National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

Minnesota 2018

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:
Minnesota STAR Program
State AT Program Title:
State AT Program URL
mn.gov/star
Mailing Address:
658 Cedar Street, Suite 358 Centennial Office Building
City:
Saint Paul
State:
MN
Zip Code:
55155
Program Email:
Star.Program@state.mn.us
Phone:
651-201-2640
TTY:
800-627-3529

Lead Agency

Agency Name:
Minnesota Department of Adminstration
Mailing Address:
50 Sherburne Avenue
City:
Saint Paul
State:
MN
Zip Code:
55155
Program URL:
mn.gov/admin

Implementing Entity

Name of Implementing Agency:
Mailing Address:
City
State:
Zip Code:
Program URL:

Program Director and Other Contacts

Program Director for State AT Program (last, first):
Moccia, Kim
Title:
Program Director
Phone:
651-201-2297
E-mail:
Kim.Moccia@state.mn.us
Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):
Beyer-Kropuenske, Laurie
Title:
Acting Assistant Commissioner
Phone:
651-201-2501
E-mail:
Laurie.Beyer-Kropuenske@state.mn.us
Primary Contact at Implementing Agency (last, first) - If applicable:
Title:
Phone:
E-mail:

Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director

Name (last, first):
Title:
Phone:
E-mail:

Certifying Representative

Name (last, first):
Beyer-Kropuenske, Laurie
Title:
Acting Assistant Commissioner
Phone:
651-201-2501
E-mail:
Laurie.Beyer-Kropuenske@state.mn.us

State Financing

Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include any State Financing? Yes
Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include conducting a Financial Loan Program? No

B. State Financing Activities that provide consumers with resources and services that result in the acquisition of AT devices and services

1. Overview of Activities Performed

How many other state financing activities that provide consumers with access to funds for the purchase of AT devices and services were included in your approved state plan? 01
Activity 1
How would you describe this state financing activity? Other: STAR administers Minnesota's centralized reasonable accommodation fund for Executive Branch agencies
2. Geographic Distribution, Number of Individuals Who Acquired AT Devices and Services and Number for whom Performance Measure Data are Collected
Geographic Distribution
County of Residence Individuals Served
A. Metro (RUCC 1-3) 10
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9) 00
C. Total Served 10

Performance Measure Number
Performance Measure Number
D. Excluded from Performance Measure 10
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures 00

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

Executive Branch agencies have a legal responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations, therefore this information should be excluded.

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded
Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded
Type of AT Device / Service Number of Devices
Funded
Value of
AT Provided
Vision 03 $5,044
Hearing 02 $2,159
Speech communication 00 $0
Learning, cognition, and developmental 00 $0
Mobility, seating and positioning 05 $12,577
Daily living 00 $0
Environmental adaptations 00 $0
Vehicle modification and transportation 00 $0
Computers and related 00 $0
Recreation, sports, and leisure 00 $0
Total 10 $19,780


C. State Financing Activities that Allow Consumers to Obtain AT at Reduced Cost

1. Overview of Activities Performed

How many state financing activities that allow consumers to obtain AT at a reduced cost were included in your approved state plan? 00

D. Anecdote

State employee received a handheld video magnifier as a part of a reasonable work accommodation.

Impact Area

Impact Area

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed Total
Education Employment Community Living
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. 00 00 00 00
2. AT was only available through the AT program. 00 00 00 00
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. 00 00 00 00
4. Subtotal 00 00 00 00
5. None of the above 00 00 00 00
6. Subtotal 00 00 00 00
7. Nonrespondent 00 00 00 00
8. Total 00 00 00 00
9. Performance on this measure NaN% NaN% NaN%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 10 100%
Satisfied 00 0%
Satisfied somewhat 00 0%
Not at all satisfied 00 0%
Nonrespondent 00 0%
Total Surveyed 10
Response rate % 100%

G. Notes:

In addition to the AT listed above, the accommodation fund approved 103 requests for ASL interpreters or CART services with a total value of $261,352.

