National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

Back to state program information page

Vermont 2024

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

Vermont Assistive Technology Program

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

www.atp.vt.gov

Mailing Address:

NOB 1 North, 280 State Drive

City:

Waterbury

State:

Vermont

Zip Code:

05671

Program Email:

dail.atinfo@vermont.gov

Phone:

802-241-0285

TTY:

802-241-0341

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

HireAbility (formerly Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation)

Mailing Address:

HC 2 South 280 State Drive

City:

Waterbury

State:

Vermont

Zip Code:

05671

Program URL:

www.hireabilityvt.com

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):

Phillip Seiler

Title:

Program Director

Phone:

802-241-0312

E-mail:

phillip.seiler@vermont.gov

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

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

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Person Responsible for completing this form if other than Program Director

Name (last, first):

Title:

Phone:

E-mail:

Certifying Representative

Name (last, first):

Diane Dalmasse

Title:

DVR Director

Phone:

802-241-0317

E-mail:

diane.dalmasse@vermont.gov

State Financing

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

Yes

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

Yes

Loan Applications
	Metro RUCC 1-3	Non-Metro RUCC 4-9	Total
	Area of Residence		Total
Approved Loan made	11	35	46
Approved Not made	00	00	00
Rejected	00	00	00
Total	11	35	46

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$10,549	Highest Income:	$203,400

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$3,173,582	46	$68,991

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	02	07	09	03	13	12	46
Percentage of Loans	4.35%	15.22%	19.57%	6.52%	28.26%	26.09%	100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans	46	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	46	100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans	46	$984,360
Partnership Loans	00	$0
Total	46	$984,360

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	3%
Highest	3%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
138	46	3%

Number of Loans Made by Interest Rate
Interest Rate	Number of loans
0.0% to 2.0%	00
2.1% to 4.0%	46
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	46

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	46	$108,741
Speech communication	01	$1,203
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	02	$39,088
Daily living	01	$945
Environmental adaptations	00	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	19	$834,383
Computers and related	00	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	69	$984,360

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

In February 2024, we helped a member secure an Independence Fund loan to purchase a mobility vehicle, and after it was totaled in August, OCU worked through a challenging insurance process and collaborated with Mobility Works to cover the costs, ultimately finalizing a new loan by the end of September, ensuring the member was quickly back on the road and highly satisfied with the service and support received.

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	45	45
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	45	45
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	00	00	45	45
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	01	01
8. Total	00	00	46	46
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	NaN%	97.83%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	13	28.26%
Satisfied	32	69.57%
Satisfied somewhat	01	2.17%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	46
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	50
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	01
C. Total	51

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	51

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	02	$70	$0	$70
Hearing	06	$1,011	$0	$1,011
Speech Communication	03	$313	$0	$313
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	17	$948	$0	$948
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	02	$0	$0	$0
Daily Living	17	$1,186	$0	$1,186
Environmental Adaptations	13	$1,065	$0	$1,065
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	36	$4,938	$0	$4,938
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	01	$20	$0	$20
Total	97	$9,551	$0	$9,551

C. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassignment and/or Open Ended Loan Activities

Device Reassign/Repair/Refurbish and/or OEL
Type of AT Device	Number of Devices Reassigned/Refurbished and Repaired	Total Estimated Current Purchase Price	Total Price for Which Device(s) Were Sold	Savings to Consumers
Vision	00	$0	$0	$0
Hearing	00	$0	$0	$0
Speech Communication	00	$0	$0	$0
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	00	$0	$0	$0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	00	$0	$0	$0
Daily Living	00	$0	$0	$0
Environmental Adaptations	00	$0	$0	$0
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	00	$0	$0	$0
Computers and Related	01	$419	$0	$419
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	00	$0	$0	$0
Total	01	$419	$0	$419

D. Anecdote

Since receiving the Blue2 Switch, my student is beginning to gain greater independence with their iPad. They are now able to flip through the pages of their digital books on their own, which has opened up new opportunities for learning and engagement. Thanks to the Vermont Assistive Technology Exchange, this tool has empowered them to explore and enjoy reading in a way that was previously inaccessible.

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.	02	00	05	07
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	06	00	38	44
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	08	00	43	51
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	08	00	43	51
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	08	00	43	51
9. Performance on this measure	100%	NaN%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	41	80.39%
Satisfied	10	19.61%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	51
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)	436
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	01
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	05
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	14
Total	456

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	263	02	265
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	24	02	26
Representative of Education	54	02	56
Representative of Employment	01	00	01
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	85	05	90
Representatives of Community Living	05	00	05
Representatives of Technology	04	09	13
Total	436	20	456

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	18	06	24
Hearing	27	05	32
Speech Communication	35	11	46
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	78	15	93
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	05	03	08
Daily Living	221	71	292
Environmental Adaptations	13	05	18
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00	00	00
Computers and Related	257	10	267
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	10	05	15
Total	664	131	795

E. Anecdote

A client diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome among other conditions contributing to chronic pain and sleep disruption used our services to find wearable solutions. She trialed the Apollo wearable through the lending library and the Visible armband with AT’s and PT’s recommendations. The Apollo wearable helped her with sleep and stress management. The Visible app used health data to help her conserve energy and pace herself throughout the day. She could be proactive and plan out when to focus on work, self-care, or home tasks. AT also recommended Otter AI to help record and summarize her client meetings, Natural Reader and built-in Voice Access to reduce screen and typing fatigue with text-to-speech tools.

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	116	81	104	301
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	21	15	22	58
Subtotal	137	96	126	359
Have not made a decision	08	11	07	26
Subtotal	145	107	133	385
Nonrespondent	10	25	16	51
Total	155	132	149	436
Performance on this measure	94.48%	89.72%	94.74%

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	01	02
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	05	02	04	11
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	02	01	03	06
4. Subtotal	07	04	08	19
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	07	04	08	19
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	01	01
8. Total	07	04	09	20
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	356	78.07%
Satisfied	32	7.02%
Satisfied somewhat	05	1.1%
Not at all satisfied	02	0.44%
Nonrespondent	61	13.38%
Total Surveyed	456
Response rate %	86.62%

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	22
Hearing	17
Speech Communication	25
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	68
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	08
Daily Living	28
Environmental Adaptations	27
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	00
Computers and Related	39
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	02
Total # of Device Demonstrations	236

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	213	120	333
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	10	60	70
Representatives of Education	06	22	28
Representatives of Employment	00	11	11
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	05	24	29
Representative of Community Living	02	07	09
Representative of Technology	00	06	06
Total	236	250	486

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	53
Service Provider	29
Vendor	150
Repair Service	00
Others	12
Total	244

D. Anecdote

An OT referred a woman with visual barriers due to a TBI. She sought solutions for screen fatigue symptoms to maintain her job. She found the contrast in “Ease of Access” and color filters by Irlen, f.lux, and the Chrome extension Visor most helpful. AT also worked with the electronic medical record vendor to adjust settings and, we learned the software had built in dictation. We also found that Natural Reader’s Chrome extension worked with the software. By using dictation and text to speech software, she could avoid looking at the screen. The user no longer experienced migraines from computer use after implementing the changes!

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	41	80	86	207
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	04	05	08	17
Subtotal	45	85	94	224
Have not made a decision	03	04	03	10
Subtotal	48	89	97	234
Nonrespondent	01	01	00	02
Total	49	90	97	236
Performance on this measure	91.84%	94.44%	96.91%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	426	87.65%
Satisfied	38	7.82%
Satisfied somewhat	04	0.82%
Not at all satisfied	03	0.62%
Nonrespondent	15	3.09%
Total	486
Response rate %	96.91%

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.	02	01	51	54
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	11	02	42	55
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	02	01	03	06
4. Subtotal	15	04	96	115
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	15	04	96	115
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	02	02
8. Total	15	04	98	117
9. Performance on this measure	86.67%	75%	95.88%	93.97%
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	157	161	190	508
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	25	20	30	75
Subtotal	182	181	220	583
Have not made a decision	11	15	10	36
Subtotal	193	196	230	619
Nonrespondent	11	26	16	53
Total	204	222	246	672
Performance on this measure	93.81%	91.88%	95.65%	93.88%
ACL Performance Measure				90%
Met/Not Met				Met

Overall Satisfaction Rating

Customer Rating of Services	Percent	ACL Target	Met/Not Met
Highly satisfied and satisfied	98.44%	95%	Met
Response Rate	92.69%	90%	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	00
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	00
Representatives of Education	00
Representatives of Employment	02
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	25
Representatives of Community Living	00
Representatives of Technology	00
Unable to Categorize	00
TOTAL	27

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
00	27	00	27

B. Educational/Training Activity Topics

Educational/Training Activities by Topic
Primary Topic of Educational/Training Activities	Participants
AT Products/Services	24
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	00
Combination of any/all of the above	00
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	03
Transition	00
Total	27

C. Description of Educational/Training Activities

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

VATP hosted the inaugural class for the University of Vermont's OT Doctorate program in October of 2023 at our main tryout center in Waterbury, VT. The class was divided into two cohorts with one learning about the basics of the federal AT Act and Vermont's AT Program while the other had hands-on training with specific AT provided by our staff. After an hour, the teams switched stations. We reconvened at the end for questions and answers and to reflect n what was learned. The event was successful enough that we repeated the process in 2024 and plan to offer this to every doctoral class of this program.

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

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

Vermont Assistive Technology worked with a local, inclusive healthcare provider to make their annual report more accessible. The initial version was highly visual relying on graphics and charts. VATP helped them create an equivalent, text-only version for those that might need this version for accessibility. We also worked with two other organizations to make their intake forms accessible. The work has not been completed but they have been working to make changes.

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	01
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	02
No known outcome at this time	00
Nonrespondent	00
Total	03
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	00%
Community Living	100%
Technology (IT, Telecom, AT)	00%
Total	100%

B. Description of Technical Assistance

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

VATP advised the Vt Agency of Natural Resources on improving how their staff could utilize communication services when working with members of the public, specifically, related to: - Open and closed captioning, teletypewriters/Text telephones - Captioned phones - Videophones - Providing information in large print, Braile, or audible or electronic formats

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. The Vermont Assistive Technology Program attended and tabled at an End of Life Resource Fair hosted by Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) and the Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging (NEKCOA), one of the states Area Agencies on Aging. The event was in the rural northeast of Vermont, an area we have traditionally had a harder time reaching and servicing. Requests for our services including demos and loans resulted from this unique conference.

2. On April 15, 2024, the VT Assistive Technology Program spoke with 5 moms of autistic children at the Janet S. Munt Family Room parent child community center’s “Supergroup.” Super Group | The Family Room (thefamilyroomvt.org.), an organization that serves primarily families that are New Americans, immigrants and refugees, or identify as BIPOC. Four moms at the Supergroup identified as Somalian refugees. Two social workers from the University of Vermont Medical Center also participated in the group. The social workers hoped to learn ways to improve the assessment process and family support after an autism diagnosis. Moms disclosed personal experiences about parenting with a husband and culture who blames them for the autism diagnosis. We educated the group on the benefits of neurodiversity and advantages of assistive technology to support individuals in school, work, home, and in the community. VATP shared information about the services we provide and answered questions about our lending library, consulting and researching process. Examples of technology VATP discussed included Time Timer and traffic light style visuals to help kids transition between preschool stations. We also presented ideas for sensory differences such as fidgets, weighted tools, fluorescent light covers, and noise canceling headphones or earbuds.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	151	59	210
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	84	48	132
Representative of Education	92	05	97
Representative of Employment	47	03	50
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	125	24	149
Representative of Community Living	52	25	77
Representative of Technology	08	04	12
Unable to Categorize	00	01	01
Total	559	169	728

Referral Types:

The Vermont Assistive Technology Program accepted invitations to events last year that we normally would not have in an effort to expand awareness of our program and role as well as reach audiences we traditionally do not connect with. Among those events were a meeting with Somali immigrants at a local family center, attendance at a support group run by All Brains Belong, a neuroinclusive medical practice, an End-of-Life Resource Fair in a remote- area of the state, and meetings with staff that do Disability Determination. Requests for our services resulted from each of these events, mostly with people unfamiliar with our program.

