National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

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Vermont 2021

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:
Vermont Assistive Technology Program
State AT Program Title:
State AT Program URL
www.atp.vt.gov
Mailing Address:
NOB 1 North, 280 State Drive
City:
Waterbury
State:
Vermont
Zip Code:
05671
Program Email:
dail.atinfo@vermont.gov
Phone:
802-241-0285
TTY:
802-241-0341

Lead Agency

Agency Name:
Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation
Mailing Address:
HC 2 South 280 State Drive
City:
Waterbury
State:
Vermont
Zip Code:
05671
Program URL:
www.vocrehab.vt.gov

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):
Phillip Seiler
Title:
Program Director
Phone:
802-241-0312
E-mail:
phillip.seiler@vermont.gov
Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):
Title:
Phone:
E-mail:
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):
Diane Dalmasse
Title:
DVR Director
Phone:
802-241-0317
E-mail:
diane.dalmasse@vermont.gov

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

Loan Applications
Area of Residence Total
Metro
RUCC 1-3 		Non-Metro
RUCC 4-9
Approved Loan made 11 26 37
Approved Not made 00 00 00
Rejected 00 00 00
Total 11 26 37

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income: $9,264 Highest Income: $148,503

Average Income
Sum of Incomes Loans Made Average Annual Income
$1,881,256 37 $50,845

Number and Percentage of Loans Made to Applicants by Income Range
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 02 07 10 07 05 06 37
Percentage of Loans 5.41% 18.92% 27.03% 18.92% 13.51% 16.22% 100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan Number of Loans Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans 37 100%
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 37 100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan Number of Loans Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans 37 $371,409
Partnership Loans 00 $0
Total 37 $371,409

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest 3%
Highest 3%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates Number of Loans Made Average Interest Rate
111 37 3%

Number of Loans Made by Interest Rate
Interest Rate Number of loans
0.0% to 2.0% 00
2.1% to 4.0% 37
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 37

5. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed

Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed
Type of AT Number of Devices Financed Dollar Value of Loans
Vision 04 $9,195
Hearing 49 $125,909
Speech communication 00 $0
Learning, cognition, and developmental 00 $0
Mobility, seating and positioning 00 $0
Daily living 06 $45,666
Environmental adaptations 00 $0
Vehicle modification and transportation 06 $190,639
Computers and related 00 $0
Recreation, sports, and leisure 00 $0
Total 65 $371,409

6. Defaults

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? 0


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? 0

D. Anecdote

We had a young gentleman this year that was in need of a modified vehicles to get him to his appointments. The family had grown out of the vehicle they were currently using. The family was able to put a sizable down payment towards the vehicle but the young man was unable to get a co-borrower in his immediate family that qualified. His uncle agreed to co-sign the loan for the family, and they were able to get their new vehicle. Their 3% independence loan was more than 10% better than they were offered at any other location. The low interest rate along with their down payment made this payment very affordable for the family.

Impact Area

Member #2 came to Opportunities Credit Union as a referral from Miracle ear. Member #2 is retired collecting social security, but still works part time. He was having difficulty hearing which was not only impacting his home life, but his part time job. We were able to get him a low cost loan for hearing aids. This allowed him to have a better home life and allowed him to keep his job.

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 04 04
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 04 04
5. None of the above 00 00 33 33
6. Subtotal 00 00 37 37
7. Nonrespondent 00 00 00 00
8. Total 00 00 37 37
9. Performance on this measure NaN% NaN% 10.81%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 13 35.14%
Satisfied 24 64.86%
Satisfied somewhat 00 0%
Not at all satisfied 00 0%
Nonrespondent 00 0%
Total Surveyed 37
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 04
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan 01
C. Total 05

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 05

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 01 $199 $0 $199
Speech Communication 00 $0 $0 $0
Learning, Cognition and Developmental 00 $0 $0 $0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning 02 $1,600 $400 $1,200
Daily Living 00 $0 $0 $0
Environmental Adaptations 00 $0 $0 $0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation 00 $0 $0 $0
Computers and Related 01 $69 $0 $69
Recreation, Sports and Leisure 00 $0 $0 $0
Total 04 $1,868 $400 $1,468

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 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 00 $0 $0 $0
Daily Living 01 $25 $0 $25
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 01 $25 $0 $25

D. Anecdote

During the pandemic of 2020 it was difficult for in person sales between AT Exchange members. If it was not for the determination of one AT Exchange member, they may never have received a new van in their preferred budget! The AT Exchange member contacted our offices in August, with heavy doubt that the accessible van, listed in April of that year was still available. The buyer had a very limited budget and their current van, was no longer in running condition so they had essentially lost their independence to travel from home. Buyer and AT staff tried for several days to get a hold of the seller and almost gave up hope. Finally, the seller, contacted via email by staff, reached out and explained they had a new phone number and that the van was still available! In a matter of days, the two were put in contact and the accessible van was sold to the AT Exchange member who was very much in need of it. They have now gained back their independence to access the outside world when needed. It is unclear why the specific data from the transaction is not in the aggregate data reported by our system and we are looking into the reasons. We do have other confirming documentation, however.

