The Transportation Access Program (TAP) helps individuals and families with excessive costs of off-island travel due to long-term illness; health or mental health needs requiring services not available on the islands; chronic illness requiring regular off-island appointments; or acute health or mental health emergencies.
The Transportation Access Program assists Island residents and families with excessive costs of off-Island travel due to long-term illness and health/mental health needs requiring services not available on the Island.
The Transportation Access Program began in 2016, and since then has helped over 300 Island families with off-Island travel expenses.
Eligibility
All Martha’s Vineyard residents are eligible to apply for up to $750.00 annually in off‐island travel assistance to medical/mental health appointments. Requests over $750.00 will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
The application requests information regarding other available transportation resources that have been applied for or utilized previously. Please take advantage of travel assistance through your insurance and other sources as this program is a payer of last resort.
Allowable expenses that qualify under this program include: ferry tickets, bus transportation and hotel accommodations. This is not an inclusive list; if individuals have other unique needs (i.e. payment for a car service) please note that on the application.
Please note, as of February 20, 2020:At this time as funding draws to an end, funding for the Transportation Access Program is limited to future appointments (ie. Ferry tickets for upcoming travel, or travel expenses for an upcoming appointment). Reimbursable expenses are no longer eligible as funding is close to exhausted.
When requesting funds for future travel, documentation of the appointment date is required.
Thanks to Governor Julian Cyr, Representative Dylan Fernandez, and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the State of Massachusetts, MV Community Services is able to offer assistance for Islanders to access needed medical and behavioral health services off-Island.
Contact Information
Phone: 508-693-7900 x 401
Address:
111 Edgartown Road Vineyard Haven, MA