National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

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Montana 2024

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:

4062434779

E-mail:

molly.kimmel@mso.umt.edu

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Kimmel, Molly

Title:

Program Director

Phone:

4062434779

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:

4062434779

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	05	02	07
Approved Not made	00	00	00
Rejected	00	00	00
Total	05	02	07

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$3,014	Highest Income:	$114,996

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$341,990	07	$48,856

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	02	01	01	01	01	07
Percentage of Loans	14.29%	28.57%	14.29%	14.29%	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	$58,462
Partnership Loans	00	$0
Total	07	$58,462

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	0%
Highest	4%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
18	07	2.57142857142857%

Number of Loans Made by Interest Rate
Interest Rate	Number of loans
0.0% to 2.0%	02
2.1% to 4.0%	05
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	01	$22,000
Hearing	03	$11,400
Speech communication	00	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	01	$1,305
Daily living	01	$6,757
Environmental adaptations	00	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	01	$17,000
Computers and related	00	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	07	$58,462

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

When M.D. equipped his MATL-financed van with hand controls, he was hoping he would someday be able to drive again and not just use the van to be taken places by his caregivers and family. Unfortunately, that dream was not realized before M.D. passed away last year. However, his brother thinks that those hand controls were M.D.'s way of making the van as accessible as possible for someone else to benefit. Former MATL client, S.R., had paid off her first MATL loan for a lift chair earlier in in the year. She was now applying for a 2nd loan for an accessible van with hand controls. MATL was able to match S.R. with M.D.'s former van for a successful loan. As a recent amputee, S.R. is ready to start her own mobility journey with this van that will allow her the ability to regain the skill of driving independently.

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	02
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	373
C. Total	375

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	375

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	$1,265	$0	$1,265
Daily Living	00	$0	$0	$0
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	02	$1,265	$0	$1,265

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	13	$25,592	$0	$25,592
Hearing	01	$125	$0	$125
Speech Communication	10	$4,200	$0	$4,200
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	02	$167	$0	$167
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	371	$293,100	$0	$293,100
Daily Living	16	$1,811	$0	$1,811
Environmental Adaptations	00	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	03	$450	$0	$450
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	04	$6,014	$0	$6,014
Total	420	$331,459	$0	$331,459

D. Anecdote

Seventeen miles north of tiny Kremlin, MT, you’ll find S.W.’s wheat farm. After losing his leg in 2006 to an injury sustained in a fall that caused loss of blood flow, he continued to farm. He could run the combine and drive the tractors. “Once I got up there, I was able to stick with it until quitting time,” he recollects. Then in February 2024, S.W. lost his other leg to the same circulation issue and could no longer run his farm equipment. In fact, he couldn’t even get into his pickup or rummage through the high cupboards in his kitchen, but Medicare refused to fund a power chair with an elevating seat. “I can’t even get into a car without the riser,” he explains. Living on a remote farm, this is potentially a life-threatening circumstance. Through his prosthetist, S.W. connected with Cutting Fences Founder Kendra Lewis. Kendra is committed to helping farmers and ranchers continue their vital work despite mobility challenges. She also works with MonTECH and immediately turned to our Community Buy-Sell page. There she found an electric Jazzy chair with a 10-inch seat riser. Now S.W. had a way to get back in his vehicles, onto a four-wheeler, and yes, into his wife’s kitchen cupboards. Before the chair, there was a four-month period this year when he was only able to leave the house twice. Now he heads into Havre once a week to play mandolin for seniors. “We have a western, old-time bluegrass group,” he says. “The folks seem to enjoy it. Once I get in this chair, it makes a world of difference.”

