National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Statewide AT Program (Information to be listed in national State AT Program Directory)

Lead Agency

Implementing Entity

Program Director and Other Contacts

Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director

Certifying Representative

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

3. Loan Type

4. Interest Rates

5. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed

6. Defaults

Activity 1

2. Geographic Distribution, Number of Individuals Who Acquired AT Devices and Services and Number for whom Performance Measure Data are Collected

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

G. Notes:

NV has the CARE Loan Fund & Assistive Technology for Independent Living (AT/IL) as options to obtain AT. The AT/IL program assists consumers with IL goals, identifying barriers, potential AT solutions, and the options that the consumer has available. The program’s focus is to keep individuals living in their community. Types of AT can include home access mods, vehicle mods, and AT that is necessary for daily living. The program prioritizes services related to a Transition from institutional living, as well as Preventative. The reported data is based on closed AT/IL consumer Plans in the reporting year. The AT data reported is only where state funding was used to purchase AT. However, the caseload consisted of 384 Independent Living Goals set and 274 met. 63 consumer Goals had Prevention implications, supporting living in the community and not in an institutional setting, 59 closed Goal Met. There were 51 AT solutions through other resources and not reported in the APR.

If a number is reported in D you must provide a description of the reason the individuals are excluded from the performance

G. Notes:

NATC community partner CARE Chest of Sierra Nevada has maintained this significant Reutilization of AT in Nevada for over 30 years. Collaborating with organizations providing food and resources to rural communities and have expanded to the Las Vegas area, the most populated area in the state. Adding more value, the program makes sanitized equipment available for demonstrations and short-term decision-making loans. Our AT Resource Centers incorporated the state’s telecommunications equipment program into their services. Providing access to no-cost telecommunication devices statewide.

I. Notes:

The number of devices being loaned has increased by 57% from last year, although we still are not where we want to be. There have been many complications in re-establishing a AT Resource Center in our most populated area the past 4 years. From enduring covid and our ATRC being able to find, hire, and maintain qualified staff are the biggest challenges. We continue to set Goals to increase vital, decision-making opportunities for consumers statewide.

G. Notes:

The number of Demonstrations has increased by 68% from last year, although we still are not where we want to be. There have been many complications in re-establishing a AT Resource Center in our most populated area the past 4 years. From enduring covid and our ATRC being able to find, hire, and maintain qualified staff are the biggest challenges. We continue to set Goals to increase vital, decision-making opportunities for consumers statewide.

C. Description of Training Activities

Describe innovative one high-impact assistance training activity conducted during the reporting period:

In the spring of 2023 the AT Resource Center was approached by the Governors Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and its Partners in Policymaking Class to provide training to participant leaders. Partners in Policymaking creates a supportive and educational environment to help individuals change habits, expectations and attitudes about themselves and their loved ones with developmental disabilities. The free program equips people with leadership skills to impact their communities and to address change through change in policies. The goal of the training was to discuss AT and gaps in services and the importance of advocating for AT across the lifespan. People with disabilities and family members left with a better sense of assistive technology and its importance to the lives of people trying to access services and supports and live in communities of their choice.

Briefly describe one training activity related to transition conducted during the reporting period:

In the summer of 2023, the AT Resource Center was approached by the Nevada Commission on the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Speech Impaired along with the Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation to provide training at their summer camp for transition age youth. Kids were 14-22 years of age. The major goal of the training was to address the importance of AT in transition for young adults who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired. NV ATRC staff discussed informed decision making and independent living throughout the training with the overall goal of improving the knowledge of AT and to be better self-advocates during transition periods that might require assistive technology. The impact of having other peers with disabilities there to share similar stories of barriers, even though not identical, had a lasting impact.

Briefly describe one training activity related to Information and Communication Technology accessibility:

As part of our continued collaboration with the United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN) the AT Resource Center was approached in March of 2023 to provide training to their staff regarding assistive technology and access to accessible information and communication technology, and its importance in their efforts in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. The purpose of the training was to inform United Way Staff of the barriers that people with disabilities might face when trying to participate in employment and accessing services that are not accessible and useable. AT Resource Center staff discussed peer-based examples of challenges and how AT was incorporated or used to address the barrier that ultimately allowed them to accomplish a goal. The impact of the training was that United Way Staff now have a better understanding of the AT Resource Center and expectations with the referral process. Participants also had access to a variety of current technologies that people with various disabilities might use on a daily basis and to be more independent in; telecommunication, accessing information and supports, self-care, medications, mobility, cooking, computer applications and supports, screen readers and optical character recognition, magnification, learning and literacy, and effective communication.