Referral Sources:

The majority of our requests for service come via word of mouth from previous users of our services. We also see referrals from the Area Agencies on Aging, local medical providers (Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Speech Language Pathologists primarily), schools, and other assorted entities.

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?

VATP participates in a cross agency workgroup known as CORE Team with representatives from Education, Voc Rehab, Developmental Disability Services, and the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Projects are variable and ongoing but VATP serves to advise on the role of AT in supporting the constituents intersecting these groups to better achieve their education and resulting career goals.

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 continues to be a successful partnership between these groups including, but not limited to, the AT components. That the AT Program is a recognized member of this collaborative ensures that the benefits of AT to disabled students is considered in larger strategic initiatives to improve outcomes for this population. All groups remain committed to continuing this work and we are hopeful it will continue to yield positive results.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

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

Education,

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

Information & Assistance, Public Awareness,

Outreach was conducted with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

VATP and HireAbility, Vermont's VR agency, have been working together on a multi-year research grant focused on creating career paths for HireAbility's participants. The grant focuses highly on developing career plans and training and education to make those aspirations feasible. A dedicated AT staff member has been reviewing complete caseloads with certain VR counselors in the grant and collaboratively deciding which ones may benefit from AT services. AT usage has more than doubled for this subset of HireAbility's clients.

VATP has seen an over 100% increase in AT consults and recommendations for participants of this grant. We are still measuring long term results from this collaboration but AT usage for this population appears to remain high. We are hoping to operationalize this model across HireAbility once the grant ends should RSA funding be available. Having the AT consultants as part of the AT Act core team has allowed a greater degree of knowledge sharing and collaboration among the full team.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

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

Employment,

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

Device Loan, Demo, State Financing, Information & Assistance,

Outreach was conducted with the Aging Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

VATP, through a supplemental grant of Money Follows the Person, have been employing an Assistive Technology Specialist exclusively devoted to serving the needs of the aging community, especially those attempting to transition from high care settings to home based care. We have been working with the Area Agencies on Aging as well as the state's Adult Services Division to coordinate efforts and find opportunities for introducing AT into the transition process to facilitate the process.

VATP has been reporting through the MFP grant process on our efforts. Primarily we have succeeded in raising awareness of the benefits of AT to the transition process as well as expanding what the definition of AT is in the minds of providers and participants alike. We have another two years of funding for this work and hope to achieve more tangible results now that awareness has increased in these communities.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

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

Transition (school to work or congregate care to community),

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

Device Loan, Demo, Information & Assistance, Public Awareness,

Outreach was conducted with the Medicaid Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Why was collaboration not implemented? *

VATP reached out to the state's Medicaid agency, Department of Vermont Health Access but did not receive replies back. We will continue our efforts in the coming year.

Additional Coordination/Collaboration activities

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

A. Leveraged Funding for State Plan Activities

Fund Source	Amount	Use of Funds	Data Reported

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

B. 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:

$20,626.00

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	0.20
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.

The additional .2 FTE position allowed Vermont Assistive Technology to engage in areas of the state where we traditionally have a harder time reaching people because of remoteness but also allowed us to more deeply work with certain individuals with chronic and/or terminal conditions as their needs changed. For example, we worked with a man with brain injury, learning disability, and visual impairment, meeting twice monthly to assist him learn about the accessibility features of an iPhone he received from a community partner. He is now able to connect with family overseas, see his local yoga studio schedule, access the weather, and order his grocery delivery. Another example is a woman with ALS where our specialist visited her house multiple times to set up a head mouse so that she could continue to work (her pride and joy). We also set up her FireTV so she could control the TV with voice commands. Her mental health was positively impacted by giving her back a few things that she could do on her own.

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).