Assistive Technology Resources

AT Device ReUse

AT Device Exchange and Recycling Programs

Programs/Links
State Programs
Other Programs
Other Resources

State Activities
Device Loan
Device ReUse
Device Demo
Financing

Loans for AT
AFP State Loans
Other Loans

AT Device ReUse

Section Links
Exchange Programs
Abbreviations/Key
Table of State Exchange Programs
Description of State Exchange Programs
Featured Exchange Program
Recycling Programs
Abbreviations/Key
Table of State Recycling Programs
Description of State Recycling Programs
Featured Recycling Program
Credit

State AT Equipment Exchange Programs
State	Geographic Area	Eligible Ages	Eligible Disabilities	Equipment Types	Restrictions	Fees	Other Services
State	Storage	Refurbishing	Pick-up/ Delivery	Users/ Listings Last Year	Follow-up	Budget/Source	Comments
AR	Statewide	All	All	All	Recycled devices repaired in house	None	None
AR	Yes	Yes	Yes	136/145	Phone & survey	AT Act general dollars	DME vendors donate some parts
DE	Statewide	All	All	Any AT devices, DME	Delaware and surrounding region	None	-
DE	No	No	No	146	Phone/Email	AT Act general dollars	Program acts as broker only w/ web listing
GA	Statewide www.gatfl.org	All	All	Computers, AT, cell phones, DME	Pentium 1 or faster	None for G-Trade (equip. exchange)	Assessment, software & computer training
GA	Yes	Yes	Yes	242	Phone, mail, email, visits	$40,000 (ReBoot), $1500 (G-Trade), $45,000/center (AT Act)	ReBoot 85% operated by consumers
ID	Statewide	All	All	Vehicles, wheelchairs, beds, lifts, walkers	None	None	Assessment and I&R through state project
ID	No	No	No	57/175	Equipment listing is current	AT Act dollars	-
IN	Statewide	All	All	All including vehicles	In working condition	None for free listing, fee for items for sale	Evaluations available for a fee
IN	No	Yes	Yes	27/86	Phone	AT Act general dollars	Working for single state clearinghouse
IA	Statewide www. uiowa.edu/infotech/ UERS.htm	All	All	All, primarily DME & vehicles	None	None	None
IA	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	IPAT maintains listing of used equipment via UERS; IPAT supports refurbishing by Easter Seals
KY	Statewide www.katsnet.org	All	All	All	Items "as is"	Technology fee for people receiving computers	All services provided
KY	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A	N/A	AT Act general dollars	KATS operated
MO	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	Services thru AT program
MO	No	No	No	56 exchanges/ 124 listings	Monthly	~$50,000 AT Act	-
NY	Statewide www.oapwd.org	All	All	AT devices (non medical>	None	None	I&R, printed materials
NY	No	No	No	169 selling, 216 looking, 6 matches	Telephone call	Primarily by state, AT project funds materials	Staff position is state funded
NC	Statewide	All	All	All (Exchange Post) Computers (Christina Foundation and AT Project	None (Exchange Post) Recycled computers stay in region (ATP)	None (no shipping)	Informal assessment, try out, loan, training, follow up as needed
NC	Yes	Yes	Yes	1020/- Exchange Post; 50/150 ATP; 15 Christina Foundation	Quarterly surveys	$17,655 Exchange Post; other w AT Act general dollars	Exchange Post under contract to private nonprofit
ND	Statewide www.ndipat.org	All	All	All	None	None	-
ND	No	No	No	-	-	-	-
OK	Statewide oec.okstate.edu	All	All	All	None	None	Follow-up
OK	No	No	No	132/125	Phone, Email	AT Act dollars	-
OR	Statewide	All	All	DME	Equipment in good condition	Listing fee	Same as loan library
OR	Yes	Yes	No	-	-	AT Act dollars & small grant	-
PA	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	None
PA	No	No	No	237 subscribers, 40 items sold, 24 donated	Phone	$5000 Title I	-
SD	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	Assessment, delivery, training
SD	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	State funds	-
UT	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	Phone assistance
UT	No	No	No	108 items purged at 6 months	None	AT Act, state funds for 1.5 FTE & space	Began as AT Act program, now provide TA & lmtd funding
WA	Statewide wata.org	All	All	All	None	None	None
WA	No	No	No	50/25 exchanges	Email	General project	-
WV	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	None
WV	No	No	No	N/A	None	Donations	Uses WVATS list serve
WI	By county, varies by ILC	All	All	All	None	Varies	All
WI	Yes	Yes	Yes	80/125	ILC Contacts	$230,000 CIL support, general Tech Act funding, donations	Program varies considerably by each ILC

EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
To Top

Background

Equipment exchange programs match individuals who require assistive technology devices with people donating or selling used equipment that is no longer needed by publishing a list of items wanted and items for sale in an electronic or print format. The actual transaction, including payment and delivery of an item, is negotiated between the buyer and seller. Exchange programs regularly follow up with a phone call, e-mail, or mail survey to assess satisfaction or determine if an item is still for sale. An increase in availability of assistive technology and a reduction in cost of devices are essential to meeting the needs of citizens with disabilities.

Findings

30 states report operating equipment exchange and/or recycling programs (Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6). 9 have an exchange program only, 11 only recycling, and 10 operate both. All projects operate statewide except in Florida, where service is currently dedicated to persons residing in the northwest part of the state. Staff associated with the state projects provide most of the services. The most popular items to exchange or recycle are computers, DME such as wheelchairs, walkers, and beds, and other forms of assistive technology devices. The programs are promoted via web sites, newsletters, brochures, presentations, and other outreach.

Range of Services and Associated Fees— Exchange programs comprise a published list of items for sale or items wanted. There is minimal, if any, involvement by the project in actual negotiation or delivery of an item between the buyer and the seller. Most exchange programs do not charge fees.

Programs Primarily Funded by General AT Act Dollars— Most of the exchange and recycling programs are funded by general AT Act dollars. However, some states, such as Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Pennsylvania, have designated a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars for their projects. Kansas received a $200,000 in-kind match by the lead agency. Nebraska received $100,000 from state programs and grants. And in Utah, the state provides funding for personnel space.

Quantifying Benefits by Tracking Equipment Value— A few states were able to quantify benefits of their exchange or recycling programs by tracking the value of the equipment through the program. For example, Kansas’ equipment exchange program brought back $267,000 worth of equipment in its first year. In Nebraska, TechConnectors provided 80 used computers to vocational rehabilitation clients at an estimated savings of $80,000. In Oklahoma, the cost-benefit of the exchange program last year was $163,002.

A Variety of Innovative Practices— There are several innovative practices among the states. Connecticut uses a business model with its NEAT Marketplace. The Marketplace includes 25,000 square feet of computer lab, displays, accessible meeting and classroom space. Organizations, vendors and evaluators pay fees to use the services, which help sustain the operation. They are looking to make this a regional program to leverage costs among neighboring states. In Georgia, the ReBoot program operates with 85% consumer involvement. Indiana is working toward a statewide clearinghouse for all exchange programs. The Iowa project supports refurbishing by Easter Seals. In Maine, surplus equipment is donated to Costa Rica through the Rotary Club, and computers are donated to families. North Carolina contracts with a private nonprofit organization to operate its Technology Exchange Post equipment listing.

