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Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative

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Volume 12, No. 1, Winter 2004

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Low-Interest AT Loan Programs Seek Start-Up Funds

Tom McDonough, DATI Funding and Policy Specialist

In late September 2003, the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) awarded Delaware $1.32 million to develop low-interest assistive technology and telework loan programs.

As many of you know, some types of AT, such as home and vehicle modifications and hearing aids, are not covered by private and public health insurers because the devices are not regarded as "medically necessary." The AT Loan Program will enable persons with disabilities and their families to obtain these types of AT devices and others.

The Telework Loan Program will support the purchase of computers and other adaptive equipment that allow individuals with disabilities to work from home. In order to assist consumers who might not qualify for conventional bank loans, these programs are likely to feature guaranteed and non-guaranteed loans, interest rate buy-downs, modified credit scoring, flexible terms, and consumer counseling.

Because of its commitment to AT access for persons with disabilities, the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) has agreed to serve as the fiscal agent for these programs. DATI will coordinate program planning and manage the day-to-day operations of the loan programs.

However, despite the great news about the federal grant, much remains to be done. The federal grant requires that a state match of approximately $345,000 be raised from public and private sources by September 2004. Our efforts to date have yielded approximately $70,000 in state match commitments, which leaves us $275,000 short of the goal. The $1.3 million in federal funds will not be released until the matching funds have been secured.

In an effort to bridge this gap, DVR recently filed a grant application with the Delaware Health Fund Advisory Committee (DHFAC). This Committee makes annual grant awards with funds received five years ago pursuant to the Master Settlement Agreement between the states and tobacco manufacturers. On November 25, 2003, I testified before the DHFAC in support of this application, and 13 state agencies and organizations also endorsed

DVR’s application for “tobacco funds” to support the AT loan programs. We expect to learn by January, 2004 whether the loan program will receive funds from DHFAC.

We are also pursuing other public and private sources of funding in order to reach our goal. We hope to raise the remaining match funds before the September deadline so we can begin offering this new AT financing option. If anyone would like to contribute toward the state match or otherwise assist in our efforts, please contact Beth Mineo, Ph.D. at (302) 651-6790 or Beth via email.

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