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Agenda Item # 8

BOARD MEMORANDUM

The following annual report presents FY 2005 (July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005) eligibility certification and appeals information.  This information is presented in Attachments A and B with eligibility certification and appeals information from FY 2004, provided as a comparison. As previously requested by the Committee for Transit Accessibility, the eligibility certification and appeals data presented in these attachments are sorted by disability category.

DISCUSSION:

During FY 2005, Disability Services conducted 6,011 eligibility evaluations. Of the 6,011 applicants interviewed, 5,830 or 97.0% were granted eligibility to use paratransit services, while 181 or 3.0% were found to be ineligible.  The cost per eligibility assessment significantly decreased by 31.8% to $98.66 from $144.58 for FY 2005.  The decreased cost per assessment is directly related to the increased number of assessments completed.  Attachment A presents summary eligibility certification information according to disability type for both FY 2004 and FY 2005.

VTA received 103 appeals from the 181 applicants who were found ineligible to use ADA paratransit services.   Of these appeals, 3 were overturned administratively.  NovaCare conducted 92 appeals using functional assessments, overturning 74 and upholding 18 of the eligibility denials.  Eight appeals are still pending as of the date of this report.  Of the 95 appeals completed to this date for FY2005, 81%, or 77, have been overturned while the remaining 19%, or 18, have been upheld, resulting in a post-appeal denial rate of 1.7%.  The compensation for paratransit eligibility appeals is based on cost per assessment. For FY 2005 the cost per assessment was $155, with a total annual cost of  $14,880.  Attachment B presents summary eligibility denial appeal decision information according to disability type for both FY 2005 and FY 2004. 

Finally, as part of the community outreach effort in FY 2005 to inform and assist current customers and potential applicants about the new eligibility and appeals programs, VTA Accessible Services staff responded to 8,700 calls, completed targeted mailings to over 250 community senior centers and human service agencies, and conducted 11 community presentations to approximately 320 participants. 

CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE BOARD SECRETARY FOR ATTACHMENTS.

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