 Sanibel-Captiva Rd, Sanibel, FL
33957
Post 38 1857 Jackson St, Fort Myers, FL 33901
1770 E. Venice St., Venice, FL 34292
6648 Taneytown St, North Port, FL
34291
5201 Richardson Rd, Sarasota, FL
34232
863.675.830
0
863.946.006
6
239.472.997
9
239.332.185
3
239.549.812
8
4720 SE 15th Ave, Unit 122, Cape
Coral, FL 33904
4106 Stringfellow Rd, St. James, FL
33956
3130 MLK Jr Blvd, Fort Myers, FL
33916
899 Buttonwood Dr, Fort Myers Beach,
FL 33932
27678 Imperial Shores Blvd, Bonita
Springs, FL 34133
1124 Ashlar Ave, Lehigh Acres, FL
33970
4800 Palm Beach Blvd, Fort Myers, FL
33905
4015 N. Lockwood Ridge Rd, Sarasota,
FL 34230
3436 Indiana Rd, Rotonda West, FL
33947
941.283.443
4
239.334.809
1
239.453.659
1
239.992.242
2
239.369.317
8
941.693.053
1
941.360.871
9
941.697.361
6
941.485.474
8
941.423.731
1
941.371.132
6
Email fllegionpost130@earthlink.ne
t gcvso@skyeone.com amlegion.sanibelcaptiva@ya hoo.com
Post0038@yahoo.com adjuant@post136fl.org legionpost274@aol.com legionpost303@aol.com flapost323@earthlink.net
Monthly
Meeting
3rd Thurs
19:00
1st Thurs
19:00
2nd Wed
18:00
County
HendryHendr y
GladesGlade s
LeeLee
1st Sat 10:00 LeeLee
4th Mon
19:00
3rd Wed
19:00
1st Thurs
20:00
3rd Mon
19:00
2nd Tues
19:00
3rd Mon
19:00
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee carolkdoty@embarqmail.com 3rd Sat 10:30 LeeLee americanlegion30@verizon.n
et alpost113@comcast.net commander@novel159.org
Post254@americanlegion254
.com mail@ampost266.net
1st Tues
19:00
2nd Wed
19:30
3rd Tues
19:30
3rd Wed
19:00
1st Tues
19:00
SarasotaSar asota
SarasotaSar asota
SarasotaSar asota
SarasotaSar asota
SarasotaSar asota
10.
Moose Clubs - Southwest Florida Region
Chapter City Address
Women of the Moose
1619
Port Charlotte P O Box 495475, Port Charlotte, Florida 33949
Family Center 2121 Port Charlotte
3462 Loveland Blvd, PO Box 494947, Port Charlotte,
Florida 33949
Women of the Moose
777
Punta Gorda P O Box 510653, Punta Gorda, Florida 33951
Phone
Number
(941) 625-
7975
(941) 629-
1140
(941) 575-
6146
County
CharlotteCharl otte
CharlotteCharl otte
CharlotteCharl otte
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 113
Chapter
Family Center 1693
Family Center 1990
Women of the Moose
1892
Women of the Moose
1304
Lodge 1654
City
Punta Gorda
Marco Island 20 Marco Lake Drive, Marco Island, Florida 34145
North Port
Naples
Naples
Address
27590 Disston Avenue, Punta Gorda, Florida 33982
14156 Tamiami Trail N Port, Florida 34287
Po Box 9537 Naples, Florida 34101
1900 40Th Terrace S W, Naples, Florida 34116
Family Center 1782
Women of the Moose
1999
Lodge 2398
Women of the Moose
1611
Family Center 1454
Naples
La Belle
La Belle
3417 Enterprise Ave, Naples, Florida 34104
P O Box 908, La Belle, Florida 33975
280 Jaycee Lyons Drive, La Belle, Florida 33935
Bonita Springs P.O. Box 366032, Bonita Springs, Florida 34136
Bonita Springs 25101 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs, Florida 34135
Women of the Moose
815
Women of the Moose
1984
Family Center 2199
Family Center 2395
Women of the Moose
562
Family Center
Cape Coral
Cape Coral
Cape Coral
Cape Coral
Fort Myers
Fort Myers
155 Santa Barbara Blvd., N Cape Coral, Florida 33993
P O Box 100714, Cape Coral, Florida 33910
155 Santa Barbara Blvd., N Cape Coral, Florida 33993
419 E. Cape Coral Pkwy, Cape Coral, Florida 33904
P O Box 51316, Fort Myers, Florida 33905
9171 College Parkway, Fort Myers, Florida 33919
Women of the Moose
551
Family Center 964
Fort Myers
Beach
Fort Myers
Beach
P O Box 3033, Fort Myers Beach, Florida 33932
19090 San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, Florida
33931
Women of the Moose
1324
Family Center 2266 Lehigh Acres 210 Homestead Rd South, Lehigh Acres, Florida 33936
Women of the Moose
1843
St. James City 8903 Stringfellow Road, St James City, Florida 33956
(239) 368-
2266
(239) 282-
0439
Family Center 1954 St. James City 8903 Stringfellow Road St James City, Florida 33956
(239) 282-
0438
(239) 458-
5974
(239) 945-
3962
(239) 242-
8029
(239) 945-
6066
(239) 693-
6662
(239) 415-
7342
(239) 470-
4777
(239) 463-
2221
(239) 261-
4767
(863) 675-
3222
(863) 675-
3222
(239) 947-
5666
(239) 947-
6103
Phone
Number
(941) 639-
7666
(239) 394-
5180
(941) 426-
2126
(239) 263-
2551
(239) 455-
8408
County
CharlotteCharl otte
CollierCollier
CollierCollier
CollierCollier
CollierCollier
CollierCollier
HendryHendry
HendryHendry
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 114
Chapter City
Lodge 1297 Fort Myers
Women of the Moose
1020
Women of the Moose
1582
Women of the Moose
2252
Fort Myers
Englewood
Englewood
Family Center 1933 Englewood
Family Center 2554 Englewood
Family Center 764 North Port
Women of the Moose
1770
Women of the Moose
1968
Sarasota
Sarasota
Lodge 608 Sarasota
Lodge 1319 Sarasota
Women of the Moose
758
Venice
Family Center 1308 Venice
Address
11161 Palm Beach Blvd, Ft Myers, Florida 33905
P O Box 07128, Ft. Myers, Florida 33919
P O Box 2204, Englewood, Florida 34295
4212 N Access Road Unit C & D, Englewood, Florida
34224
55 W Dearborn St, Englewood, Florida 34223
4212 N Access Rd Units B C D & E Englewood, Florida
34224
14156 Tamiami Trail, North Port, Florida 34287
(941) 473-
3126
(941) 426-
7010
P O Box 21897, Sarasota, Florida 34276
P.O. Box 53086, Sarasota, Florida 34232
6577 Superior Ave, Sarasota, Florida 34231
1761 17th St, Sarasota, Florida 34234
P O Box 734, Venice, Florida 34284
111 N Auburn Rd, Venice, Florida 34292
(941) 342-
9649
(941) 374-
0056
(941) 921-
1139
(941) 955-
6155
(941) 412-
4238
(941) 485-
7333
Phone
Number
(239) 693-
6662
(239) 822-
3217
(941) 474-
6765
(941) 916-
9296
(941) 474-
4100
County
LeeLee
11.
Homeless Shelters, Soup Kitchens & Food Pantries - Southwest Florida Region
Contact
Charlotte County
Salvation Army – Port Charlotte
Food Pantry
SVDPA – Punta Gorda
Food Pantry
Collier County
SVDPA – Naples
(Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Aid to Needy - General Assistance
Pantry Program
Shoes & Work Boot Program
Meals On Wheels Program
Location
2120 Loveland Boulevard
Port Charlotte, FL - 33980
25200 Airport Rd
Punta Gorda, FL - 33950
2874 Davis Blvd
Naples, FL 34104
Phone
(941) 629-3170
(941) 575-0767
239-775-1667
County
CharlotteC harlotte
CharlotteC harlotte
CollierColli er
LeeLee
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
SarasotaSaras ota
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 115
Contact
St. Matthew's House
Justin's Place – Soup Kitchen
Volunteers: Donna Martin
Donna@stmatthewshouse.org
St. Matthew's House
Immokalee Friendship House
Catholic Charities of Collier County
Food Pantry, other services
Glades & Hendry Counties
Lee County
Rev. Dr. Israel Suárez
Nations Association Charities, Inc. http://nationsassociation.org/
Salvation Army – Fort Myers
Location
2691 Airport Rd South
Naples, Florida 34112
602 West Main St.
Immokalee, FL 34142
211 South Ninth Street Suite 7
Immokalee, FL - 34142
(239) 657-6242
4625 Palm Beach Boulevard
Fort Myers, FL 33905
10291 McGregor Boulevard
Fort Myers, FL 33919
Salvation Army Social Services Campus
(Lee, Hendry & Glades Counties)
Crossroads Center
Medical Respite Unit and Primary Care Clinic
Food Pantry
2400 Edison Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33901
SVDPA – Ft Myers
St Francis Xavier - Food Pantry
SVDPA – Ft Myers
Church, Food Pantry, Elderly Housing
Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida
The Everyday Café (formerly The Soup
Kitchen)
Community Cooperative Ministries (CCMI) www.ccmileecounty.com
2263 Lafayette St
Ft. Myers, FL 33901
13031 Palm Beach Boulevard
Fort Myers, FL 33905-1937
2126 Alicia Street
Fort Myers, FL - 33901
3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Blvd.
