MTA FlintYour Ride Plus
An innovative, personalized approachto providing non-emergency
medical transportation throughutilization of public transit andmobility management

Harmony LloydPlanning and Innovation
hlloyd@mtaflint.org

The Challenge••••

Approximately 3.6 million Americans miss or delay
medical care due to transportation issues.
90% of Medicaid-funded behavioral health consumers
in Flint do not have access to a car.
Reliable transportation to medical appointments iscritical to improved health outcomes and reduced healthdisparities.
Lead issues in Flint are going to require extensivebehavioral health interventions in children.
Transportation could become a major barrier totreatment.

How	  do	  we	  begin	  to	  tackle	  the	  issue?	  
MTA is utilizing FTA’sRides to Wellness threepronged strategy as it
develops its NEMT
program:▫ Build Partnerships▫ Stimulate Investment▫ Drive Change

Build	  Partnerships	  MTADept ofHealth &HumanServices

Elected
Officials

NEMT
ProgramCommunity
HealthProviders

Non-profit
transportation
brokerHospitals

Healthcare	  without	  Barriers	  NEMT	  Solution	  –	  Your	  Ride	  Plus	  MTA has created a mobility management and NEMT program
called YourRide Plus that will include:• Dedicated staff to coordinate medical-related transportation• Person-centered trip planning• Travel training• IT applications to improve customer’s experience forscheduling and trip arrival notifications• Coordination with a non-profit transportation broker andmedical providers• Door-through-door service for customers needing special careYour Ride Plus
• Behavioral health consumers
may experience severe anxiety
and depression regardingtransportation needs.
• Personalized trip planning,
travel training, and improved
communication through avariety of avenues can help
consumers have a more
pleasant and stress-freetransportation experience.

Your Ride Plus
• Some behavioral health consumers may be able to use thefixed route system, but many need the higher level of carethat includes door-through-door service and a bus
attendant.
• MTA developed Your Ride Plus to provide this level of
specialized level of service for behavioral healthconsumers and others.
• Medical providers are willing to pay for this service toensure their patients are transported safely and reliably.

Funding	  Streams	  MedicalProviders
PrivateFoundations

MedicaidNEMT
Program

FTA(5310 –MobilityManagement)

Partner
Organizations

Farebox
RevenueSuccessful	  Your	  Ride	  Plus	  Partnerships	  • Genesee Health System (GHS)▫ Genesee County’s community mental health provider forMedicaid and Uninsured residents▫ Serves over 30,000 consumers annually; approximately 90% relyon public transit▫ MTA was able to enter into an agreement with a non-profit
transportation broker, Michigan Transit Connection (MTC), toprovide Your Ride Plus services for GHS clients who need doorthrough-door service. It is estimated MTA will provide 1,500 to2,000 rides in the first year and will continue to grow.

Moving Forward
1-2 Years

3-5 Years• MTA has created a successful
pilot program, but the need fortransportation will continue togrow.
• 7-10 vehicles• One mobility manager• Three to five contracts withmedical providers and/ororganizations• $200,000/year• 50-70 vehicles• Six mobility managers• Direct contracts with medical
providers and hospitals• Medicaid reimbursement
contracts• A coordinated, seamlessmedical transportation system• $1,000,000/year +Why	  Public	  Transportation?	  	  • Community surveys consistently placetransportation needs in the top five priorities• When transportation systems in our service
areas fail, transit is often held responsible• We can stand on the sidelines or step up to thechallenge and offer public transportation options
for NEMT in a cost-effective way. Embrace theopportunities!