National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

Back to state program information page

Montana 2023

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

MonTECH

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

http://montech.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/

Mailing Address:

29 McGill Hall

City:

Missoula

State:

Montana

Zip Code:

59812

Program Email:

montech@ruralinstitute.umt.edu

Phone:

4062435751

TTY:

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

MonTECH at Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, University of Montana

Mailing Address:

29 McGill Hall, University of Montana

City:

Missoula

State:

Montana

Zip Code:

59812

Program URL:

http://montech.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/

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:

Mailing Address:

City

State:

Zip Code:

Program URL:

Program Director and Other Contacts

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

Kimmel, Molly

Title:

Program Director

Phone:

4062435769

E-mail:

molly.kimmel@mso.umt.edu

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Kimmel, Molly

Title:

Program Director

Phone:

4062435769

E-mail:

molly.kimmel@mso.umt.edu

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):

Kimmel, Molly

Title:

Program Director

Phone:

4062435769

E-mail:

molly.kimmel@mso.umt.edu

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
	Metro RUCC 1-3	Non-Metro RUCC 4-9	Total
	Area of Residence		Total
Approved Loan made	06	01	07
Approved Not made	00	00	00
Rejected	00	00	00
Total	06	01	07

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$3,717	Highest Income:	$111,696

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$305,069	07	$43,581

Number and Percentage of Loans Made to Applicants by Income Range
	$15,000 or Less	$15,001- $30,000	$30,001- $45,000	$45,001- $60,000	$60,001- $75,000	$75,001 or More	Total
	Income Ranges						Total
Number of Loans	01	01	03	00	01	01	07
Percentage of Loans	14.29%	14.29%	42.86%	0%	14.29%	14.29%	100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans	07	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	07	100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans	07	$131,155
Partnership Loans	00	$0
Total	07	$131,155

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	3.5%
Highest	3.5%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
25	07	3.57142857142857%

Number of Loans Made by Interest Rate
Interest Rate	Number of loans
0.0% to 2.0%	00
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	07

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	00	$0
Hearing	02	$10,595
Speech communication	00	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	01	$5,500
Daily living	01	$12,500
Environmental adaptations	00	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	03	$102,560
Computers and related	00	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	07	$131,155

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?

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

T.O. lives with scoliosis and cervical spinal stenosis, and the torture of neuropathy and pinched nerves affects every aspect of her life. “The neuropathy is a feeling that is really unbearable,” she explains. “It’s difficult to live with because my leg will go numb or my foot will go numb and I can’t feel it, like it’s not even there. It can be dangerous.” T.O. learned a massage chair might help, but the price tag of $5,499 was well beyond reach; T.O. lives on $1,306 per month. Being a former legal analyst, she threw herself into online research and found the Montana Assistive Technology Loan (MATL) Program. The application process was easy and she was able to purchase her chair. Has it made a difference? You bet! “I’m in a lot of pain almost all the time, and the chair relieves some of that pain,” she says. “I can spend some time in the chair, using the mode that squeezes arms, feet, and ankles, and the neuropathy goes away. I can be ok for a couple of days. It was really a Godsend for me to be able to get it.”

woman with gray hair lounges in a giant massage chair, holding a remote and smiling

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	07	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	00	07	07
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	00	00	07	07
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	00	00	07	07
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	NaN%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	07	100%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	07
Response rate %	100%

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	03
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	430
C. Total	433

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	433

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	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	$2,032	$0	$2,032
Daily Living	01	$64	$0	$64
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	$2,096	$0	$2,096

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	11	$19,910	$0	$19,910
Hearing	00	$0	$0	$0
Speech Communication	05	$2,394	$0	$2,394
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	00	$0	$0	$0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	406	$375,902	$1	$375,901
Daily Living	33	$10,504	$0	$10,504
Environmental Adaptations	00	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	03	$1,365	$0	$1,365
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	05	$1,302	$0	$1,302
Total	463	$411,377	$1	$411,376

D. Anecdote

After a driver on meth passed out at the wheel and plowed across the center line, S.D. ended up in the hospital with three breaks in his femur, broken bones in his hand and arm, and a severe concussion. Following a three-week hospital stay, he was looking at months of rehab. His wife knew it was going to be an ordeal. “My husband is stubborn as all get-out and doesn’t like people to do stuff for him,” she said. “so finding long-term equipment was important.” The couple borrowed tools to help S.D. shower and dress as independently as possible. A HandyBar was hugely helpful for getting him in and out of vehicles. Most important from a father’s perspective, S.D. borrowed a reused off-road wheelchair with all-terrain wheels to get onto the football field for their sons’ games. “You miss a lot when you go through an experience like that,” S.D. explained. “I missed the 21st of August until the first part of October. It was partway through their season before I got to watch a game.” S.D.’s wife noted that purchasing all the equipment they needed would have been a hardship. The savings meant a lot to S.D. too. “I think MonTECH did an outstanding job, all the equipment you loaned us and for nothing,” he said. “Without the help of MonTECH, we would have been out thousands of dollars.”