Older gentleman reaching for a cupboard while sitting on a scooter with a seat elevator

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.	37	00	184	221
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	11	06	137	154
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	48	06	321	375
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	48	06	321	375
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	48	06	321	375
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	367	97.87%
Satisfied	08	2.13%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	375
Response rate %	100%

G. Notes:

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)	801
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	00
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	00
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	00
Total	801

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	212	00	212
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	219	00	219
Representative of Education	227	00	227
Representative of Employment	01	00	01
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	136	00	136
Representatives of Community Living	06	00	06
Representatives of Technology	00	00	00
Total	801	00	801

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	103	00	103
Hearing	28	00	28
Speech Communication	404	00	404
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	231	00	231
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	129	00	129
Daily Living	341	00	341
Environmental Adaptations	05	00	05
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00	00	00
Computers and Related	97	00	97
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	139	00	139
Total	1,477	00	1,477

E. Anecdote

T.D. has been a passionate member of Griz Nation for 45 years. He’s missed only one home football game in the past two decades, but recently, his vision sharply deteriorated due to combined effects of Agent Orange, diabetes, and macular degeneration. “The doctor would say, ‘Tell me what letters you see?’, and I’d say, ‘What letters?’” T.D. recalls. Being unable to follow Griz action on the field has been heartbreaking. He could see very little of the field. He could see colors of uniforms, but not numbers. The scoreboard? Nope. “It felt like I should just stay home and watch the game on TV, but that doesn’t include the crowd, the friends and players we’ve met,” he explains. “I don’t want to lose all of that.” T.D. is a Vietnam veteran, referred to MonTECH by the VA. Here he discovered Patriot ViewPoint, a wearable device that magnifies near and far, reads text aloud, and has multiple contrast settings. T.D. immediately recognized a way to fully experience a Griz game again. It isn’t perfect, but with the device he can track plays on the field and see the scoreboard. He also used Patriot to watch his young grandchildren play basketball and dance in recitals. Reflecting on his MonTECH experience, T.D. says, “My vision is not going to get better. But I’m not going to change my lifestyle and if these tools will assist me to enjoy some portion of it, it’s worth the time and energy to explore it.”

Man with white beard wearing UM hat in front of Grizzly Stadium

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	175	20	255	450
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	28	02	64	94
Subtotal	203	22	319	544
Have not made a decision	24	00	35	59
Subtotal	227	22	354	603
Nonrespondent	83	02	113	198
Total	310	24	467	801
Performance on this measure	89.43%	100%	90.11%

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	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%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	544	67.92%
Satisfied	55	6.87%
Satisfied somewhat	03	0.37%
Not at all satisfied	01	0.12%
Nonrespondent	198	24.72%
Total Surveyed	801
Response rate %	75.28%

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	43
Hearing	06
Speech Communication	66
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	39
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	17
Daily Living	20
Environmental Adaptations	02
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	17
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	06
Total # of Device Demonstrations	216

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	140	32	172
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	40	98	138
Representatives of Education	07	20	27
Representatives of Employment	01	06	07
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	21	27	48
Representative of Community Living	07	20	27
Representative of Technology	00	01	01
Total	216	204	420

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	08
Service Provider	12
Vendor	37
Repair Service	00
Others	03
Total	60

D. Anecdote

S.A. came to MonTECH with the support of his group-home administrator but he was afraid of the unfamiliar environment and the transfer equipment he was there to try. Transfers had become unsafe for S.A. and his home staff, and his physical therapist, Arlene, felt his diagnoses of cerebral palsy and cognitive delay made an equipment trial a necessity. “When you have someone with a developmental delay, you must try the equipment. There is a lot of fear; fear of falling, fear of change,” she explains. Between S.A.’s fear of falling and unease in the unfamiliar environment, hope for a successful equipment trial began to fade. There was also a communication challenge; S.A. is deaf. “I didn’t come in expecting to need help, but when it became apparent we did, Michelle (MonTECH’s ATP) just jumped in and assessed the situation and did everything she could to make him feel welcome and ease his fear,” Arlene shares. “She got S.A.'s caregiver into the lift to show S.A., ‘Hey, look! This is cool!’” All agreed that was a smart move: “He wasn’t particularly receptive when we were there, but he was able to take in some of that info, seeing me in the devices, and mull it over.” Information gained through the session helped Arlene determine what equipment might work. “With Medicare you can’t try equipment before you buy it, but with someone with developmental disability you have to be able to try first,” Arlene says. “MonTECH fills such a gap and is an amazing resource for the whole state.” S.A.'s caregiver wants him to be both happy and safe. “I want him to have the greatest level of independence that he’s capable of, so that he can enjoy life –with an eye on safety.” That is exactly what we want for him too.

