NRC Supporting of the FTA Veterans Initiative: the Technical Assistance Team

The National Resource Center for Human Service Transportation

Coordination: Technical Assistance to the Veterans

Initiative

NRC Supporting of the FTA Veterans Initiative: the Technical

Assistance TeamNRC has assembled a consortium that provides technical assistance to the VTCLI grantees. The members of this consortium are:•American Public Transportation Association•Armed Forces Services Corporation•Community Transportation Association of America•Easter Seals•Harman Consulting•Brendon Hemily & Associates•National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Technical Assistance to VTCLI: Our Initial Steps

• Assembled a technical assistance consortium that has assisted FTA with rolling out and launching its first round of Veterans Transportation and Community Living Initiative (VTCLI).

• Assisted with outreach on VTCLI to prospective Round 1 applicants.• Helped FTA design and deliver two VTCLI webinars, one for

prospective applicants on the VTCLI solicitation, and one for selected applicants on VTCLI project execution and technical assistance

• Created many of the technical reference documents that are housed on the FTA VTCLI website (www.fta.dot.gov/veterans)

• In February 2012, the NRC-led consortium began providing direct technical assistance to all 55 Round 1 VTCLI projects.

• Assisted FTA with outreach and information on Round 2 VTCLI grants.• Began providing direct technical assistance to Round 2 VTCLI projects

in March 2013

Technical Assistance to VTCLI: Our Approach

• The NRC-led team provides ongoing direct technical assistance to VTCLI grantees that is risk-based. Relative risks are assessed and monitored across the dimensions of:– Technology and its procurement– One-Call center operations– Veterans/Military community outreach– Performance metrics– Organizational capacity

• Members of the NRC-led team serve as technical assistance facilitators, providing single points of contact for VTCLI grantees and their technical assistance needs

• Most technical assistance is peer-based, but experts on the team are available as needed

VTCLI TA: Technology• Leading an effort to promote data

standardization and opportunities for open-source data utilization, using VTCLI as catalyst; there are two TRB studies (one done, one underway), technical papers, and two VTCLI-spawned user networks all working in support of this.

• Promoting use of on-line dialogues & social media tools to help VTCLI grantees receive and process the transportation priorities of their own veterans and military community members

VTCLI TA: One-Call/One-Click Operations

• Developing a Guide to One-Call/One-Click Center Operations, which will be added to the FTA-sponsored resource at www.OneCallToolkit.org

VTCLI TA: Veterans/Military Community Participation

• Developed materials for FTA’s VTCLI website (www.fta.dot.gov/veterans), including a “Guide to Serving Your Military Community”

• NRC developed the VTCLI “Route To Community Engagement” on-line toolkit (located on Easter Seals Project ACTION website: http://www.projectaction.org/Initiatives/Veterans/VTCLICommunityEngagementToolkit.aspx)

• Continuing coordination between VTCLI and Dept of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Transportation Program

VTCLI: A Reminder about States’ Roles

Out of 86 project sites –•State DOTs or comparable agencies are the direct recipient for more than 30 projects, including CO, GA, GU, IA, ID, IL, KY, MD, MI, MN, MP, NC, NJ, NM, PA, SC, SD, TX, VT, WA•There are another 20 places where the VTCLI grantee is an active recipient in a state-managed grant program (i.e., Section 5311, 5310, small-urban 5307), including VTCLI grantees in FL, HI, IN, MA, MT, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, UT, VA, WI

VTCLI: Trends, Results to DateMost VTCLI projects are just getting started, but some results are starting to emerge, including:•Statewide coordination of call centers and related functions (e.g., PA, KY)•State agency coordination between DOTs, veterans agencies (e.g., KY, WA)•Integration between transit and 211 networks (statewide in MI, plus numerous local projects)•Service coordination between transit and veterans facilities and/or military installations taking place in MA, NC, OH, SC, TX•VTCLI projects already at (or close to) completion in Polk County FL, Stark County OH•Expanded one-call/one-click services already operational in San Bernardino CA, Denver CO, Polk County, FL, Idaho, Las Vegas NV, Eau Claire WI, et al.•Data exchange/interoperability beginning to be implemented in MA/NH projects, Portland OR, Utah, et al.

A VTCLI Emerging Star – Canton, Ohio

• Stark Area Regional Transportation Authority has expanded demand-response service for veterans, launched connecting service to Cleveland VA center.

A VTCLI Emerging Star – San Bernardino, Calif.

• United Way of the Inland Empire has teamed with VA Medical Center, area transit agencies to provide info, referral & trip arranging through its 211 center

A VTCLI Emerging Star – Las Vegas Nev.

• Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has a full-bore “Veterans Medical Transportation Network” up and running in the Las Vegas metro area.

For More Information….

Chris Zeilinger, Director, National Resource Center for Human Service Transportation Coordination, CTAAEmail: zeilinger @ ctaa.orgPhone: 202.250.4108