Reutilization

A. Number of Recipients of Reused Devices

Activity Number of Individuals Receiving a Device from Activity
A. Device Exchange 04
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan 184
C. Total 188

Performance Measure
D. Device Exchange - Excluded from Performance Measure 00
E. Reassignment/Refurbishment and Repair and Open Ended Loans - Excluded from Performance Measure because AT is provided to or on behalf of an entity that has an obligation to provide the AT such as schools under IDEA or VR agencies/clients 00
F. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures 188

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

B. Device Exchange Activities

Device Exchange
Type of AT Device Number of Devices Exchanged Total Estimated Current Purchase Price Total Price for Which Device(s) Were Exchanged Savings to Consumers
Vision 00 $0 $0 $0
Hearing 00 $0 $0 $0
Speech Communication 03 $750 $0 $750
Learning, Cognition and Developmental 00 $0 $0 $0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning 00 $0 $0 $0
Daily Living 00 $0 $0 $0
Environmental Adaptations 01 $160 $0 $160
Vehicle Modification & Transportation 00 $0 $0 $0
Computers and Related 00 $0 $0 $0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure 00 $0 $0 $0
Total 04 $910 $0 $910

C. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassignment and/or Open Ended Loan Activities

Device Reassign/Repair/Refurbish and/or OEL
Type of AT Device Number of Devices Reassigned/Refurbished and Repaired Total Estimated Current Purchase Price Total Price for Which Device(s) Were Sold Savings to Consumers
Vision 03 $5,450 $0 $5,450
Hearing 01 $199 $0 $199
Speech Communication 145 $254,989 $0 $254,989
Learning, Cognition and Developmental 01 $150 $0 $150
Mobility, Seating and Positioning 01 $250 $0 $250
Daily Living 00 $0 $0 $0
Environmental Adaptations 33 $14,031 $0 $14,031
Vehicle Modification & Transportation 00 $0 $0 $0
Computers and Related 00 $0 $0 $0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure 00 $0 $0 $0
Total 184 $275,069 $0 $275,069

D. Anecdote

One of our partners, the ALS Association Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Chapter, provided an open-ended loan of a Mount'N Mover system to a gentleman diagnosed with ALS who uses a wheelchair and communication device. This open-ended loan allowed him to attach his communication device to his wheelchair. Now he can use his communication device with ease no matter where he finds himself--whether at home or in the community. This loan even allowed him to attend a special meeting with students at the University of Minnesota who are working on technology solutions (e.g., eye gaze, gesture and voice control systems) and wanted to understand better the needs and perspective of AT users.

Impact Area

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed Total
Education Employment Community Living
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. 00 00 185 185
2. AT was only available through the AT program. 00 02 01 03
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. 00 00 00 00
4. Subtotal 00 02 186 188
5. None of the above 00 00 00 00
6. Subtotal 00 02 186 188
7. Nonrespondent 00 00 00 00
8. Total 00 02 186 188
9. Performance on this measure NaN% 100% 100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 186 98.94%
Satisfied 02 1.06%
Satisfied somewhat 00 0%
Not at all satisfied 00 0%
Nonrespondent 00 0%
Total Surveyed 188
Response rate % 100%

G. Notes:

Device Loan

A. Short-Term Device Loans by Type of Purpose

Loans By Purpose
Primary Purpose of Short-Term Device Loan Number
Assist in decision-making (device trial or evaluation) 513
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding 19
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation 65
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity 26
Total 623

B. Short-Term Device Loan by Type of Borrower

LOANS By Borrower Type
Type of Individual or Entity Number of Device Borrowers
Individuals with Disabilities 137
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives 147
Representative of Education 255
Representative of Employment 25
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation 33
Representatives of Community Living 10
Representatives of Technology 16
Total 623

C. Length of Short-Term Device Loans

Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days 30

D. Types of Devices Loaned

Types of Devices Loaned
Type of AT Device Number
Vision 23
Hearing 36
Speech Communication 139
Learning, Cognition and Developmental 162
Mobility, Seating and Positioning 19
Daily Living 63
Environmental Adaptations 35
Vehicle Modification and Transportation 00
Computers and Related 83
Recreation, Sports and Leisure 98
Total 658

E. Anecdote

Summer is a kindergartener in Minnesota. She is working on augmenting her communication skills in the classroom, resource room, and speech/occupational therapy settings. Summer began with using no-tech communication tools such as photos and picture communication symbols. She then added the iPad Pro to her communication system. Her speech pathologist inquired about borrowing a dedicated device from one of STAR’s community partners, the Regional Assistive Technology Center. Summer began working with the Indi using one button touch access for communicating core words. She transitioned to using 2 buttons with an overlay and then increased to 4 buttons. Her functions of communication increased through making choices, requests, commenting, along with choosing to continue or discontinue an activity. Due to her successful use of the Indi, her IEP team documented more verbal communication across all settings throughout the school. Summer’s classroom teacher, has her start her school day routinely in the kindergarten classroom to participate in calendar, circle, and reading time. Summer also uses built-in vocabulary within the Indi to actively participate with peers during other classroom activities.

