National Assistive Technology Act Data System

Annual Progress Report - Full Report

Back to state program information page

Wisconsin 2024

General Information

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

State AT Program Title:

WisTech Program

State AT Program Title:

State AT Program URL

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/wistech/index.htm

Mailing Address:

1 W. Wilson St., Room 551, PO Box 2659

City:

Madison

State:

Wisconsin

Zip Code:

53703

Program Email:

DHSWistech@dhs.wisconsin.gov

Phone:

608-514-2513

TTY:

Lead Agency

Agency Name:

Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Bureau of Aging and Disability Resources

Mailing Address:

1 W. Wilson St., Room 551, PO Box 2659

City:

Madison

State:

Wisconsin

Zip Code:

53703

Program URL:

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/dph/badr.htm

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):

Plummer, Laura

Title:

Assistive Technology Program Coordinator

Phone:

608-514-2513

E-mail:

laura.plummer1@dhs.wisconsin.gov

Program Director at Lead Agency (last, first):

Plummer, Laura

Title:

Assistive Technology Program Coordinator

Phone:

608-514-2513

E-mail:

laura.plummer1@dhs.wisconsin.gov

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):

Sobczyk, Lisa

Title:

Social Services Supervisor

Phone:

608-266-9354

E-mail:

lisa.sobczyk@dhs.wisconsin.gov

Certifying Representative

Name (last, first):

Molke, Carrie

Title:

Bureau Director

Phone:

608-267-5267

E-mail:

Carrie.Molke@dhs.wisconsin.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	13	06	19
Approved Not made	05	01	06
Rejected	05	00	05
Total	23	07	30

2. Income of Applicants to Whom Loans Were Made

Lowest/Highest Incomes
Lowest Income:	$13,125	Highest Income:	$106,242

Average Income
Sum of Incomes	Loans Made	Average Annual Income
$1,150,548	19	$60,555

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	03	01	01	03	05	06	19
Percentage of Loans	15.79%	5.26%	5.26%	15.79%	26.32%	31.58%	100%

3. Loan Type

Loan Type
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Percentage of loans
Revolving Loans	00	0%
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	19	100%
Total	19	100%

Loan Type Summary
Type of Loan	Number of Loans	Dollar Value of Loans
Revolving Loans	00	$0
Partnership Loans	19	$484,561
Total	19	$484,561

4. Interest Rates

Interest Rates
Lowest	4%
Highest	4%

Interest Rate Summary
Sum of Interest Rates	Number of Loans Made	Average Interest Rate
04	19	0.210526315789474%

Number of Loans Made by Interest Rate
Interest Rate	Number of loans
0.0% to 2.0%	00
2.1% to 4.0%	19
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	19

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	$4,800
Speech communication	00	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	00	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	00	$0
Daily living	03	$35,341
Environmental adaptations	00	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	14	$443,920
Computers and related	01	$500
Recreation, sports, and leisure	00	$0
Total	20	$484,561

6. Defaults

Defaults
Number Loans in default	26
Net loss for loans in default	$186,319

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?

Activity 1

How would you describe this state financing activity?

Telecommunications equipment distribution

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

County of Residence	Individuals Served
A. Metro (RUCC 1-3)	850
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9)	424
C. Total Served	1274

Performance Measure
D. Excluded from Performance Measure	0
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	1274

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

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

Type of AT Device / Service	Number of Devices Funded	Value of AT Provided
Vision	37	$19,329
Hearing	2218	$499,724
Speech communication	558	$154,032
Learning, cognition, and developmental	0	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	0	$0
Daily living	0	$0
Environmental adaptations	0	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	0	$0
Computers and related	189	$62,804
Recreation, sports, and leisure	0	$0
Total	3002	$735,889

Activity 2

How would you describe this state financing activity?

