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Access to affordable, reliable transportation is one of the cornerstones of independent living. Without transportation, people cannot get to and from jobs, medical services, and community resources, which can cause barriers to services and ultimately, isolation. Transportation can open doors to various personal, professional, and social opportunities!
DMC is excited to announce the return of travel training services through the re-branded Mobility Management Professionals Program (MMPP), designed to meet the transportation needs of people with disabilities and older adults in Orange County. The MMPP connects Travel Trainers with consumers to work together through individualized Travel Training sessions. Training can include support with planning your own trips, bus riding safety tips, COVID safety while on the bus, assistance with reduced fare applications, and help with applying for ACCESS paratransit.
Who Is Eligible to Receive MMPP Services
Orange County residents with disabilities and older adults ages 55+.
For more information about the MMPP call 714.621.3300 or complete the online form.
Referral Process
Potential consumers are referred to the Mobility Management Professionals Program by a variety of sources such as the DMC Formsite referral form, teachers, case managers from other organizations, family members, friends, senior centers, senior programs, and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). Individuals may also be self-referred.
How the Mobility Management Professionals Program Works
When a person is referred for MMPP services, the assigned Travel Trainer conducts an assessment to determine the individual transportation needs of the consumer and to recommend the most appropriate options for specific situations.
Range of Services
- Trip Planning: Instruction regarding how to use phone apps, online maps, the bus book, and telephone assistance to determine bus routes for specific destinations.
- Travel Training: One-on-one instruction including locating bus stops, paying a fare, boarding and exiting the bus, using the pull cord to signal for a stop, and transferring to connecting buses.
- Bus and COVID Safety Training: Individual or group training how to stay safe on the bus and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Applying for Disabled or Senior Transportation Programs: Assistance with the process for obtaining para-transit services or reduced fare bus passes.
MMPP staff also conducts bus safety presentations and group travel training sessions for special education classes and senior centers. Students in special education can also ask for follow up travel training on an individual basis.
Typically, a consumer must repeat a trip on the bus at least 3 times before feeling confident enough to safely navigate the route on their own. Travel trainers usually provide one-on-one trainings for up to 3 different destinations. Training continues until the consumer demonstrates the ability to plan and complete trips independently, unless a consumer chooses to withdraw from the program without reaching their training goals.
Following case closure, a consumer is given the opportunity to complete a survey to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction regarding the effectiveness of the Mobility Management Program.
Program Success Story
A 49-year-old consumer with an intellectual disability was referred to the Mobility Management Program by her counselor at the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). The consumer was interested in receiving mobility training so she could travel independently to potential job sites and one-stop centers. The consumer lived in Anaheim for many years but had rarely gone outside the city limits and usually stayed at home. During the first few travel training sessions, the consumer seemed hesitant and afraid of what would happen if she got lost. The travel trainer helped to alleviate this concern by teaching the consumer various travel planning methods so if she were to become lost, she would be able to find her way back home. The consumer learned to take the bus to her DOR Counselor’s office. When the consumer received a purchase order from her counselor to buy clothes for interviewing, a trip to the shopping center became a mobility lesson. Eventually, the consumer was able to plan trips and travel anywhere she wanted to go on the bus with confidence.
Mobility Management Professional Program History
Prior to the recent re-launch of our mobility services, the Dayle McIntosh Center for the Disabled (DMC) had the pleasure of partnering with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) from 2009 through June 30th, 2022, a total of thirteen years.
Please select the link to learn more about our history: MMP History
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