Assessing paratransit eligibility under the Americans With Disabilities Act in the rehabilitation setting.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the usefulness of a rehabilitation-based assessment program designed to determine the eligibility, according to Americans With Disabilities Act criteria, of applicants for paratransit bus services.


METHODS
Retrospective summary statistics on 500 consecutive paratransit evaluations.


METHODS
Outpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation center.


METHODS
Applicants for a community paratransit bus service.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Clinical assessment of each applicants functional physical and cognitive ability to ride a fixed-route or paratransit bus system.


RESULTS
Of the 500 applicants for specialized paratransit services, 38 (8%) were found to be ineligible, based on rehabilitation professionals evaluations of their physical and cognitive abilities.


CONCLUSIONS
Mass transit organizations must adjust to the rapidly growing demand for paratransit services. Rehabilitation-based assessment programs, because of the expertise they provide in assessing functional abilities, are uniquely qualified to provide objective determinations of paratransit eligibility.
Griffin
Jeanne
J
Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 6501 N. Sheridan, Peoria, IL 61614, USA. jeg@ipmr.org
Priddy
David A
DA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004608:Eligibility Determination / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014186:Transportation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States