Other: Vision Loss Technology

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

County of Residence	Individuals Served
A. Metro (RUCC 1-3)	732
B. Non-Metro (RUCC 4-9)	367
C. Total Served	1099

Performance Measure
D. Excluded from Performance Measure	0
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	1099

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

3. Types and Dollar Amounts of AT Funded

Type of AT Device / Service	Number of Devices Funded	Value of AT Provided
Vision	2199	$243,260
Hearing	0	$0
Speech communication	0	$0
Learning, cognition, and developmental	0	$0
Mobility, seating and positioning	0	$0
Daily living	0	$0
Environmental adaptations	0	$0
Vehicle modification and transportation	0	$0
Computers and related	0	$0
Recreation, sports, and leisure	0	$0
Total	2199	$243,260

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

Quote from WisLoan recipient: I'd like to thank you and all the board members involved with the WisLoan process. This vehicle will open doors that have been closed on me for far too long. The attached photo was from delivery day. Thanks again for your help, faith and works that you do!

A WisLoan applicant who uses a wheelchair sitting next to the minivan she purchased with the alternative finance program.

Impact Area Education Employment Community Living

I have been a WisLoan Committee member for well over 15 years and have seen hundreds of loan requests over the years. I’m happy to be a part of this program as a volunteer as it allows me to apply the lending skills I have developed over my banking career. Most of the requests we review are presented for borrowers who not only have difficult personal health and family situations, but these difficult situations also lead to very difficult financial situations. Many times the cases are regular, hardworking families that experience a life changing event like a child born with some sort of health issue, or an accident that changes the family’s life forever. The regular life goes haywire in a hurry. A significant number of applications are borderline affordable at best. In these cases, where is it a borderline decision, the Down Payment Assistance grant money moves the application from borderline to manageable. Sometimes it swings my “no” vote to a “yes” vote. Additionally, it helps families who are just trying to improve their living situations by reducing their borrowing amount and allowing them to obtain the assistive technologies that they need. It has been rewarding for me to be able to help these families and it also has opened my eyes to some of the real difficulties that families encounter. It also helps me to be thankful that I haven’t had to experience these difficulties yet.

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	2,392	2,392
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	2,392	2,392
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	00	00	2,392	2,392
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	00	00	2,392	2,392
9. Performance on this measure	NaN%	NaN%	100%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	2,392	100%
Satisfied	00	0%
Satisfied somewhat	00	0%
Not at all satisfied	00	0%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	2,392
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	170
B. Device Refurbish/Repair - Reassign and/or Open Ended Loan	3,195
C. Total	3,365

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.	263
E. Number of Individuals Included in Performance Measures	3,102

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

WisTech program partner, Department of Corrections, does not have the ability to track the performance measures of recipients of used devices due to security policies.

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	01	$200	$0	$200
Hearing	07	$575	$0	$575
Speech Communication	00	$0	$0	$0
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	00	$0	$0	$0
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	70	$25,433	$28,930	($3,497)
Daily Living	272	$4,033	$0	$4,033
Environmental Adaptations	02	$6,500	$400	$6,100
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	06	$316,000	$161,000	$155,000
Computers and Related	00	$0	$0	$0
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	01	$800	$0	$800
Total	359	$353,541	$190,330	$163,211

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	78	$1,469	$16	$1,453
Hearing	69	$2,681	$375	$2,306
Speech Communication	373	$258,495	$0	$258,495
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	06	$511	$0	$511
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	4,233	$1,432,856	$5,840	$1,427,016
Daily Living	626	$70,182	$69	$70,113
Environmental Adaptations	75	$5,998	$0	$5,998
Vehicle Modification & Transportation	06	$146	$0	$146
Computers and Related	27	$9,704	$0	$9,704
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	15	$11,087	$0	$11,087
Total	5,508	$1,793,129	$6,300	$1,786,829

D. Anecdote

Independent Living Resources (ILR), a WisTech partner, received an information and assistance request from a local, senior living complex. The residential facility had a fire which displaced multiple residents. Many of the residents had to evacuate quickly and left behind their durable medical equipment such as walkers, wheelchairs, and bath benches. ILR was able to provide used devices to these individuals through the WisTech reuse inventory.

