Final

Issued by: Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Issue Date: February 07, 2008

To:

State agencies and Tribes administering the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program under title IV-A of the Social Security Act, and other interested parties.

Subject:

Human Service Transportation Coordination and Resource Sharing

References:

Executive Order 13330, dated February 24, 2004:  Human Services Transportation Coordination, Section 401 of the Social Security Act, Section 404(a)(1) and 404(a)(2) of the Social Security Act, 45 CFR Part 92, 45 CFR 263.2, 45 CFR 263.11

Purpose:

This IM reminds States and Tribes of the Final Policy Statements of the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility on Coordinated Human Service Transportation Planning and Vehicle Resource Sharing.

Background:

Presidential Executive Order 13330 recognizes the importance of enhancing access to transportation to improve mobility, employment opportunities, and access to community services for persons who are transportation-disadvantaged (persons with disabilities, persons struggling with self-sufficiency and older adults).  President Bush stated that federally assisted community transportation services should be seamless, comprehensive, and accessible to those who rely on them for their lives and livelihoods.  To achieve this goal, the President established a Federal Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM) within the Department of Transportation.  CCAM council members include the Secretaries of Transportation, Health and Human services, Education, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development and Interior, the Attorney General, and the Commissioner of Social Security.

The Executive Order has tasked CCAM members to work together to: (a) facilitate access to the most appropriate, cost-effective transportation services within existing resources; (b) encourage enhanced customer access to the variety of transportation and resources available; and, (c) promote interagency cooperation in order to minimize duplication and overlap of Federal programs and services and to maximize access to more transportation services.  The Executive Order also stipulates that Program agencies within the Departments assist CCAM.  The Office of Family Assistance (OFA), which oversees the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, has been an active participant in CCAM committee activities.

CCAM launched United We RideVisit disclaimer page, a national initiative to implement the Executive Order and CCAM’s Action Plan.  The CCAM then submitted a detailed 2005 United We Ride Report to the President, as required in the Executive Order.  The report outlined collective and individual department actions to decrease duplication, enhance efficiencies, and simplify access for consumers.  The two policy statements cited below emphasize the importance of coordination, planning and sharing of resources among human service agencies.

Information:

Federal TANF funds and State maintenance-of-effort funds may be used to provide transportation services to eligible clientele.

1. Federal Interagency Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility, Coordinated Human Service Transportation Planning, Final Policy Statement: We support this policy statement and recommend that TANF program grantees participate in a local coordinated human services transportation planning process with other Federal programs and community organizations to maximize resources in a way that enhances accessibility and availability of efficient and affordable transportation services and reduces duplication of services.

2. Federal Interagency Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility, Vehicle Resource Sharing, Final Policy Statement: This policy statement explains that Federal cost principles do not restrict Federal grantees from sharing transportation costs with other Federal programs and/or community organizations that also allow funds to be used for transportation services/activities.  Thus, partners may share their resources in such a way that each partner will pay for, or fund, their equitable or fair share of the transportation costs.  In this regard, TANF program grantees and other applicable Federal programs must follow appropriate cost allocation principles and applicable programmatic rules and policies in providing transportation services to their benefiting populations.

Inquiries:

Inquiries should be directed to the TANF Program Manager in your Region.

Attachments:

Final Policy Statements on Coordinated Human Service Transportation Planning and Vehicle Resource Sharing follow (both of these documents have been available on the OFA web site via the “Access to Transportation” link, which takes you to the United We Ride web site).

 

     /s/

Sidonie Squier,
Director
Office of Family Assistance

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