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Obtaining Assistive Technology through the Department of Rehabilitation
1. Can the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) provide me with Assistive Technology?
Yes. According to The Rehabilitation Act, assistive technology uses engineering, technology, and scientific principles to address the challenges people with disabilities face. This includes employment, transportation, rehabilitation, education, recreation, and independent living.
It can be divided into three categories:-
- Rehabilitation engineering
- Assistive technology devices
- Assistive technology services
The technology can also include telecommunications, sensors, and vehicular modifications.
More information: https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/AssistiveTechnology
Medical content reviewed by Dr Eric Jackson-Scott MD, Chief Medical Officer
2. What is an Assistive Technology Device?
This is a term that refers to any system or device that lets people perform tasks that would otherwise be deemed impossible. It is also a device that can add to the safety of carrying out a task. Such devices are available at a store and are adjustable to fit your specifications.
3. What is an Assistive Technology Service?
This is a service that can assist you with selecting, acquiring, and using assistive technology devices. It includes:-
- Evaluating to determine your needs in your current environment.
- Purchase or lease of the devices
- Selection, design, installation, adaptation, maintenance, and repair of the devices.
- Coordination of interventions and therapies with the use of assistive devices. A typical example would be those used for employment.
- Technical assistance and training for you and professionals.
4. Can the DOR Provide me with Assistive Technology When I Apply for DOR services?
The DOR is there to ensure that you can obtain assistive technology once they have determined your eligibility. If the currently available information does not provide a good reason for your levels of functioning, an assessment may be carried out to assess your eligibility level.
You can find more information here http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/pubs/F06601.pdf.
After you are eligible, DOR can add assistive technology to your IPE to ensure that you are in a position to achieve your employment goals.
5. What is Rehabilitation Engineering?
This refers to the use of science and engineering to design, develop, adapt, test, evaluate and distribute technical solutions to the many problems faced by individuals with disabilities. The disabilities may be in functional areas like mobility, communications, hearing, vision, cognition, and other activities dealing with independent living, education, employment, and integration into the community.
It involves assessing your personal working space and determining the feasible components to set up a better workstation for you. This involves a qualified rehabilitation engineer who will study your current workplace and recommend changes and improvements that they can do to make your work environment more functional and comfortable. During engineering, certain aspects of your workspace might be changed. Items may be moved around to ensure that you are in a more conducive environment. For instance, if your space is crowded with printers, computers, and fax machines, they might be moved around to ensure that you have more room to move around comfortably. More improvements and adjustments can be made to make your workplace more comfortable for you with the changes.
6. What Type of Rehabilitation Technology may be included in my IPE?
To enable you to reach your employment goals, you will need rehabilitation technology. For this reason, your IPE needs to include:-
- The kind of rehabilitation technology services that you require for your work.
- How this technology will be integrated to provide you the services and assistance that you require at the workplace.
- the provider of the technology as well as additional services involved in its acquisition and use.
A trial work experience is also required to determine the best technology for your needs. In this process, you will be required to perform work in a realistic setting to assess your capabilities and abilities. After this has been carried out, a determination on whether you should benefit from the rehabilitation services will be made. During the trial work experience, the DOR must provide you with the appropriate technologies to care for your needs.
7. Aside from Rehabilitation Technology, what other services can DOR provide me?
There are other services that the DOR can provide to you. These are required when you need to modify a physical or mental condition that is stable. The services and devices that you can get in this category include:-
- Orthotic, prosthetic or other devices that are crucial to retaining or obtaining employment at a company.
- Visual services and eyeglasses
- Paratransport
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Hearing aids
- Wheelchairs
- Speech and hearing therapy
- treatment for individuals who suffer from renal diseases. These include dialysis, transplants, and artificial kidneys.
8. Do I Have to Pay for DOR Services?
At times, the DOR might ask you to contribute towards the cost of rehabilitation services that you need. To determine how much you should be contributing, the DOR will factor in your liquid assets and current income, medical exemptions, and the number of members in your household. These factors will determine the amount that you will be required to contribute to the services and devices.
If you are currently receiving SSI/SSP, SSDI, and other assistance such as TANF, you will not be required to make any payments or contributions towards the assistive rehabilitation technology. Several services are free for all DOR clients. They include:-
- Assessment of your potential for rehabilitation
- Guidance, counseling, and referral services
- Job placement and help getting a job
- training
- Tools needed for your occupation
- personal services like an attendant, note-taker, driver, and a deaf and language interpreter.
- Cost of transportation
- Job coaching
9. Are there times when the DOR will expect me to get rehabilitation technology from another source?
If a service or item can be found through a different source, DOR will not pay. Additionally, these services will not need to be obtained from a different source:-
- Guidance and counseling
- Vocational training
- Job coaching and replacement
- Rehabilitation engineering
Find more information at http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/pubs/F06501.pdf.
10. What Can I do If DOR Denies my Requests for Rehabilitation Technology?
In case your request is denied, you can request mediation or a fair hearing. Additionally, an administrative review can be done to establish whether you were rightfully denied rehabilitation technology.
Find out more: https://www.dor.ca.gov/
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