Ft. Myers, FL
The Everyday Café (Cape Coral)
Homeless Ministries - First Baptist Church
Lee County Homeless Coalition
Janet Bartos
1105 Cultural Park Blvd.
Cape Coral, Florida
1105 Cultural Park Blvd.,
Cape Coral, Florida
1735 Jackson Street
Fort Myers, FL
1500 Colonial Blvd., Ste. 221
Fort Myers, FL 33907
VA Transitional Living Facility for Homeless
Vets – SalusCare (formerly SWFAS and Lee
Mental Health)
2516 Grand Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Phone
239-774-0340
239-657-4090
(239) 332-7575
(239) 334-3745
(239) 334-3745
239 334 9225
239-693-0818
(941) 334-7007
(239) 332-7687
(239) 334-7747
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
LeeLee
(239) 322-6600 leehomeless@gmail.com
Rosemary Boisvert
239-338-2977 rboisvert@saluscareflorida.o
rg
LeeLee
LeeLee
County
CollierColli er
CollierColli er
CollierColli er
LeeLee
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 116
Contact
Bob Janes Triage Center and Low Demand
Shelter
Sarasota County
SVDPA – Sarasota
Food Pantry
Salvation Army – Sarasota
Food Pantry
Salvation Army of Venice
Food Pantry
Location
2789 Ortiz Avenue, Building L
Fort Myers, Florida 33905
512 S. Orange Avenue
Sarasota, FL - 34236
1400 10th Street
Sarasota, FL - 34236
4940 Pan American Boulevard
North Port, FL - 34287
Trinity Without Borders/Sanctuary of Sarasota
Homeless Shelter and Services
1005 N. Washington Blvd.
Sarasota, FL 34236
12.
Sheriff’s Offices - Southwest Florida Region
Contact
Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Bill Prummell
Collier County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Kevin Rambosk
Glades County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Stuart Whiddon
Hendry County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Steve Whidden
Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Mike Scott
Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Tom Knight
FDLE-Fort Myers Regional Operations
Center
Fort Myers Police Department
Phone Location
(941) 639-2101
(863) 946-1600
(863) 674-4060
7474 Utilities Rd
Punta Gorda
(239) 774-4434
(239) 252-9300 sheriff@colliersheriff.net
3319 Tamiami Trail E
Naples
1297 Florida 78
Moore Haven, FL
101 S Bridge St
LaBelle, FL 33935
(239) 477-1000
941.316.1201
SRQsher@scgov.net
14750 6 Mile Cypress Pkwy
Fort Myers
2071 Ringling Blvd
Sarasota, FL 34237-7040
(239) 278-7170
(239) 321-7700
Phone
Ann Arnall
239-533-7920 arnallam@leegov.com
Sabrina Gadson
(239) 275-3222 ext. 5243 sabrina_gadson@uss.salvat
ionarmy.org
(941) 953-5477
(941) 954-4673
(941) 240-5108
County
LeeLee
SarasotaS arasota
SarasotaS arasota
SarasotaS arasota
Vallerie Guillory
(941) 350-9250 vg@trinitywithoutborders.or
g
SarasotaS arasota
County
CharlotteCharlotte
CollierCollier
GladesGlades
HendryHendry
LeeLee
SarasotaSarasota
LeeLee
LeeLee
13.
Miscellaneous Veterans Service Organizations
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
American Legion
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 117
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA)
AmVets : Mission Statement: To enhance and safeguard the entitlements for all American Veterans who have served honorably and to improve the quality of life for them, their families, and the communities where they live through leadership, advocacy and services.
Workshops for Warriors : a San Diego-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to training, certifying, and placing Veterans in manufacturing careers.
Wounded Warriors : Our programs are uniquely structured to nurture the mind and body, and encourage economic empowerment and engagement. Under each of these program areas,
Wounded Warrio r Project™ (WWP) offers a variety of programs to meet a range of needs.
Mission: To foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history. Core values: fun, integrity, loyalty, innovation, and service. Purpose:
To raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members.
To help injured service members aid and assist each other.
To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
Paralyzed Veterans of America - Florida Gulf Coast Chapter : The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a congressionally chartered Veterans service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members---
Veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction.
The Florida Gulf Coast Paralyzed Veterans of America is just one of 34 chapters across the US providing services to our Veterans. Florida Gulf Coast Chapter PVA advocates for:
1. Quality health care for its members and Veterans.
2. Ensure its members that they will receive education addressing their spinal injury or dysfunction.
3. Ensure its members get help in securing benefits as a result of their military service.
4. Ensure its members that their Civil rights and opportunities are met to maximize their independence.
5. Assist in the re-entry of Veterans into sports and recreation activities.
14.
Homeless Service Entities (Public and Private)
Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) Homeless
Programs in Florida :
HUD Jacksonville Field Office
400 West Bay Street, Suite 1015
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: 904-232-1777 Ext: 2077
Fax: 904-232-3617
FL-517 – Hendry, Hardee, Highlands Counties CoC
Lead Contact:
Richard Daggett
Hendry, Hardee, Highlands Counties CoC
P.O. Box 1359
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 118
Avon Bank, FL 33826
Phone: 863-781-2192
863-452-1079
E-mail: dickdaggett@highlandshomeless.net
Points of Contact for Homeless Persons:
Richard Reinhardt
Executive Director
Florida's Heartland Rural Consortia for the Homeless, Inc.
1200 West Avon Boulevard, Suite 206
Avon Park, FL 33825
Phone: 863-214-4799
Fax: 863-452-6882
E-mail: richard.reinhardt@fhrch.org
Web Site: http://www.fhrch.org
FL-500 – Sarasota/Bradenton/Manatee, Sarasota Counties CoC
Lead Contact:
Richard Martin
Sarasota/Bradenton/Manatee, Sarasota Counties CoC
Phone: 941-955-8987
E-mail: richard.martin@suncoastpartnership.org
Point of Contact for Homeless Persons:
Richard Martin
Executive Director
Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness, Inc.
1445 Second St.
Sarasota, FL 34236-4905
Phone: 941-955-8987
Fax: 941-365-4368
E-mail: richard.martin@suncoastpartnership.org
Web Site: http://www.suncoastpartnership.org
HUD Miami Field Office
909 SE First Avenue
Miami, FL 33131
Phone: 305-536-4431
Fax: 305-536-4781
FL-603 – Ft Myers/Cape Coral/Lee County CoC
Lead Contact:
Cyndy Calfee
Ft Myers/Cape Coral/Lee County CoC
2400 Thompson St.
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Phone: 239-533-7958
Fax: 239-533-7960
E-mail: ccalfee@leegov.com
Point of Contact for Homeless Persons:
Richard L. Faris
Senior Planner
Human Services
2440 Thompson St.
Ft. Myers, FL 33901
Southwest Florida Veterans Transportation Study
Page 119
Phone: 239-533-7958
Fax: 239-533-7960
E-mail: farisrl@leegov.com
Web Site: http://www.leegov.com
FL-606 – Naples/Collier County CoC
Lead Contact:
Debra Mahr
P.O. Box 9202
Naples, FL 34101
Phone: 239-253-3449
E-mail: executivedirector@collierhomelesscoalition.org
Point of Contact for Homeless Persons:
Marcy Krumbine
Grants Manager
Housing and Human Resources
3301 E. Tamiami Trl.
Bldg. H
Naples, FL 34112
Phone: 239-252-4663
Fax: 239-252-2331
E-mail: marcykrumbine@colliergov.net
Web Site: http://www.colliergov.net
FL-602 – Punta Gorda/Charlotte County CoC
Lead Contact:
Angela Hogan
Executive Director
Punta Gorda/Charlotte County CoC
P.O. Box 380157
Murdock, FL 33948
Phone: 941-627-4313
Fax: 941-627-9648
E-mail: angela.hogan@cchomelesscoalition.org
Point of Contact for Homeless Persons:
Angela Hogan
Executive Director
Charlotte County Homeless Coalition
P.O. Box 380157
Murdock, FL 33938-0157
Phone: 941-627-4313
Fax: 941-627-9648
E-mail: angela.hogan@cchomelesscoalition.org
Web Site: http://www.cchomelesscoalition.org
Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc.
The Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida Health Care for the Homeless Project is organized to improve the health status of people who are homeless through increased access to and availability of comprehensive health care services. The program collaborates with existing homeless providers in Lee County to help avoid duplication of services. Family Health Centers
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of Southwest Florida–HCH provides care at three sites: Salvation Army, Downtown Fort Myers
Medical and Dental Center, and Community Cooperative Ministries Soup Kitchen. Outreach locations include Chapel by the Sea on Fort Myers Beach, All Soul’s Episcopal Church in North
Fort Myers, and Rescue Mission in downtown Fort Myers.
Services
Comprehensive primary care is available 5 days a week, including several evenings. Internal referrals for dental, women's health services, and pediatrics are located in close proximity to each site. Limited radiological services, pharmaceuticals, and specialty referrals are available.
Partnering agencies provide mental health and substance abuse services. Clinical staff includes two ARNPs, a part-time internal medicine specialist, medical assistants, and an outreach worker.
After-hours care and hospital services are provided by on-call providers at Family Health
Centers of Southwest Florida.
24 hour emergency on-call, Asthma treatment, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Cancer Screening,
Case Management/Social Services, Chronic Bronchitis/Emphysema, Contraceptives (issued w/counseling), Dental/oral Care, Diabetes Testing/Care, Documenting Disability Services,
Electronic Medical Records, Family Planning, Flu Vaccinations, Health/Nutritional Education,
HIV/AIDS screening/education, Immunizations, Labs, Medical Respite, Medication Prescribing,
OB/GYN, Outreach, Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Physical Exams, Primary Health Care, Referrals for
Specialty Care, SOAR services, STD Testing, Street Outreach, TB screening/education, Well
Child Check-ups, X-rays
Linkages
Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida has linkages with Lee County Health Department,
Salvation Army, Ruth Cooper Center, Southwest Florida Addiction Services, Lee County
Coalition for the Homeless, Florida Gulf Coast University-Department of Social Services,
Community Cooperative Ministries, and Lee County Housing Authority.
Statistics
Estimated homeless population: 8,000
Patients served: 4,500
General Info
Director: Frank Mazzeo DDS
HCH Coordinator: Carol Speelman, RN
Medical Director: Jorge Quinonez, MD
UDS Number: 041680
Contact Info
(239) 278-3600 cspeelman@hcnetwork.org http://www.fhcswf.org
2256 Heitman Street
Fort Meyers, FL 33901
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans’ List of Homeless Veterans Shelters in Florida
American Red Cross, Lee Chapter
7051 Cypress Terrace, Suite 110
Ft. Myers, Florida 33907
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239-278-3401 http://www.gulfcoastredcross.org/
Southwest Florida Addiction Services, Inc.
