NEMT Resources for Social Workers
Your clients depend on you to connect them with the services they need. When transportation is the barrier between them and their medical care, Dream Care Rides is the provider you can count on.
The Transport Barrier Your Clients Face
Transportation is consistently identified as the number one social determinant of health barrier for vulnerable populations. When your clients cannot get to their medical appointments, the consequences compound rapidly: missed dialysis sessions become emergency room visits, skipped follow-ups become hospital readmissions, and unmanaged chronic conditions become crises.
The data is clear. Patients who miss medical appointments due to transportation barriers experience worse health outcomes, higher healthcare costs, and more emergency interventions. For social workers managing complex caseloads, solving the transportation problem is often the single most impactful intervention you can make.
Public transit is not an option for patients in wheelchairs, on stretchers, or with limited mobility. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft — including Uber WAV and Lyft Access where available — are curb-to-curb only, with no trained patient handling, no door-through-door escort, and no stretcher capability. That level of service does not meet the needs of medically fragile patients. And broker-dispatched NEMT often means long wait times, last-minute cancellations, and drivers who do not know how to safely assist patients.
Dream Care Rides solves this problem. We are a direct provider — not a broker — which means when you refer a client to us, you are referring them to the company that owns the vehicles, employs the drivers, and controls the quality of service from start to finish.
What Dream Care Rides Offers Your Clients
Every service level your clients might need, from ambulatory sedans to stretcher ambulettes, with the trained staff and equipment to transport them safely.
Ambulatory Transport
For clients who can walk and transfer independently. Sedan or SUV transport with door-through-door assistance from a trained driver.
Wheelchair Transport
For clients who use a wheelchair or have limited mobility. ADA-compliant vans with hydraulic lifts and Q-Straint securement systems.
Stretcher Transport
For clients who cannot sit upright or are bed-bound. Ambulette vehicles with trained attendants and medical-grade stretchers.
Standing Orders
For clients with recurring appointments such as dialysis three times a week or weekly therapy sessions. One setup call creates an automatic schedule.
Same-Day Transport
For urgent medical appointments or unexpected discharge situations. We confirm same-day availability within 30 minutes of your call.
Door-Through-Door Service
Our drivers assist your client from inside their home, through the facility entrance, and to the check-in desk. Not just curb-to-curb.
Reliable Transport for Your Clients
Many of your clients need reliable medical transport but face barriers with traditional Medicaid broker systems — long hold times, limited vehicle availability, and inconsistent driver quality. Dream Care Rides offers private pay transport that eliminates those frustrations with guaranteed availability, consistent drivers, and upfront pricing.
When to Use Medicaid NEMT
- ✓ Client has an active Medicaid managed care plan with NEMT benefits
- ✓ The trip is for a covered medical service
- ✓ The client can wait for broker-dispatched transport timing
- ✓ Prior authorization has been obtained if required (stretcher trips)
When to Recommend Dream Care Rides Private Pay
- ✓ Client needs same-day or urgent transport
- ✓ Broker cannot provide a vehicle on time
- ✓ Client has been repeatedly no-showed by broker transport
- ✓ The trip is not covered by Medicaid (non-medical destination)
- ✓ Client or family prefers a specific, reliable provider
Medicaid accepted in select service areas — call (708) 505-6994 to check availability. For all other clients, our private pay rates are competitive and transparent with no hidden fees.
How to Refer a Client
The referral process is designed to be fast and simple. No portals, no forms, no logins. Just a phone call or email.
Assess Transport Need
Determine whether your client needs ambulatory, wheelchair, or stretcher transport. Consider their mobility level, equipment needs, and whether they need a return trip.
Gather Client Information
Collect the patient’s name, pickup address, destination, appointment date and time, mobility level, and insurance status.
Contact Our Dispatch
Call (708) 505-6994 or email info@dreamcarerides.com. Let our team know you are a social worker making a referral.
We Handle the Rest
We confirm availability, assign a driver, provide an upfront price, and transport your client. You receive trip status updates.
Information to Gather Before You Call
Having this information ready when you call saves time and ensures your client gets matched with the right vehicle and driver.
- Patient full name
- Pickup address (home, facility, or hospital)
- Destination address
- Appointment date and time
- Mobility level: ambulatory, wheelchair, or stretcher
- Special equipment needs (oxygen, Broda chair, bariatric)
- Insurance status (Medicaid plan name or private pay)
- Return trip needed (one-way or round trip)
Standing Orders for Recurring Patients
Many of your clients need transport to the same location on a regular schedule. Dialysis patients need rides three times a week. Chemotherapy patients need weekly transport. Physical therapy patients need two to three trips per week for months.
Dream Care Rides offers standing orders that eliminate the need to call for every single trip. You call once, set up the schedule, and we handle every pickup and drop-off automatically. Your client gets consistent, reliable transport without any additional coordination from you.
Standing Orders Include
- ✓ Automatic dispatch for every scheduled trip
- ✓ Same driver assigned whenever possible for patient comfort
- ✓ Proactive schedule management (holiday adjustments, appointment changes)
- ✓ Missed trip alerts sent to the coordinating social worker
- ✓ Monthly trip summaries for your records
To set up a standing order, call (708) 505-6994 and ask for our standing order team. We will build the schedule with you in a single call.
Frequently Asked Questions for Social Workers
How do I refer a client to Dream Care Rides?
Call (708) 505-6994 or email info@dreamcarerides.com. Provide your client’s name, pickup address, destination, appointment time, and mobility level. We confirm availability within minutes. There is no formal referral form — a phone call is all it takes.
Can I set up recurring transport for clients with regular appointments?
Yes. We offer standing orders for patients with recurring appointments like dialysis, chemotherapy, physical therapy, or wound care. One setup call covers weeks or months of reliable transport. Your client gets the same driver whenever possible for consistency and comfort.
Do you transport Medicaid patients?
Medicaid accepted in select service areas — call (708) 505-6994 to check availability. Most clients use our competitive private pay rates, which offer reliable transport without the delays and inconsistency of broker-dispatched systems.
What if my client needs a wheelchair van or stretcher?
We operate a fleet of wheelchair-accessible vans with hydraulic lifts and stretcher ambulettes with trained attendants. Tell our dispatch team the mobility level and any equipment needs when you call. We match the right vehicle to every patient.
Can I book a same-day ride for a client?
Yes. We confirm same-day ambulatory and wheelchair transport within 30 minutes of your call. Stretcher transport is typically confirmed within 60 minutes depending on vehicle availability. For truly urgent situations, call us directly at (708) 505-6994.
What areas do you cover?
We serve 80+ communities across the greater Chicago metropolitan area including Cook County, Will County, DuPage County, Lake County, and parts of northwest Indiana. Long-distance medical transport is also available for transfers between cities and states.
Ready to Help Your Client Get a Ride?
Call us now and we will schedule your client's transport while you are on the phone. Same-day availability for ambulatory and wheelchair.
Dream Care Rides Partnerships Team
The Dream Care Rides partnerships team works with social workers, discharge planners, and case managers across Illinois and Indiana. Contact us at (708) 505-6994 or info@dreamcarerides.com.