Kentucky’s Assistive Technology Outreach:

Access Across the Commonwealth

Laura Schluter Strickland, Ed.D., OTR/L

Raleigh, NC

February 14, 2007

Presentation Objectives Presentation Objectives

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

participants will be able to participants will be able to describe and discuss:describe and discuss:

AT services provided,AT services provided, collaborative partnerships, collaborative partnerships, opportunities and challenges opportunities and challenges

faced by the ATRC’s, and faced by the ATRC’s, and efforts to expand reach and efforts to expand reach and

access for all Kentuckians access for all Kentuckians

Location of Centers Location of Centers

AT Program Development & AT Program Development & Evaluation through Advisory Evaluation through Advisory

CouncilCouncil

Seeking input from

community stakeholders

OngoingProgram

Evaluation

Program objectives linked to

Consumer needs

Alignment of ATRC’s Alignment of ATRC’s OperationsOperations

Quality & efficiency of service provision

• KATS Network advisory council interaction

•data reporting

• statewide policy implementation

• systems change processes

•capacity building

•embedding assistive technology capacities, knowledge, & skill

State Plan Integration State Plan Integration

““AT Kits”AT Kits” Contractual agreements Contractual agreements

between KATS and Centers between KATS and Centers Public awareness activitiesPublic awareness activities Interagency coordination Interagency coordination Technical assistance programsTechnical assistance programs Training programs Training programs Demonstrated outreach Demonstrated outreach

Collaborative Relationships for Collaborative Relationships for Community LinkageCommunity Linkage

Universities and Colleges Universities and Colleges School districts School districts Healthcare agenciesHealthcare agencies Community foundations Community foundations Advocacy groups and organizations Advocacy groups and organizations Transportation agencies Transportation agencies State agencies State agencies Independent providers Independent providers National affiliations National affiliations

ChallengesChallenges

Obtaining revenue streams Obtaining revenue streams beyond KATS funding beyond KATS funding

Varying organizational Varying organizational structures of ATRC’s structures of ATRC’s

Time for administrative Time for administrative oversight and reporting oversight and reporting

Providing services to growing Providing services to growing population population

OpportunitiesOpportunities

Consistency building provides Consistency building provides for future collaboration between for future collaboration between centerscenters

New reporting methods New reporting methods provides valuable data for provides valuable data for ongoing program evaluation ongoing program evaluation

Expansion to off site Expansion to off site programming programming

Collaboration with national Collaboration with national networksnetworks

QuestionsQuestions??