Q&A
Transportation challenges for foster children and potential solutions
1:56:35
ยท
168 sec
Council Member Stevens raises concerns about transportation challenges for foster children, particularly during the waiting period for school bus services. Commissioner Dannhauser discusses current solutions and potential improvements.
- ACS has implemented a reimbursement pathway for transportation costs during the 10-day waiting period for school bus services
- The agency is exploring options for contracted transportation services that don't require chaperones
- ACS is working with the Department of Education to address transportation issues
- The agency is open to exploring innovative solutions to reduce the financial and logistical burden on foster care agencies and families
- Commissioner Dannhauser acknowledges the need for continued improvement in this area
Althea Stevens
1:56:35
kinda holding dating ourselves, but, you know, I just have a couple more questions, then we'll wrap up.
1:56:41
One of I know council member Rural also talked about this was just around, like, the busing and the issues around busing.
1:56:49
And one of the things that we've seen that, like, DOV providers provide per, per paid ride, shared ride services, which is only available after a ten day waiting period for a school bus.
1:57:01
Students in foster care still require chaperones to accompany them.
1:57:05
This especially becomes challenging for foster parents with multiple children in the home to reduce, to reduce the finance and logistical staffing burden on agencies, would ACS, contract with the prepaid service with with vetted drivers that does not require a chaperone?
Jess Dannhauser
1:57:21
We would we'd definitely be happy to look into it.
1:57:23
We've looked into it in the past, and there's been sort of staffing challenges in having sort of enough that would actually cover the the need.
1:57:33
We've talked to the Department of Education, New York State Public Schools that has some of these contracts.
1:57:39
The agreement we made with them last year was to create this reimbursement pathway for those ten days.
1:57:46
So for chaperoning for for the actual, transportation itself.
1:57:53
As I was mentioning earlier, we got the most recent data from them, and there's been some substantial reimbursements, hundred thousand plus at some agencies, but not all of them are taking advantage of it.
1:58:03
So we've gotta double back and make sure they understand how to navigate that process.
1:58:08
But we'd be happy to take a look at additional solutions here because it is definitely a challenge.
Althea Stevens
1:58:13
Yeah.
1:58:14
You know, one of the things I mean, this is one of the things we're yelling at at the DOE hearing just around, like, if we look at the amount that we're paying on contracting, we can just bring it back and hire our own drivers and do it ourselves with the insurance.
1:58:27
But we don't wanna look at that because that would actually help with some of this stuff and some of these issues, but that's not your fight.
1:58:32
That's DOE's fight.
1:58:33
But, you know, whatever.
1:58:34
I'm just another suggestion.
1:58:41
Advocates have shared that ACS used to provide direct transportation such as car and van with chaperones to students of foster care?
1:58:49
Would is this something that you can get from schools while waiting for the bus, that ten day waiting peep waiting period, and have those services been discontinued?
Jess Dannhauser
1:58:59
As far as we could tell, this only was happening at the children's center, and in various sort of, some places related to residential care.
1:59:11
So love to learn more.
1:59:13
We'll reach out to Kafka to understand.
Althea Stevens
1:59:15
Yeah.
1:59:15
This was actually these questions are actually directly from providers.
1:59:18
So these are they were bringing us, so we'll definitely make sure we'll follow-up when
Jess Dannhauser
1:59:22
we can
Althea Stevens
1:59:22
get you instances that you have as well.