3763 Evans Avenue
Fort Myers, Florida 33901
239-332-6989 swfas@swfas.org
http://www.swfas.org
Southwest Florida Works- Fort Myers Center
Raymond Lansberry
4150 Ford Street, Ste 2
Fort Myers, Florida 33916
239-931-8200 Ext. 11199
RLansberry@swflworks.org
http://www.swflworks.org
Renaissance Manor
509 Berry Street
City/State/Zip:
Punta Gorda, Florida 33950
941-916-9621 http://www.renaissancemanor.org
Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Sarasota-Manatee, Inc. (Sarasota)
2688 Fruitville Rd.
Sarasota, Florida 34237
941-366-2224 info@jfcs-cares.org
http://jfcs-cares.org/web/
Harvest Tabernacle of Sarasota
209 N Lime Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34237
941-953-3559 harvesttab@verizon.net
http://www.harvesttab.com/
ShelterListings.org Types of Shelters and Services
We provide many categories of shelter for those in need and in need of services. They include:
Day Shelters supplement homeless and low-income people when the shelter their staying in only offers shelter on an overnight basis. Case management is often provided and sometimes there are laundry and shower facilities. Meals and basic hygiene may also be offered. Almost all day shelters provide their services free of charge. Any emergency or homeless shelter that allows clients to stay during the day is also classified under this category.
Emergency Homeless Shelters both provide short term relief for the homeless and low-income. Usually there is a maximum stay of 3 months or less. Many of these shelters ask their clients to leave during the
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day. Meals and other supportive services are often offered. 3 times out of 5 these shelters offer their services free of charge.
Halfway Housing helps transition individuals and families from shelters or homelessness to permanent housing. Length of stay is usually anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Residents are often required to pay at least 30% of their income toward program fees. Sometimes the money they pay in fees is returned to them when they leave. Any emergency or homeless shelter that allows their clients to stay more than 6 months is also classified under this category.
Permanent Affordable Housing is a long-term solution for housing. Residents are often allowed to stay as long as they remain in the low income housing bracket but is sometimes limited 3 - 5 years. Residents pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent. Emergency shelters, homeless shelters and transitional housing programs that allow their clients to stay without a maximum stay is also classified under this category.
Drug And Alcohol Rehab programs are intended to treat alcohol and/or drug dependency. The cost of participating in one of these programs and the method of treatment range significantly. The database operated on this website only includes residential rehab programs (not outpatient programs). We also find and list Access To Recovery (ATR) Grant programs for substance abuse treatment.
Financial Help For the Needy If you are needy and looking for financial help, check out
FinancialHelpResources.com
.
Supportive Housing Programs that provide an alternative living arrangement for individuals who, because of age, disability, substance abuse, mental illness, chronic homelessness or other circumstances, are unable to live independently without care, supervision and/or support to help them in the activities of daily living; or who need access to case management, housing support, vocational, employment and other services to transition to independent living.
Shared Housing Programs helps bring low income persons together and helps prevent homelessness by providing affordable housing options. This service is good for families, disabled persons, and others wanted more companionship. ShelterListings.org finds these shared housing locations and lists them throughout our website. This is also housing for low income.
Transitional housing is affordable supportive housing designed to provide housing and appropriate support services to persons who are homeless or who are close to homelessnessness. The transition is to help them be more self sufficiency to move towards independent living on their own. Services provided at transitional housing facilities varies from substance abuse treatment, to psychological assistance, job training, domestic violence assistance, etc. The assistance provided varies, but it is generally affordable and low cost housing. Read the descriptions of each of the transitional living locations for more detailed information.
Rooming House or Boarding House A rooming house is a building in which renters occupy single rooms and share kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas. The location may be a converted single family home, a converted hotel, or a purpose built structure. Rooming houses may have as few as three rooms for rent, or more than a hundred. The same goes for boarding houses. We list these types of residences throughout ShelterListings.org.
Link to Florida Listings
E.
VA Healthcare Network in Southwest Florida
1.
History of Veterans Bureau and South Florida VA Health Care Centers
A Brief History of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
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Today’s Veterans Health Administration (VHA) originated during the Civil War as the first federal hospitals and domiciliaries ever established for the nation’s volunteer forces.
National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (1865-1930)
Eastern Branch National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Togus, Maine, 1891.
On March 3, 1865, a month before the Civil War ended, President Abraham Lincoln authorized the first-ever national soldiers’ and sailors’ asylum to provide medical and convalescent care for discharged members of the Union Army and Navy volunteer forces. The asylum was the first of its kind in the world.
Two early soldiers’ homes were very small and housed up to 300 men. They provided medical care and long-term housing for thousands of Civil War Veterans.
The national homes were often called “soldiers’ homes” or “military homes.” Initially only soldiers and sailors who served with the Union forces — including U.S. Colored Troops — were eligible for admittance. The first National Home opened near Augusta, Maine on November 1,
1866.
Many programs and processes begun at the national homes continue at VHA today. They were the first to accept women Veterans for medical care and hospitalization beginning in 1923.
By 1929, the national homes had grown to 11 institutions that spanned the country. All of the national homes have operated continuously since they opened.
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National Military Home Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, 1912.
Veterans Bureau (1921-1930)
On August 9, 1921, Congress created the Veterans Bureau by combining three World War I
Veterans programs into one bureau.
World War I was the first fully mechanized war and soldiers exposed to mustard gas and other chemicals required specialized care. Tuberculosis and neuro-psychiatric hospitals opened to accommodate Veterans with respiratory or mental health problems.
Native Americans, on November 6, 1919, became eligible for full Veterans benefits, including health care. In 1924, Veterans’ benefits were liberalized to cover disabilities that were not service-related. In 1928, admission to the National Homes was extended to women, National
Guard, and militia Veterans.
Veterans Administration (1930-1989)
The second consolidation of federal Veterans programs took place on July 21, 1930 when
President Herbert Hoover consolidated the Veterans Bureau with the National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and Pension Bureau and re-designated it as the Veterans
Administration.
General Frank Hines, Director of the Veterans Bureau since 1923, became the first Administrator of the VA. His tenure lasted 22 years and ended in 1945 when General Omar Bradley took the helm. In 1930, VA consisted of 45 hospitals. By 1945, the number had more than doubled to 97.
World War II ushered in a new era of expanded Veterans' benefits through the Servicemen's
Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly referred to as the "G.I. bill", which was signed into law on
June 22, 1944. General Omar Bradley took the reins at VA in 1945 and steered its transformation
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into a modern organization. In 1946, the Department of Medicine and Surgery was established within VA. VA was able to recruit and retain top medical personnel by modifying the Civil
Service system. The first women doctors were hired in 1946. When Bradley left in 1947, there were 125 VA hospitals.
Dr. Paul Magnuson, a VA orthopedic surgeon and Chief Medical Director, 1948-1951, led the charge to create an affiliation program with America’s medical schools for medical research and training purposes. By 1948, 60 medical schools were affiliated with VA hospitals. Over the years, these collaborations resulted in groundbreaking advances in medicine, nursing, medical research, and prosthetics.
In the post-World War II period, 90 new and replacement Veterans hospitals were planned.
The first-ever successful human liver transplant operation took place at the Denver VA Medical
Center in May 1963 under Dr. Thomas Starzl. In 1977, two VA doctors, Dr. Rosalyn Yalow
(Bronx VAMC) and Dr. Andrew Schally (New Orleans VAMC) received the Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine for their work in developing radioimmunoassay of peptide hormones.
Many modern medical advances originated as trials or experiments in VA hospitals and now benefit patients of all types worldwide.
Department of Veterans Affairs (since 1989)
The VA was elevated to a Cabinet-level Executive Department by President Ronald Reagan in
October 1988. The change took effect on March 15, 1989, when the Veterans Administration was renamed the Department of Veterans Affairs, but retained use of “VA” as its acronym.
The Department of Medicine and Surgery was re-designated as the Veterans Health Services and
Research Administration and on May 7, 1991, the name was changed to the Veterans Health
Administration (VHA).
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest of three administrations that comprise the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VHA’s primary mission is to provide medical care and services to America’s military Veterans.
VHA operates one of the largest health care systems in the world and provides training for a majority of America’s medical, nursing, and allied health professionals. Roughly 60% of all medical residents obtain a portion of their training at VA hospitals and our medical research programs benefit society at-large.
Today’s VHA continues to meet Veterans’ changing medical, surgical, and quality of life needs.
New programs provide treatment for traumatic brain injuries, post traumatic stress disorder, suicide prevention, women Veterans, and more.
VA opened outpatient clinics, established telemedicine, and other services to accommodate a diverse Veteran population and cultivates on-going medical research and innovation to improve the lives of America’s patriots.
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2.
History of Bay Pines VA Healthcare System
In the wake of World War I, on January 5, 1929, Senator Duncan U. Fletcher introduced a bill that would appropriate funds for a Soldiers' Home to be constructed in Florida. Ultimately the bill’s wording was changed from "Florida" to "southeastern states," but it did pass and appropriate $2 million for a home.
Within Pinellas County, a campaign immediately began to rally support for construction in the area, namely at the Seminole Point site (although for some time Clearwater was also in the running).
Seminole Point was chosen as the site on May 26, 1931 - an event which newspapers called the "glorious news" that will "bring Saint
Petersburg back." However, only $900,000 in funds was appropriated, due to a decision to use the $2 million also to construct a hospital in Mississippi and an African-American hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama.
Construction of the first three buildings (what are now buildings 1,
2, and 13), a gatehouse, and employee living quarters (previously on the land given to St. Petersburg Junior College in 1973) were completed in 1933; the hospital by James I. Barnes Company from
Indiana, and the living quarters by J. M. Raymond Construction
Company from Jacksonville. The main hospital, under the name
"National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers," and the domiciliary unit opened on March 16,
1933. Within days seventeen men joined the domiciliary, the first having been Pat Corr of St.
Petersburg. The hospital, however, did not treat its first patient, Charles Boone, the Veterans of
Foreign Wars State Commander from Miami, until March 19, 1933.
Construction continued, as plans were already in place for a Recreation Building (Building 20, completed in 1935), an expanded domiciliary (completed in 1940), and convalescent homes, when the main building opened. Additionally, the VA Regional Office of Florida was moved to
Bay Pines, which changed its name from Seminole Point in 1934, from Jacksonville, where they had been located in 1925. Until World War II, construction was non-stop: a 52-bed domiciliary for female Veterans opened in 1937 (building 24), a new hospital wing increased bed capacity to
245, and a hydrotherapy treatment pavilion on Madeira Beach was constructed in 1934.
World War II brought a surge in patients for which initial construction could not have planned.
To increase space, the Regional Offices were moved to the Don Ce-Sar, recently vacated by the
Army Air Corps., on Pass-a-Grille Beach and some offices, a brace shop, a chapel, and the library were moved to temporary Quonset-type huts.
But although building space was direly needed, Bay Pines had more than enough land and began to give away portions of the surplus land, beginning with 18 acres in 1955 for the construction of
Madeira Beach School. Later issuances of land include 359 acres in 1966 to Pinellas County for
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War Memorial Park, 60 acres in 1973 to St. Petersburg Junior College, and 17.6 acres in 1974 to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Meanwhile, in September 1959, funds were approved for a much-needed 140 bed addition to be constructed in 1963. Additionally a domiciliary building was converted to add 160 hospital beds, opening by October 8, 1961. The 1963 hospital, however, never surfaced: instead, a new VA
Hospital was announced for Gainesville, Florida. Although the issue would resurface many times in the following 15 years, new hospital construction would not be announced again until the late
1970’s.
The next major construction project was the original Nursing Home
Care Unit, opened in 1973. Then in 1976, following the efforts of
Congressman Bill Young and a visit by President Ford, $110 million in appropriations was announced for an addition to the Nursing Home Care Unit, a new domiciliary, the replacement hospital (Building 100) and renovations for Buildings 1 and 22.
Prior to those projects, Building 23, the Clinical support Building opened on June 13, 1977.
The Nursing Home Care Unit addition and replacement Domiciliary were completed quickly - bids were accepted starting June 22, 1978 and both were dedicated October 21, 1980. The replacement hospital, however, was not completed until 1983 and dedicated on March 16, 1983.
The restoration of Buildings 1 and 22 was not completed until July 1987.
In September 1998 the Regional Office returned to Bay Pines with the completion of a threestory, 125,000 square feet building on-site. Previously the Regional Office had moved from the
Don Ce-Sar to a federal building on First Avenue in St. Petersburg in 1967.
Since its original construction in 1933, Bay Pines has continued to expand and adapt to meet the increasing needs of the Veterans it serves.
3.
History of Miami VA Healthcare System
The Miami VA Healthcare System has a long and colorful history. In
1942, the commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces directed that an officer candidate school be established to maintain an Air Force
Replacement Training Center with facilities for medical services. The
Floridian and Nautilus Hotels were used for this purpose. The Nautilus is considered to have been the first Veterans Administration hospital in the Greater Miami Area. The facilities of the Nautilus were soon inadequate for the number of troops stationed in the area and another
Air Force Team was called in to inspect all hotels in South Florida. The famed Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables was selected and became an
Army Hospital in 1946. It was renamed Pratt General Hospital in honor of one of the U.S. Army Air Forces’ pioneer flight surgeons.
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Pratt General Hospital was deactivated in May 1947, but was taken over immediately by the
Veterans Administration. The hospital, consisting of 450 general medical and surgical beds, was maintained until the completion and activation of the present Medical Center, located at 1201
NW 16th Street, in May 1968.
The Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center operates 432 hospital beds in intermediate care, medical services, neurology, mental health,rehabilitation medicine, spinal cord injury, and surgical services. Extended geriatric care is provided in our 4-story Community
Living Center.
The Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center is located on
26.3 acres in the Miami Health District, which includes
Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami
Hospital and Clinics. The area’s growth has continued unabated since the opening of the hospital. To more readily serve the geographically dispersed Veteran population, Outpatient Clinics were established in
Oakland Park in 1982 and Key West in 1986. In
September of 2008 the Broward County VA Outpatient
Clininc replaced the Oakland Park VA Outpatient Clinic which has been serving our Veterans for more than 26 years. Community Based Outpatient Clinics are also located in Pembroke Pines, Key Largo, Deerfield Beach and Hollywood. The Miami VA Healthcare System main campus and its satellite clinics generate over 760,000 visits per year.
4.
VA Healthcare System in Southwest Florida
The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council includes six counties: Collier, Lee, Charlotte,
Sarasota, Hendry, and Glades counties. The Veterans Administration provides healthcare services to Veterans in the region primarily through the Bay Pines Healthcare System; however, it refers Veterans to doctors and health care facilities in other parts of the state as well, including
Miami, Okeechobee, West Palm Beach, and the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System's main facility, C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, located between St. Petersburg and Madeira
Beach, across Tampa Bay from Tampa, Florida (commonly referred to as “Bay Pines.”)
The Bay Pines Healthcare System in Southwest Florida is part of the VA Sunshine Healthcare
Network, which includes the entire state of Florida, as well as South Georgia, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Below are descriptions and historical information on the VA healthcare systems and facilities where Veterans living in Southwest Florida are treated. a) VISN 8: VA Sunshine Healthcare Network
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The VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8) is the nation’s largest system of hospitals and clinics serving a population of more than 1.6 million Veterans in a vast 61,101 square mile area spread across 79 counties in Florida, South Georgia, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
VISN 8’s seven healthcare systems include eight Joint Commission-accredited VA medical centers and more than 50 outpatient clinics. About 25,100 full-time VISN employees work at these facilities, providing a full range of high quality, cost-effective medical, psychiatric and extended care services in an inpatient, outpatient, nursing home, and home care settings. In 2013, over 545,000 Veterans received their healthcare at VISN 8 facilities—more patients than any other VA network in the country. b) Bay Pines VA Healthcare System
Since 1933, Bay Pines VA Healthcare System has been improving the health of the men and women who have so proudly served our nation. We consider it our privilege to serve your health care needs in any way we can. Our services are available to Veterans living in a ten county catchment area in west central Florida.
The Bay Pines VAHCS is one of the nation’s leading VA healthcare systems, employing more than 3,500 medical professionals and support staff dedicated to providing the very best care to
Veterans residing in southwest Florida. The Bay Pines VAHCS is accredited by The Joint
Commission and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. The healthcare system is also a three-time winner of the Robert W. Carey Circle of Excellence Award, the VA’s top honor for quality achievement. The healthcare system operates nine facilities to include the main medical center located in Bay Pines and outpatient clinics located in Bradenton, Cape
Coral, Naples, Palm Harbor, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Sebring. Every year
Bay Pines VAHCS treats approximately 100,000 Veterans while providing a full range of high quality medical, psychiatric, and extended care services in outpatient, inpatient, nursing home, and home care settings. c) Bay Pines VA Medical Center (VAMC)
10000 Bay Pines Blvd
Bay Pines, FL 33744
727-398-6661
Bay Pines VA Healthcare System's main facility is located between St. Petersburg and Madeira Beach, on the West
Coast of Florida, across Tampa Bay from Tampa, Florida.
In addition to our main facility at Bay Pines, we offer services in one healthcare center and 7 community-based outpatient clinics.
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Lee County VA Healthcare Center, Cape Coral, FL
2489 Diplomat Parkway East
Cape Coral, FL 33909
239-652-1800
Naples Community Based Outpatient Clinic
2685 Horseshoe Drive South - Suite 101
Naples, FL 34104
239-659-9188
Port Charlotte Community Based Outpatient Clinic
4161 Tamiami Trail Suite 401
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
941-235-2710
Sarasota Community Based Outpatient Clinic
5682 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 100
Sarasota, FL 34233
941-371-3349 d) West Palm Beach VA Medical Center
7305 North Military Trail
West Palm Beach, FL 33410
561-422-8262
The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center consists of one VHA facility located at 7305 N.
Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida. The medical center is a general medical, psychiatric and surgical facility. It is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and limited research. Comprehensive healthcare is provided through primary care and long-term care in the areas of dentistry, extended care, medicine, neurology, oncology, pharmacy, physical medicine, psychiatry, rehabilitation and surgery. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center operates a Blind Rehabilitation Center which is the referral center for blind and visually impaired Veterans from throughout the state of
Florida. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is part of the Sunshine Healthcare Network
(VISN 8), which includes facilities in Florida and Puerto Rico.
In addition to our main facility in West Palm Beach, we offer services in six community-based outpatient clinics.
Okeechobee CBOC
1201 N. Parrot Avenue
Okeechobee, FL 34972
863-824-3232
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e) Miami VA Healthcare System
1201 N.W. 16th St.
Miami, FL 33125
305-575-7000
The Miami VA Healthcare System serves Veterans in three South Florida counties: Miami-
Dade, Broward, and Monroe, with an estimated Veteran population of 175,000. Our parent facility is the Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center located on 26.3 acres in downtown Miami and opened in 1968.
The Miami VA is an accredited comprehensive medical provider, providing general medical, surgical, inpatient and outpatient mental health services, the Miami VA Healthcare System includes an AIDS/HIV center, a prosthetic treatment center, spinal cord injury rehabilitative center, and Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC). The Miami VA
Healthcare System is recognized as a Center of Excellence in Spinal Cord Injury Research,
Substance Abuse Treatment and is a recognized Chest Pain Center.
In addition to serving South Florida, the Miami VA is the tertiary referral facility for the West
Palm Beach VAMC and provides open-heart surgery and other specialty services to other VA facilities in Florida and the country.
The Miami VA Healthcare System operates 432 hospital beds, including a 4-story community living center attached to the main facility. Miami VAHS is also responsible for two major satellite Outpatient Clinics located in Broward County and Key West, five Community Based
Outpatient Clinics located in Homestead, Key Largo, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood and Deerfield
Beach and an Outpatient Substance Abuse Clinic and Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Center in Miami.