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.	08	29	592	629
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	00	00	54	54
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	01	02	2,412	2,415
4. Subtotal	09	31	3,058	3,098
5. None of the above	00	00	04	04
6. Subtotal	09	31	3,062	3,102
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	09	31	3,062	3,102
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	99.87%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	1,887	56.08%
Satisfied	689	20.48%
Satisfied somewhat	11	0.33%
Not at all satisfied	18	0.53%
Nonrespondent	760	22.59%
Total Surveyed	3,365
Response rate %	77.41%

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)	510
Serve as loaner during service repair or while waiting for funding	93
Provide an accommodation on a short-term basis for a time-limited event/situation	508
Conduct training, self-education or other professional development activity	27
Total	1,138

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	304	472	776
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	37	82	119
Representative of Education	131	27	158
Representative of Employment	00	02	02
Representatives of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	09	17	26
Representatives of Community Living	19	24	43
Representatives of Technology	10	04	14
Total	510	628	1,138

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	84	11	95
Hearing	94	33	127
Speech Communication	154	16	170
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	43	14	57
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	95	435	530
Daily Living	211	151	362
Environmental Adaptations	36	91	127
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	05	03	08
Computers and Related	77	24	101
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	86	33	119
Total	885	811	1,696

E. Anecdote

The Center for Independent Living for Western Wisconsin (CILWW), as WisTech partner, was collaborating with the Children’s Long-Term Support Program (CLTS) program to assist a family with a child with autism on daily living activities. The child needed assistance in the areas of hygiene, executive functioning, dressing, cooking, and communication. The family was able to borrow several pieces of assistive technology such as a communication book, a talking switch device, and a task timer from the short-term loan inventory. Following the loan, the family shared that there were significant improvements with communication and their child was able to communicate and express themselves more clearly. The CLTS program was able to provide the funding needed to purchase the assistive technology devices this child needed to communicate and function more independently in their home.

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	66	21	226	313
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	22	05	91	118
Subtotal	88	26	317	431
Have not made a decision	54	02	23	79
Subtotal	142	28	340	510
Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
Total	142	28	340	510
Performance on this measure	61.97%	92.86%	93.24%

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.	13	02	338	353
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	12	02	133	147
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	05	00	123	128
4. Subtotal	30	04	594	628
5. None of the above	00	00	00	00
6. Subtotal	30	04	594	628
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	30	04	594	628
9. Performance on this measure	100%	100%	100%

H. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	939	82.51%
Satisfied	155	13.62%
Satisfied somewhat	35	3.08%
Not at all satisfied	09	0.79%
Nonrespondent	00	0%
Total Surveyed	1,138
Response rate %	100%

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	28
Hearing	113
Speech Communication	12
Learning, Cognition and Developmental	25
Mobility, Seating and Positioning	102
Daily Living	149
Environmental Adaptations	18
Vehicle Modification and Transportation	02
Computers and Related	113
Recreation, Sports and Leisure	49
Total # of Device Demonstrations	611

B. Types of Participants

Type of Participant	Decision-Makers	Other Participants	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	494	17	511
Family Members, Guardians, and Authorized Representatives	68	302	370
Representatives of Education	11	06	17
Representatives of Employment	03	02	05
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	05	18	23
Representative of Community Living	28	41	69
Representative of Technology	02	05	07
Total	611	391	1,002

C. Number of Referrals

Referrals
Type of Entity	Number of Referrals
Funding Source (non-AT program)	297
Service Provider	53
Vendor	06
Repair Service	00
Others	08
Total	364

D. Anecdote

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) referred an individual who has learning and speech disabilities to WisTech to identify assistive technology that would allow the person to complete the training needed to obtain their CDL license. This person met with staff for a demonstration of a C-Pen and the Orcam reader. They decided that these devices would meet their needs and DVR was able to provide the funding to purchase these devices. The person was able to complete the CDL training course and obtain their CDL license.

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	34	34	358	426
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	01	06	29	36
Subtotal	35	40	387	462
Have not made a decision	29	05	115	149
Subtotal	64	45	502	611
Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
Total	64	45	502	611
Performance on this measure	54.69%	88.89%	77.09%

F. Customer Satisfaction

Satisfaction
Customer Rating of Services	Number of Customers	Percent
Highly satisfied	940	93.81%
Satisfied	54	5.39%
Satisfied somewhat	05	0.5%
Not at all satisfied	02	0.2%
Nonrespondent	01	0.1%
Total	1,002
Response rate %	99.9%