A group of four people, all smiling broadly

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	58	14	89	161
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	00	00	01	01
Subtotal	58	14	90	162
Have not made a decision	11	09	20	40
Subtotal	69	23	110	202
Nonrespondent	05	00	09	14
Total	74	23	119	216
Performance on this measure	78.38%	60.87%	75.63%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	387	92.14%
Satisfied	06	1.43%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	27	6.43%
Total	420
Response rate %	93.57%

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.	37	00	191	228
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	11	06	137	154
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	48	06	328	382
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	48	06	328	382
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	48	06	328	382
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%	100%
ACL Performance Measure				85%
Met/Not Met				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	233	34	344	611
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	28	02	65	95
Subtotal	261	36	409	706
Have not made a decision	35	09	55	99
Subtotal	296	45	464	805
Nonrespondent	88	02	122	212
Total	384	47	586	1,017
Performance on this measure	86.71%	80%	86.47%	86.2%
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	85.96%	90%	Not Met

Educational/Training Activities

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

Educational/Training Activities by Participant Type
Type of Participant	Number
Individuals with Disabilities	158
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	60
Representatives of Education	519
Representatives of Employment	02
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	418
Representatives of Community Living	31
Representatives of Technology	00
Unable to Categorize	75
TOTAL	1,263

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
732	442	89	1,263

B. Educational/Training Activity Topics

Educational/Training Activities by Topic
Primary Topic of Educational/Training Activities	Participants
AT Products/Services	679
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	00
Combination of any/all of the above	496
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	25
Transition	63
Total	1,263

C. Description of Educational/Training Activities

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

MonTECH is proud to be a prioritized and valuable stop along the path of Rocky Mountain College students, as they work to attain their doctorates in occupational therapy. Our Billings Clinic Coordinator, Liz Keuhn, carefully prepares an open lab with many hands-on activities designed to demonstrate the versatility and capability of AT in supporting, and growing, independence. Students explore tools for communication, low vision, and computer access for people with physical challenges. From simple tools, like large-print keyboards, to exploration of the power of switch control using PowerLink 4, students have Liz’ undivided attention to ask questions and learn the features of this diverse collection of equipment. Occupational Therapists (OTs) utilize many tools to help patients regain lost skills or learn new ways to accomplish activities of daily living. Through MonTECH’s lab, these future OTs gain confidence with many tools that will have a positive, life-affirming impact on their future patients.

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

Opening teenagers’ eyes to the monumental possibilities of assistive technology is a privilege of our work, and also frequently rife with surprises. Teens preparing to launch into adulting are exacting humans. They expect informed answers to questions, and they don’t tolerate a lot of gray area. These expectations inspire our team to prepare thoughtful, highly interactive presentations including games and opportunities to teach peers. Our time at the Montana Youth Leadership Forum (MYLF) is a perfect example. MYLF is a five-day camp in Montana’s capital city. Teen campers live on a college campus and work with staff (many of them alumni of the program) to practice self-advocacy skills, build confidence, and learn how Montana’s political system works. They also learn what resources are available to support success in college, work, and life. Which means MonTECH is a perfect fit and a featured program on the MYLF itinerary. We teach students how to use tools for dyslexia and other learning disabilities, anxiety management, note-taking, and computer access. We build in time for games and opportunities to play with the equipment. And, without fail, we learn something new about this equipment from the students we’re there to teach. Win-win.

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

MonTECH's accessible media specialist has been hard at work finding ways to ensure digital accessibility competency for all staff at the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, MonTECH's parent organization. At New Employee Orientation, new staff receive a "Top Ten Tips" for digital accessibility, watch videos explaining the importance of accessible documents, and sign up for an in-person or virtual class with the accessible media specialist so they get some hands-on training. In development for next year is a Rural Institute-specific learning module all staff will be required to take each year, ensuring continued competence.

D. IT/Telecommunications Educational/Training Activity Performance Measure

IT/Telecommunications Educational/Training Activity Performance Measure
Outcome/Result From IT/Telecommunications Educational/Training Activities Received	Number
IT and Telecommunications Procurement or Dev Policies	25
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	00
No known outcome at this time	00
Nonrespondent	00
Total	25
Performance Measure Percentage	100%
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	00%
Employment	00%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	24%
Community Living	69%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	07%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

The state of Montana made a significant investment, to the tune of $300 million, during the 2023 legislative session to improve the state's behavioral health and developmental disabilities systems. During an extensive planning process, two MonTECH staff members were asked to participate in two separate planning committees that informed the final recommendations for new initiatives to transform "Behavioral Health for Future Generations". This TA included multiple meetings over the course of several months, providing input to initiative members on how best to serve people with disabilities in Montana, including through access to new and innovative AT.

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. Christmas in July is a real thing! In the heat of the summer, Santa, in the form of grade-school students from Alberton, delivered switch-adapted toys made at STEM camp. Teacher M.A. devoted one week of their six-week camp to circuitry, culminating in the production and donation of switch-adapted toys for MonTECH. Switch-adapted toys have an external switch, or button, that activates the toy. They are fun for children who are unable to interact with toys in a typical way. They also have therapeutic value in teaching children with disabilities the important concept of cause and effect. Why switch-adapted toys? “My son Mercer, who is 3, gets supplies through MonTECH and at the time he had just gotten his first switch-adapted toy,” M.A. explains. “I realized how simple it was to modify a toy. I also saw that these toys are really overpriced, when adapting them is something a seven-year-old can do.” The idea was born, and contacting Donors Choose to ask for funding resulted in enough money from an anonymous donor to purchase five toys for her students to adapt. The kids set to work, installing battery interrupters. Then they boarded a bus and delivered the goods to MonTECH. Many Montana children (and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities) will benefit from the kids’ work and generosity. For M.A., there is yet another benefit: “I didn’t even know switch-adapted toys were an option,” she says. “They don’t talk about it in rehab. Maybe parents like me, who didn’t know these toys exist, now know.”

2. In honor of the 2024 National Assistive Technology Awareness Day and to help promote MonTECH's annual AAC conference, Missoula staff hosted a sold-out screening of "This Is Not About Me", a documentary starring autistic self-advocate, Jordyn Zimmerman. Ninety-two tickets sold and the crowd included SLPs, OTs, teachers, and disability advocates. Participants were given MonTECH flyers, rack cards, and information about MontCOMM, along with their free ticket to the movie - and delicious truffle popcorn thanks to our locally-owned theater.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	334	31	365
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	307	18	325
Representative of Education	81	02	83
Representative of Employment	21	02	23
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	168	23	191
Representative of Community Living	43	07	50
Representative of Technology	11	06	17
Unable to Categorize	11	00	11
Total	976	89	1,065

Referral Types:

Our largest new referral strategy was using the Rural School Outreach project to reach small, rural schools across Montana. While the project is focused eventually on training and access to AT, the initial phases of outreach helped get MonTECH's name on the proverbial map. We had more inquiries from remote schools than in years past, including helping our first student on a Hutterite Colony. Another unique outreach strategy was to partner with a local service organization, Consumer Direct Care Network of Montana, and have them help us deliver equipment around the state. Through this delivery system, we reached many of their providers, who then sent us referrals for additional information and assistance. After years of outreach to the VA and other veteran service organizations, we are starting to see an uptick in referrals for veterans. The VA recently sent someone to to us to try our adaptive bikes and also reached out about helping coordinate an adaptive rec fair next year. Another VA service org had multiple people reach out after a presentation done by a MonTECH staff member in Billings. Finally, as we have expanded and marketed our increase in new transfer equipment and safe mobility AT, we have seen an increase in referrals from multiple hospice organizations around the state.

