The Sickle Cell Foundation (SCFT) has FREE transportation assistance for clients/patients who are in need of dependable transportation to medical, dental, or mental health appointments related to their Sickle Cell disease. If the client lives in Crittenden County, Arkansas, Desoto County, Mississippi, and the state of Tennessee he/she is eligible for this service.

In order to access this service, the client is responsible for contacting a member of the SCFT staff at 901-552-4267 to request transportation arrangements. If the client lives outside of the Shelby county area, he/she must contact a member of the SCFT staff at least 72 hours before the scheduled appointment to request transportation. If the client lives within Shelby County he/she must contact a member of the SCFT staff at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled appointment to request transportation. Failure to comply with this step will result in the client’s inability to utilize transportation through this service.

If transportation arrangements are made for the client, but the client finds that he/she will not be able to keep the medical, dental or mental health appointment, the client must contact a SCFT staff person at least 24 hours in advance. This will allow SCFT staff adequate time to contact the agency and cancel transportation arrangements. This also prevents SCFT from incurring an unnecessary charge. If the client does not contact the SCFT staff to cancel transportation arrangements, he/she will be placed on a 30 day transportation suspension; which means, he/she will not be allowed to utilize the free service for 30 days.

CLIENTS WITH MEDICAID

If a client has Medicaid, he/she is not eligible to receive transportation services through SCFT unless all of their transportation benefits have been exhausted. In order to receive transportation to a medical appointment, the client must contact their Medicaid agent to determine transportation policy.

CLIENTS WITH ACCESS TO A VEHICLE

If a client has access to a personal vehicle to make primary Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) medical, dental, or mental health appointments a gas card will be issued as reimbursement to supplement gas expenses. In order to receive a gas card, the client must provide evidence confirming that he/she attended the appointment prior to the gas card being issued (i.e. receipt from co-payment, note from doctor or his/her staff on a document from their office, or your patient encounter form). The amount of the gas card will be based on the distance from the consumer’s home and/or city /county to the medical appointment.
**Only TWO Gas cards will be issued per vehicle**

BENEFITS:

• Provides transportation to Sickle Cell Consumers

ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETINGS

Clients will receive a gas card for attending the Advisory Council meetings. However, the gas cards will be issued once the meeting is adjourned. Clients will not receive gas cards prior to the start of the meeting. The gas cards will be given as supplemental reimbursement for cost incurred for travel to the meeting. The amount of the gas card will be based on the distance from the consumer’s home and/or city /county to the meeting facility.

Note: All assistance is based on available resources.