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.	21	31	3,322	3,374
2. AT was only available through the AT program.	12	02	187	201
3. AT was available through other programs, but the system was too complex or the wait time too long.	06	02	2,535	2,543
4. Subtotal	39	35	6,044	6,118
5. None of the above	00	00	04	04
6. Subtotal	39	35	6,048	6,122
7. Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
8. Total	39	35	6,048	6,122
9. Performance on this measure	84.62%	94.29%	58.02%	58.4%
ACL Performance Measure				85%
Met/Not Met				Not Met

Overall Access Performance Measure

Access Performance Measures
Response	Primary Purpose for Which AT is Needed			Total
Response	Education	Employment	Community Living	Total
Decided that AT device/service will meet needs	100	55	584	739
Decided that an AT device/ service will not meet needs	23	11	120	154
Subtotal	123	66	704	893
Have not made a decision	83	07	138	228
Subtotal	206	73	842	1,121
Nonrespondent	00	00	00	00
Total	206	73	842	1,121
Performance on this measure	59.71%	90.41%	83.61%	79.66%
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	98.88%	95%	Met
Response Rate	90.36%	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	1,115
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	538
Representatives of Education	539
Representatives of Employment	411
Rep Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	1,395
Representatives of Community Living	1,054
Representatives of Technology	47
Unable to Categorize	29
TOTAL	5,128

Geographic Distribution of Participants
Metro	Non Metro	Unknown	TOTAL
2,741	2,208	179	5,128

B. Educational/Training Activity Topics

Educational/Training Activities by Topic
Primary Topic of Educational/Training Activities	Participants
AT Products/Services	250
AT Funding/Policy/ Practice	140
Combination of any/all of the above	4,423
Information Technology/Telecommunication Access	115
Transition	200
Total	5,128

C. Description of Educational/Training Activities

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

WisTech and staff from the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing have provided several trainings for the ADA Coordinators within the Department of Corrections to increase awareness of AT resources and services available to the individuals within their facilities. Trainings included general information on assistive technology resources as well as topics specific to technology to accommodate for hearing loss within the facilities. These trainings have led to increased requests for information as well as device loans from the WisTech inventory, including iPads and caption tablets for communication access for those with communication barriers.

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

Society’s Assets, a WisTech partner hosted four cooking classes for youth with disabilities at a local commercial kitchen space. The participants were students who have a vision loss and the classes allowed for a hands-on demonstration of a variety of assistive technology devices. Students had the opportunity to try out devices such as tactile measuring spoons or cups, peelers, knives, timers, liquid level indicators, induction cooktops, large print materials, smart devices, and various apps. The students learned how to read recipes, learn food safety skills, and prepare meals such as sandwiches, pancakes or scrambled eggs, tacos, and sorbet.

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

WisTech conducted two ICT trainings for the staff of the Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health to address inaccessibility in documents and the dissemination of information. Staff had the choice of two sessions which were done on the Zoom platform. Representation from numerous Bureaus and Offices participated. These training resulted in more accessible practices by staff and generated multiple follow up questions on program specific topics.

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	113
Training or Technical Assistance will be developed or implemented	02
No known outcome at this time	00
Nonrespondent	00
Total	115
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	33%
Employment	01%
Health, Allied Health, Rehabilitation	03%
Community Living	63%
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:

WisTech has been providing extensive ICT training and technical assistance to a broad group of stakeholders including Wisconsin Emergency Management, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, the Departments of Workforce Development, Health Services, and Transportation, the Public Service Commission, and numerous Universities. This work has led to innovative partnerships and collaborations. Specifically, the Division of Public Health is incorporating accessible documents training into new employee training and partners are reaching out to WisTech on how to implement 504 and Title II, American with Disabilities Act regulation changes. WisTech is hopefully by continuing to provide ICT training and technical assistance that state programs and services will be more accessible for all people in the state of Wisconsin.

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

WisTech provided technical assistance (TA) to staff members within the Department of Health Services who work with the Children's Long Term Supports (CLTS) program. The focus of this TA was to review the WisTech Best Practices for AT Assessments and what the case managers should expect to see when receiving an AT Assessment report for a participant in their program. This TA opportunity created increased knowledge for the CLTS staff and how they can assist participants with being as independent as possible through inclusion of assistive technology as part of the services they provide to youth and their families.