Impact Area

F. Access Performance Measures

Access Performance Measures
Response Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed Total
Education Employment Community Living
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs 220 15 129 364
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs 68 07 40 115
Subtotal 288 22 169 479
Have not made a decision 22 01 07 30
Subtotal 310 23 176 509
Nonrespondent 02 00 02 04
Total 312 23 178 513
Performance on this measure 92.9% 95.65% 96.02%

G. Acquisition Performance Measures

Acquisition Performance Measures
Response Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed Total
Education Employment Community Living
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. 34 01 08 43
2. AT was only available through the AT program. 11 07 02 20
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. 11 03 14 28
4. Subtotal 56 11 24 91
5. None of the above 14 00 05 19
6. Subtotal 70 11 29 110
7. Nonrespondent 00 00 00 00
8. Total 70 11 29 110
9. Performance on this measure 80% 100% 82.76%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 486 78.01%
Satisfied 116 18.62%
Satisfied somewhat 16 2.57%
Not at all satisfied 02 0.32%
Nonrespondent 03 0.48%
Total Surveyed 623
Response rate % 99.52%

I. Notes:

Device Demonstration

A. Number of Device Demonstrations by Device Type

Type of AT Device / Service Number of Demonstrations of AT Devices / Services
Vision 17
Hearing 06
Speech Communication 89
Learning, Cognition and Developmental 39
Mobility, Seating and Positioning 02
Daily Living 12
Environmental Adaptations 05
Vehicle Modification and Transportation 00
Computers and Related 34
Recreation, Sports and Leisure 02
Total # of Devices Demonstrated 206

B. Types of Participants

Demonstrations by Participant Type
Type of Participant Number of Participants in Device Demonstrations
Individuals with Disabilities 137
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives 42
Representatives of Education 39
Representatives of Employment 09
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation 65
Representative of Community Living 04
Representative of Technology 01
Total 297

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program) 72
Service Provider 103
Vendor 47
Repair Service 00
Others 00
Total 222

D. Anecdote

A mother and her young daughter, who only has the use of one hand, visited one of STAR's community partners in hopes of finding computer access solutions. The daughter tried several one-handed and smaller keyboards to see which one worked best. She decided on a smaller keyboard because it gave her fast access, without having to relearn the keyboard. This elementary school student also tried the Rollermouse, which allowed her to move the mouse cursor easily with one hand and even her elbows! The roller bar on this input device also performs mouse clicks eliminating the need for repetitive movement of a standard mouse. These features allowed this young student to continue using the computer without assistance.

Impact Area

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed Total
Education Employment Community Living
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs 60 59 80 199
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs 00 00 02 02
Subtotal 60 59 82 201
Have not made a decision 03 00 02 05
Subtotal 63 59 84 206
Nonrespondent 00 00 00 00
Total 63 59 84 206
Performance on this measure 95.24% 100% 97.62%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 274 92.26%
Satisfied 23 7.74%
Satisfied somewhat 00 0%
Not at all satisfied 00 0%
Nonrespondent 00 0%
Total 297
Response rate % 100%

G. Notes:

Overall Performance Measures

Overall Acquisition Performance Measure

Acquisition Performance Measures
Response Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed Total
Education Employment Community Living
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program. 34 01 193 228
2. AT was only available through the AT program. 11 09 03 23
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. 11 03 14 28
4. Subtotal 56 13 210 279
5. None of the above 14 00 05 19
6. Subtotal 70 13 215 298
7. Nonrespondent 00 00 00 00
8. Total 70 13 215 298
9. Performance on this measure 80% 100% 97.67% 93.62%
ACL Performance Measure 75% 75% 75% 75%
Met/Not Met Met Met Met Met

Overall Access Performance Measure

Access Performance Measures
Response Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed Total
Education Employment Community Living
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs 280 74 209 563
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs 68 07 42 117
Subtotal 348 81 251 680
Have not made a decision 25 01 09 35
Subtotal 373 82 260 715
Nonrespondent 02 00 02 04
Total 375 82 262 719
Performance on this measure 92.8% 98.78% 95.8% 94.58%
ACL Performance Measure 70% 70% 70% 70%
Met/Not Met Met Met Met Met

