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:

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:

The majority of people receive one recycled device such as one phone or one locked medication dispenser. They are not receiving multiple devices.

I. Notes:

The loan period for our program has been the same since 1994-42 days. This includes the shipping to and from the individual, which can take up to 1.5 weeks. This effectively makes our loan less than 35 days in some cases.

G. Notes:

B. Description of Training Activities

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

ND Assistive trained 184 students in assistive technology throughout the year at the following Universities/Departments: University of North Dakota/Occupational Therapy Department; University of Mary-Bismarck/Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Special Education Departments; University of Mary-Fargo-Occupational Therapy Department; Minnesota State University-Moorhead/Speech Pathology Department; North Dakota State University/Human Development Class; Northland Technical College/Occupational Therapy Assistant Program; and North Dakota State College of Science/Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. The trainings consisted of general assistive technology devices, services, and applications. These trainings were conducted to provide information and resources on assistive technology for use after graduation.

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

On two separate occasions during this reporting year, ND Assistive trained the North Dakota education transition teams from Region 5 and Region 6 in the areas of ND Assistive services and assistive technology to help transitioning students be more independent and safe. This included tours, both onsite and virtually, of the ND Assistive Home First Demonstration Center with smart home technology from their new Smart Home First Project. These teams were comprised of 24 individuals from university disability services, schools, residential facilities, therapists, independent living centers, vocational rehabilitation, ND Department of Public Instruction, the ARC, and more.

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

ND Assistive provided training on document accessibility to a representative of the ND Information Technology Department (ITD). During the training document accessibility to include programs such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat was discussed. The new “Web and Document Accessibility Training” webpage of the ND Assistive website was discussed and demonstrated. This site was a collaboration with the State of Minnesota’s State AT Act program, MN STAR, and the MN State Office of Accessibility, and contains seven modules on Microsoft Word Accessibility as well as links to other resources. Although there was no known outcome at the time from this training, this training marked the beginning of what we hope to be a strong collaborative effort in the area of accessible document training for IDT staff and eventually the staff of other government departments.

E. Notes:

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

Over the last reporting period, ND Assistive provided over 20 hours of technical assistance to the Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization in Fargo, North Dakota. HERO organization is a non-profit that collects and distributes donated healthcare supplies and durable medical equipment to those in need locally and globally at low or no cost. This assistance was provided by assistive technology consultants, program coordinators, the program director, the acting CEO, and a couple of members of the board of directors with over 60 years of assistive technology experience between them all. The technical assistance provided was regarding funding sources, collaborators, public awareness, and more. This technical assistance will continue next year.

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

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. North Dakota Assistive received a $75,000 grant from the Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation. The award is part of the High Impact Innovative Assistive Technology Grant Program, and the funds supported the Smart Home First Project. This Smart Home First Project was developed to improved access, build awareness, and increase knowledge of the incredible benefits of smart home assistive technology (AT) for rural North Dakotans with paralysis, their care providers, and the professionals that serve them. ND Assistive used the grant dollars to expand their two existing Home First Centers (simulated homes, located in Mandan and Fargo, filled with assistive technology in every room) into state-of-the-art smart homes. They set up working units of many smart home products such as smart ceiling fans, smart window blinds, smart thermostats, smart water faucets, and smart door locks. Each center has a variety of these devices and various access methods from speech to switch control to eye gaze. They also have increased the number of smart home devices available for short-term loans to allow one to try-before-they-buy. ND Assistive staff continue to work with their partners throughout the state to connect with individuals directly in their centers, on-site in homes and/or facilities, and virtually via video conferencing. Their partners for this project include Able, Inc., Altru Health Systems, Dakota Center for Independent Living, Essentia Health, Family Voices, Freedom Resource Center for Independent Living, Jamestown Regional Medical Center, and North Dakota Protection and Advocacy. The grant started on March 15, 2019. As of September 30, 2019, ND Assistive had conducted 49 Smart Home First Center tours and/or presentations serving over 533 people. These tours and presentations were conducted onsite or virtually through video conferencing. These events resulted in more individuals seeking our services in the areas of equipment demonstration, equipment loan, alternative financial loan program, and the Possibilities Last Resort Program.

2. During this reporting period, ND Assistive created an initiative to reach out to rural North Dakota seniors to provide education on their services and the benefits of assistive technology for people with disabilities and those experiencing the effects of aging. They traveled to 21 Senior Centers across rural North Dakota and presented to 596 seniors. These presentations resulted in numerous referrals for services through their three equipment distribution programs, as well as, their AT Act-related programs such as the last resort program and the alternative financial loan program.

Notes: