Carbon County’s Medical Assistance Transportation Program is providing valuable rides to those on medical assistance and without transportation.

On Thursday, the county commissioners approved the fiscal year 2017-18 participation grant agreement and assurance of compliance for the program.

The tentative allocation is $1,058,229. The funding comes from a mix of state and federal funds.

The MATP program, which is operated through Carbon County Community Transit and overseen by LANta, is designed to help people on medical assistance or with the ACCESS card by providing a free ride to medical appointments.

Eligible clients can use either the Lynx bus, a routed bus; the door-to-door van service; or the reimbursement program, which reimburses private parties who drive MATP-eligible people to doctor appointments.

One surprising fact in those figures, Supervisor William O’Gurek said, was with the premium trips, which are outside the coverage area to medical facilities in area such as the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia or Hershey.

Personnel

The commissioners also approved the following personnel moves:

• Hires: Wanda Rab of Lansford, part-time cleaning person; Theresa C. Rossman of Weatherly, part-time dispatcher/trainee; and Merritt F. Beck of Jim Thorpe, temporary parking attendant, all effective Oct. 16.

• Hire: Russell E. Bryant of Lansdale, full-time assistant public defender, effective Oct. 23.

• Sheriff appointments: Abigail E. Baptiste of Albrightsville, special deputy sheriff trainee; and Rick D. Montero of Albrightsville, part-time security officer, effective Oct. 23.

• Change of status: Stephen J. Gulla of Summit Hill, from seasonal park ranger II to special deputy sheriff trainee, effective Oct. 23.