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. WisTech hosted a one-day Assistive Technology Expo as part of the statewide Aging and Disability and Independent Living (ADILN) Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The attendance for ADILN Conference included staff from Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Independent Living Centers, long-term care service providers, vocational rehabilitation staff, as well as consumers and their family members. The WisTech Expo area included numerous “stations” showcasing the assistive technology for areas such as hearing, vision, recreation, gaming, and daily living. The WisTech Expo also used short, mini-sessions to highlight gaming, iOS accessibility, hearing, and vision technology. The WisTech Expo was well-received and allowed for attendees to get a deeper dive into assistive technology devices and resources available.

2. WisTech participated in the statewide Farm Technology Days for the second year alongside the AgrAbility program. This is the program’s opportunity to connect with individuals with disabilities, family members, and the general community who are involved within the overall agriculture industry. This event typically brings over 40,000 people to the multi-day event This year WisLoan, our alternative finance program, joined our efforts to provide comprehensive information on assistive technology devices and services to those visiting our booth space. A highlight for this year was our ability to highlight the WisTech program with Governor Tony Evers and Senator Tammy Baldwin. While both individuals are familiar with the program in general, this was their chance to see and try out assistive technology devices.

Information And Assistance

Information And Assistance Activities by Recipient
Types of Recipients	AT Device/ Service	AT Funding	Total
Individuals with Disabilities	9,903	6,732	16,635
Family Members, Guardians and Authorized Representatives	5,308	4,163	9,471
Representative of Education	99	10	109
Representative of Employment	56	10	66
Representative of Health, Allied Health, and Rehabilitation	743	556	1,299
Representative of Community Living	1,270	619	1,889
Representative of Technology	27	12	39
Unable to Categorize	186	85	271
Total	17,592	12,187	29,779

Referral Types:

WisTech implements the AT Act program using a hybrid model which involves conducting program activities from our office directly and through subcontracts and program partners. The requests for information and assistance come from all 72 counties within Wisconsin which reflects the broad reach that WisTech has. Approximately 90% of our referral types are individuals with disabilities or their family members. The requests are split approximately 60% for AT devices and services and 40% for AT policies and funding. This past year there has been an increase in requests around used equipment largely due to the Lend used equipment distribution efforts by two partners: Independence First and Options for Independent Living. Increased collaboration within our Bureau at the Department of Health Services has also led to more individuals with disabilities and their families becoming familiar with WisTech.

Referral Sources:

The sources of requests for information and assistance continue to come from a wide variety of sources which reflects positively on the outreach efforts conducted both from WisTech staff directly as well as from our program partners. One WisTech partner has initiated a concentrated effort of outreach to private businesses within their service delivery area. This has resulted in creating awareness for human resource staff and employers overall for learning about assistive technology solutions as accommodations. The collaborative work that WisTech has been doing with the Aging and Disability Centers on increasing brand awareness has led to additional requests for information and assistance in all areas but especially for WisLoan, Wisconsin’s alternative finance program.

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?

WisTech continued the collaboration with the Department of Public Instruction on the AT Forward Project. The Department's short term loan inventory continues to be co-located on the Wisconsin AT4ALL website alongside the WisTech short term loan and demonstration inventory. WisTech provided a training to the AT Forward Community of Practice that taught educators how to access and utilize the Wisconsin AT4ALL website. The AT Forward workgroup meets monthly to continue addressing access for educators and students to AT services and devices. WisTech and AT Forward project staff presented details on our collaboration at the Assistive Technology Industry Association national conference and for a national webinar on social isolation co-hosted by the Administration for Community Living.

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?

Short term device loans increased from an average of 40 per year to over 100 per school year due to the use of the Wisconsin AT4ALL website for inventory and loan tracking. Short term loans for the WisTech device inventory remained consistent with the previous reporting period and we would have liked to have realized an increase. Learning from this, the collaborative work group will continue with outreach to emphasize that the WisTech inventory is available to educators for loans and demonstrations. This collaboration also allowed WisTech to provide input into additional devices that were purchased by the Department of Public Instruction and added to their device inventory.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://dpi.wi.gov/sped/educators/consultation/assistive-technology/at-forward

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

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

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

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

Outreach was conducted with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

WisTech provides dedicated training to the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Previously, WisTech presented on a quarterly basis during New Employee Orientation activities on AT resources available in Wisconsin. In the summer of 2025 this was transitioned into a biannual division-wide presentation to all staff on assistive technology. This updated method will allow for the introduction to WisTech as well as a deeper dive into specific areas of assistive technology and how it relates to employment.

