Pass It On!Pass It On!A National Conference on A National Conference on

the Reuse of Assistive the Reuse of Assistive TechnologyTechnology

May 8-10, 2006May 8-10, 2006Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia

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Summary of Day Summary of Day OneOne

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Summary of Day OneSummary of Day OneParticipants learned about models of reuse and Participants learned about models of reuse and discussed barriers and solutions to device reuse.discussed barriers and solutions to device reuse.

The discussions centered around:The discussions centered around:

Best PracticesBest Practices (those activities that take place at (those activities that take place at the state or local level), including --the state or local level), including --

•Program OperationsProgram Operations

•Program QualityProgram Quality

•Program CoordinationProgram Coordination

•Program PoliciesProgram Policies

andand

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Summary of Day One Summary of Day One (cont.)(cont.)

Policy IssuesPolicy Issues (policies that need to be addressed (policies that need to be addressed at the national level), including –at the national level), including –

•Identifying the stakeholders who need to be Identifying the stakeholders who need to be involvedinvolved

•Identifying the laws and regulations that affect Identifying the laws and regulations that affect reusereuse

•Identifying other global issues that need to be Identifying other global issues that need to be addressedaddressed

These topics are further delineated in the These topics are further delineated in the following slides.following slides.

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Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Program OperationsProgram Operations

Successful reuse programs need Successful reuse programs need to address the following to address the following barriers:barriers:

• StorageStorage

• Transportation/DistributionTransportation/Distribution

• LaborLabor

• Tracking and Managing Tracking and Managing InventoryInventory

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Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Program OperationsProgram Operations

• Collection of “activity” data Collection of “activity” data (numbers served, volume of equipment reused, (numbers served, volume of equipment reused, etc.)etc.)

• Marketing and public Marketing and public awarenessawareness

• Sustainability and fundingSustainability and funding

• Appropriate disposal of Appropriate disposal of devicesdevices

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Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Program QualityProgram Quality

To maintain high standards, To maintain high standards, programs must: programs must:

• Find and retain qualified staffFind and retain qualified staff

•Train staff and volunteersTrain staff and volunteers

• Determine the acceptability Determine the acceptability of devices (age, condition, type)of devices (age, condition, type)

•Match person to deviceMatch person to device

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Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Program QualityProgram Quality

• Provide training and follow-up to Provide training and follow-up to consumers consumers

•Collect data on consumer Collect data on consumer outcomesoutcomes What is a good outcome?What is a good outcome?

•Collect data on cost savingsCollect data on cost savings How is this determined?How is this determined?

• Have standards for cleaning and Have standards for cleaning and repairingrepairing

• Deal with cultural barriersDeal with cultural barriers

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Summary of Day One - Best Practices: Summary of Day One - Best Practices: Program CoordinationProgram Coordination

For programs to succeed by working For programs to succeed by working together, they must:together, they must:

• Know who is out thereKnow who is out there

• Learn what others doLearn what others do

• Share their knowledgeShare their knowledge

• Share resourcesShare resources

• Collaborate rather than competeCollaborate rather than compete

• Refer across programsRefer across programs

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Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: Summary of Day One -- Best Practices: PoliciesPolicies

Programs should establish policies Programs should establish policies to address:to address:

• Eligibility requirementsEligibility requirements

• Types and quality of devices Types and quality of devices acceptedaccepted

• Ownership of devicesOwnership of devices

• Liability for devices Liability for devices

• Confidentiality issuesConfidentiality issues

• Warranty issuesWarranty issues

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Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: The Stakeholders (State and National)The Stakeholders (State and National)

National work on device reuse needs to include:National work on device reuse needs to include:

• Health and Human Services – Centers for Health and Human Services – Centers for Medicaid/Medicare ServicesMedicaid/Medicare Services

• Statewide AT Programs funded under the AT Statewide AT Programs funded under the AT ActAct

• Vocational Rehabilitation - Council of State Vocational Rehabilitation - Council of State Administrators of Vocational RehabilitationAdministrators of Vocational Rehabilitation

• Special Education – National Association of Special Education – National Association of State Directors of Special EducationState Directors of Special Education

• Independent LivingIndependent Living

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Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: The Stakeholders (State and National)The Stakeholders (State and National)

•Vendors and manufacturersVendors and manufacturers

•Areas on AgingAreas on Aging

•Developmental Disability councilsDevelopmental Disability councils

•LaborLabor

•Private insurancePrivate insurance

• Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug Administration

•Early InterventionEarly Intervention

•Disability Organizations (ARC, Easter Seals, Disability Organizations (ARC, Easter Seals, UCP, etc.)UCP, etc.)