Three Readjustment Counseling Centers (Vet Centers) in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano
Beach and Key Largo provide specialized services and are supported by the Miami VAHS.
At the Miami VA Healthcare System our mission is to honor American's Veterans by providing exceptional healthcare that improves their health and well-being.
Our vision is to continue to strive to be the benchmark of excellence and value in healthcare by providing exemplary services that are both patient centered and evidence based. This care will be delivered by engaged, collaborative teams in an integrated environment that supports learning, discovery and continuous improvement. It will emphasize prevention and population health and contribute to the nation’s well being through education, research, and service in national emergencies
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F.
Legal Services for Veterans in Florida
1.
Shepard Broad Law Center Veterans Law Clinic http://www.nsulaw.nova.edu/spotlights/Veteranclinic.cfm
The Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) announces the establishment of South Florida's first Veterans Law Clinic. The clinic will be located in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla., and serve as a much-needed pro bono resource to the thousands of U.S.
Veterans and military personnel living and working in the tri-county area (Broward, Miami-
Dade, and Palm Beach counties.)
2.
National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) http://www.nvlsp.org/
NVLSP is a nonprofit organization that has worked since 1980 to ensure that the government delivers to our nation's 25 million Veterans and active duty personnel the benefits to which they are entitled.
3.
Veterans Law Center, Inc.
http://Veteranslawcenter.org/
P.O. Box 1426
Douglasville, Georgia 30133
305-280-2167
4.
Florida Legal Services, Inc. (FLS) http://www.floridalegal.org/
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc.
Ft. Myers (Main Office)
Counties Served: Charlotte, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee
Punta Gorda
Counties Served: Charlotte
Lee County Legal Aid Society, Inc.
Fort Myers
Counties Served: Lee
Legal Aid Service of Collier County
Naples
Counties Served: Collier
Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc.
Sarasota
Counties Served: Sarasota
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5.
Legal Services Corporation http://www.lsc.gov/about/about-legal-aid/serving-Veterans-and-military-families
Local legal aid offices are gateways for Veterans in need of civil legal assistance. Many Veterans who served in combat zones are confronting legal problems—such as child custody, employment and homelessness—that are handled on a regular basis by LSC-funded programs. A growing number of these programs are part of established networks with bar association pro bono programs, law school clinics and social services agencies.
Under an initiative begun in 2010, LSC is working to improving access to justice for low-income military Veterans and for military families. As part of this initiative, LSC supports StatesideLegal.org
, a national Web-based resource developed by Pine Tree Legal
Assistance in Maine with a Technology Initiative Grant from LSC. StatesideLegal.org
is a free resource for low-income individuals with a military connection, including Veterans, current members of the military, and their families. Information available on the website covers such topics as disability benefits, employment and legal protections for service members confronted with foreclosure proceedings.
LSC also began an awareness campaign, reaching out to the Veterans Affairs Department’s
Readjustment Counseling Service, known as the Vet Center Program , to share information about legal services and to create appropriate referral systems to minimize Veterans’ frustrations in obtaining advice and representation on civil legal problems.
6.
Legal Services for Veterans in Florida (ABA list) http://www.americanbar.org/portals/public_resources/aba_home_front/directory_programs/florid a.html
Military Legal Assistance Offices:
Eglin AFB
Air Armament Center/JA
501 W. Van Matre Ave. Suite 1
Eglin AFB, FL 32542
Phone: 850-882-4613 DSN 872-4613 http://www.eglin.af.mil/units/legal/index.asp
Hurlburt Field
1 SOW/JA
212 Lukasik Ave, Suite 255
Mary Ester, FL 32544
Phone: 850-884-7821, DSN 579-7821
MacDill AFB (*Closest to SWFRPC Region)
6 ARW/JA
8208 Hangar Loop Drive [Bldg 299]
Tampa, FL 33621
Phone: 813-828-4422, DSN 968-4422
Patrick AFB
45 SW/JA
642 OMalley Road
Patrick AFB, FL 32925
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Phone: 321-494-7357, DSN 854-7357 http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/
Tyndall AFB
325 FW/JA
445 Suwannee Rd. Suite 110
Panama City, FL 32403
Phone: 850-283-4681, DSN 523-4681 http://www.tyndall.af.mil/325FW/JA/homepage.htm
USCG Miami
7th District Legal Assistance Office
909 S.E. First Ave. [Brickell Plaza Federal Building]
Miami, FL 33131
Phone: 305-415-6950 http://www.uscg.mil/d7/d7dl/legal_assistance.htm
NAS Jacksonville
NLSO Southeast
Box 107, Bldg 4, Ranger Street
Jacksonville, FL 32212
Phone: 904-542-2565, 942-2565 http://www.jag.navy.mil/html/nlso_southeast.htm
NAS Pensacola
NLSO Central
161 Turner ST Suite B
Pensacola, FL 32508
Phone: 850-452-3730, 794-7644 http://www.jag.navy.mil/legal_services/nlso/nlso_central.htm
NAVSTA Mayport
NLSO SE Detachment Mayport
Box 280017
Mayport, FL 32228
Phone: 904-270-5445, 960-5445 http://www.jag.navy.mil/html/nlso_southeast.htm
7.
Legal Aid and Pro Bono Programs:
Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. Volunteer Lawyers Program
829 W Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, 200
Tampa, FL 33603-3331
Phone: 813-232-1343
Fax: 813-232-1403 http://www.bals.org
Intake: 813-232-1343
Counties Served: Hillsborough
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Employment Law, Housing, Wills, Probate, Debt
Collection, Real Estate, Health, Dissolution, Custody, CED, Adoption
Bay Area Legal Services, Inc., Ryan White Outreach Program
700 E Twiggs St
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: 813-223-2525
Fax: 813-229-8746 webmaster@bals.org
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Counties Served: Hillsborough, Pasco
Type of Cases Accepted: AIDS/HIV
Brevard County Legal Aid, Inc.
1017 Florida Ave S
Rockledge, FL 32955-2143
Phone: 407-631-2500
Fax: 407-633-4822 http://www.brevardcountylegalaid.org
Intake: 407-631-2500
Counties Served: Brevard
Type of Cases Accepted: Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Housing, Wills, Domestic Violence,
Dissolution, Custody
Catholic Charities Legal Services, Archdiocese Of Miami, Inc.
7101 Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, FL 33138
Phone: 305-758-3301 x201, 202
Fax: 305-756-6435 http://www.cclsmiami.org
Counties Served: Broward, Dade, Monroe
Type of Cases Accepted: Housing, Juvenile, Immigration
Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida, Inc.
491 N. State Road 7
Plantation, FL 33317
Office hours: 9am -5pm
Phone: 954-736-2400 www.coasttocoastlegalaid.org
Counties Served: Broward
Intake:
Veteran Advocates Legal Outreach and Representation (VALOR) Project
: 954-736-2456
Economic Advocacy and Community Health (EACH) Unit
: 954-736-2490
Family Law Unit
: 954-358-5644 (Mon-Wed-Fri 9am-12pm)
Senior Citizen Law Project (Age 60 and over)
: 954-765-8955
Types of Cases Accepted:
VALOR Project
: Cash Assistance, Medicaid and Medicaid Reform, Medicare, Food Stamps, Social
Security Disability (SSD), Social Security Income (SSI), Unemployment Compensation Benefits, VA
Disability Compensation, VA Pension Benefits,
VA Healthcare Benefits, Military Upgrades and Discharge Issues
EACH Unit
: Food Stamps, Social Security Disability Benefits, SSI, Unemployment Compensation,
Medicaid/Medicare, Temporary Cash Assistance
Family Law
: Injunctions for Protection Against Domestic Violence, Divorce/Custody
Senior Citizen Law Project
: Health, Housing, Public Benefits, Consumer, Naturalization Project
Community Law Program
501 1st Avenue North, Rm 512
Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 727-582-7402
Fax: 727-323-7632 http://www.lawprogram.org
Intake: 727-323-7712
Counties Served: Pinellas
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Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Housing, Wills, Real Estate, Domestic Violence,
Dissolution, Custody
Community Legal Services Of Mid Florida
1036 West Amelia Street
Orlando, FL 32805
Phone: 407-841-7777
Community Legal Services Of Mid Florida
222 SW Broadway Street
Ocala, FL 34474
Phone: 352-629-0105
Fax: 352-629-6745
Intake: 352-629-3521
Counties Served: Citrus, Hernando, Marion, Sumter
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education, Housing, Real Estate, Health, Domestic
Violence, Dissolution, Custody
Cuban American Bar Assoc. Pro Bono Project
3000 Biscayne Blvd
Miami, FL 33137
Phone: 305/573-1106
Fax: 305-576-6273
Intake: 305-573-1106
Counties Served: Miami-Dade
Type of Cases Accepted: Dissolution,
Dade County Put Something Back Pro Bono Project
123 NW 1st Ave
Miami, FL 33128-1895
Phone: 305-579-5733
Fax: 305-372-7693
Intake: 305-579-5733
Counties Served: Dade
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Wills, Torts, Real Estate Juvenile, Immigration, Health, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody, CED,
Adoption, AIDS/HIV
Florida Institutional Legal Services
1010-B NW 8 Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
Florida Legal Services
126 West Adams Street, 502
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: 904-355-5200
Florida Legal Services
2121 Delta Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Phone: 850-385-7900 http://www.floridalegal.org
Counties Served: Statewide
Type of Cases Accepted: FLS coordinates pro bono operations in Florida. FLS is not itself a direct service provider.