State AT Equipment Recycling Programs To Top
State	Geographic Area	Eligible Ages	Eligible Disabilities	Equipment Types	Restrictions	Fees	Other Services
State	Storage	Refurbishing	Pick-up/ Delivery	Users/ Listings Last Year	Follow-up	Budget/Source	Comments
AR	Statewide	All	All	Mostly DME	Recycled devices repaired in house	None	None
AR	Yes	Yes	Yes	136/145	Phone & survey	AT Act general dollars	DME vendors donate some parts
CT	Statewide www.neatmarketplace .org	All	All	Higher end items, not computers	Some restrictions on consignment items	Membership fee for vendors	Up to 30 day trial
CT	Yes	Yes	Yes	10,000/350 major items	None	$50,000 startup from AT project, now $5M operation	Uses business model w multifunction ctr, fees for organizations
FL	Northwest Florida	All	All	Computers	Must be internet capable	$35/system	Basic HW/SW instruction
FL	Yes	Yes	Yes	80	-	$10,000; AT Act	-
GA	Statewide www.gatfl.org	All	All	Computers, AT, cell phones, DME	Pentium 1 or faster	Delivery, S&H (ReBoot computer recycling)	Assessment, software & computer training
GA	Yes	Yes	Yes	242 recipients	Phone, mail, email, visits	$40,000 (ReBoot), $1500 (G-Trade), $45,000/center (AT Act)	ReBoot 85% operated by consumers
GU	Island of Guam	All	All	Wheelchairs, crutches, walkers	None	None	Assessment try out, follow-up
GU	Yes	Yes	Yes	25	Site visits, phone calls	General AT Act, donations	-
IN	Statewide	All	All	All including vehicles	In working condition	None for free listing, fee for items for sale	Evaluations available for a fee
IN	No	Yes	Yes	27 matches, 86 listings	Phone	AT Act general dollars	Working for single state clearinghouse
IA	Statewide www. uiowa.edu/infotech/ UERS.htm	All	All	All, primarily DME & vehicles	None	None	None
IA	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	IPAT maintains listing of used equipment via UERS; IPAT supports refurbishing by Easter Seals
KS	Statewide www.equipment exchange.ku.edu	All	All	DME	-	None	Follow-up
KS	Yes	Yes	Yes	600+ users	Phone	$200,000 in-kind match by lead agency; federal match by state Medicaid	-
KY	Statewide www.katsnet.org	All	All	Computers	Working devices	Technology fee for people receiving computers	All services provided
KY	Yes	Yes	Yes	371 computers	N/A	AT Act general dollars	Private group operates
LA	Statewide	All	All	Computers	None	Shipping & small fee on some equipment	-
LA	No	No	Yes	10 computers	Phone	AT Act dollars, some donations	Computers are delivered to home
ME	Statewide www.tecmaine.org	All	All	Wheelchairs, DME, computers	Pentium or higher; wheelchairs < 5 years old	$50/year	Assessment, try out, follow-up
ME	Yes	No	Yes	-	-	-	Surplus equipment donated to Costa Rica, computers donated to families
MD	Some counties	All	All	ADLs, AAC, DME, computer HW/SW	Computers by age & condition	None	Consults for appropriate matches
MD	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A	Not at present	AT Act dollars, donations, grants	Provide TA, training & computer repairs
MO	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	Services thru AT program
MO	No	No	No	56 exchanges/ 124 listings	Monthly	~$50,000 AT Act	-
MT	Statewide ruralinstitute.umt. edu/HDC/maep.asp	All	All	Computer HW, adapative equipment	None	None	All
MT	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
NE	Statewide www.techconnectors .net	All	All	All	None	None	I&R, funding assistance
NE	Yes	Yes	Yes	189 items, 110 computers	Not at present	$101,000, state programs & grants	TechConnectors offers recycled AT & computers, web site w online classifieds
NV	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	Follow-up
NV	Yes	Yes	Yes	1000 clients/ yr	Phone & surveys	AT Act dollars & donations	-
NC	Statewide	All	All	All (Exchange Post) Computers (Christina Foundation and AT Project	None (Exchange Post) Recycled computers stay in region (ATP)	None (no shipping)	Informal assessment, try out, loan, training, follow up as needed
NC	Yes	Yes	Yes	50/150 ATP; 15 Christina Foundation	Quarterly surveys	AT Act general dollars	-
OH	Statewide www.atohio.org	All	All	Computers	None	$25	I&R
OH	Yes	Yes	Yes	120 people	Collect feedback	$50,000	-
OR	Statewide	All	All	DME	Equipment in good condition	Listing fee	Same as loan library
OR	Yes	Yes	No	-	-	AT Act dollars & small grant	-
SD	Statewide	All	All	All	None	None	Assessment, delivery, training
SD	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	State funds	-
VI	Statewide	All	All	Computers, wheelchairs	-	None	AT resource centers for try out
VI	Yes	Yes	Yes	20 computers	-	AT Act dollars	-
WI	By county (varies by ILC)	All	All	All	None	Varies	All
WI	Yes	Yes	Yes	80/125	ILC Contacts	$230,000 CIL support, general Tech Act funding, donations	Program varies considerably by each ILC