•Parent OrganizationsParent Organizations

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Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: The Policies (State and National)The Policies (State and National)

National work on device reuse needs to include National work on device reuse needs to include examination of the role of :examination of the role of :

• MedicaidMedicaid

• MedicareMedicare

• IDEA (including Part C)IDEA (including Part C)

• Rehab ActRehab Act

• AT ActAT Act

• HIPAAHIPAA

•FDA requirementsFDA requirements

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Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: Summary of Day One -- Policy Issues: GlobalGlobal

National work on device reuse needs to include:National work on device reuse needs to include:

•What the Federal Government What the Federal Government should be involved in vs. what should be involved in vs. what should be left to local and state should be left to local and state controlcontrol

• Whether standards of practice are Whether standards of practice are necessarynecessary

• How copyright and licensing How copyright and licensing affects reuseaffects reuse

• The role of reuse in disaster The role of reuse in disaster preparednesspreparedness

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Summary of Day TwoSummary of Day Two

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Summary of Day TwoSummary of Day TwoParticipants learned about and discussed how Participants learned about and discussed how and why to develop statewide and national and why to develop statewide and national networks of device reuse programs.networks of device reuse programs.

The discussions centered around supporting The discussions centered around supporting networks by:networks by:

•Developing mechanisms to share best Developing mechanisms to share best practicespractices

•Developing ongoing communication between Developing ongoing communication between programsprograms

•Supporting consistency across programsSupporting consistency across programs

•General suggestionsGeneral suggestions

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Summary of Day Two: Sharing Best Summary of Day Two: Sharing Best PracticesPractices

The following should be developed:The following should be developed:

•A national public awareness A national public awareness campaigncampaign

•A resource manualA resource manual

•A comprehensive guide to A comprehensive guide to strategies for reusestrategies for reuse

•A national study on liability A national study on liability

•A national websiteA national website

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Summary of Day Two: Supporting Summary of Day Two: Supporting Ongoing CommunicationOngoing Communication

To build networks, programs need:To build networks, programs need:

•A listserve for reuse programsA listserve for reuse programs

•Continued support Continued support meetings/conferences (this could be meetings/conferences (this could be added on to existing conferences)added on to existing conferences)

•VideoconferencesVideoconferences

•A program directory (compilation A program directory (compilation of programs doing reuse)of programs doing reuse)

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Summary of Day Two: Consistency Summary of Day Two: Consistency Across ProgramsAcross Programs

•Programs will be better able to network Programs will be better able to network if they:if they:

•Develop a standard classification system Develop a standard classification system for devicesfor devices

•Develop a common “language” for Develop a common “language” for device reusedevice reuse

•Have better data collection:Have better data collection:- How to report data when programs are - How to report data when programs are

collaboratingcollaborating

- Consistent measures of device value and cost - Consistent measures of device value and cost savingssavings

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Summary of Day Two: General Summary of Day Two: General SuggestionsSuggestions

•Develop a national network by starting Develop a national network by starting statewide, then moving to regions, then statewide, then moving to regions, then to nationalto national

•Support an advisory committee Support an advisory committee composed of stakeholders from various composed of stakeholders from various organizationsorganizations

•Expand beyond durable medical Expand beyond durable medical equipment and computersequipment and computers

•Don’t lose focus on helping people get Don’t lose focus on helping people get new AT.new AT.

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Summary of Day Summary of Day ThreeThree

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Summary of Day ThreeSummary of Day ThreeParticipants learned about the Participants learned about the importance of partnering with importance of partnering with businesses and other community businesses and other community organizations in order to implement organizations in order to implement and sustain their programs.and sustain their programs.

Participants suggested Participants suggested organizations with which to partner. organizations with which to partner. A list of such organizations follows.A list of such organizations follows.

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Summary of Day Three: Summary of Day Three: Potential PartnersPotential Partners

PrisonsPrisons

Independent living centersIndependent living centers

Universities:Universities:

- Engineering Schools- Engineering Schools

- Schools of Education- Schools of Education

- Schools of Allied Health- Schools of Allied Health

Nursing HomesNursing Homes

Estate lawyersEstate lawyers

Health Care entitiesHealth Care entities

LibrariesLibraries

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Summary of Day Three: Summary of Day Three: Potential PartnersPotential Partners

Tribal entitiesTribal entities

Chambers of CommerceChambers of Commerce

Society of Human Resource ManagersSociety of Human Resource Managers

Rehab NetworksRehab Networks

Migrant Assistance ProgramsMigrant Assistance Programs

Red CrossRed Cross

General recyclersGeneral recyclers

Vocational Rehabilitation counselorsVocational Rehabilitation counselors

AT vendorsAT vendors

Special OlympicsSpecial Olympics

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Summary of Day Three: Summary of Day Three: Potential PartnersPotential Partners

Maternal Child Health Block Grant programsMaternal Child Health Block Grant programs

MR/DD systemsMR/DD systems

Early Intervention programsEarly Intervention programs

Community Development Block Grant programsCommunity Development Block Grant programs

Cooperative Educational Service AgenciesCooperative Educational Service Agencies

Speech/language professional organizationsSpeech/language professional organizations

SchoolsSchools

Meals on wheelsMeals on wheels

ChurchesChurches

Parent Training and Information CentersParent Training and Information Centers