Vol. 2, No. 5, Sept/Oct 1994 |
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Congress Reauthorizes Tech Act
President Clinton has reauthorized the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 and extended the program to a maximum of 10 years for each state.
The law revamps some of the old programs and authorizes new grants to establish systems of financing assistive technology. It also requires states to concentrate on changing systems to increase access to assistive technology, rather than to directly provide services.
The revised act and its amendments extend for five years the grants to each state. States can now receive an initial three-year grant and, based on performance, a two-year extension and a final five-year extension may be awarded. During the final extension, federal funds to the state project will be reduced to 75 percent in the fourth year and 50 percent in the final year. Each state is expected to seek alternate funds to enable the program to continue after federal funding ceases.
A new provision requires each state to set aside funds to contract for protection and advocacy services. The amount ranges from a minimum of $40,000 to $100,000 and is based on the state's grant amount, the needs of people with disabilities within that state, and the population and geographic size of the state.
Under the Title I Grants to States (which is how the DATI is funded), six specific systems change and advocacy activities are required. States must:
- Develop, implement and monitor state, regional and federal laws, policies, regulations and structures to improve access;
- Implement strategies to overcome access barriers. The states should focus on breaking down access barriers and improving funding for assistive technology through state education, vocational rehabilitation, and medical assistance services;
- Coordinate state agency activities;
- Teach people with disabilities and others to advocate for increased access and participation in assistive technology selection and acquisition of services;
- Identify the needs of underrepresented and rural populations and train their representatives as service providers and trainers; and
- Implement strategies to ensure that assistive technology is acquired and delivered as quickly as possible.
Title II of the Tech Act's Programs of National Significance has also been revised. Awards are authorized to:
- Conduct training sessions, develop materials, and train in rural areas;
- Train students or faculty in assistive technology careers;
- Promote technology transfer to spur development;
- Establish more recycling programs;
- Allow people with disabilities to own and operate businesses that develop or market devices or services;
- Support research and development; and
- Develop a national classification system, through each state's Education Department.
States can now also compete for matching grants to establish alternate funding mechanisms so that consumers can purchase assistive technology. The financing could include low-interest loans, revolving funds, loan insurance programs and partnerships. States could only receive one such grant. The grants could not exceed $500,000 and would require a 50 percent state match.
At this time, Congress has only authorized enough funds to cover Title I, the Grants to States. This means that the other promising activities, including the provision of seed money for loan funds, will not be underway for some time. An in-depth look at the implications of the new law for Delaware-and they are significant-will appear in the next issue.
The summary of the new law is based on an article appearing in TRAID News (1994, Vol.4, No.1).