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

G. Notes:

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

G. Notes:

I. Notes:

G. Notes:

B. Description of Training Activities

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

In Fy18, MassMATCH hosted a high impact training on the use of Pressure Mapping Technology for the staff of the Tewksbury State Hospital. The training was conducted by Mary Jo Wagner, OTR/L, ATP who works for the state Dept. of Developmental Services. The content was developed following an initial set of trainings conducted under the Weight and Seating Independence Project, funded by the Reeves Foundation in 2017, which has since been extended statewide. A total of 15 medical and other professionals from within the hospital attended the training. The topics covered included issues to consider when working with individuals with all forms of paralyses, where to find potentially useful equipment, and where to find additional resources. This 1.5 hour training was very hands-on and allowed participants to try out pressure mapping technology systems. All the participants stated that it gave them a better appreciation of the issues people with paralysis have to deal with. The content of the training is being further refined so that it can be offered online via webinar to the general public sometime in the spring of 2019.

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

During FY18, MassMATCH staff again collaborated with our partners at the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) to develop and host a series of 9 assistive technology trainings across the state. These were all advanced trainings and followed another training series we hosted in FY17. The curriculum of the new trainings was revised based on feedback received from the year before. All 9 trainings were considered Advanced and provided a detailed exploration of the use of the Transition Assistance to Community Living Environment (TACLE) assessment tool. This simple tool, developed under MassMATCH, was designed for use with individuals who are planning to move from institutions into the community, and helps consumers and professionals identify areas of independent living in which the consumer may benefit from the use of assistive technology, as well as helping them identify resources to acquire the needed AT. To broaden the scope of the training and attract a wider audience MassMATCH engaged Dr. Kevin Berner of Easter Seals MA to conduct the trainings, and provided professional education credits for various professional who took the trainings. Participants included staff of local Aging and Disability Resource Consortia organizations, such as transition coordinators, waiver case managers, housing search entities, options counselors, Adult Family Care programs, Veterans Service Officers, Supported Living Providers, etc.. With the increased clinical focus and CEUs, this training series was able to attract other professionals such as nurses, social workers and Occupational therapists. A total of 208 individuals attended the 9 training sessions across the state.

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

E. Notes:

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

The Weight and Seating Independence Project was funded by the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation in FY17 and FY18, to provide access to wheelchair scales and pressure mapping technology to people with paralysis living in Western Mass. At the end of the grant period MassMATCH decided to expand the project statewide. During the project it had become clear that the sole PMT brand in the inventory was inadequate, and the ATRC staff decided to find another brand to add to the inventory. Kobena Bonney, the MassMATCH Program Coordinator, provided technical assistance to the two ATRC providers to help them determine what pressure mapping device to purchase. MassMATCH staff helped the ATRCs research available options and they were able to identify which brand to purchase. As a result, users of the device demo and loan program now have multiple PMT systems to choose from the inventory.

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

During the 2018 Fiscal Year, MassMATCH staff provided additional technical assistance to the Independent Living Center in Springfield, MA in connection with the Weight and Seating Independence Project. The primary goal of the WSIP is to enable individuals with SCI successfully live in the community. MassMATCH staff helped the ILC determine the best way to address a major problem with the wheelchair accessible platform scale at their location. The scale stop working for a while. When MassMATCH staff became aware of the situation, they intervened. Kobena Bonney, the program Coordinator reach out to the local ILC staff to help them diagnose the cause of the problem. He then worked with all the relevant parties to ensure all the necessary steps were taken resulting in the successful repair and recalibration of the scale. Once again, as a result of the TA provided, the wheelchair accessible platform scale in Springfield is fully operational again and servicing the needs of folks with SCI

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. During FY18 MassMATCH conducted targeted public AT presentations/demonstrations in connection with a new grant award we received from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The award is funding our Weight and Seating Independence Project (WSIP), which aims to improve the independence, autonomy and control of health and wellness by persons with paralysis in central and western Massachusetts by increasing awareness of and providing access to digital pressure mapping technology and wheelchair accessible scales in the least restrictive environment. As a result of the success of the Reeve Foundation funded one-year project, we decided to expand the Weight and Seating Independence Project statewide. We also incorporated the equipment into our existing device demo and loan programs in order to ensure its sustainability. We carried out additional public outreach to publicize the expansion of the project and wider availability of the equipment. We hosted four Open House events in different areas across the state. Those events were open to the public and we took the opportunity to celebrate the success of WSIP and demonstrated both the PMT and the wheelchair accessible scales. We also created a separate WSIP website where we posted information and resources about the project such as manuals, videos, etc. Other public awareness activities included electronic and printed flyers, Facebook/blog postings, newsletter and email articles, etc. In addition to the Open House events, MassMATCH staff brought examples of both the accessible scales and the pressure mapping technology to some of the larger conferences and events we attended, such as the 3-day Abilities Expo Boston, the annual Human Service Providers Conference, and the annual statewide ADA celebration hosted by the Statewide Independent Living Council. From the feedback we received, the presentations/demonstrations were very successful as they provided participants with valuable information about available AT resources in the state as well as concrete evidence of the impact of AT.

2.

Notes: