National Assistive Technology Act Data System
Annual Progress Report - Full Report
Montana 2020
General Information
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
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? | Yes |
| Area of Residence | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Metro RUCC 1-3 |
Non-Metro RUCC 4-9 |
||
| Approved Loan made | 04 | 04 | 08 |
| Approved Not made | 00 | 00 | 00 |
| Rejected | 02 | 00 | 02 |
| Total | 06 | 04 | 10 |
2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made
| Lowest Income: | $11,592 | Highest Income: | $119,798 |
|---|
| Sum of Incomes | Loans Made | Average Annual Income |
|---|---|---|
| $408,218 | 08 | $51,027 |
| Income Ranges | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15,000 or Less |
$15,001- $30,000 |
$30,001- $45,000 |
$45,001- $60,000 |
$60,001- $75,000 |
$75,001 or More |
||
| Number of Loans | 01 | 03 | 00 | 01 | 01 | 02 | 08 |
| Percentage of Loans | 12.5% | 37.5% | 0% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 25% | 100% |
3. Loan Type
| Type of Loan | Number of Loans | Percentage of loans |
|---|---|---|
| Revolving Loans | 08 | 100% |
| Partnership Loans | ||
| Without interest buy-down or loan guarantee | 00 | 0% |
| With interest buy-down only | 00 | 0% |
| With loan guarantee only | 00 | 0% |
| With both interest buy-down and loan guarantee | 00 | 0% |
| Total | 08 | 100% |
| Type of Loan | Number of Loans | Dollar Value of Loans |
|---|---|---|
| Revolving Loans | 08 | $129,834 |
| Partnership Loans | 00 | $0 |
| Total | 08 | $129,834 |
4. Interest Rates
| Lowest | 0% |
|---|---|
| Highest | 3.5% |
| Sum of Interest Rates | Number of Loans Made | Average Interest Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 08 | 3.125% |
| Interest Rate | Number of loans |
|---|---|
| 0.0% to 2.0% | 01 |
| 2.1% to 4.0% | 07 |
| 4.1% to 6.0% | 00 |
| 6.1% to 8.0% | 00 |
| 8.1% - 10.0% | 00 |
| 10.1%-12.0% | 00 |
| 12.1%-14.0% | 00 |
| 14.1% + | 00 |
| Total | 08 |
5. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed
| Type of AT | Number of Devices Financed | Dollar Value of Loans |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | 00 | $0 |
| Hearing | 01 | $5,990 |
| Speech communication | 01 | $7,300 |
| Learning, cognition, and developmental | 00 | $0 |
| Mobility, seating and positioning | 00 | $0 |
| Daily living | 02 | $620 |
| Environmental adaptations | 01 | $1,100 |
| Vehicle modification and transportation | 06 | $113,229 |
| Computers and related | 01 | $1,595 |
| Recreation, sports, and leisure | 00 | $0 |
| Total | 12 | $129,834 |
6. Defaults
| Number Loans in default | 00 |
|---|---|
| Net loss for loans in default | $0 |
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? | 00 |
|---|
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
Eamon is a power-chair user accustomed to going where he wants to go when he wants to go there, so when he moved in with his parents and found himself outside the jurisdiction of public transit, that got tricky. The local medical cab service was not going to be the answer either, since a roundtrip visit to the doctor cost $80. Without transportation, Eamon’s independence was severely diminished. That’s when he and mom Colleen decided to apply for a loan from the Montana Assistive Technology Loan Program (MATL). Eamon’s application was quickly approved and an accessible 2014 van purchased. Now caregivers can drive him where he wants to go. With COVID-19 afoot, there are restraints outside the family's control. Still, Colleen is grateful. “We’re not going many places,” she reports. “But we love it!”
