Success Stories

The Alternative Financing program (AFP) helps states/territories to establish affordable loan programs to help persons with disabilities finance assistive technology (AT) equipment and services such as wheel chairs, speech recognition devices, home modifications, modified vans.

Facts about the Alternative Financing Program (AFP)

The facts presented here are based on all data submitted to the Outcomes Database and downloaded for analysis by June 15, 2003. This does not represent all applicants to and loans administered by the Alternative Financing Programs.

• In the first year of operation (2000-2001), there were 400 loan applications in the five states that contributed data. The next year, these numbers grew to 895 applications in 13 states.
• In the second year of the Alternative Financing Programs, funding was provided for:
  
  • 268 adapted vehicles for transportation,
  • 168 mobility devices such as walkers, canes, wheelchairs and scooters,
  • 102 computers and computer-related equipment, and
  • 67 modifications in the home and/or business setting.
• 45% of the approved loans were for adapted transportation, such as vans, lifts, and hand controls.
• 28% of the approved loans were for mobility equipment, such as wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers.
• In FY 2001-2002, 78% of the applicants whose loans were approved and who participated in a follow-up survey said that their quality of life or life satisfaction had improved after obtaining assistive technology loans and purchasing the equipment and/or services.

Facts about the Telework Program

• The Access to Telework program has been in operation for one year. The federal government provided $20,000,000 for Access to Telework under the President's New Freedom Initiative.
• During the grant competition conducted in FY 03, 20 states received awards totaling $19.7 million.  The states were: Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Guam, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.  These grants are administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Education.
• Under the program requirements, states were required to match one dollar for every nine federal dollars. The combined total of federal and state moneys during the FY 03 grant cycle resulted in $21.8 million in loan funding for the Access to Telework program.