Future of AT Reutilization National Conference on Reuse Deborah Buck, Executive Director September 16, 2009

Quick Review What We Know ●Confirmation & Validation of Need & Value of Reuse Programs ●Seen Marked Growth in Reuse Initiatives ●Impact of Programs is Impressive ●Data for state AT Programs – a slice of the pie? ●Significant strides in quality improvement ●Identification, collection, distribution of tools, resources, effective practices

So …. We know Reuse Is Good How Do We Sustain It ???

An Equal or More Important Factor? Political Will Is there Political Will for Reuse? How do you position Reuse programs to take advantage of Political Will?

Environmental Scan ●External & internal factors that influence the direction and goals of your organization/goal/mission ●Consider present and future factors that might affect organization/goal/mission ●External Factors ●Markets, Legislation & Government Actions, Demographics, Trends ●Internal Factors ●Capabilities of the organization (infrastructure, hardware, personnel, abilities, structure, etc)

External Environmental Scan The Top 10 Global Economic Issues* The Top 3 Issues Are: 1.Restoring Financial Stability ●Teetering Economy, high unemployment rate, financial troubles (imploding banks, insurance at the center of the current global vortex) 2.Setting the Right Green Agenda ●Need to act on climate change 3.Exercising Smart Power ●Investing in the education, health, livelihoods, and the security of the world’s poorest... It is critical to increase not only resources but also the impact of each dollar spent Top 10 Global Economic Challenges Facing America's 44th President 9/14/09. Brookings.

Green Agenda Smart Power Reuse Programs Financial Stability

Making the Link for Reuse ●Green Agenda ●Energy & Environmental Issues Priority for Obama Administration ●Environmental & Economic issues ●Incentives for ‘green technologies’ and initiatives, training to support qualified personnel ●How do AT Reuse Programs fit? ●Savings toxic chemicals, hardware, products from landfills ● FODAC example: specific data saving tons from landfill

Exercising Smart Power ●Not Just More $- but $ spent better, better impact ●Investing in education, health, livelihoods, ●Health Care Reform, Education, Aging Services, Employment ●How do AT Reuse Programs fit? ●Getting AT to people for education, employment, community living, health care ●AT that otherwise wasn’t available, couldn’t afford, or took too long to get!

Financial Stability ●Stable Economy ●Productive & employed citizens ●How Do AT Reuse Programs fit? ●Reuse Programs are Employers! ●34 Programs have Contractors/Partnerships- economic link ●AT coming from Reuse programs used by individuals to be productive ●Employment, access to education, communication, social knowledge

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! Be prepared to leverage opportunities when they arise. Be prepared to shift and realign if opportunities don’t pan out. Plant seeds for funding that will come to fruition- investment of time, unearthing champions

What’s Worked ●AT Programs report leveraging $1,843,722 for Reuse Activities ●Federal, state & private: Direct $, Collaborations (e.g. grants from Medicaid Infrastructure, Dept of Ed, VR) ●Includes: ●RSA Reuse Demo Grant $1,164,495 ●$629,227 other sources (per/state average under $50,000) ●Does not include: program income or $ from collaborators/partners (in-kind, direct $)

AT Act Funding $25.6 million

Average Award $412,000: 7 Activities All Disabilities; All Ages; All Environments, Plus Other Targeted Individuals

AT Act Dollars Leveraged FFY 2008 AT Act $24.62 Million Total AT $ Leveraged $16.93 Million $1.84 Million Reuse

Reuse Is A Solution…But It’s Not THE Solution The AT Act Is A Solution…But It’s not THE Solution

American Reinvestment & Recovery Act (ARRA) Voc Rehab ILC AT

ARRA- Opportunity ●One-Time Investment - Simulate the economy ●Title I, Part A ($10 billion) to State educational agencies. ●IDEA, Part B ($11.7 billion) to State educational agencies. ●IDEA, Part C ($500 million) ●Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants ($540 million) ●Independent Living Services ($140 million) ●State IL Services Program (State IL Grants): $18 million ●IL Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program (OIB): $34 mil ●Centers for Independent Living Program (CIL): $87 mil

AT In the Community ●Transition from nursing homes to community ●AARA Designing or identifying and providing services that may be extended at low cost beyond 2012 ●Emergency Response ●Aging Services ●Health Care: Private & Public ●Social Interaction ●Libraries

AT & Schools ●Creating more efficient and effective ways of increasing services to students with disabilities transitioning from school to employment and independent living; ●Access To AT in schools ●Getting AT on the table for consideration ●Universal Design for Learning ●Higher Ed Act

Other ●Employment ●Temporary Accommodations ●Internships ●Green Technologies ●Transition ●Autism

●Be Ready to Respond to Opportunities ●Make Opportunities ●Data – Your Story ●Collaborations & Partnerships ●Acknowledge Partnerships- links with AT Programs, other federal funding

Contact Information Deborah V. Buck Executive Director Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP)