Executive Director Carolyn Knight interviewed about Council's commitment to inclusion
Ohio DD Council's executive director, Carolyn Knight, was recently interviewed by Spectrum News the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council's vision and work for the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of their lives.
Click here to see the interview
Assistive Technology is covered by all DODD waivers
Did you know that all Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) waivers can be used to purchase assistive technology? If you have a Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF), Individual Options (IO), or Level One waiver, you may be eligible to use your waiver to purchase assistive technology that meets your needs.
Coverage for assistive technology, or AT, is not new. The ability to buy and use AT has always been around, but it was put into other rules and services, such as Specialized Medical Equipment or Career Planning. Now it has its own service rule that includes requirements for consultations to evaluate a person’s needs, purchasing devices or services, and training and support once the device or service is received.
Under the new rule, AT is defined as any electronic interactive item that can help you increase or maintain your independence, skills, and involvement in the community. There are many ways to use AT, such as for completing work tasks, communicating with friends, or reminding you to take medication. All that’s required is an open mind to see how technology can best work for you.
You’re interested. What next?
If you receive services from a DODD waiver and are interested in seeing if assistive technology is right for you, here is what you can do:
- Think about what areas in which you would like to have more independence.
- Talk with your service and support administrator (SSA) about your ideas.
- Ask your SSA to set up meetings with technology vendors to see what AT is right for you.
Share this information with others!
The Ohio DD Council was pleased to partner with DODD to create an information card that covers the information provided in this article. You can either download the information card or request printed copies by calling the Ohio DD Council at 614-466-5205 or 800-766-7426.