RECYCLING PROGRAMS
To Top

Background

Equipment recycling programs receive, recondition, and store used assistive technology devices for re-use either by selling or donating to persons needing such devices. An associated higher level of services and cost clearly exists with refurbishing assistive technology that might otherwise be discarded, but the increased investment and involvement results in a greater reward, especially for individuals who cannot afford to buy personal devices. Recycling programs offer assistive technology and computers through a website and on-line listing. Computers, wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment are most commonly recycled. Certain restrictions may apply to devices that will be accepted such as the age of the computer or operability of the DME. Computers, in general, must be Internet capable and possess a specified processor. The programs are promoted via web sites, newsletters, brochures, and presentations. Outreach to participants is often coordinated with other agencies to pick up, store, clean or refurbish, and deliver used equipment.

Findings

30 states report operating equipment exchange and/or recycling programs (Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6). 9 have an exchange program only, eleven only recycling, and 10 operate both. All projects operate statewide except in Florida, where service is currently dedicated to persons residing in the northwest part of the state. Staff associated with the state projects provide most of the services. The most popular items to exchange or recycle are computers, DME such as wheelchairs, walkers, and beds, and other forms of assistive technology devices. The programs are promoted via web sites, newsletters, brochures, presentations, and other outreach.

Range of Services and Associated Fees— In recycling programs a third party is typically involved, which may include pick up and delivery of items, storage, and refurbishing. There is clearly an associated higher cost with equipment recycling, but also a higher level of services and involvement. While most exchange programs do not charge fees, a number of recycling programs have a implemented a fee for services. For example, Florida charges $35 per system and Ohio charges $25 for computer recycling. Some states, such as Georgia and Louisiana, report a delivery or shipping and handling fee. Maine has a $50 annual membership fee.

Programs Primarily Funded by General AT Act Dollars— Most of the exchange and recycling programs are funded by general AT Act dollars. However, some states, such as Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Pennsylvania, have designated a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars for their projects. Kansas received a $200,000 in-kind match by the lead agency. Nebraska received $100,000 from state programs and grants. And in Utah, the state provides funding for personnel space.

Quantifying Benefits by Tracking Equipment Value— In Nebraska, TechConnectors provided 80 used computers to vocational rehabilitation clients at an estimated savings of $80,000.

A Variety of Innovative Practices— There are several innovative practices among the states. Connecticut uses a business model with its NEAT Marketplace. The Marketplace includes 25,000 square feet of computer lab, displays, accessible meeting and classroom space. Organizations, vendors and evaluators pay fees to use the services, which help sustain the operation. They are looking to make this a regional program to leverage costs among neighboring states. In Georgia, the ReBoot program operates with 85% consumer involvement. Indiana is working toward a statewide clearinghouse for all exchange programs. The Iowa project supports refurbishing by Easter Seals. In Louisiana, recycled computers are delivered to the home. Nebraska’s TechConnectors program offers recycled assistive technology and computers through a web site and on-line listing. In Maine, surplus equipment is donated to Costa Rica through the Rotary Club, and computers are donated to families. North Carolina contracts with a private nonprofit organization to operate its Technology Exchange Post equipment listing.

Abbreviations/Key:	To Top
States: AR - Arkansas DE - Delaware CT - Connecticut FL - Florida GA - Georgia GU - Guam HI - Hawaii ID - Idaho IL - Illinois IN - Indiana IA - Iowa KS - Kansas	KY - Kentucky LA - Louisiana ME - Maine MD - Maryland MN - Minnesota MS - Mississippi MO - Missouri MT - Montana NE - Nebraska NV - Nevada NY - New York NC - North Carolina ND - North Dakota	MP - Northern Mariana Islands OH - Ohio OK - Oklahoma OR - Oregon PA - Pennsylvania SC - South Carolina SD - South Dakota UT - Utah VT - Vermont VI - Virgin Islands WA - Washington WV - West Virginia WI - Wisconsin WY - Wyoming

Credit:
This section is indebted to information from the Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North American (RESNA), especially for their April, 2005, Survey of State AT Act Projects (The RESNA Technical Assistance Project, Grant #H224B020001, funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Department of Education, under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998).

To Top