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 01 00 01
2. AT was only available through the AT program. 01 01 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 01 02 01 04
5. None of the above 00 00 00 00
6. Subtotal 01 02 01 04
7. Nonrespondent 00 01 00 01
8. Total 01 03 01 05
9. Performance on this measure 100% 66.67% 100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 04 80%
Satisfied 00 0%
Satisfied somewhat 00 0%
Not at all satisfied 00 0%
Nonrespondent 01 20%
Total Surveyed 05
Response rate % 80%

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) 277
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding 09
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation 08
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity 06
Total 300

B. Short-Term Device Loan by Type of Borrower

LOANS BY TYPE OF BORROWER
Type of Individual or Entity Number of Device Borrowers
Desicion-making All other Purposes Total
Individuals with Disabilities 118 00 118
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives 25 00 25
Representative of Education 59 00 59
Representative of Employment 04 00 04
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation 81 00 81
Representatives of Community Living 05 00 05
Representatives of Technology 08 00 08
Total 300 00 300

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 of Devices
Desicion-making All other Purposes Total
Vision 14 00 14
Hearing 42 00 42
Speech Communication 39 00 39
Learning, Cognition and Developmental 41 00 41
Mobility, Seating and Positioning 09 00 09
Daily Living 112 00 112
Environmental Adaptations 17 00 17
Vehicle Modification and Transportation 00 00 00
Computers and Related 184 00 184
Recreation, Sports and Leisure 12 00 12
Total 470 00 470

E. Anecdote

A gentleman with ALS and his occupational therapist reached out to VATP for assistance with alternative access to his iOS devices. He was using the Kensington mouse with his foot on the floor while seated, but he could no longer tolerate sitting upright. When reclined, the Kensington mouse ball dislodges if mounted perpendicular to the floor. We brainstormed switch control with his feet, but we decided it may not be the easiest solution long term. Instead, he trialed sip and puff and head tracking on his iPad Pro and added his iPhone to the device controls. He learned how to navigate the systems immediately and now can independently answer phone calls, emails and engage in entertainment.

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 81 41 55 177
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs 08 13 25 46
Subtotal 89 54 80 223
Have not made a decision 16 05 08 29
Subtotal 105 59 88 252
Nonrespondent 10 05 10 25
Total 115 64 98 277
Performance on this measure 84.76% 91.53% 90.91%

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. 04 00 04 08
2. AT was only available through the AT program. 05 02 03 10
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. 01 02 00 03
4. Subtotal 10 04 07 21
5. None of the above 00 00 00 00
6. Subtotal 10 04 07 21
7. Nonrespondent 01 01 00 02
8. Total 11 05 07 23
9. Performance on this measure 100% 100% 100%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 242 80.67%
Satisfied 15 5%
Satisfied somewhat 08 2.67%
Not at all satisfied 01 0.33%
Nonrespondent 34 11.33%
Total Surveyed 300
Response rate % 88.67%

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 03
Hearing 21
Speech Communication 06
Learning, Cognition and Developmental 33
Mobility, Seating and Positioning 04
Daily Living 41
Environmental Adaptations 09
Vehicle Modification and Transportation 00
Computers and Related 30
Recreation, Sports and Leisure 04
Total # of Devices Demonstrated 151

B. Types of Participants

Demonstrations by Participant Type
Type of Participant Number of Participants in Device Demonstrations
Individuals with Disabilities 139
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives 38
Representatives of Education 23
Representatives of Employment 28
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation 46
Representative of Community Living 08
Representative of Technology 06
Total 288

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program) 41
Service Provider 09
Vendor 70
Repair Service 01
Others 01
Total 122

D. Anecdote

A woman with a spinal cord injury at baseline affecting both her arms reached out to the AT Program after a recent right-hand injury about strategies and AT for computer access at her job. I demonstrated speech to text options, and she trialed a variety of creative mice and typing solutions to supplement speech to text AT. She was not yet ready to integrate Dragon into her professional life. After the trial, she fell in love with the Kensington trackball mouse and is set to go back to work in a couple weeks!

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 40 42 31 113
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs 01 05 04 10
Subtotal 41 47 35 123
Have not made a decision 04 13 09 26
Subtotal 45 60 44 149
Nonrespondent 01 00 01 02
Total 46 60 45 151
Performance on this measure 89.13% 78.33% 77.78%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services Number of Customers Percent
Highly satisfied 259 89.93%
Satisfied 24 8.33%
Satisfied somewhat 01 0.35%
Not at all satisfied 00 0%
Nonrespondent 04 1.39%
Total 288
Response rate % 98.61%

