RURAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION The Rural Public Transportation system is designed to benefit the entire community including elderly, preschoolers, dialysis patients, and disabled. Vital transportation services are provided to the rural areas of Southwest Tennessee, linking these residents to doctors, grocery stores, employment, senior citizen centers, and recreation. Medical trips are provided to Memphis, Jackson, and Nashville. Anyone in our eight county region can ride, with the exception of those residing in the Jackson Urbanized Zone. There are no eligibility requirements for general public riders. Passengers must call our dispatch center at least 24 hours in advance to make reservations. Once the schedule has been completed, the rider will be notified by phone of their pick-up time. General public riders are charged a nominal fee based on pick-up and drop-off locations. VIEW FARES CUSTOMER CONSUMER HANDBOOK Email – dturner@swhra.org Phone – (731) 989-5111 or (800) 372-6013 CONTRACT TRANSPORTATION We have several contracts with outside agencies to transport their members to appointments and facilities. These include TennCare, Vocational Rehabilitation, Workforce Investment, Senior Citizen Centers, Logisticare, Foster Grandparent Program, CSGB, LeBonheur Community Outreach, and the Area Agency for Aging and Disabled. Each contracting agency has eligibility requirements for their members. Riders approved by these programs are able to access transportation for little or no charge. TITLE VI NOTICE It is the policy of SWHRA to afford all eligible individuals the opportunity to participate in federally funded or assisted programs, and SWHRA adopts the following provision: “No person will, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” (Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964) This policy applies to all services and programs operated by, or through contracts or subcontracts from SWHRA. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO)/TITLE VII) SWHRA is committed to providing a policy of equal opportunity for all employees. All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and competence. Employment at SWHRA is not influenced or affected by an applicant or employee’s race, color, religion, sex including pregnancy, childbirth, gender identity and sexual orientation, age (age 40 and up), national origin, disability which can be reasonably accommodated, veterans status, military service, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identify, use of a guide dog, or any characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment promotion, assignment, discharge, and other terms and conditions of employment. SWHRA is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination. SWHRA is committed, and required by law, to take action if it learns of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in violation of the Agency’s EEO Policy, whether or not the aggrieved employees files as complaint. Contact: Edna Johnson/EEO Officer (731)989-5111, ext. 1134, 1-800-372-6013, ejohnson@swhra.org . LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP) SWHRA has developed a plan to improve access to services for persons with Limited English Proficiency. SWHRA uses the Four Factor Analysis for assessing language needs and determining what steps should be taken to ensure access for LEP persons. The four factors Include: 1) number of LEP individuals in the service area, 2) frequency of contract with LEP individuals, 3) importance of the program, and 4) resources available and costs. AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) American Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended – SWHRA will implement the requirements of Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, ensuring the provision of auxiliary aids and services for deaf or hard of hearing, limited English proficient Customers/clients and customers with disabilities. TITLE VI COMPLAINT PROCEDURES American Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended – SWHRA will implement the requirements of Titles I and II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, ensuring the provision of auxiliary aids and services for deaf or hard of hearing, limited English proficient Customers/clients and customers with disabilities requiring essentials. Any individual, group of individuals, or entity that believes they have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI nondiscrimination provisions may file a written complaint with the SWHRA Title VI Coordinator. A formal complaint must be filed within 180 calendar days of alleged occurrence or when the alleged discrimination became known to the complainant. The complaint must meet the following requirements. Complaint shall be in writing and signed by the complainant(s). Include the date of the alleged act of discrimination (date when the complainant(s) became aware of the alleged discrimination; or the date on which that conduct was discontinued or the latest instance of the conduct). Present a detailed description of the issues, including names and job title of those individuals perceived as parties in the complained-of incident. Allegations received by fax or e-mail will be acknowledged and processed, once the identity(ies) of the complainant(s) and the intent to proceed with the complaint have been established. Allegations received by telephone will be reduced to writing and provided to complainant for confirmation or revision before processing. The Title VI program Coordinator will immediately (no later than the next business day), will review and investigate the initial written complaint with SWHRA Executive Director. All relevant aspects of the complaint will be investigated. The complainant will have an opportunity to give a rebuttal statement at the end of the investigatory process. The SWHRA Executive Director or Title VI Coordinator will notify all parties involved in the complaint. After the investigation is completed a final report will be kept in the program file as well as the Title VI manual alone with a log of all complaints and appeals for three (3) years. The final report will include the following: The written complaint containing the allegation, basis, and date of filing Summarized statement taken from witnesses Finding of facts Opinion (based on all evidence in the record) that the incident is substantiated/unsubstantiated and Remedial action(s) for substantiated cases. The complainant has the right to appeal all written reports in writing to the SWHRA Title VI Coordinator within fifteen days (15) of receipt of the Program’s final report. Contact: Edna Johnson, SWHRA Title VI Coordinator, ejohnson@swhra.org , 731-989-5111 ext. 1134 or 1-800-372-6013 *Complaints under Title VI, ADA, or any other Civil Rights concern may be made to SWHRA, TDOT or FTA. TDOT Link- https://www.tn.gov/tdot/civil-rights/title-vi-program.html. FTA Link- https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/civil-rights-ada/file-complaint-fta. HOW TO FILE AN ADA COMPLAINT Your full name, address and telephone number, and the name of the party discriminated against The name of the of the business, organization, or institution that you believe has discriminated A description of the act or acts of discrimination, the date or dates of the discriminatory acts, and the name or names of the individuals who you believe discriminated; and Other information that you believe necessary to support your complaint. Please send copies of relevant documents (retain original documents). The timeframe and review/appeal procedures are the same as described above for Title VI. Contact: Edna Johnson, Title VI, EEO, ADA, Section 504 Coordinator, ejohnson@swhra.org or Diana Turner, SWHRA Transportation Director, dturner@swhra.org SWHRA, P.O. Box 264, 1527 White Avenue, Henderson, TN SWHRA ADA Title VI Complaint Form REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT To be eligible for a reasonable accommodation under the ADA, an employee must have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or a record of such an impairment. Employees must be referred to the ADA Coordinator or the Office of Human Resources to engage in the interactive process of accommodations in various manners: usually by self-referral or from a supervisor. If an employee has a disability and requires an accommodation, the employer must provide a reasonable accommodation, unless the accommodation poses an undue hardship. An accommodation is not considered reasonable if it removes essential functions of the employee’s job. SWHRA operates a public transportation service that is available to all people by offering paratransit service to those riders that have disabilities (includes dialysis patients). All trips and stops must be scheduled at least 24 hours prior to the day of trip by calling: 1-800-372-6013 or 731-989-0267. A potential rider may request reasonable accommodation by completing SWHRA Transportation Reasonable Accommodation Request Form: Reasonable Accommodation Request Form P.O. BOX 264, HENDERSON, TN 38340 | (800) 372-6013 © 2020 SOUTHWEST HUMAN RESOURCE AGENCY | WEBSITE DESIGN BY POWELL CREATIVE LLC