Vol. 4, Issue 6, Nov/Dec 1996	Previous Issues Subscribe to AT Messenger Download PDF Viewer
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DATI Awarded Second Extension Grant

The DATI, like its counterpart Tech Act projects in other states, has been funded in a series of multi-year awards from the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The first grant, awarded in 1991 and spanning three years, was considered a "development" grant; it was during this period that our infrastructure of four sites was established, the initial staffing was completed, and we began addressing the barriers to AT access that existed in the state. In 1994, we applied for a two-year "extension" grant that allowed us to move forward with an even greater emphasis on systems change. In July of this year, we submitted an application for a second extension grant, this time covering a five-year span. Our workscope for this period embraces ten broad initiatives:

1. Improve access to AT devices and services for children in Delaware through the state's public education system.
2. Support the development of a range of options for acquiring/financing AT devices and services that consumers might pursue independent of state agencies or programs.
3. Improve access to AT devices and services for eligible individuals with disabilities through the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
4. Improve coverage for, and timely acquisition of, AT devices and services through public and private medical insurance.
5. Increase the availability and use of AT among older citizens.
6. Improve the accessibility of facilities, equipment and services in the public and private sectors.
7. Improve access to AT devices and services for individuals with mental retardation through the Delaware Division of Mental Retardation.
8. Increase the empowerment of consumers in technology selection and acquisition.
9. Increase the empowerment of consumers and the skill level of providers through the operation of an information-and-referral program.
10. Increase the empowerment of consumers, the awareness of the
11. entire community, and the skill level of providers through a multifaceted outreach and training agenda.

The word from Washington on our recent application is your classic good news/bad news scenario. We were awarded extension funding yet, as was the case with every other Tech Act project, we were forced to absorb an almost 8% cut in the amount of our funding. This may not seem like a large proportion, but it really is tough to take a hit of this magnitude when costs continue to rise. For example, as the popularity of our Assistive Technology Resource Centers (ATRCs) increases, so do their costs, because they are trying to serve more people, produce more materials, and send out more mailings in response to the requests they receive. A budget increase would have allowed us to direct more resources to the operation of the ATRCs; however, with the cut in funding we are now struggling just to keep them going at last year's funding level.

The simple solution is to trim our aspirations and do less than we had planned. Forget it! Delaware has made tremendous progress in the AT arena in recent years, and we are not going to lose that momentum if we can help it. Our solution is to get creative at every turn. Where can we forge partnerships to advance our mission at the same time that we help others advance theirs? Where can we share costs? Should new services be created, or should some existing services be spun off to others?

The DATI Statewide Advisory Board is addressing this issue, and members have generated several excellent strategies for augmenting our resources and helping us do more with less. If you have suggestions, please share them with us. We would like your feedback about our new workplan as well. Subsequent issues of the AT Messenger will provide more detail about specific activities underway relative to each initiative. Stay tuned...