E. Notes:

B. Description of Technical Assistance

Describe Innovative one high-impact assistance activity that is not related to transition:

In the winter of 2023, the AT Resource Center was contacted by Aging and Disability Services Division to discuss on going collaboration and technical assistance regarding our Telecommunication Equipment Distribution Program and the FCC’s push to move internet-based communication and Relay Services in the future. The Relay Administrator Mr. Firth presented a short term and long-term plan of timelines and when changes were going to occur, as well as a general discussion from a process perspective how we were going to reach out to consumers, and what the State might need to undertake from a policy perspective in order to align with the Federal implementation of this decision. This will be a major change for consumers in Nevada, especially those in remote rural areas of the State that have less than adequate Internet Services.

Breifly describe one technical assistance activity related to transition conducted during the reporting period:

During the fall of 2022 discussions continued with the State of Nevada Medicaid offices and two of their programs. Medicaid FOCIS and Money Follows the Person. The need for technical assistance was to address gaps in services involving an individual’s opportunity to have the support they need to live in the place of their choice. In addition, it is an opportunity to streamline processes and procedures to enhance the understanding of programs involved, create better referrals, and to ensure that assistive technology programs and services play a major role in all aspects of the transition process.

C. Notes:

Public Awareness Narratives

Describe in detail at least one and no more than two innovative or high-impact public awareness activities conducted during this reporting period. Highlight the content/focus of the awareness information shared, the mechanism used to disseminate or communicate the awareness information, the numbers and/or types of individuals reached, and positive outcomes resulting from the activity. If quantative numbers are available regarding the reach of the activity, please provide those: however, quantative data is not required.

1. Between October 2022 and September 2023, CARE Chest conducted several smaller traditional media campaigns designed to increase the public's education and awareness in relation to the organization's AT reuse, AFP loan, and AT/IL programs. Between broadcast and social media efforts more than 500,000 Nevadans were reached and exposed to CARE Chest's educational messaging. As a result of these efforts, CARE Chest has experienced a 24% increase in the demand for our programs and services. The organization had forecasted and planned for a 15-17% increase.

2. CARE Chest's Rural and Mobile Outreach teams have dramatically increased their community engagement, education and awareness efforts between October 2022 and September 2023. The team, which operates state-wide, routinely visits 43 communities monthly to conduct education and awareness activities but also to distribute services. Annually, this team interacts with more than 6,000 Nevadans who go on to access services at CARE Chest.

Notes:

Our objective is to reach consumers that can benefit and need our program services as directly as possible. Focusing on events, disability groups, and organizations/agencies that provide service or supports to people with disabilities. The NATC wants to receive good referrals and provide good referrals. If an inappropriate referral is received the program reaches out and encourages an in-service training. Likewise, if we make an inappropriate referral the program would request corrective information. For many years we have tried connecting referral information to make determinations where outreach is needed and identify different strategies. It is a challenge and we have not found a perfect solution to accomplish this yet. In the NATADs system we collect the referral source as best as we can from the consumer's description. While the consumer may name the specific referral source, it is not often possible to determine those sources’ connection to the NATC's public awareness

Overview of Coordination/Collaboration Activities

B. State Improvements

1. In one or two sentences, describe the outcome. Be as specific as possible about exactly what changed during this reporting period as a result of the AT program's initiative.

The outcome of coordination and collaboration with the United Way was that the relationship over time has grown and that both organizations have a better understanding of each other’s programs, referral processes, and other gaps in services that will continue to be addressed in order to provide a better service to the individuals we serve.

2. In one or two sentences, describe the written policies, practices, and procedures that have been developed and implemented as a result of the AT program's initiative. Include information about how to obtain the full documents, such as a Web site address or e-mail address of a contact person, but do not include the full documents here. (If there are no written polices, practices and procedures, explain why.)

In this relationship the goal was to establish an on-going partnership and to work towards implementing effective practices and what could be expected with that collaboration. Informal practices and procedures were developed and there is a greater understanding from a functional perspective of how systems can incorporate the actual users of assistive technology in all aspects of one’s organization. A more formal outcome and policy change is anticipated with future endeavors with the United Way.

3. What was the primary area of impact for this state improvement outcome?

Community Living