E. 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 | 02 | 05 | 07 |
| 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 | 02 | 05 | 07 |
| 5. None of the above | 00 | 00 | 01 | 01 |
| 6. Subtotal | 00 | 02 | 06 | 08 |
| 7. Nonrespondent | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
| 8. Total | 00 | 02 | 06 | 08 |
| 9. Performance on this measure | NaN% | 100% | 83.33% | |
F. Customer Satisfaction
| Customer Rating of Services | Number of Customers | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Highly satisfied | 08 | 100% |
| Satisfied | 00 | 0% |
| Satisfied somewhat | 00 | 0% |
| Not at all satisfied | 00 | 0% |
| Nonrespondent | 00 | 0% |
| Total Surveyed | 08 | |
| Response rate % | 100% |
G. Notes:
Reutilization
A. Number of Recipients of Reused Devices
| Activity | Number of Individuals Receiving a Device from Activity |
|---|---|
| A. Device Exchange | 03 |
| B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan | 188 |
| C. Total | 191 |
| 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 | 191 |
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
| 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 | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 02 | $1,100 | $1,000 | $100 |
| Daily Living | 01 | $150 | $0 | $150 |
| Environmental Adaptations | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Vehicle Modification & Transportation | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Computers and Related | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total | 03 | $1,250 | $1,000 | $250 |
C. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassignment and/or Open Ended Loan Activities
| 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 | 27 | $20,525 | $1 | $20,524 |
| Hearing | 01 | $1,500 | $0 | $1,500 |
| Speech Communication | 08 | $4,425 | $0 | $4,425 |
| Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 01 | $800 | $0 | $800 |
| Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 205 | $123,395 | $0 | $123,395 |
| Daily Living | 24 | $3,884 | $0 | $3,884 |
| Environmental Adaptations | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Vehicle Modification & Transportation | 01 | $470 | $0 | $470 |
| Computers and Related | 12 | $11,200 | $0 | $11,200 |
| Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 00 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total | 279 | $166,199 | $1 | $166,198 |
D. Anecdote
At 90 years old, Elaine is tough. The former teacher and school counselor raised eight children and assisted her artist husband who lived in poor health for the last 30 years of his life. “It wasn’t easy,” she remembers. “But it was all do-able.” Now widowed, Elaine lives with impaired vision due to macular degeneration. No longer able to read, Elaine was pleased to borrow a used SARA as a long-term loan. Place a printed page on the SARA, and the device reads the text aloud. “I just say thank you,” Elaine says. “I use it every day. Sometimes I sit with it on the couch with my feet up, just listening.”
E. 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. | 14 | 02 | 169 | 185 |
| 2. AT was only available through the AT program. | 00 | 00 | 04 | 04 |
| 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 | 14 | 02 | 173 | 189 |
| 5. None of the above | 00 | 00 | 00 | 00 |
| 6. Subtotal | 14 | 02 | 173 | 189 |
| 7. Nonrespondent | 00 | 00 | 02 | 02 |
| 8. Total | 14 | 02 | 175 | 191 |
| 9. Performance on this measure | 100% | 100% | 98.86% | |
F. Customer Satisfaction
| Customer Rating of Services | Number of Customers | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Highly satisfied | 191 | 100% |
| Satisfied | 00 | 0% |
| Satisfied somewhat | 00 | 0% |
| Not at all satisfied | 00 | 0% |
| Nonrespondent | 00 | 0% |
| Total Surveyed | 191 | |
| Response rate % | 100% |
G. Notes:
Device Loan
A. Short-Term Device Loans by Type of Purpose
| Primary Purpose of Short-Term Device Loan | Number |
|---|---|
| Assist in decision-making (device trial or evaluation) | 377 |
| Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding | 04 |
| Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation | 10 |
| Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity | 01 |
| Total | 392 |
B. Short-Term Device Loan by Type of Borrower
| Type of Individual or Entity | Number of Device Borrowers |
|---|---|
| Individuals with Disabilities | 355 |
| Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives | 12 |
| Representative of Education | 07 |
| Representative of Employment | 00 |
| Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation | 18 |
| Representatives of Community Living | 00 |
| Representatives of Technology | 00 |
| Total | 392 |
C. Length of Short-Term Device Loans
| Length of Short-Term Device Loan in Days | 30 |
|---|
D. Types of Devices Loaned
| Type of AT Device | Number |
|---|---|
| Vision | 58 |
| Hearing | 23 |
| Speech Communication | 340 |
| Learning, Cognition and Developmental | 78 |
| Mobility, Seating and Positioning | 766 |
| Daily Living | 73 |
| Environmental Adaptations | 05 |
| Vehicle Modification and Transportation | 03 |
| Computers and Related | 101 |
| Recreation, Sports and Leisure | 34 |
| Total | 1,481 |
E. Anecdote
Mathalia is painfully shy. The 26-year-old with Down syndrome finds it difficult to make eye contact and speaks in a quiet whisper. When Mathalia was invited to take an active role in the Consumer Advisory Council of the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, mom Jan knew Mathalia would need additional support in order to be heard. They found success with the Winbridge Voice Amplifier they borrowed from MonTECH. With Winbridge, Mathalia can be heard during Council meetings, communicate with caregivers and co-workers, and vocally participate in business meetings for her potholder business. She even co-presented at the 8th Annual Great Beginnings, Great Families Virtual Conference.“She can participate in her online prayer group, and people can hear and understand,” Jan reports.“It makes Mathalia happy when people can hear her.”