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. 04 01 08 13
2. AT was only available through the AT program. 06 03 04 13
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long. 01 02 00 03
4. Subtotal 11 06 12 29
5. None of the above 00 00 33 33
6. Subtotal 11 06 45 62
7. Nonrespondent 01 02 00 03
8. Total 12 08 45 65
9. Performance on this measure 90.91% 57.14% 26.67% 41.27%
ACL Performance Measure 85%
Met/Not Met Not 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 121 83 86 290
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs 09 18 29 56
Subtotal 130 101 115 346
Have not made a decision 20 18 17 55
Subtotal 150 119 132 401
Nonrespondent 11 05 11 27
Total 161 124 143 428
Performance on this measure 86.09% 84.87% 86.47% 85.86%
ACL Performance Measure 90%
Met/Not Met Not Met

Overall Satisfaction Rating

Customer Rating of Services Percent ACL Target Met/Not Met
Highly satisfied and satisfied 98.31% 95% Met
Response Rate 93.81% 90% Met

Training

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

Training by Participant Type
Type of Participant Number
Individuals with Disabilities 00
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives 00
Representatives of Education 00
Representatives of Employment 00
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation 02
Representatives of Community Living 00
Representatives of Technology 03
Unable to Categorize 29
TOTAL 34

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro Non Metro Unknown TOTAL
00 05 29 34

B. Training Topics

Trainings by Topic
Primary Topic of Training Participants
AT Products/Services 29
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice 00
Combination of any/all of the above 00
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access 05
Transition 00
Total 34

C. Description of Training Activities

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

Vermont held a virtual LAMP training in early October 2020. We know 29 individuals were present on the first day, 14 for the first session of the second day, 17 for the final session. We do not have additional information about the attendees, however. The sessions were advertised to the VT, NH, and NY region, so the total number may include more than just the VT individuals.

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:

Two members of the state's Agency of Digital Services and three from the Agency of Human services attended the AT3 webinar on Accessibility for Web Content authors. All those that reported back found the session very helpful and used information they learned to help educate other staff within their areas on website accessibility.

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 02
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented 02
No known outcome at this time 00
Nonrespondent 01
Total 05
Performance Measure Percentage 80%
ACL Target Percentage 70%
Met/Not Met Met

E. Notes:

Technical Assistance

A. Frequency and Nature of Technical Assistance

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

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

VATP began discussions with the University of Vermont's new graduate OT program on areas of collaboration. As a result of these discussions, the program has been providing technical assistance to the OT Program on outfitting a new space on campus designed to be a model accessible living space with smart home technologies. This effort is ongoing.

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

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 August 11, three members of the Vermont Assistive Technology Team appeared on the Accessible Web Podcast. Accessible Web is a SaaS organization of web accessibility experts headquartered in Burlington, VT. Their flagship product, Accessible Web Console, is a suite of accessibility tools designed to help identify, understand and resolve accessibility issues. You can find an archive of the podcast on youtube at the following address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Ih2MwrIXs

2.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients AT Device/
Service		 AT Funding Total
Individuals with Disabilities 109 23 132
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives 83 27 110
Representative of Education 120 02 122
Representative of Employment 35 02 37
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation 90 18 108
Representative of Community Living 45 08 53
Representative of Technology 05 01 06
Unable to Categorize 03 00 03
Total 490 81 571

Notes:

Coordination/Collaboration and State Improvement Outcomes

Overview of Coordination/Collaboration Activities

Coordination/Collaboration activities are not required. You may report up to two MAJOR coordination/collaboration activities for this reporting period. How many will you be reporting? 1

A. Coordination/Collaboration

1. As concisely as possible, describe the partnership initiative. What activities/services were provided? Who are the major collaborating organizations and what is their role? Who is served/benefited? What funding was used to implement the initiative?

In FY21, Vermont AT Program worked with the Adult Services Division of VT's Department for Disability, Aging, and Independent Living on a supplemental grant for Money Follows the Person. In coordination with that program, VATP managed to secure funds for an AT position exclusively dedicated to supporting the Area Agencies on Aging and the No Wrong Door project. We hope to fill that position in FY22.

2. As concisely as possible, describe the measurable results of the initiative and any lessons learned. How did access to AT change as a result of the coordination/collaboration/partnership? How did awareness of AT change as a result of the partnership? How did the reach of the state AT program change as a result of the partnership? What made the partnership successful? What would you change or wish you had done differently? Provided funding/resources are available, will the initiative continue or is this a one-time event? What advice would you give for replication of the initiative? Please include URL for initiative if available.

The grant was approved and all work begins in FY22 and for the next 4 years. We anticipate it expanding AT access and knowledge throughout the state.

3. What focus areas(s) were addressed by the initiative?

Aging; Aging and Disability Network / No Wrong Door;

4. What AT Act authorized activity(s) were addressed?

Demonstration; Information & Assistance;

Overview of State Improvement Activities

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

Additional And Leveraged Funds

Did you have Additional and Leveraged Funding to Report? No

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

Fund Source Amount Use of Funds Data Reported

For any leveraged funding reported above for which data could not be reported, please describe the extenuating circumstances that precluded data from being reported and efforts to remediate the situation in future reporting periods.

B. 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).

Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance . Saved: Mon Mar 07 2022 11:17:40 GMT-0600 (Central Standard Time)

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This FY21 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.