MDHHS working with HopSkipDrive to provide school transportation for southeast Michigan youth in foster care

New partnership enables youth in care to maintain social and educational connections

LANSING, Mich. - To help children in foster care in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties remain in their current school and connected to after-school activities, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is partnering with HopSkipDrive to help youth access reliable, safe transportation.

"This transportation solution enhances our department's commitment to supporting the social and educational needs of Michigan youth experiencing foster care," said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. "When a youth is placed outside of the school district they previously attended, resource limitations can make it difficult to continue attending their school of origin. Having access to HopSkipDrive's network will help ensure our youth can attend their schools without missing a day."

HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity and care. It partners with more than 600 school districts, government agencies and nonprofits, including supporting more than 10,000 schools, across the U.S. The company supplements existing transportation options with a network of CareDrivers, highly vetted local drivers with at least five years of caregiving experience.

MDHHS case managers will work with foster families to schedule rides to schools through the HopSkipDrive app. Rides will be billed to the department through the contract it has with the company.

MDHHS' partnership will help support HopSkipDrive's continued work in Michigan. In 2022, the company launched in the state and began partnering with the Detroit Public Schools Community District and other Detroit-area school districts. The company has contracts with nearly a quarter of the school districts in the Detroit area as well as a number of charter schools, and recently expanded into Grand Rapids.

"We know that a child's ride to school can be the difference between a good day and a bad day, which is why we have spent years building access to safe, reliable transportation to solve the biggest challenges for school districts and government agencies," said Joanna McFarland, HopSkipDrive Co-founder and CEO. "We should all work to ensure students in vulnerable populations don't miss any day. We are proud to give the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services the best choices technology can deliver for youth in the foster care system."

According to the HopSkipDrive 2024 State of School Transportation Report, 21% of school district leaders and transportation officials say transportation challenges are the biggest contributor to chronic absenteeism and more than two-thirds (68%) believe students with higher rates of chronic absenteeism - including those experiencing homelessness or in foster care - will miss more school if access to reliable transportation is not available.

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