Florida Legal Services Resource Development
16057 Tampa Palms Blvd. West #355, 209
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Tampa, FL 33647-2001
Phone: 813/558-9029
Florida Legal Services, Inc. Voluntary Pro Bono Attorney Plan
2121 Delta Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Phone: 850-385-7900
Fax: 850-385-9998 http://www.floridalegal.org
barbara@floridalegal.org
Counties Served: Statewide
Type of Cases Accepted: Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing, Wills, Income
Maintenance, Terminating Parental Rights, Real Estate, Juvenile, Immigration, Health, Domestic
Violence, Dissolution, Custody, CED, Adoption
Florida Rural Legal Services
PO Box 1499
Bartow, FL 33831-1499
Florida Rural Legal Services
3210 Cleveland Avenue, 101
Fort Myers, FL 33902
Phone: 239-334-4554
Fax: 239-334-3042 http://frls.org
Intake: 239-334-4554
Counties Served: Charlotte, De Soto, Glades, Hendry, Lee
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Wills, Dissolution
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. Volunteer Attorney Project
PO Box 4333, 101
Fort Pierce, FL 34948-4333
Phone: 561-466-4766
Fax: 561-489-3176
Counties Served: Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Saint Lucie
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Wills, Real Estate, Juvenile, Health, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody, CED Adoption, AIDS/HIV
Greater Orlando Area Legal Services
800 North Main Street
Kissimmee, FL 32127
Phone: 407-847-0053
Gulf Coast Legal Services
PO Box 358
Saint Petersburg, FL 33731-0358
Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc.
641 1st St South
Saint Petersburg, FL 33701-5003
Phone: 727-821-0726
Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc.
314 South Missouri Avenue
Ste 109
Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: 727-443-0657
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Fax: 727-461-9160 http://www.gulfcoastlegal.org
Intake: 727-443-0657
Counties Served: Pinellas
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Other categories on a limited basis, Real Estate, Domestic Violence, CED
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid Public Service Project
126 W Adams St
Jacksonville, FL 32202-3849
Phone: 904-356-8371
Fax: 904-353-5831
Intake: 904-356-8371
Counties Served: Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing, Wills,
Taxation, Zoning, Environmental, Work Comp., Civil Rights, Pension, Trademark, Admiralty, Torts,
Terminating Parental Rights, Real Estate, Juvenile, Immigration, Health, Domestic Violence,
Dissolution, Custody, CED, Adoption, AIDS/HIV
Lawyers For Children America, Inc.
200 South Biscayne Boulevard, 4000
Miami, FL 33131-2398
Phone: 305-577-4771 http://www.lawyersforchildrenamerica.org
FL@lawyersforchildrenamerica.org
Lee County Bar Association, Inc. /Florida Rural Legal Services
PO Box 1387
Fort Myers, FL 33902-1387
Phone: 941-334-0047
Fax: 941-334-0523
Counties Served: Lee
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Terminating Parental Rights, Domestic Violence, Custody
Legal Aid of Manasota, Inc.
1900 Main St, Ste 302
Sarasota, FL 34236-5927
Phone: 941-366-0038
Fax: 941-364-8855
LAMS1234@aol.com
Intake: 941-366-0038
Counties Served: Manatee, Sarasota
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Elder Law, Housing, Wills, Real Estate, Domestic
Violence, Dissolution, CED, Adoption
Legal Aid Service Of Broward County, Inc.
PO Box 120910
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
Phone: 954-765-8950 http://www.legalaid.org
Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc.
423 Fern St
Ste 200
West Palm Beach, FL 33401-5839
Phone: 561-655-8944
Fax: 561-655-5269
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http://www.legalaidpbc.org
info@legalaidpbc.org
Intake: 561-655-8944
Counties Served: Palm Beach
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Wills, Real Estate, Juvenile, Immigration, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody, CED, Adoption
Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Assn, Inc.
100 E Robinson St
Orlando, FL 32801-1602
Phone: 407-841-8310
Fax: 407-648-9240 http://www.legalaidocba.org
info@legalaidocba.org
Intake: 407-841-8310
Counties Served: Orange
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education Housing, Wills, Real Estate Juvenile,
Immigration, Health, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody, CED, Adoption,
Legal Services of North Florida Private Bar Involvement Program
2119 Delta Blvd
Tallahassee, FL 32303-4220
Phone: 850-385-9007
Fax: 850-385-7603 http://www.LSNF.ORG
Intake: 904-385-9007
Counties Served: Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty,
Okaloosa, Wakulla, Walton, Washington
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Wills, Torts, Terminating Parental Rights, Real Estate, Juvenile, Health, Domestic Violence, Custody,
Adoption
Northwest Florida Legal Services
PO Box 1551
Pensacola, FL 32597
Phone: 850-432-2336
Northwest Florida Legal Services, Inc.
701 South J Street
Pensacola, FL 32501
Phone: 850-432-2336
Fax: 850-434-1297
Intake: 850-432-2336
Counties Served: Escambia, Santa Rosa
Type of Cases Accepted: Consumer, Education Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing, Wills,
Terminating Parental Rights, Real Estate, Juvenile, Health, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody
Saint Thomas University Human Rights Institute
16400 NW 32nd Ave
Opa Locka, FL 33054
Phone: 305-628-6737
Fax: 305-628-6742
Intake: 305-628-6737
Counties Served: Dade
Type of Cases Accepted: Knowledge is Power Project (KIP) focusd on African Americans who live in district. Immigration
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Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society, Inc.
115 Boston Ave, Ste 2100
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701-5901
Phone: 407-834-1660
Fax: 407-834-2080 http://www.scbalas.com
Intake: 407-834-1660 x200
Counties Served: Seminole
Type of Cases Accepted: Dissolution, Custody, Adoption
The Legal Aid Foundation of the Tallahassee Bar Assn, Inc.
301 S Monroe St, Ste 443A
Tallahassee, FL 32301-1803
Phone: 850-222-3004
Fax: 850-222-3864
Intake: 850-222-3004
Counties Served: Leon
Type of Cases Accepted: Consumer, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing, Wills, Real Estate,
Immigration, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody, CED, Adoption, AIDS/HIV
Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. Volunteer Attorney Program
901 N. W. 8th Ave, Suite D-5
Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone: 352-372-0519
Fax: 352-375-1631 http://www.trls.org
Intake: 800-372-0936
Counties Served: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton,
Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, Saint Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Wills, Torts, Terminating Parental Rights, Real Estate, Health, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody,
CED, Adoption,
Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc., VLP
126 W. Adams Street
7th Floor
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: 866-256-8091 http://www.trls.org
Intake: 866-256-8091
Counties Served: Clay, Duval, Nassau, Saint Johns
Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc., VLP
853 Sisters Welcome Road, PO Drawer 3067
Lake City, FL 32056
Phone: 800-495-0039 http://www.trls.org
Intake: 800-495-0039
Counties Served: Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor
Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc., VLP
901 N.W. 8th Avenue, D-5
Gainesville, FL 32801
Phone: 800-372-0936 http://www.trls.org
Intake: 800-372-0519
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Counties Served: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton,
Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, Saint Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union
Type of Cases Accepted: Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing, Wills, Family
Law, Probate, Health, Domestic Violence, AIDS/HIV
Volunteer Involvement Project, Affordable Legal Services
PO Box 24688
Lakeland, FL 33802-4688
Phone: 863-688-7376
Fax: 863-683-7861
Intake: 863-688-7376
Counties Served: De Soto, Hardee, Highlands, Polk
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Consumer, Education, Elder Law, Employment Law, Housing,
Wills, Real Estate, Juvenile, Health, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Custody, CED, Adoption, AIDS/HIV
Volunteer Lawyers Project
216 S 6th St
Palatka, FL 32177-4608
Phone: 904-328-8361
Fax: 904/328-4902
Intake: 904-328-8361
Counties Served: Flagler, Saint Johns
Type of Cases Accepted: Bankruptcy, Wills, Real Estate, Domestic Violence, Dissolution, Adoption
Volunteer Lawyers Project For Southern District Of Florda
200 S. Biscayne Blvd.
Suite 2870
Miami, FL 33131
Phone: 305-373-4334
Fax: 305-358-0910 volunteerlawyers@bellsouth.net
Counties Served: Broward, Dade, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Monroe, Palm Beach,
Saint Lucie
Type of Cases Accepted: Employment Law, Federal Civil, no habeas.
Withlacoochee Area Legal Services
222 SW Broadway Street
Ocala, FL 34474
Phone: 352-629-0105
Counties Served: Marion
Type of Cases Accepted:
8.
Lawyer Referral Programs:
The Florida Bar LRS
651 East Jefferson Street
General Phone No: 850-561-5844
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300
800 Phone: 800-342-8011 (Statewide & Nationwide)
Languages: Spanish, Creole, Russian, Chinese, German, Haitian, Polish, French, Hebrew, Italian,
Yiddish http://www.floridabar.org/
Counties Served: Statewide, except for counties with a local LRIS
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Special Panels: Reduced Fee Panel
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Broward County Bar Association LRS
1051 SE 3rd Ave.
General Phone No: 954-764-8040 & 954-764-8310
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316-1107
Languages: Spanish, Creole, Hebrew http://www.browardbar.org/referrals.php
Counties Served: Broward
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Special Panels: Reduced Fee Panel
Collier County Bar Association LRS
3315 Tamiami Trl E. Ste 505
General Phone No: 239-252-8138
Naples, FL 34112-4961 http://www.colliercountybar.org
Counties Served: Collier
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Jacksonville Bar Association LRS
841 Prudential Dr. Suite 1320
Jacksonville, FL 32207
General Phone No: 904-399-5780 http://www.jaxbar.org/lawyerreferralservices
Counties Served: Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, Baker
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Escambia/Santa Rosa Bar Association LRS
216 S. Tarragona Street, Suite B
General Phone No: 850-434-6009
Pensacola, FL 32502 http://www.esrba.com
Counties Served: Escambia, Santa Rosa
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Special Panels: Reduced Fee Panel
