Staff recommends the City Council approve the agreement with Allies in Aging in support of MET Transit provided Senior Medical Transportation for up to $45,000 in revenue.

Annually, Allies in Aging receives Yellowstone County mill funding in support of seniors, including transportation services. For over 10 years, the agency has utilized a portion of these funds to sponsor MET Transit provided non-emergency medical transportation to seniors in the City of Billings transit service area. Traditionally, this program has been integrated into the annual Billings Area Human Services Transportation Coordination Program managed and facilitated by Billings MET Transit. However, Allies in Aging is requesting an agreement with the City for FY26 in support of this program. Within the agreement, the program allows for sponsored trips for seniors for medical related reasons such as physician visits and pharmacy use. These rides are provided as time and space allow on the existing Billings MET Transit paratransit system as individuals referred for sponsored rides are generally not certified for use of the paratransit system; however, Allies in Aging also assists these individuals in the process of applying for paratransit eligibility. For individuals not certified for paratransit services, Allies in Aging pays the current Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation rate for each ride and the trip is completed if MET Transit has the flexibility in the daily ride schedule to complete the trip. If a client does become eligible for paratransit service, Allies in Aging pays the current one-way paratransit fare for each ride and the client's trips are negotiated as usual within the bounds of paratransit operating rules.  For all sponsored services, Allies in Aging is invoiced monthly by Billings MET Transit; the total value of the services provided is expected to be $45,000 for FY26.

City Council may:

• Approve the agreement to provide Senior Medical Transportation services sponsored by Allies in Aging, generating approximately $45,000 in revenue; or,
• Not Approve the agreement and provide recommendations to staff.

The Senior Medical Transportation program is expected to generate $45,000 in revenue for the Billings MET Transit system for FY26; as this program is focused on time and space availability within existing paratransit services, no additional labor hours will be utilized by Billings MET Transit to support the program.