HARRIS COUNTY AREA AGENCY ON AGING (HCAAA) - n4a

HARRIS COUNTY
AREA AGENCY ON AGING (HCAAA)
Mission: To promote the well being and a quality
of life with dignity for older adults and
caregivers in the community through the
facilitation of ACCESS to services for all
eligible persons.

Keeping
Harris County
Moving:

AGENCY BACKGROUND
Harris County Area Agency on Aging (HCAAA) is
part of the City of Houston Department of
Health and Human Services.
• Established January 1977;
• Authorized by the Older Americans Act of 1965;
• The largest of 28 Area Agencies in Texas;
• Serves older adults (ages 60+) and caregivers;
• Funded, regulated & monitored by Texas
Department of Aging & Disability Services
(DADS);

County Seat of Harris County
Houston
Area
- Total
- Land
- Water
1,778 sq mi (4,605 km²)
1,729 sq mi (4,478 km²)
49 sq mi (127 km²), 2.75%
Population
- (2010)
- Density
4,092,459
2,367/sq mi (914/km²)
Website
www.co.harris.tx.us
Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within
the Houston-Sugarland-Baytown metropolitan area. As of 2010
U.S. Census, the county had a population of 4.1 million,[2]
making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most
populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston
[1], the largest city in Texas. It was founded in 1836.

FIGURE A-8

Persons with Disabilities
According to the 2006 American Community Survey (ACS)
profile for Harris County, there were 424,659 persons age 5
and over with disabilities living in the Houston MSA.
As of 2006, the percentage of disabled persons who earned
incomes below the poverty level was over twice that of the
percentage of the total population of Harris County with
similar income levels. The median monthly earnings of
men and women between 21 and 64 years of age with a
severe disability, respectively is $1,262 and $1,000.

CLIENTS SERVED
Fiscal Year 2010
(October 1, 2009—September 30, 2010)
Service
Persons
Served
Units
Served
Congregate Meals (meals) 4,405 382,127
Home Delivered Meals (meals) 7,001 1,243,756
Benefits Counseling (hours) 674 575
Case Management (hours) 1,587 2,770
In-Home Services (hours) 630 69,200
Health Maintenance (contacts) 578 1,766
Caregiver Services (contacts or
half-days for adult day care)
1,698 20,512
Total Clients 15,514 N/A

IN THE BEGINNING
• 1998 - Area Agency on Aging identified the need for a
coordinated comprehensive transportation system for
older adults and persons with disabilities.
• Convened representatives of local City & County
government, Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC),
and other Community-based and United Way-funded
agencies to consider Transportation options.
• The Harris County Coordinated Council was created.
• HGAC commissioned MultiSystems to conduct a study
of transportation options within Harris County.

STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS
• Accomplish goal in most economical and expedient
manner
• Establish lead agency
• Use existing transportation infrastructure
• Blend resources to cover Harris County

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM:
Harris County Rides
• Harris County designated as the Lead Agency
• Administered by Harris County Community Services
Department - Transit Division
• Target market – seniors, persons with disabilities and lowincome
• Service area – incorporated and unincorporated areas of
Harris County and fill gaps within METRO Lift service area
• Subsidized trips for non-emergency transportation
• Demand response service
• Mobility Management – Beyond AD - Ambassador Service

Customer Eligibility/ Service
Area
Eligibility
• 60 + - Proof of age
• Disabled – Proof of disability
• Low- income Proof of income $21,350 ( individual )
• Customer registration
• Vouchers in hand
Service Area
• Unincorporated areas of Harris County/while filling in
gaps within METROLift service area

Agency Coordination
16 Agencies:
• Area Agency on Aging
• Alzheimer’s Association
• Astrocare
• Bay Area Turning Point
• City of Baytown
• City of Pasadena Disabled
Program
• City of Pasadena Seniors
Program
• Cypress Assisted Ministries
• Pct2 Together Voucher
Program
• Gate Way To Care
• Gulf Coast Community
Association
• Houston’s Amazing Place
• Houston Area Parkinson
Society
• Jewish Community
Center
• Sheltering Arms Senior
Services
• Touch of Class