The biannual presentation will now mean that all Division staff will have the opportunity to learn or re-learn AT resources for Wisconsin and gain current knowledge on specific topics. This method of training meant that 175 staff participated versus the average 15-20 that would participate during quarterly new employee orientation.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

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

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

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

Training,

Outreach was conducted with the Aging Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

Wistech continued the collaboration with the Division of Medicaid Services (DMS) and the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) for the 2023-2024 program year. This collaboration involves support with assistive technology consultations to participants in the Independent Living Pilot Supports Program (ILSP) which is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The ILSP pilot program uses the funding received to provide program participants with up to $7,200 for services and supports to delay enrollment into Medicaid long-term care programs. WisTech has provided over 1,100 AT consultations for assistive technology, home modifications, and vehicle adaptations for participants in this program. The ILSP program was available to participants in 16 counties (14 ADRCs) and will sunset in March of 2025. Lessons learned from this collaboration include a significant increase in overall awareness for the WisTech and WisLoan programs, strengthened the knowledge of ADRC staff on AT related topics, highlighted the breadth of needs people have to remain independent, and provided a documented need for a public program such as this to exist.

The ILSP Program has funded $2.3 million on assistive technology, $32,000 on communication aids, $3 million on home modifications, and $10,000 on vehicle modifications. This collaboration created a broader awareness among pilot ADRCs and the program participants. WisTech conducted over 1110 consultations and provided recommendations. This work is also highlighted in the Collaboration and Coordination section of this report.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/arpa/hcbs-ilsp.htm

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

Housing/Home Automation, Transportation, Health, Aging,

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

Device Loan, Demo, Training, Information & Assistance,

Outreach was conducted with the Medicaid Agency *

Yes

Was collaboration implemented? *

Yes

The Independent Living Pilot Supports program described in the Collaboration and Coordination section as well as in the Aging example above was funded through the Division of Medicaid Services (DMS). Our contribution to the ILSP program established a foundation around assistive technology assessments and implementations that may impact future long-term care services in Wisconsin.

2.a Please include URL for initiative if available

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

Housing/Home Automation, Community Participation and Integration, Health,

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

Technical Assistance,

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:

$59,047.00

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

Type of FTE Position	FTE Positions (0.01 to 9.99)
Assistive Technology Specialist	0.00
Information and Assistance Specialist	0.00
Outreach and Awareness Specialist	0.00
Training Specialist	0.00
Health Care Professional (includes PT, OT, SLP)	0.00
Accessibility Expert	0.75
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.

WisTech utilized the Assistive Technology Public Workforce funding to hire a contract Program and Policy Analyst (PPA). DHS was able to convert this to a state position in 2024. The PPA has been working on public policy and federal and state legislation directly related to assistive technology and access issues experienced by people with disabilities. Additionally, the PPA has provided public comments related to Title II web accessibility standards and WIOA State Plan ensuring state workforce services are accessible and FCC making emergency alerts accessible to people with disabilities. The PPA works in close collaboration between WisTech, the Assistive Technology Advisory Council, the Governor’s Committee for People with Disabilities (GCPD), and the Council for Physical Disabilities (CPD). Efforts in this space include policy work to increase digital access for people with disabilities, emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, access to accessible transportation and housing, and addressing social determinants of health experienced by people with disabilities through the State Health Assessment and State Health Improvement Plan. This position is also responsible for conducting trainings on accessibility, disability, and equal access to programs and services. Training and policy work completed by the PPA has led to partnerships with Wisconsin Emergency Management and Office of Preparedness and Emergency Health Care on amending our state and locality emergency response plans (Mass Care, Points of Distribution, Volunteer Management), to address assistive technology and durable medical equipment needs during emergencies as well as incorporating lessons learned on how to best serve people with disabilities and older adults based on state COVID response. WisTech is listed in ESF 6 plan as a partner program.

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).