Referral Sources:

MonTECH continues to cast a wide net when it comes to our outreach, which results in referral sources that are equally varied. We have strong partners at our state health department, so probably 10-15% of referrals come from people served in our VR program, our DD program, and through our Children's Special Health Services office. Another 10-15% of referrals come from schools or from our Office of Public Instruction. We table at multiple education-related conferences, which helps us reach teachers, therapists, and parents interested in our services. We had multiple inquiries about our adaptive rec offerings this year, as we continue to expand and market our AT that can help get people outside in Big Sky Country. MonTECH has further solidified its presence on the University of Montana campus and as we continue to provide presentations every year to students across campus (PT, OT, SLP, Nursing, Education, School Counseling, Human/Family Development, Social Work, etc.), those students end up in communities across Montana and become excellent referral sources.

Notes:

Coordination/Collaboration and State Improvement Outcomes

Overview of Coordination/Collaboration Activities

Outreach was conducted with the State Education Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

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?

MonTECH does ongoing outreach with Montanan's State Education Agency, the Office of Public Instruction (OPI). Through funding from OPI, MonTECH leads a Rural School Outreach Program that provides AT tools and services to schools in remote reaches of Montana. Often, these schools do not have consistent access to therapy services and little education about the benefit of AT. During the '23-'24 school year, a dedicated MonTECH staff member contacted 124 schools/co-ops, hosted 29 AT trainings for 35 school districts in 33 counties, and distributed 69 AT kits. MonTECH was also able to purchase additional inventory items that are specific to students served by OPI and these items will remain in our inventory beyond the life of this particular project. Outreach, training, and AT Kit distribution to new schools continues during this school year, including follow-up with those served last year.

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?

This program has been immediately successful and impactful. While many schools initially think they don't have students with AT needs, the presentation shows them concrete ways to implement AT for a more inclusive and universally designed classroom. Ninety-six percent of respondents to our post-training survey strongly agree or agree that after participating in this experience they are more knowledgeable about AT and comfortable finding AT resources for their students. After receiving this training, one rural school is now committed to building its town's first accessible playground. The biggest challenge of this program is just reaching all the different rural schools in our geographically large state. Right now, this funding is guaranteed for at least 1.5 more years so we can continue to demonstrate impact to OPI and build more partnerships in the future.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://www.umt.edu/rural-institute/programs/services/rural-school-outreach-program.php

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

Education, Community Participation and Integration, Recreation/Leisure, Transition (school to work or congregate care to community),

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

Training,

Outreach was conducted with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Why was collaboration not implemented? *

While MonTECH maintains a strong relationship with our VR program, aside from general outreach and cross-promotion of our respective programs, there was no specific collaboration implemented this fiscal year. We did table at the VR-hosted Employment conference and co-presented with Montana Accessible Communications.

Outreach was conducted with the Aging Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Why was collaboration not implemented? *

MonTECH continues to provide public awareness and training opportunities to various aging agencies across the state. At this time, no formal collaborations have been developed, but MonTECH's program director has formed a strong relationship with the Director of the State Unit on Aging and is continuing conversations about future partnerships.

Outreach was conducted with the Medicaid Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Why was collaboration not implemented? *

MonTECH's outreach coordinator is in frequent communication with representatives of the Medicaid Agency. It wasn't a formal collaboration, but MonTECH did provide several iPads for clients of the Intensive Behavioral Services facility in Boulder, MT, along with technical assistance on use of communication apps. This is a state-run facility serving Medicaid clients with complex needs. While no formal collaborations have been implemented, we will continue to work towards that goal next year.

