MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Buses inside the Monroe County Transit Authority bus parking lot near Mount Pocono are known to take hundreds of people to and from places every day across Monroe County.
Thanks to a new partnership, more rubber is hitting the road to connect those with the care they need.
"Hospitals do a community health needs assessment, and through this process, they identify key things that are preventing people from getting the car that they need. One [that] generally floats up to the top is transportation," said Rich Schlameuss, the CEO of the Monroe County Transit Authority.
To solve the problem, Sanofi Pasteur gave the Pocono Mountains United Way $15,000 to help provide free rides to medical appointments through MCTA.
It's a part of a new initiative called Care Connects. It provides accessible transportation services to lower-income families who struggle to meet their transportation needs.
It's especially for those who require medical attention but don't have a way to get to appointments within Monroe County.
"There's no program like this, but our assumption is most people find a way to get to those doctor's appointments through family members, neighbors, different organizations," said Schlameuss. "We're kind of the program of last resort."
Schlameuss says the program is for people who don't meet the qualifications for any of MCTA's other assistance programs.
He believes this will benefit those known as "asset-limited, income-constrained, employed" (ALICE). They're a group of people who have been cared for by United Way for years.
"ALICE households forfeit the preventive health care that they need or responsive health care that they need, and so this is going to make sure that they are getting to those appointments, and hopefully, getting the treatment that they need. This is removing one of those primary barriers and certainly will improve the outcomes out of the community," said Michael Tukeva, the president and CEO of the Pocono Mountains United Way.
Schlameuss says everybody who calls will be evaluated to see if this program or another is right for them.
If you're interested in signing up for the Care Connects transportation assistance program, you can call 570-839-6282 ext. 434.
Check out WNEP's YouTube channel.