Training

A. Training Participants: Number and Types of Participants; Geographical Distribution

Training by Participant Type
Type of Participant Number
Individuals with Disabilities 03
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives 01
Representatives of Education 111
Representatives of Employment 05
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation 407
Representatives of Community Living 09
Representatives of Technology 17
Unable to Categorize 21
TOTAL 574

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro Non Metro Unknown TOTAL
387 175 12 574

B. Training Topics

Trainings by Topic
Primary Topic of Training Participants
AT Products/Services 80
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice 00
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access 90
Combination of any/all of the above 00
Transition 404
Total 574

B. Description of Training Activities

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

STAR's AT Specialist did a two-day training for occupational therapy students. The purpose of the training was to increase awareness of assistive technology and provide practical hands-on experience. The training including lecture and hands-on AT activities to help students better understand how AT benefits people with disabilities.

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

STAR's program director provided guidance and participated in a cross-agency webinar to train Minnesota's county caseworkers on assistive technology and new state requirements for considering assistive technology and documenting consideration in MnChoices Assessment and Support Plan for long-term services and care. Because of this training, 404 caseworkers in 78 of Minnesota's 87 counties learned about the benefits of AT, their responsibility for considering AT when assessing the consumer's needs and when developing a support plan; caseworkers also received a list of AT resources to use during the assessment and planning process.

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

STAR worked with its state Office of Accessibility to create online learning modules on how to create accessible Word documents. This training is available free at https://mn.gov/mnit/about-mnit/accessibility/training/

D. IT/Telecommunications Training Performance Measure

IT/Telecommunications Training Performance Measure
Outcome/Result From IT/Telecommunications Training Received Number
IT and Telecommunications Procurement or Dev Policies 90
Training or Technique Assistance will be developed or implemented 00
No known outcome at this time 00
Nonrespondent 00
Total 90
Performance Measure Percentage 100%
RSA Target Percentage 70%
Met/Not Met Met

E. Notes:

Technical Assistance

A. Frequency and Nature of Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance by Recipient Type
Education 29%
Employment 2%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation 0%
Community Living 63%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT) 6%
Total 100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

STAR's program director provided technical assistance to the state's Department of Education in connection with a new statutory requirement to review the use of assistive technology by students and recommend changes to encourage child-centered assistive technology plans to be included in Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) and Individual Education Programs.

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

In response to Minnesota Executive Order 14-14, Star's program director worked on a cross-agency team that provided disability and assistive technology technical assistance to improve the on-boarding of new state employees with disabilities.

C. Notes:

Public Awareness

Public Awareness Activities

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. On April 21, 2018, STAR staff participated in Family Day, an annual event hosted by Minnesota’s Department of Education to inform families of children (birth to 21) with disabilities about the benefits of assistive technology. In addition to exhibiting at the event, STAR’s AT Specialist presented information on AT and services provided by STAR. After the short presentation, families were encouraged to visit AT stations to explore a range of assistive technology devices by category (e.g., vision, hearing, and learning). Time was also set aside to talk to families and answer their specific AT questions.

2.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients AT Device/
Service
AT Funding Total
Individuals with Disabilities 39 04 43
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives 75 01 76
Representative of Education 10 00 10
Representative of Employment 25 00 25
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation 40 01 41
Representative of Community Living 08 00 08
Representative of Technology 05 00 05
Unable to Categorize 01 00 01
Total 203 06 209

Notes:

State Improvement Outcomes

State improvement outcomes are not required. You may report up to two MAJOR state improvement outcomes for this reporting period. How many will you be reporting? 00

A. 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.


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.)


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


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.


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.)


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

Additional And Leveraged Funds

Additional and Leveraged Funds

Did you have Additional and Leveraged Funding to Report? Yes

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

State Plan Activities
Fund Source Amount Use of Funds
State Appropriations$19,780Device Loan
Amount: $19,780

B. Leveraged Funding for Activities Not in State Plan (data not previously reported in other activity sections)

Non-State Plan Activities
Fund Source Amount Use of Funds Individuals Served Other Outcome

C. Describe any unique issues with your data in this section (e.g., the reason why you were unable to report the number of individuals served with additional or leveraged funds).


Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs . Saved: Wed Mar 13 2019 13:51:18 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)


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This FY18 State AT Program Annual Progress Report was exported from the National Assistive Technology Act Data System (NATADS). NATADS was developed with partial support from the Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance.