National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

Back to state program information page

Maine 2022

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

Maine CITE: Community Inclusion through TEchnology

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

http:www.mainecite.org

Mailing Address:

46 University Dr

City:

Augusta

State:

Maine

Zip Code:

04330

Program Email:

info@maincecite.org

Phone:

207-621-3195

TTY:

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

Maine Department of Education

Mailing Address:

23 State House Station

City:

Augusta

State:

Maine

Zip Code:

04333

Program URL:

www.mdoe@maine.gov

Implementing Entity

Does your Lead Agency contract with an Implementing Entity to carry out the Statewide AT Program on its behalf? (Check if Yes)

Name of Implementing Agency:

Maine CITE

Mailing Address:

46 Univeristy Dr

City

Augusta

State:

Maine

Zip Code:

04330

Program URL:

www.mainecite.org

Program Director and Other Contacts

Program Director for State AT Program (last, first):

Wright, Jessica

Title:

Director

Phone:

207-621-3195

E-mail:

jwright@mainecite.org

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Whitlock, Tracy

Title:

Special Projects Coordinator

Phone:

207-624-6600

E-mail:

tracy.w.whitlock@maine.gov

Primary Contact at Implementing Agency (last, first) - If applicable:

Wright, Jessica

Title:

Director

Phone:

207-621-3195

E-mail:

jwright@mainecite.org

Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director

Name (last, first):

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Certifying Representative

Name (last, first):

Frazier, Erin

Title:

MDOE State Special Services Director

Phone:

207-624-6600

E-mail:

erin.frazier@maine.gov

State Financing

Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include any State Financing?

Did your approved state plan for this reporting period include conducting a Financial Loan Program?

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?

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?

D. Anecdote

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
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	00	NaN%
Satisfied	00	NaN%
Satisfied somewhat	00	NaN%
Not at all satisfied	00	NaN%
Nonrespondent	00	NaN%
Total Surveyed	00
Response rate %	NaN%

G. Notes:

Reutilization

Did your approved State Plan for this reporting period included conducting any device reuse activities?

A. Number of Recipients of Reused Devices

Activity	Number of Individuals Receiving a Device from Activity
A. Device Exchange	00
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	123
C. Total	123

Performance Measure
D. 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
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	123

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

B. Device Exchange Activities

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

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	81	$91,705	$5,797	$85,908
Daily Living	41	$2,578	$636	$1,942
Environmental Adaptations	00	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	01	$5,995	$50	$5,945
Computers and Related	00	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00	$0	$0	$0
Total	123	$100,278	$6,483	$93,795

D. Anecdote

In January, the C’s called Spurwink ALLTECH to ask if we had any Hoyer lifts for sale. We learned that their adult son, who has been disabled since birth, had come back home after living in a residential group home for many years. Due to recent pandemic-related staffing shortages, the group home had been unable to provide him with enough physical exercise and he had become deconditioned and less independent with walking and transfers. Because the Cs are older, they were advised by home health therapists to trial the use of a patient lift to transfer their son to and from his bed. After ALLTECH provided demonstrations of two similar, manual lifts in our re-sale inventory, the C’s, who had trialed a manual lift at home with their home health therapist, purchased one of the lifts at less than 10% of its retail value. They also borrowed a used sling to trial, and subsequently purchased it at a fraction of the cost. In this case, insurance would not cover a patient lift for someone who can walk and transfer with minimal to moderate assistance. Given that his senior-age caregivers were concerned about safety, this was the only financially feasible option for them to obtain this required piece of assistive technology. The C’s reported complete satisfaction with the lift and sling.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	00	00	52	52
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	17	17
4. Subtotal	00	00	69	69
5. None of the above	00	00	02	02
6. Subtotal	00	00	71	71
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	52	52
8. Total	00	00	123	123
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	NaN%	56.1%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	63	51.22%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	60	48.78%
Total Surveyed	123
Response rate %	51.22%

G. Notes:

The contractor conducting reuse activities went through a complete staffing change during the second half of the year and it appears performance and satisfaction data were not collected consistently during this period. This will be corrected in the future. The contractor generally deals with larger items such as wheelchair, walkers and scooters. They generally have about a 1:1 ratio people and devices.

Device Loan

Did your approved State Plan for this reporting period included conducting Short-Term Device Loans?

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)	75
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	12
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	33
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	05
Total	125

B. Short-Term Device Loan by Type of Borrower

LOANS BY TYPE OF BORROWER
Type of Individual or Entity	Number of Device Borrowers
Type of Individual or Entity	Desicion-making	All other Purposes	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	09	00	09
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	65	00	65
Representative of Education	01	07	08
Representative of Employment	00	00	00
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	00	29	29
Representatives of Community Living	00	11	11
Representatives of Technology	00	03	03
Total	75	50	125

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
Type of AT Device	Desicion-making	All other Purposes	Total
Vision	06	02	08
Hearing	08	04	12
Speech Communication	08	02	10
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	07	00	07
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	22	18	40
Daily Living	19	16	35
Environmental Adaptations	06	00	06
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00	00	00
Computers and Related	48	13	61
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	01	00	01
Total	125	55	180

E. Anecdote

V. identified that the AT 4 Maine Demonstration and Loan Program and accessibility through Gallant Therapy Services was a valuable resource to her. Victoria loaned out a medication dispenser system. V. shared that the loan allowed for her to explore a medication management system and determine what features were most important to her. For example, she shared that this device allowed for loud and visual alarm opportunities - which would be beneficial for a large variety of clientele, such as those that are hard of hearing. She shared that this loan assisted her in determining features that may be beneficial as well as features that may be unnecessary for specific clients she serves. V shared that she appreciated the flexibility that was offered with picking up and dropping off items anytime within the course of our business

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

F. Access Performance Measures

Access Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs	36	00	15	51
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	04	00	05	09
Subtotal	40	00	20	60
Have not made a decision	00	02	02	04
Subtotal	40	02	22	64
Nonrespondent	09	00	02	11
Total	49	02	24	75
Performance on this measure	100%	0%	90.91%

G. Acquisition Performance Measures

Acquisition Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	00	01	16	17
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	04	00	18	22
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	01	01	04	06
4. Subtotal	05	02	38	45
5. None of the above	01	00	01	02
6. Subtotal	06	02	39	47
7. Nonrespondent	01	01	01	03
8. Total	07	03	40	50
9. Performance on this measure	83.33%	86.96%	97.44%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	103	82.4%
Satisfied	11	8.8%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	01	0.8%
Nonrespondent	10	8%
Total Surveyed	125
Response rate %	92%

I. Notes:

Maine is working with contractors to increase loan and demonstrations numbers. While the number of loans for assisting in decision making is not where we would like it to be, it is a work in progress. We are increasing outreach in FY23 to reach more decision makers such as SLPs and OTs who can borrow equipment for evaluation.

Device Demonstration

A. Number of Device Demonstrations by Device Type

Type of AT Device / Service	Number of Demonstrations of AT Devices / Services
Vision	00
Hearing	00
Speech Communication	22
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	05
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	27
Daily Living	17
Environmental Adaptations	00
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	11
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	01
Total # of Device Demonstrations	83

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	28	00	28
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	29	22	51
Representatives of Education	12	52	64
Representatives of Employment	00	00	00
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	08	07	15
Representative of Community Living	02	00	02
Representative of Technology	04	00	04
Total	83	81	164

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	17
Service Provider	13
Vendor	55
Repair Service	00
Others	00
Total	85

D. Anecdote

An educator requested a demonstration of text-to-speech options for a student with learning disabilities. The educator was shown a variety of software and cloud based programs as well as reading pens. She was very excited to learn of the many low cost options that would be available to her student outside of school. She was also thrilled to hear of the ability to utilize the tools when testing. She decided to begin their journey by trialing a C-pen reader.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

E. Performance Measures

Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs	35	00	16	51
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	00	00	00	00
Subtotal	35	00	16	51
Have not made a decision	09	00	00	09
Subtotal	44	00	16	60
Nonrespondent	15	00	08	23
Total	59	00	24	83
Performance on this measure	59.32%	NaN%	66.67%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	138	84.15%
Satisfied	25	15.24%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	01	0.61%
Total	164
Response rate %	99.39%

G. Notes:

Overall Performance Measures

Overall Acquisition Performance Measure

Acquisition Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
1. Could only afford the AT through the AT program.	00	01	68	69
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	04	00	18	22
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	01	01	21	23
4. Subtotal	05	02	107	114
5. None of the above	01	00	03	04
6. Subtotal	06	02	110	118
7. Nonrespondent	01	01	53	55
8. Total	07	03	163	173
9. Performance on this measure	66.67%	50%	53.09%	53.53%
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
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs	71	00	31	102
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	04	00	05	09
Subtotal	75	00	36	111
Have not made a decision	09	02	02	13
Subtotal	84	02	38	124
Nonrespondent	24	00	10	34
Total	108	02	48	158
Performance on this measure	75.76%	0%	78.26%	75.51%
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	99.71%	95%	Met
Response Rate	82.77%	90%	Not Met

Training

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

Training by Participant Type
Type of Participant	Number
Individuals with Disabilities	14
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	08
Representatives of Education	89
Representatives of Employment	36
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	57
Representatives of Community Living	100
Representatives of Technology	23
Unable to Categorize	130
TOTAL	457

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
163	119	175	457

B. Training Topics

Trainings by Topic
Primary Topic of Training	Participants
AT Products/Services	36
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	00
Combination of any/all of the above	217
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	183
Transition	21
Total	457

C. Description of Training Activities

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

Introduction to Communication and Assessments training was provided to diverse audience of Maine residents to aid in the understanding of communication basics and what augmentative communication assessments should include. The training discussed using a team approach and provided free resources for additional information and assessments. Following the training, multiple attendees reported changing their assessment strategies.

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

Transition across the lifespan training discussed the importance of considering AT in the transition process. The session encouraged attendees to include AT in transition planning, provided resources to access AT and discussed easy to obtain, affordable devices to consider during transition planning.

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

Maine CITE was invited to provide training to employees of the state of Maine on creating accessible documents. The well attended session covered working in Microsoft Word and creating accessible content. By putting emphasis on how using document structure and built-in features could benefit the creator as well as the end user, there appeared to be a lot more engagement and excitement.

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	08
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	09
No known outcome at this time	140
Nonrespondent	26
Total	183
Performance Measure Percentage	9.3%
ACL Target Percentage	70%
Met/Not Met	Not Met

E. Notes:

Technical Assistance

A. Frequency and Nature of Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance by Recipient Type
Education	35%
Employment	00%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	00%
Community Living	25%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	40%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

Maine CITE sits on the Maine IT Accessibility Committee and meets regularly to discuss how to increase website and document accessibility across state agencies. During FY21-22, Maine's IT department invited Maine CITE to provide training to their staff on creating accessible content and assistive technologies. These trainings took place over two sessions and were well attended. As a result of the trainings, state employees have reached out to ask questions and get feedback on their documents. We will be providing additional training and support in the future.

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

Maine's Department of Education hired a transition coordinator during FY21-22 and Maine CITE has been working with the individual to increase awareness of the need for assistive technology and how we can incorporate it into the transition process. Through this collaboration, we spoken at regular meetings held by the transition specialist to address assistive technology and transition challenges. We are also in the process of expanding our activities.

