National Assistive Technology Act Data System

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

Lead Agency

Implementing Entity

Program Director and Other Contacts

Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director

Certifying Representative

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

3. Loan Type

4. Interest Rates

5. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Financed

6. Defaults

Activity 1

2. Geographic Distribution, Number of Individuals Who Acquired AT Devices and Services and Number for whom Performance Measure Data are Collected

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

G. Notes:

NV has the CARE Loan Fund & Assistive Technology for Independent Living (AT/IL) as options to obtain AT. The AT/IL program assists consumers with IL goals, identifying barriers, potential AT solutions, and the options that the consumer has available. The program’s focus is to keep individuals living in their community. Types of AT can include home access mods, vehicle mods, and AT that is necessary for daily living. The program prioritizes services for both Prevention and Transition from institutional living. The reported data is based on closed AT/IL consumer Plans in the reporting year. Closed Plans with 441 Independent Living Goals set and 333 met. There were 120 consumer Goals having Prevention implications, supporting living in the community and not in an institutional setting, 111 closed Goal Met. There were 110 AT solutions documented to achieve goals through other resources that are not reported in the APR, only state funded AT is reported.

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

State telecommunications equipment program that provides access to no-cost telecommunication devices statewide.

G. Notes:

NATC community partner CARE Chest of Sierra Nevada has been supporting the Reutilization of AT in Nevada for over 30 years. The number of people served continues to grow. CARE Chest’s innovative collaborations with food security organizations have resulted in a consistent presence in Nevada’s rural communities. Also, the organization’s expansion to Las Vegas (most populated urban area in the state). Adding more value, the program makes sanitized equipment available for demonstrations and short-term decision-making loans. Challenges - CARE Chest raises funding for the purchase of some of the AT that is made available, the rising cost of AT/everything has a negative effect. NATRC - (AT Resource Centers) incorporated the state’s telecommunications equipment program into their services. Providing access to no-cost telecommunication devices statewide. The program provided 103 AT devices such as Caption Phones, Amplified Phones, TTYs, visual alert systems, and hearing amplifiers.

I. Notes:

We continue to struggle to get back to the level of lending prior to covid. The need for personnel is a challenge and we have struggled with lack of staff and turnover.

G. Notes:

We continue to struggle to get back to the level of lending prior to covid. The need for personnel is a challenge and we have struggled with lack of staff and turnover.

C. Description of Educational/Training Activities

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

In a continuing effort to address gaps in services and improve access to, and use of assistive technology, the project coordinated training with a group of case managers for Nevada’s Medicaid Waiver Programs (Physical Disability and Frail Elderly). The goal of this training was to ensure front line workers had information regarding assistive technology resources when they were interacting with people receiving the waiver services. The training was attended by 22 case managers throughout Nevada and the outcome increased knowledge, skill, and ability to; understand what the AT Resource Centers offer; identify when assistive technology might be needed; and to connect people at risk of institutionalization with appropriate services.

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

In an on-going community partnership, the AT Resource Center was invited to present to participants of the 2024 Partners in Policy Making cohort. This year’s participants were a mixture of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, parents of kids with disabilities, and statewide advocates. Topics included an explanation of programs and their relevance to transition. Discussed the benefits of assistive technology, transitions over the lifespan, and how different agencies are involved during the transition timelines. We focused most of the training on the early introduction of AT in early intervention, the early school years, and moving into transitions such as employment, community living, and aging in place. Participants were able to discuss frustrations with school age AT related needs and how difficult the advocacy process is to get their child appropriate AT and its appropriate use in the classroom. The group left the training with a better understanding of how the AT Resource Center can play a vital role in AT exploration and statewide leadership.

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

In the summer of 2024 the project was approached to provide assistance with addressing accessibility to documents and information provided by the State Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD). It was decided that it would be a two-part training. The first would be primarily with ADSD’s public information officer and a resource coordinator to discuss general responsibilities, what their remediation process was, and what our program could offer to assist them with gaining knowledge and skills. The second training sought to bring in actual users of assistive technology to give the entity a functional perspective of why accessible documents are so important. Peer users told their stories and described the functional barriers they deal with when trying to access information. The outcome of the two trainings improved the entities awareness and understanding of the importance of creating accessible documents from the start rather than relying on remediation after the fact.

E. Notes:

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

Through an informal consumer complaint, the project engaged with a local non-profit organization, and its Director, to provide assistance with document accessibility. Specifically with their application form and subsequent grievance procedures. A Zoom meeting was held with the Director. We discussed a recent complaint by a person who is blind and was trying to access services. We discussed briefly the process, accommodations that were offered, and clarified responsibilities that the non-profit has under ADA and Section 504 of the rehab Act to provide accessible documents and forms. Continued technical assistance was offered and recommendations were made to have additional mechanisms for input on their form as well as possible revisions to their policies and procedures.

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

Engaged the Nevada Cooperative Extension about meeting the needs of seniors and addressing gaps in service delivery and programs within the Cooperative Extension. Focusing on transition and including social isolation, home safety, wellness. Specifically, how to bolster programs to inform seniors about the use of assistive technology to keep them living where they want to live. We discussed potential partnerships and how to reach additional agencies and groups more effectively. We also discussed having a shared space that would benefit both programs and reach this specific demographic that is typically underserved.

C. Notes:

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 7/26/2024, Anne McNulty was the featured guest on KTVN's Morning Blend where over 100,000 viewers tuned in to learn more about CARE Chest and it's programs as the station celebrated the 35th anniversary of the signing of the ADA. This program marked the first time mainstream media featured CARE Chest in Sothern Nevada and resulted in a noted increase in consumer activity the following week.

2. This PA came about after a LMSW with Optum Community Center, had called in July for information about the AT/IL Program. He was working with a family and trying to find out more about the program and if it would be appropriate for them. The engagement was a success and the LMSW was encouraged to see if an in-service would be helpful for his peers. The result was an in-service training for United Healthcare and Optum Community Center social workers. There were 10 participants in the hour-long meeting via Teams and 5 additional people were provided with a copy of the presentation. The presentation was on all the services and programs within the NATC. The presentation emphasizes the importance of informed consumer decision making and engaging with ATRC's for information, demonstrations, loans, educational training and technical supports. Secondary the options for acquiring AT such as CARE Loan or the AT/IL Program, if it is appropriate. Also included examples of resources outside of the NATC such as Medicaid, Medicaid Waivers, Blind Services (DETR/VR/OBIL), and ADSD subaward funded programs. Contact information for each of the NATC partners and services were shared.

Notes:

For many years we have tried connecting referral information to make determinations where outreach is needed and identify different strategies. It is a challenge and we have not found a perfect solution to accomplish this yet. In the NATADs system we collect the referral source as best as we can from the consumer's description. While the consumer may name the specific referral source, it is not often possible to determine those sources’ connection to the NATC's public awareness or connections to other agencies/providers/organizations. Especially when the consumer names a person that referred that has no significance that we can connect with such as a specific person’s name, a neighbor, a friend, or an acquaintance. This also happens when the consumer is unable to relay the referring program/organization/agency/provider. We continue to seek better methods of connecting the referral sources to the public awareness that takes place and guide us to where public awareness is needed.

Overview of Coordination/Collaboration Activities