Additional Coordination/Collaboration activities

A. Coordination/Collaboration

MonTECH received funding for a planning project in July for "the NeedleEase Initiative", a program designed to use AT to lessen fear around vaccines and blood draws in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The $10,000 will be used to purchase AT kits for use during vaccines and blood draws, as well as staff training on use and outreach to pharmacies and clinics conducting blood draws/vaccines. A pre/post survey of staff will help determine if the AT reduces anxiety and fear related to the experiences of the individuals. Currently seven group homes across three regions have signed up to participate.

There are no results to report yet, but our hope is to use the results of this project to apply for a full pilot project next year and eventually partner with our state Developmental Disabilities Program to expand AT use with their clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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

Health;

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

Training;

A.2 Coordination/Collaboration (Entry 2)

MonTECH's Program Director participated in a reciprocal exchange to Indonesia as part of the YSEALI (Young South East Asian Leaders Initiative) Program in May of 2024. This was a follow-up to having a YSEALI fellow in Montana for four weeks the previous year. As part of this exchange, MonTECH's Program Director visited a disability advocacy organization in Jambi City, Indonesia and presented on accessible documents and universal design in higher education to three different Universities, also in Jambi City. She also visited a school for children with disabilities. At each stop, she demonstrated various AT for learning and access to each audience. Funding was provided by the US Department of State.

This international exchange helped build awareness of disability inclusion in Indonesia, a country that still views disability with great stigma. Attendees at each presentation were engaged, interested, and provided thoughtful comments about integrating AT into their environments. There are already talks of a return trip for more in-depth training at a different university on the island of Java.

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

Community Participation and Integration; Transition(school to work or congregate care to community); Information and Communication Technology / Remote Connectivity;

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

Training;

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?

B. State Improvements

1. In one or two sentences, describe the outcome. Be as specific as possible about exactly what changed during this reporting period as a result of the AT program's initiative.

The Children's Special Health Services division of Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services continued their support of MonTECH through additional funding for pediatric mobility and positioning equipment. We received $33,710 worth of equipment this year now housed at MonTECH but accessible to their clients across the state for loan and demonstration.

2. In one or two sentences, describe the written policies, practices, and procedures that have been developed and implemented as a result of the AT program's initiative. Include information about how to obtain the full documents, such as a Web site address or e-mail address of a contact person, but do not include the full documents here. (If there are no written polices, practices and procedures, explain why.)

CSHS and MonTECH developed a contract for spending the funds and the item listings on the MonTECH website include an attribution to CSHS. A member of MonTECH serves on the CSHS funding committee to share info about items thats are used, as well as future items that might need to be purchased with additional funding.

3. What was the primary area of impact for this state improvement outcome?

Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation

Additional And Leveraged Funds

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds	Data Reported
Private	$5,000	Training	True
Public/State Agency	$5,900	Training	True
Public/State Agency	$75,000	Training	True
Public/State Agency	$33,710	Device Loan	True
Public/State Agency	$31,250	Demonstration	False
	Amount: $150,860

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.

The $31,250 reported above is a new contract from Montana's Early Childhood Division of the Department of Public Health and Human Services to provide assistive technology devices and services in early childhood environments across Montana. The contract began on 9/1/24 and will run through 12/31/25, so only a small fraction of the $500,000 contract is noted here. During this first month, the team was hired, onboarded, and began working on Q1 goals and objectives, so no reportable activities have been completed to date. The project will be extensively reported on and discussed in the FY 2025 report.

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 FY24 (September 30, 2024) is as follows: (Check one) We did not utilize this funding in FY22, FY23 or FY24
We already expended the full award amount and reported associated data in the FY22 and/or FY23 APR
We expended some OR all this funding in FY24 (please complete the section below)

Please report the amount expended (drawn down and liquidated) in this reporting period, FY24:

$62,217.00

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	0.65
Training Specialist	0.00
Health Care Professional (includes PT, OT, SLP)	0.13
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.

This funding was spread between 3 part-time employees who all were hired as "AT Ambassadors". One primarily focused on increasing public health awareness re: AT for the aging population, one for mental health, and one for farmers/ranchers with disabilities.

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).