Hillsborough County Bar Association LRS
1610 N. Tampa Dr.
Tampa, FL 33602
General Phone No: 813-221-7780
Languages: Spanish http://www.hillsbar.com/
Counties Served: Hillsborough
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Lee County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
PO Box 1387
General Phone No: 239-334-4491
Fort Myers, FL 33902-1387 http://www.leebar.org/lr.htm
Counties Served: Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Special Panels: Reduced Fee Panel
Tallahassee Bar Association LRS
PO Box 813
Tallahassee, FL 32302
General Phone No: 850-222-3292
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http://www.tallahasseebar.org
Counties Served: Leon, Jefferson, Wakulla, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Orange County Bar Association LRS
880 North Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
General Phone No: 407-422-4537
Languages: Spanish http://orangecountybar.org/
Counties Served: Orange, Oscelola, Seminole
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Special Panels: Reduced Fee Panel
Palm Beach County Bar Association LRIS
1507 Belvedere Rd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
General Phone No: 561-687-3266 & 561-451-3256 http://www.palmbeachbar.org/
Counties Served: Palm Beach
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law except: Environmental, Intellectual Property
Clearwater Bar Association LRS
314 S. Missouri Ave., Ste 107
General Phone No: 727-461-4880
Clearwater, FL 33756-5858 http://www.clearwaterbar.org/
Counties Served: Pinellas
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
Special Panels: Reduced Fee Panel
St. Petersburg Bar Association LRS
2880 - 1st Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL 33713-8604
General Phone No: 727-821-5450
Languages: Spanish http://www.stpetebar.com/
Counties Served: Pinellas
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law except: Securities, International, Intellectual
Property
Attorneys' Certified Referral Service
3434 N. Tamiani Trail #926
General Phone No: 941-351-6157
Sarasota, FL 34234
800 Phone: 800-671-7655 http://www.Attorneyreferralonline.com
Counties Served: Sarasota, Manatee, Lee, Charlotte, Osceola, Collier, Orange, Seminole, Pinellas,
Hillsborough, Pasco and Osceola
Types of cases referred: Refers to all areas of the law.
9.
Military-Specific Programs:
The Florida Bar
651 East Jefferson Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300
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850-561-6740
YSherron@flabar.org
Contact: Yvonne Sherron
The Florida Bar has a Military Affairs Committee
The scope and function of the Military Affairs Committee is twofold: first, to gather and disseminate information, share expertise and advise the members of the Bar on all matters relating to the practice of military law in Florida, and second, to have general jurisdiction regarding any problem which may arise relative to the provision of legal services to, for, or by members of the military establishment. Its function shall be to address issues unique to representation of military members and their families in both civil and criminal matters arising within the State of Florida. Further, the committee will consider all possible means of enhancing or increasing the cooperation and communication between the local bar, the legal offices, and the judge advocates of the various military installations within the state.
Cooley Law School Service to Soldiers: Legal Assistance Referral Program in Florida
The Cooley Service to Soldiers Program assists troops who are deploying, deployed, and who are recently returning from deployment who are of E5 rank and below with civilian legal problems they may be facing in Florida. Attorneys from across the state volunteer to represent these military personnel free of charge. The most common requests for help are with family law, estate planning, creditor/debtor, and landlord/tenant issues, but attorneys are available to help in other practice areas as well. The court filing fees are the responsibility of the client, but no legal fees will be charged.
Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines needing assistance should contact Amy Bandow at bandowa@cooley.edu
. Attorneys wishing to join the volunteer roster should contact Amy Bandow at bandowa@cooley.edu
.
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida's (CLSMF) Veterans Advocacy Project is committed to helping low income, elderly or disabled Central Florida military Veterans and/or their family with their civil (non criminal) legal needs at no cost. To request assistance, please visit http://applyforhelp.clsmf.org/ or email Veterans@clsmf.org
or call our attorney, Shelly Campbell, at (386) 255-6573 x 2441. The Veterans Advocacy project cannot guarantee legal representation, but will work to find an attorney to assist qualified Veterans.
Legal Aid of Broward County
Mission United Pro Bono Project
491 North State Road 7
Plantation, FL 33317
Phone: 954-4-UNITED (954-486-4833)
Fax: 954-736-2480
Counties Served: Broward
Type of Cases Accepted: Family Law, Housing, Benefits, Real Estate and Business Transactional
Matters, Probate/Wills/Estate, Planning/Advance Directives
Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc.
3000 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 500
Miami, FL 33137
The Military Legal Advocacy Project (MLAP) helps low income Veterans and their families retain stable housing and avoid becoming homeless by resolving civil legal problems that are a barrier to obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. Some examples of cases handled by the Project include eviction defense, enforcement of laws requiring landlords to provide safe and habitable housing, health care access, consumer and employment law, and advocacy to ensure receipt of a variety of public benefits and other sources of income. To request assistance, please contact (305) 576-0080 or visit us on the web at www.lsgmi.org
for more information.
10.
Lawyers for Warriors http://lawyersforwarriors.blogspot.com/
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a) Florida Legal Assistance to Military Personnel (LAMP) http://lawyersforwarriors.blogspot.com/2009/05/florida-legal-assistance-to-military_21.html
The legal community in Florida provides Legal Assistance to Military Personnel in a variety of ways. b) For the Warrior Community
Active duty service members may wish to go first to Armed Forces Legal Assistance's online database to "locate active duty legal activities offering general legal services within the continental United States". Here is the list for the state of Florida . c) General-Purpose Resources
Servicemembers, Veterans and their families are of course eligible to use the same resources as anyone else.
FloridaLawHelp.org
is a good, general-purpose place to start looking for law help in Florida. d) Private Practice Attorneys
Often, a lawyer in private practice will listen to your situation for 15 or 20 minutes, then give you an idea about how to proceed, in general terms, without charging you. If the matter is something the lawyer can help you with, but must charge for, sometimes you can work out a military-family discount; there are no guarantees however. The Findlaw website has a city-by-city list of lawyers in Florida who are interested in representing active-duty military personnel, military reservists, and Veterans here .
The Florida Bar Association has a Lawyer Referral Service and a list of similar services run by local bar associations; each has slightly different referral rules and some may charge a fee.
11.
FOR LAWYERS a) The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Military Affairs
"The scope and function of the Military Affairs Committee is twofold: first, to gather and disseminate information, share expertise and advise the members of the Bar on all matters relating to the practice of military law in Florida, and second, to have general jurisdiction regarding any problem which may arise relative to the provision of legal services to, for, or by members of the military establishment. Its function shall be to address issues unique to representation of military members and their families in both civil and criminal matters arising within the State of Florida. Further, the committee will consider all possible means of enhancing or increasing the cooperation and communication between the local bar, the legal offices, and the judge advocates of the various military installations within the state.
Florida Bar members who have ever served in the U.S. military are asked to complete a short online questionnaire. Information collected will be used by the Military Affairs Committee to recognize service and tap expertise in program development for lawyers in active service as well as Veterans."
It also invites attorneys interested in volunteering for a pro bono project or pro bono service to visit FloridaProBono.org
It is likely that there are other Florida programs, sponsored by local bar associations, law schools, and others.
Anyone with more information on these or other programs are invited to contact me; the most convenient way is to add in a comment below. The purpose is service!
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b) Florida's Operation Stand-By Directory http://lawyersforwarriors.blogspot.com/2011/04/floridas-operation-stand-by-directory.html
The Florida Bar Military Affairs Committee maintains an "Operation Stand-By Directory", a resource for military and Department of Defense lawyers stationed in Florida seeking the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of volunteer Florida Bar members who are also members of the military who have volunteered to respond to their military counterparts concerning issues pertaining to Florida Law.
The Operation Stand-By Program is limited to advice on subjects which fall within the scope of legal assistance. If the question which the military lawyer has is outside that area, then the military lawyer should refer their client (military member) to The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral
Service at 1-800-342-8011 or a Florida Bar-sponsored local bar association lawyer referral service so that they can be referred to a private lawyer.
The “Operation Stand-By” program is limited to advice on subjects which fall within the scope of legal assistance. If the question which the military attorney has is outside that area, the client should be referred to The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-342-8011 or a local bar associatoin lawyer referral service.
Matters which fall within the scope of OPERATION STAND-BY should be handled as follows:
1. Civilian attorneys have indicated the areas of law for which they are willing to give advice.
These areas are coded in the listing for each attorney. A key is published in the introductory section. If there is no listing after a particular attorney’s name, he or she made no entry on the application.
2. When a registered military attorney has a question concerning a certain area of the law, he or she should call the nearest available civilian attorney who has volunteered to give advice on that subject. The call is at Government expense.
3. If the civilian attorney cannot answer the question immediately, the two attorneys will make arrangements to communicate at a later time, either by the military attorney calling back the civilian attorney at a pre-designated time or by the civilian attorney calling back the military attorney COLLECT when he or she has the answer. In any event, telephone calls will be at
Government expense. The civilian attorney agrees to make arrangements to have the information back to the military attorney within 24 hours after the first conversation.
G.
Government Initiatives
Florida has the third largest number of Veterans in the United States; there are currently over one million Veterans in Florida, and many more are expected to move to Florida in the coming months and years.
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1.
Legislation Affecting Veterans
The Florida Legislature is currently considering numerous bills that would affect Veterans, including on being referred to as the Florida GI Bill (HB 7015, 2014 Session) that has the goal of making Florida the most Veteran- and military-friendly state in the country. The bill would do this by providing special online- and in-state tuition rates for Veterans, waiver of professional licensing fees, and other measures. In addition, the bill would provide funds to reform and remodel armories in Florida, and to endure adequate buffers around military bases in Florida. a) CS/CS/SB 84: Waivers of Out-of-state Fees for Veterans (Latvala)
Official description : Waivers of Out-of-state Fees for Veterans; Citing this act as the
"Congressman C. W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Act"; establishing the Congressman C.
W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Program; requiring a state university or Florida College
System institution to waive out-of-state fees for certain Veterans of the Armed Forces of the
United States, including the National Guard and reserve components thereof; requiring a state university and Florida College System institution to report to the Board of Governors and the
State Board of Education, respectively, the number and value of all fee waivers, etc.
