April 2011

#6 April 2011

Brought to you by: The Florida Office on Disability & Health http://fodh.phhp.ufl.edu

“Accessibility for All”

Florida Office on Disability & Health

The Florida Office on Disability and Health (FODH) was created in 2007 through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The mission of FODH is to maximize the health, well-being, participation, & quality of life, throughout the lifespan of all Floridians & their families living with disability.

Resources:

Transportation and the ADA

The US Department of Transportation released its publication entitled Topic Guides on ADA Transportation, a series of technical assistance documents funded under a Cooperative Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and developed by DREDF and TranSystems Corporation.  A Series of Topic Guides for Transit Agencies, Riders and Advocates on the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Transportation. The guides cover a variety of topics including Eligibility for ADA Paratransit, Equipment Maintenance, Stop Announcements and Route Identification, and many more!

FL DD Council Call for Proposals

The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. (FDDC) seeks to contract with an organization or professional consultant that will be responsible for working with the Council’s Community Living & Service Coordination (CL/SC) Task Force to develop and convene a transportation stakeholders’ work group or task force. This group will lay the groundwork for developing the Council’s next steps towards implementing a transportation voucher program in Florida.  For more information go to www.fddc.org , Request for Proposals.

Easter Seals Project Action: Creating Livable, Accessible Communities by Completing Our Streets, part of the Selected Topics on Accessible Transportation series

Enroll now in Easter Seals Project Action’s free, two-part webinar event, Creating Livable, Accessible Communities by Completing Our Streets, part of the Selected Topics on Accessible Transportation series. Barbara McCann, executive director of the National Complete Streets Coalition and Michael Ronkin, an expert in street design, will examine the principles of the complete streets movement and the ways the current trend toward creating livable communities translate into improved transportation options for people with disabilities, as well as the general public. Part one will occur May 18 at 2 p.m. EDT and part two will occur May 25 at 2 p.m. EDT. Registration deadline: May 11. For additional information, access: http://www.projectaction.org/News/ESPANews/tabid/726/token/detail/nid/65/Default.aspx.

Partner Highlight: North Central Florida Center for Independent Living (NCFCIL): Transportation Services and Much More!

The North Central Florida Center for Independent Living (NCFCIL) is a consumer driven, private non-profit organization headquartered in Gainesville, Florida.  Our mission is to empower people with disabilities to exert their individual rights to live as independently as possible, make personal life choices and achieve full community inclusion. The NCFCIL is an established community resource with a strong record and proven ability to respond to the needs of people with disabilities with innovative programs and services that enhance quality of life and increase levels of personal independence.

Critical links to health care, education, family and other activities of daily living are neglected as many communities, particularly ones rural, are unable to bear the cost of transportation for those who require transport beyond taxi service. Fortunately, in Alachua County there are many transportation options for people who reside within the county.

The NCFCIL houses an ADA Paratransit Screening and Travel Training Program.  To support the need for community access, we work with area public transportation systems providing support services for riders with disabilities wanting to utilize fixed route and paratransit services as defined under the ADA.  Through this program, we provide screening, eligibility determination and travel training services in Alachua, Hernando and Marion Counties.

The City of Gainesville also operates the Regional Transit System (RTS).  RTS currently provides fixed route service principally within the city limits of Gainesville, along with a small number of routes operating outside of the city limits.  As part of the NCFCIL’s partnership with RTS, the NCFCIL completes all ADA paratransit screenings with qualified staff to determine a person’s eligibility.

To find out more about the program and to see if you might be eligible for any of our services, please call the NCFCIL at 352-378-7474 or visit us at www.cilncf.org .

Please visit our website at http://fodh.phhp.ufl.edu for Florida data, links to national resources about disability and health, and more!

For questions on this Bulletin contact ctamayo@phhp.ufl.edu

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