274-039-0010 Definitions The following definitions apply to rules in chapter 274 division 39: (1) “Administration” means the essential activities aquired by a Recipient. (2) “Advisory Committee” means a committee appointed by a Recipient to advise and assist the Recipient in carrying out the purposes of the Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation Program (3) “Coordinated” means working cooperatively with Providers and other individuals and agencies representing Veterans, to more effectively apply funding and other resources to meet common transportation needs. Coordinated actions may reduce duplication of service, reduce cost, increase service levels or make services more widely available to eligible individuals. (4) “District” means a mass transit district organized under ORS 267.010 (Definitions for ORS 267.010 to 267.394) to 267.390 (Acceptance of funds from United States) or a transportation district organized under ORS 267.510 (Definitions for ORS 267.510 to 267.650) to 267.650 (Finance elections) . (5) “Indian Tribe” means a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Oregon that has members residing on a reservation or tribal trust lands in Oregon. (6) “Program Administrator” means the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs or any government entity with whom the Department enters into an agreement to administer the RVHT program. (7) “Project” means a Transportation Service, or any associated activity including, but not limited to, program administration, planning and needs assessment, training and research and that falls within the purposes of the RVHT program. A Project is eligible for a RVHT Grant if it will provide no-cost mental and physical health access transit services to veterans who reside in census tracts to which, as of July 3, 2019, the US Department of Agriculture assigned a primary Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code of 4 through 10 or are recipients of Federal Highly Rural Veterans Transportation funding available in counties with a population density of less than seven people per square mile. (8) “Provider” means a city, county, district, Indian Tribe, or any other public entity, that maintains, operates, or sponsors vehicles and facilities for Public Transportation Services for profit. (9) “Recipient” means an entity receiving funding through the RVHT program. (10) “RVHT Funds” means Rural Veteran Healthcare Transportation funding received by Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) for distribution to eligible agencies by ODVA, or its designee, for the purpose of program administration, for the purpose of financing and improving access to transportation programs and services for rural Veterans. (11) “RVHT Program” means a set of policies and procedures that guide the expenditure of Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation program funding by the Program Administrator, or its designee, to benefit transportation services for Veterans. (12) “Transportation Service” means a project that provides no-cost rides or improves access to rides for Veterans. (13) “Veteran” has the meaning given that term in ORS 408.225. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 406.005, 406.050 & 408.335 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 408.335 & 391.800-391.830 History: DVA 1-2023, adopt filed 06/14/2023, effective 06/14/2023