The Central Indiana Council on Aging Inc. (CICOA) is a non-profit agency in Indiana that oversees state and federal funds and private donations to provide information, advocacy and support services for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. Since 1974 the agency has been an active supporter and advocate of services that give aging individuals and people with disabilities the support and care that is necessary to help these individuals live a quality life of independence and dignity. CICOA offers services that include:
- Information and assistance through the Aging & Disability Resource Center
- High-quality, in-home services, including no-cost and low-cost care for those eligible
- Home-delivered and congregate meals through our Meals & More program
- Long-term care options counseling
- Nursing home pre-admission screening
- Caregiver respite and assistance
- Home modifications
- Advocacy
- Senior center-based activities such as transportation, meals, recreation, education, health promotion, ombudsman and legal services
The newest service that CICOA offers is the New Freedom Transportation Voucher. This transportation program serves a broad range of people with disabilities including those with vision impairments, people requiring assistive devices for mobility, and those undergoing treatments that may impair driving ability or make it difficult for them to access regular public transportation. Program-eligible participants can arrange for transportation for both medical and non-medical needs across county lines throughout Central Indiana.
The program allows qualified individuals to purchase 10 vouchers per month from CICOA at $6 per voucher. Each voucher is good for a one-way trip, for any purpose, from an approved list of taxi and van providers. One attendant may accompany a participant at no additional charge.
The voucher program is open to current participants of Indy-Go’s Open Door and the Indianapolis Senior Center’s Para-Transit service. In addition, CICOA accepts referrals from the public at large.
Vouchers are issued to a specific individual, not an agency, and are nonrefundable and nontransferable. There is no minimum requirement on the number of vouchers that an individual must purchase.
If you would like more information about the program, call Amanda Vanatti, CICOA’s transportation options coordinator, at (317) 803-6020 or CICOA’s Aging & Disability Resource Center at (317) 254-3660 or (800) 432-2422 to determine eligibility.
To learn more about the CICOA, click here to visit their website.