CS/CS/SB 84 creates the “Congressman C.W. Bill Young Veteran Tuition Waiver Act.” The bill provides an out-of-state fee waiver for honorably discharged Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and reserve components thereof, who reside in the state while enrolled at a state university or Florida College System institution. Essentially, the waiver allows qualifying Veterans to pay in-state rates for tuition and fees. The waiver covers 110 percent of the credit hours needed to complete the degree or certificate program in which the Veteran is enrolled. The bill requires that state universities and Florida College System institutions report to the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education, respectively, the number and value of all fee waivers granted each year. The fiscal impact of the bill on Florida College System institutions cannot be determined; the fiscal impact on the State University System is $8,196,185, based on academic year 2012-2013 enrollment data for non-resident Veterans. b) CS/HB 7015: Military and Veteran Support (Smith)
Official description : Military and Veteran Support; Revises & creates provisions to benefit
Veterans & service members with regard to Educational Dollars for Duty program; Florida
Veterans' Walk of Honor & Florida Veterans' Memorial Garden; governmental employment preference; residency in Florida State Veterans' Domiciliary Home & admittance to state
Veterans' nursing home; drivers license & learner's permit exemptions & extensions; physician certificate for practice in areas of critical need; & waiver of certain state university & Florida
College System institution fees; provides appropriations for specified installations under Military
Base Protection Program & state readiness centers. APPROPRIATION: $26,500,000.00.
Link to analysis by House Economic Affairs Committee
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In addition to these two bills, numerous others have been filed: Related: HB 873 / SB 970,
Employment of Veterans ; SB 860, Military and Veterans Affairs ; SB 418, Fee Waivers for
Military Veterans ; CS/CS/SB 140, Driver Licenses ; CS/CS/SB 84, Waivers of Out-of-state Fees for Veterans
2.
Job Programs for Veterans a) U.S. Small Business Administration Programs
Annually, 250,000 service members transition from active duty to civilian life. Many of these
Veterans have the training, experience and leadership skills to continue serving their country by transferring these skills into strong, job-creating businesses. As the economy continues to strengthen, it has never been more important to employer Veteran entrepreneurs and small business owners to succeed.
There are over one million service men and women returning over the next five years, many having served multiple tours of duty. These Veterans have the leadership, skills, and experience that have the ability to transfer into strong, job-creating businesses. Currently, Veterans own 2.45 million businesses in the United States, about 9% of America's total businesses. These businesses employ approximately 6 million Americans. According to the March 2012 Report by the U.S.
SBA Office of Advocacy, highlighting Veteran-owned businesses, Florida ranks 3rd for the greatest number of Veteran-owned businesses. Florida has 176,727 Veteran-owned businesses with revenue of $61.9 billion. Of these, 35,548 provide jobs for 310,154 people with an annual payroll of $10.6 billion.
36
The Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development, created in 2010 by
President Obama, identified in their 2011 Report several areas in which Veterans needed assistance. These areas included increasing opportunity for growth through capital and federal contracting opportunities; expanding consulting and training services; and reducing barriers to growth.
The SBA has programs designed to assist Veterans start small businesses. Veterans can certify their small business as Veteran-Owned or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned , which enables them to take advantage of resources designed especially for them.
SBA Veteran and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned web page has information about places to receive guidance for businesses, financing businesses, and applying for government contracts.
The Veterans Business Outreach Centers web page has information on 16 SBA resource centers around the country that provide services such as mentoring, training, business preparation and more, exclusively for Veterans.
36 Media Release, Florida SBDC, Cheryl.Kirby@FloridaSBDC.org
, “Florida Ranks 3rd for the Greatest Number of
Veteran-Owned Businesses”, November 1, 2012.
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In Florida, Veterans can take advantage of the services offered by the Florida Small Business
Development Center Network , a statewide service network funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, which is dedicated to empowering
Veterans with the tools and professional expertise they need to succeed.
In southwest Florida, the small business development center at the University of South Florida is available to assist Veterans; the SBDC at University of South Florida is a member of the Florida
SBDC Network.
Last year, the Florida SBDC Network served 1,800 Veterans through no-cost consulting, lowcost training, and information. Representing 13 percent of all clients served, these Veterans significantly contributed to the FSBDCN’s resulting economic impact of 47,845 jobs created, retained and saved; $6.3 billion in sales growth; $235.2 million in capital accessed; $588.4 million in government contract awards; and 744 new businesses started.
H.
Common Mobility Issues for Veterans
The following is a rough paraphrasing of an article titled “Veterans Transportation: A Panel
Discussion of Key Needs, Concerns and Solutions”, published in Community Transportation magazine. In order to better assess the key transportation issues facing veterans, the magazine convened a special panel of transportation and veterans service providers and advocates and posed an identical set of questions; following is a sampling of their responses.
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Transportation Needs of Veterans
There is a lack of transportation for wheelchair-bound Veterans. Many veterans can use the network of van transport provided by the DAV, but if you use a wheelchair as your primary locomotion you are not eligible for this service.
Disabled veterans who use wheelchairs have difficulty getting transportation to VA hospitals and medical clinics for treatment. They often have to rely on volunteer van drivers, none of whom have wheelchair capability. Rural transit systems work closely with their community veterans to get them to their appointments, but there is still
Increased transportation needs in rural areas. Many The veterans come from rural states, and live in small farming communities where transportation options are minimal at best. Most Veteran
Service Organizations focus on getting veterans to medical appointments, but Veterans need transportation for other essential activities, not just medical appointments; e.g., getting them out to a movie, lunch or other social activity with their fellow veterans.
37 Introduction to special edition of Community Transportation magazine focusing on veterans' transportation challenges. Link: http://web1.ctaa.org/webmodules/webarticles/anmviewer.asp?a=1989
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Regional Coordination Issues
There is a need for better coordination and communication between the veterans agencies and transportation resources. Community transportation providers need to work together to accommodate veterans and their needs in their coordinated transit systems.
Work with area agencies on aging. A significant percentage of Veteran s are elderly and depend on community based supportive services such as case management, meals on wheels, adult day health care, in-home and caregiver support and transportation. Transportation (nonemergency medical and social) is the second highest priority for the elderly population.
Local transit providers have the capital, expertise and a desire to help our veterans. Doors need to be opened to allow for the integration of all community mobility options to maximize the resources currently available.
Doors need to be opened to allow for the integration of all community mobility options to maximize the resources currently available.
Reliable Transportation and Quality of Life of Veterans and their Families
“The importance of reliable transportation on the quality of life of our veterans is absolutely vital.” - John Stansbury, National Service Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Northern
New England.
Reliable transportation is a key element to maintaining independence, especially for disabled veterans. Increasing resources for paratransit, especially in isolated rural areas is very important
— not only for the very elderly veterans but also for younger and disabled veterans returning from current conflicts.
Which destinations do veterans most need additional transportation to access? Of these destinations, which would be the top priority?
One response was especially cogent and comprehensive in nature: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The top priority is life. You must protect that first. What I am saying is that a veteran must be able to do the basics, like get to the hospital, doctor or basic health care. Food is a basic, so the ability to go to the grocery and pharmacy is a priority. Liberty is not being confined, even in your own home or apartment, for even a plush prison is still a prison.”
Another cogent and succinct response: “1. Transportation for medical attention. 2. Transportation for food. 3. Transportation for necessity. 4. Transportation for recreation and socialization.”
1.
Medical transportation to veterans hospitals and clinics. Medical treatment is the top priority to ensure quality of life and to keep veterans healthy enough to go to work to provide for their families.
2.
Shopping for food and other necessities.
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3.
Employment-related transportation. Examples: transportation to job training and job placement; transportation to work for disabled veterans returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan with combat injuries.
4.
Transportation that keeps Veterans connected to their support mechanisms – whether it be family, friends or fellow veterans, or as simple as giving them a ride to the grocery store or for a haircut.
5.
Veterans need to be educated about other local options that would allow them access to essential activities, not just medical appointments. An example would be getting them out to a movie, lunch or other social activity with their fellow veterans.
6.
Entertainment and worship.
Effects of Inadequate Transportation
Veteran is likely to become isolated, frustrated, and angry; then, the health of the veteran is at risk. Without transportation, veterans face an uphill struggle just to maintain the everyday life that so many people take for granted.
The result is premature institutionalization, death or suicide, physical and mental pain and suffering, depression, poor health, domestic violence, child abuse, social isolation, subtle denial of healthcare benefits, and the disgrace of our culture for not respecting and caring for those who have fought for our freedom.
Isolation, which is a major contributing factor to suicide among our elderly. Not having the transportation to keep a regular therapy schedule can not only set back their rehabilitation years, but may result in them not achieving the most from the rehab and resulting in higher medical costs down the road.
The result is that veterans do not participate in studies and services that may help them or others.
For example, they do not get the speech therapy to help them communicate, they then become isolated and develop mental issues and sometimes take their own lives. They do not get proper assistive devices and lose independence. They do not attend appointments and lose the battle to help them recover, stabilize, prolong or make the end of their lives more comfortable. Because of the tremendous effort involved with non-ambulatory patients, veterans sometimes do not go to compensation examinations that cause the VA to adjudicate claims based on the medical records of providers that do not state conditions in terms the VA can understand, such as functional loss.
These veterans then get less than realistic awards.
I would say that the direct result for veterans would be the same as the general population. That would be a decline in overall health, and increase in the cost of health care due to the fact that preventive health was put off until it was an urgent need. The difference is that with veterans we are dealing with some severe stress issues. Also, putting off medical treatments often results in costly inpatient treatment. It seems we owe our veterans a better deal. They gave us the best they had.
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First, it is a moral failure — to not respond to the service the veteran provided to our country. It is just the right thing to do, to facilitate their re-entry and management of their daily lives.
Second, it could delay them getting necessary help to lead a life of independence and limit their overall contributions to our society as a whole.
It is obvious: decreased health care resulting in declining health, lack of opportunity to be selfsufficient, and lowered quality of life.
Veterans who do not have adequate transportation become slothful, lazy, self-centered, and filled with apathy. They have a tendency to become depressed, lose any motivation to interact with family, friends, or society. A man once said, “Transportation is my vehicle in life that allows me to travel to places and do things I would only dream about.” Give a paralyzed veteran the right transportation and his journey in life takes on a new beginning.
Unnecessary hardship and expense...paying too much for necessities like food, household items because they can’t shop around.
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