Here at Enabling Devices, we’re well aware of how technology can change lives for the better. Technology enables individuals living with disabilities to gain independence, participate in their communities and have richer and more satisfying lives.
The expansion of a Tennessee program called Enabling Technology, is set to make a dramatic difference in the lives of disabled people in the state.
Developed by Tennessee’s Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD), Enabling Technology began as a pilot project in 2017. The project was intended to help Tennesseans living with disabilities become more independent by providing them with smart technologies they could use in their homes and communities. Initially, 200 individuals benefited from the program, which decreased their reliance on caregivers in various ways.
According to the Government of Tennessee’s website, the Enabling Technology project reduced the amount of in-person attention that disabled individuals needed from caregivers by implementing two-way audio and video communication in their homes that provide “remote support and reminders to assist a person in independent living.” Caregivers were able to check in with clients without traveling to their homes while clients could reach their caregivers remotely, when necessary, without requiring their around the clock presence.
This aspect of the project was especially advantageous during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person care was risky for caregivers and clients alike.
The project also taught disabled individuals to use “sensors, mobile applications, remote support systems, and other smart devices….to gain more control of their environment. “
For example, residents learned to use tablets to regulate thermostats and lighting and to open doors in their homes. Enabling technologies, including Eyedriveomatic, which allows users to navigate their wheelchairs with eye movements, and Voiceitt, which uses speech recognition technology to translate the utterances of individuals with speech differences, make independent movement and communication easier.
And new technologies, such as an app that helps people navigate the transit system, help people with disabilities travel independently. All these technologies increase community participation and options for education, socialization and employment.
The expansion of the Enabling Technology project would not have been possible if it were not for funding from the U.S. Government’s 2021 American Rescue Plan.
As Disability Scoop reports, the ARP prompted TennCare (the state of Tennesee’s Medicaid program) and DIDD to make “a historic investment of $400 million.” Reportedly, the amount represents “the largest single investment in home and community-based services in the state’s history.” TennCare and DIDD plan to use $5.5 million of the $400 million toward expanding the Enabling Technology program.
According to Disability Scoop, “This money is opened up to CHOICES participants, a state program that’s meant to provide seniors and those with physical disabilities support at home.”
Thanks to the increase in funding, more than 2,000 participants stand to benefit from this groundbreaking effort. Will other states follow suit? We sure hope so!
