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:

Individuals with disabilities in the St. Croix and St. Thomas/ St. John districts who are members of the Virgin Islands Association for Independent Living Centers received emergency weather alert radios as a hurricane preparedness measure.

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:

C. Description of Training Activities

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

Training on AT devices were provided to the director of independent living and four of her staff provided by the assistive technology specialist. Training included the overview and purpose of the emergency alert radio for hurricane preparedness for individuals with developmental, physical and mental disabilities. Emphasis was placed on training those individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and those who are blind or have significant vision loss.

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

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

Provided training to a teacher with low vision who needed to access his curriculum online, participate in teachers meetings conducted on Zoom and produce documents for teaching his students.

E. Notes:

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

Met with the audiologist at VI ENT to discuss referral to, and access to the low-interest loan program for the purchase of AT devices and services for her patients. I provided the audiologist with information on frequently asked questions, application process, our partnership with Banco Popular and terms and agreement of the low interest cash loans.

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

Was contacted by a vocational rehabilitation specialist at the Department of Human Services for technical assistance on the interest buy-down cash loan process and procedure designed to help individuals with disabilities acquire devices and and services. This TA was primarily for the transition of individuals who transition from school to work and for high school students transitioning to work programs, vocational schools and higher education. The VI State AT Program is working with Vocational Rehabilitation to create ongoing virtual training in AT activities for its youth transitioning to post secondary settings.These activities will be implemented out of the various AT centers on both the St. Thomas and St. John districts as well as through a transition to college program in which the VIUCEDD is facilitating access for people with disabilities.

C. Notes:

Activities are modified due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

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. The VI State At program in conjunction with the state AT program went on the radio programs on several occasions to promote a number of initiatives coming out the the State AT program. These include the Visit ability Act, where tax incentives are provided to increase the number of accessible residential and commercial locations, the free emergency radio giveaway, the low interest loan program and information about the Televised broadcast about the upcoming Voices That Count Disability and Aging policy forum.

2. The VIUCEDD had it's 15th annual Voices That Count forum in a virtual versus in person format due to COVID-19. The PI for this program provided information about the VI State AT program during this TV broadcast. The prerecorded session was television on local PBS station and broadcast in the St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix Districts for 4 different airings. The program was also uploaded to the VIUCEDD YouTube channel where it has a combined views of 111 for both districts. The local PBS station reaches viewship upwards of 70,000 Virgin Islanders living in the USVI and abroad.

Notes:

Information and assistance is provided in a variety to ways and recipients of the information and assistance include service providers, the disability community, family members, teachers of special education, audiologists, physical therapist, ASL interpreters. speech language pathologist, students and the general population.