By: American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center (AIVRTTAC) and Assistive Technology Training and Technical Assistance (AT3) Center
The American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center (AIVRTTAC) recently started collaborating with the Assistive Technology Training and Technical Assistance (AT3) Center to build bridges between tribal vocational rehabilitation projects and state Assistive Technology (AT) Act programs.
AIVRTTAC helps improve the capacity of American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) projects to provide culturally appropriate vocational rehabilitation services to all eligible tribal participants. AIVRTTAC is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
The AT3 Center provides training and technical assistance to state AT Act programs, which offer a variety of services that increase access to assistive technology and help individuals with disabilities lead more independent lives. AT3 Center is funded by the Administration for Community Living in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
AT3 Center’s services include device demonstrations, short-term equipment loans, device reutilization (such as repair, refurbishment and reuse of gently used AT and durable medical equipment), and low-interest loans for the purchase of AT.
AT Act programs are located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the four U.S. territories.
Since these state AT Act services have historically been underutilized by tribal vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumers, AIVRTTAC and the AT3 Center are working together to increase awareness of both tribal VR and state AT Act program services.
Dr. Lee Gaseoma, AIVRTTAC traditional cultural guidance and support liaison, conducted a webinar, Tribal VR: Taking Care of Our Relatives, for state AT Act program staff that provided an overview of tribal VR and AIVRTTAC services, Aug. 8. This presentation was attended by staff from 33 of the 56 state AT Act programs.
The following day, the AT3 Center conducted a webinar, Assistive Technology: Making Connections, for tribal VR project staff to discuss how the AT3 Center can help them use AT to prepare tribal members with disabilities for employment.
Of the 93 tribal VR projects in the country, staff from 21 attended this presentation. AT3 Center staff also sent recordings of this presentation to all 56 state AT Act programs.
AIVRTTAC plans to continue their work with the AT3 Center and encourages tribal VR, state VR and state AT Act program staff to explore their services on the AT3 Center website.
Additionally, AIVRTTAC invited and assisted the AT3 Center in getting a vendor booth at the Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) Annual Conference, Dec. 12-15 in Costa Mesa, California. The opportunity at CANAR will allow the AT3 Center the opportunity to connect with all 93 tribal VR projects and showcase the equipment offered.
This write-up first appeared in the National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials August and September 2023 newsletter.