Agency Coordination
• Assist with customer in-take and education
• Purchase tickets to distribute to clients at no
charge to the client
or
• Purchase vouchers and charge a discounted
• amount no more than $3.00 each
• Vouchers are valued each at $6.00 in fares
• Fares are subsidized by grant funding – 50%

Customer Services
• Two choices of transportation modes
Eight contracts with local transportation providers
Shared-ride van services – 4 Providers
- American Red Cross - Genson Transit
- Regional Medical - Medicab Transport
Taxi service- 4 Providers
- Greater Houston Transportation - Lone Star Taxi
- Liberty Cab Company - Pasadena Taxi

Ambassador Services
• Ambassadors are contracted by current /future RIDES transportation
providers and are available on selected shared-ride vans/buses.
• The Ambassadors’ role –
• to assist older adults and persons with disabilities who are not able to
independently navigate from their door to the bus/van and or from the
bus/van to their final destination.
• Door-to-door assistance is available.
• As the “second person” on the van/bus, the Ambassadors can leave the
vehicle to escort passengers into buildings for appointments, and assist
with small packages if necessary.
• to provide assistance and support not only to the passengers, but to the
driver in monitoring behavior on the bus/van as is often needed in
transporting individuals with dementia conditions.
• The availability of Ambassadors on board shared-ride vehicles makes
public transportation more viable for older adults and people with
disabilities that may need high level assistance.

Blended Funding
Federal Funding:
• Section 5310 – Elderly and Disabled ( FTA funding administered
by TxDOT)
• FTA 5317 - New Freedom Funding – Used for disabled
populations for services beyond ADA- restricted to service in
Northwest Harris County
• FTA 5317 – New Freedom funds Ambassadors and Mobility
Management functions
• FTA 5307- Formula Funding – transportation funding based on
population- used only in unincorporated Harris County
• Voucher Sales at full value if grants are expended ; or grant
eligibility criteria not met

The approved transportation vendor for the Harris
County Congregate Program is Greater Houston
Transportation Council / Yellow Cab.

Customer Services
• Transportation services are provided only to eligible
seniors, 60 years of age or older.
• Services are provided to seniors from curbside pick-up
to curbside drop-off.
• Services are limited to and from the approved
congregate site and the driver is expected to be timely.
• The driver must provide an opportunity for each
participant to board and exit with appropriate
passenger assistance.
• A 2-day advance registration through the congregate
site coordinator is required.

Transportation Outcomes
Nutrition/Congregate
Approximately 135,000 one way trips are provided annually
Approximately $235,000 State B dollars are allocated for
this program
There are Thirty-two approved centers in the Harris
County congregate network that utilize transportation
The average unit rate is $4.06
An estimated 615 seniors utilized the services during FY11

Transportation Outcomes
Demand-Response Services
• Approximately 8,333 one way trips are provided annually
• Approximately $25,000 Local dollars are allocated for this
program
• The rate(s) of transportation tickets $3.00 - $6.00
• An estimated 2500 Seniors utilized the services during FY11

Harris County Rides Program
Outcomes
• Over 4,000 clients registered in client database
• Delivered over 50,000 trips in 2010
• Total Program Trips since 2003 330,000
• Average cost per trip - $19.00
• Average trip length - 13 miles

Next Steps
• Implement Electronic Card technology to replace
paper ticket fare structure
• Continue coordination with Agencies with
specific focus in Northwest/west part of County.
• Coordinate with other Transit Agencies to
increase connectivity

•For additional information contact:
•Deborah A. Moore, Director
•Harris County Area Agency on Aging
•832-393-4301 or 1-800-213-8471
•Bye ya’ll