Appendix A

15 Key Federal Programs for Transportation Aid

The U.S. General Accounting Office has identified 15 key Federal programs that aid in the transportation of disadvantaged older adults:

• Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind: provide transportation to programs and services and for general needs to blind people 55 and older.
• Community Services Block Grant Programs : provide general trips to low-income people via taxi vouchers and bus tickets.
• Social Services Block Grants : provide trips to medical or social services to populations identified by the States as being in need.
• Grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers: provide trips for older adults to program services and medical appointments, as well as general trips, through contact with local service providers or via their own vehicles.
• Program for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Elders: provides the specified populations with access to program services, medical services, and general trips with the programs purchasing their own vehicles.
• Medicaid : provides people eligible for Medicaid services with transportation to medical appointments, usually through reimbursement to transportation providers.
• Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program : gives medically underserved populations transportation to health-care services through transit passes and program vehicles.
• Senior Community Services Employment Program : helps low-income seniors access employment opportunities through reimbursement for transportation.
• Capital and Training Assistance Program for Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility: facilitates general trips for people with disabilities by purchasing lift equipment and providing driver training.
• Capital Assistance Program for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities: provides assistance with general trips by purchasing vehicles and contracting for services with existing providers.
• Capital Investment Grants: provide funds for programs for the general public to take general trips by giving to bus and bus-related capital projects.
• Job Access and Reverse Commute: provides low-income people with transportation to employment by expanding existing services or establishing new ones.
• Nonurbanized Area Formula Program: provides the general public with general trips through capital and operating assistance for existing programs.
• Urbanized Area FormulaProgram: provides the general public with general trips through capital and operating assistance for existing programs.
• Veterans Medical Care Benefits : provides low-income or disabled veterans with access to healthcare services through mileage reimbursement or via contracts with service providers.