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. Maine CITE tabled an exhibit for the fall Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities (MADSEC) two day conference. During the event we were able to speak directly with special education professionals about different assistive technologies and resources for accessing them. We also spoke about AT available for dyslexia and other reading disorders. While speaking, we encouraged educators to create their own content in an accessible fashion. During the conference many educators expressed excitement about different devices and methods to meet individual needs. For the event Maine CITE prepared a handout with a diagram of how Maine CITE fits into their activities so they would know when to contact us. Contacts from educators has increased noticeably since the event.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	11	03	14
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	23	05	28
Representative of Education	09	00	09
Representative of Employment	00	00	00
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	15	00	15
Representative of Community Living	12	06	18
Representative of Technology	02	00	02
Unable to Categorize	00	00	00
Total	72	14	86

Referral Types:

It was clear from historical data that Maine CITE needed to increase the awareness of the program in general, and definitely post COVID. Maine CITE spent the spring, summer and fall tabling and speaking at live conferences and events to increase awareness about the program. We also sponsored events to increase our visibility. These events included senior fairs, professional conferences, and organization events. The team created exhibits to meet the needs of the audience and occasionally handouts were made for specific groups. The face-to-face interaction creates a more memorable experience, increasing the likelihood of the participant contacting later or referring others. After attending these events we received and increase in referrals from centers on ageing as well as home and community based care organizations.

Referral Sources:

Maine's referrals primarily come from AAA's and other centers on ageing but we are seeing more referrals coming from schools and community programs. Universities and other organizations are also refer people for training on creating accessible content.

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?

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?

Maine CITE partnered with the Maine IT Accessibility Committee (ITAC) to provide accessibility training to employees of the state of Maine. While Maine has adopted the idea of accessibility, it has not fully put it into practice. Through the ITAC committee we are working to provide training to more state employees. State agencies work with the general population and need to ensure their communications are accessible. Thus far, we have provided two trainings and they were well attended. Our long term goal is to show the benefits of the training and push for this to be a required training for all employees. The State of Maine provided the time, equipment, etc. for the training.

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 trainings have been well received, but additional support and buy-in is needed. In order for this initiative to fully take hold, upper management need to get on board. The ITAC plans to create a training repository for individuals to access trainings at their convenience. Maine CITE will contribute to this repository. This will be an ongoing collaboration as we investigate how to get more traction in upper management.

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

Community Participation and Integration; Information and Communication Technology / Remote Connectivity;

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

Training; 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?

Additional And Leveraged Funds

Did you have Additional and Leveraged Funding to Report?

Yes

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds	Data Reported
Public/State Agency	$75,000	Technical Assistance	True
	Amount: $75,000

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. Public Health Workforce Grant Award

All Section 4 AT Act grantees were awarded $80,000.00 in supplimental Public Health Workforce grant funding to increase the full-time equivalent (FTE) of staff withing the disability and aging network for public health professionals. Please document the status of these funds below.

The status of these funds at the end of the FY22 (9/30/2022) is as follows: (Check one) We did not utilize this funding in FY22 and wish to decline the funds in the future
We did not expend any of this funding in FY22, but plan to expend funding in FY23 and/or FY24
We expended some of all of this funding in FY22 (please complete the section below)

Please report the amount expended (drawn down and liquidated) in this reporting period, FY22:

$0.00

Please report the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions this funding supported by type. This can be a direct employee FTE or contractual FTE.

Type of FTE Position	FTE Positions (0.01 to 9.99)
Assistive Technology Specialist	0.00
Information and Assistance Specialist	0.00
Outreach and Awareness Specialist	0.00
Training Specialist	0.00
Health Care Professional (includes PT, OT, SLP)	0.00
Accessibility Expert	0.00
Policy Expert	0.00
Technology Expert (Digital Divide, Mobile Tech)	0.00
Program Manager	0.00
Other positions needed to advance public health and prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVid-19 (describe with narrative field required)	0.00

Please describe the activities of the above FTE and how such activities advance public health.

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).

Center for Assistive Technology Act Data Assistance . Saved: Tue Feb 14 2023 16:31:13 GMT-0600 (Central Standard Time)