Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Transportation Survey to Maine Health Care Providers and Human Service Agencies

 

Maine’s health care providers and human service agencies are invited to participate in a survey designed to help DHHS understand the benefits and challenges associated with transportation services that are offered to DHHS beneficiaries. The following survey questions ask about appointments, services, or activities that are missed as a result of transportation issues and the costs associated with those absences. Potential costs, including short- and long-term expenses to the health care and human services systems, should be considered in your responses. 

- An example of short-term costs would be the cost of rescheduling and providing services for a missed appointment because of a failure in transportation services.

- A long-term cost might be the costs created when the client who misses critical appointments needs a more intensive health care plan or is moved into a residential facility because they can no longer live independently due to poor health. 

Please take a few minutes to complete this important survey for DHHS so that we may incorporate your feedback into our analysis, which also includes survey feedback from DHHS beneficiaries and transportation providers. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Please submit the completed survey by November 6, 2020.

The survey will tell us how these programs are performing, how they are meeting or not meeting your needs, and what we can do to improve access to care. The DHHS transportation services included in the survey are as follows:

- The MaineCare Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) program
- The Office of Behavioral Health’s (OBH) grant-funded /waiver Transportation program (formerly the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services)
- The Office of Child and Family Services’ (OCFS) Child Welfare Transportation program

Definitions:

Broker: A broker is an organization that arranges your MaineCare NET rides with a transportation provider. Each region has its own broker. There are three brokers in Maine: LogistiCare, Penquis Community Action Program, and Mid-Coast Connector (operated by Waldo Community Action Partners).

Transportation Provider: The company, non-profit, or volunteer that picks you up for your ride. For example: RideSource, Aroostook Regional Transportation System (ARTS), Regional Transportation Program (RTP), Downeast Community Partners, Community Concepts.

Transportation Program: There are three transportation programs offered by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. These are the MaineCare NET program, the OBH grant-funded /waiver Transportation program, and the OCFS Child Welfare Transportation program.
 

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Brown by email at lbrown@rlsandassoc.com or by phone at (813) 482-8828. Thank you in advance for your time!