Mention brokerage services to most people and they think of stocks and other financial matters. But there are other types of brokerage services and Paratransit Services of Bremerton is a recognized leader in the brokerage industry of Medicaid Transportation services. Started in 1980, Paratransit Services is a nonprofit transportation company that specializes in providing high-quality, accessible transportation services to those persons who need it most – the elderly, disabled or those who live in rural areas with out personal means of transportation.

In 1988 Paratransit Services piloted the program for Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) that studied the effectiveness of the brokerage model for Medicaid Transportation Services. The results of their program led the state to adopt the brokerage model for managing Medicaid Transportation Services state wide. Paratransit Services now provides brokerage service for Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston counties. Qualified Department of Social and Health Services clients can call Paratransit Services and arrange transportation to and from social services, medical services, meal programs, and senior centers.

Recently, Paratransit Services has started a new brokerage service for “Interpreter Services.” Paratransit’s call center personnel broker the assignment of language interpreters for medical appointments so that language barriers do not prevent a client from accessing medical care. In addition to providing services in the State of Washington, Paratransit also provides services in California, Oregon and Alaska.

When asked what Paratransit’s greatest achievement has been in the last five years, Darlene Riley, Paratransit’s Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, emphasizes Paratransit’s being on the forefront of the brokerage model for Medicaid Transportation Services. “Our model and policies have proven so effective that the state uses them as guidelines for all the state’s transportation regions,” said Darlene.

Riley is also proud of Paratransit’s innovation in the coordination arena. We are currently developing a program with the local school districts to provide a coordinated pickup and drop-off for students who live outside the bussing district. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, homeless students have the option of staying in their schools even if the family’s situation forces them to move and the district is required to pick up the tab for bussing. “Instead of each district sending a bus to pick up these students, we are working with different school districts to coordinate with local providers to have students picked up for school and returned to wherever they are living at the end of the day,“ revealed Riley. This helps school districts lower the cost of this special transportation yet still comply with the No Child Left Behind Act.

Paratransit Services also used to provide transportation as well as brokerage services in Kitsap County. When the stock market values dropped in 2001 and 9/11 hit, insurance costs sky rocketed. In Kitsap County, Paratransit Services had to close its transportation division and change to a pure brokerage operation. “We work with some of the best private transportation providers in the state,” said Riley. Ride providers are vetted to ensure that the clients get the best service possible. Providers have to meet strict guidelines for safety, training, on-time performance and high quality drivers.

As a result of the insurance impact on Paratransit Services, Darlene got involved with five other Washington non-profit companies and formed NPIP (Non Profit Insurance Program). The group passed legislation, hired a company to administer the program and secured insurance coverage. Inception of this program was 10/1/04. They now have over 75 companies covered in the new pool. All of Paratransit Services transportation and brokerage operations are now covered by NPIP at a very competitive rate.

When asked what makes Kitsap such a good place to do business Riley points toward the area’s quality of life. “The people care about their community here,” stated Riley. “I commuted to the other side for over ten years,” she reflects. “I finally got tired of it and wanted something more.” That something more was the intrinsic value of not having to commute everyday and living in a community where people care for one another and for their community.

Riley however does see difficulties with doing business on the peninsula and that is that jobs over here don’t pay as well as jobs across the water. “That makes it hard to retain top quality people, unless they want the intangibles of living in this area,” articulated Riley.

We, as a community need to attract high quality employees, not only to live in the community but also to work in their community. That should be one of the goals for the KREDC as well as all local businesses.

Paratransit Services • 4810 Auto Center Way • Bremerton, WA 98312
(360) 377-7176 • www.paratransit.net