| Dennis Strombaugh from Ohio, is pictured with local directors Nancy Bentley and Karl Kraync discussing a transportation grant recently awarded to the Active Re-Entry program in Price. |
Dennis Strombaugh, transportation project manager from Kent, Ohio, grant announced in August that Carbon and Emery Counties recently received a $60,000grant to assist with the transportation problems in this area for people with disabilities. This grant will be dispersed over a five year period and is from the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living.
Present at the meeting were Karl Kraync, district director for the Division of Rehabilitation Services and Nancy Bentley, director of Active Re-Entry.
According to Kraync and Bentley , one of the major obstacles in Carbon and Emery counties is transportation.
“We have a tremendous need for a grant like this,” stated Kraync. Research projects conducted in this area two or three years ago aided in securing the grant, which has already started. It has taken the first year to implement a voucher system, coordinate the transportation, select the site, train the personnel and identify the specific transportation needs.
The grant is specifically for people with disabilities who must meet state financial guidelines. Funding cannot go to a direct family member such as a spouse, child or parent and the mileage reimbursement is 34 and a half cents per mile.
In this consumer-controlled program, traveler’s checques are available to people with disabilities that need transportation to school, training, employment, and other community activities. Riders are responsible for deciding where they want to go and when, and for organizing and scheduling the rides they need.
Strombaugh will visit each of the 10 sites which received grants throughout the nation. Price was the first of these stops for Strombaugh.
While he was here, Strombaugh commented on the tremendous need for this area to receive such a grand becuase of its remoteness.
The local program is already working with a local taxi service and the senior citizen van, as well as providing individuals with transportation services.