M.V. Community Services recently received funding from the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services to fund the Transportation Access Program (TAP). TAP assists Island residents with off-Island travel expenses due to medical and/or behavioral health appointments, according to a press release.
TAP funds help individuals and families with excessive costs of off-Island travel due to long-term illness; health or behavioral health needs requiring services unavailable on-Island; chronic illness requiring regular off-Island appointments; or acute health or behavioral health emergencies, the release states.
Families and individuals are eligible to receive up to $750 per person, and are encouraged to consider upcoming travel expenses when applying for the program. TAP funds can cover the cost of ferries, gas, bus fares, etc., helping to alleviate the financial stress of travelling off-Island.
Since TAP was started in 2016, M.V. Community Services has helped 329 Island families with off-Island travel expenses. The program went unfunded in FY17 and has returned since FY18. This year’s funding will be available June 30, or until the funds are exhausted.
TAP applications for Martha’s Vineyard residents can be found online at mvcommunityservices.org/tap or in hard copy in the M.V. Community Services administration building and the Island Wide Youth Collaborative building.
