Public Act 90-0428 of the 90th General Assembly

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Public Act 90-0428

SB1084 Enrolled                                LRB9003346WHmg

    AN ACT in relation to assistive technology.

    Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

    Section  1.  Short  title.   This Act may be cited as the
Assistive Technology Evaluation and Training Centers Act.

    Section 5. Findings.
    (a)  There  are  approximately  2,200,000  persons   with
disabilities  residing in the State of Illinois, most of whom
need  assistive  technology  for  daily  living,   education,
independence, and employment.
    (b) There is a serious lack of resources within the State
of  Illinois,  especially outside of the Chicago metropolitan
area, for comprehensive evaluations, training,  and  hands-on
experience   with   assistive  technology  to  determine  the
appropriateness of  assistive  technology  for  persons  with
disabilities   before   they  purchase  assistive  technology
devices.
    (c) As a result of the serious  lack  of  evaluation  and
training   resources,   a   great   number  of  persons  with
disabilities in Illinois will  do  without  needed  assistive
technology   or   will   purchase   inappropriate   assistive
technology,   thereby   diminishing   their  educational  and
employment opportunities and  increasing  their    dependence
upon   federal   and   State  support  and  forcing  them  to
unnecessarily rely upon community based resources and  family
members for financial support and daily living assistance.
    (d)  It  is almost always more cost-effective to purchase
appropriate  assistive  technology  for  a  person   with   a
disability  to  enable  that  person  to  reach  his  or  her
potential  for  independent living, education, and employment
than  to  provide  public  assistance  and  government-funded
personal care assistance for that person.

    Section 7.  Definition.  As used in this Act,  "assistive
technology"  means  a  service  or  device  that  is  used to
increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of
a person with a disability.

    Section 10. Department of Human Services;  Administrative
Responsibilities.
    (a)  Subject  to  appropriation,  the Department of Human
Services shall establish at least  one  Assistive  Technology
Evaluation  and  Training  Center,  the  first one being in a
strategic  downstate   location,   as   determined   by   the
Department, no later than July 1, 1998.
    (b)  The  Assistive  Technology  Evaluation  and Training
Centers   shall   be   operated   by   the   Department,   by
not-for-profit    organizations  funded  through  contractual
arrangements with the Department using a request-for-proposal
process,  or  in  collaboration  with  other  entities.   The
Department  shall,  by rule, establish standards and criteria
by which the Centers shall be operated, consistent with  this
Act.

    Section  15. Functions of Assistive Technology Evaluation
and Training Centers.  The  Assistive  Technology  Evaluation
and  Training  Centers  shall offer comprehensive services to
persons  with  disabilities  regarding  assistive  technology
including, but not limited to:
    (a) Comprehensive  individual  evaluations  for  a  broad
range  of  assistive  technology  needs  for persons with all
types of disabilities for use in  the  home,  at  school,  in
employment, and in the community;
    (b)  Training of consumers and appropriate family members
regarding  assistive  technology  options  available  to  the
consumer and in the proper use of assistive technology; and
    (c)  Training  of  professionals,  including   vocational
rehabilitation   counselors,   school  personnel,  and  other
individuals who provide professional services to persons with
disabilities  and  their  families  to  make  them  aware  of
assistive  technology  as  an  alternative  to  more   costly
traditional  services and to educate them regarding available
assistive technology devices and their uses and costs.

    Section  20.  Inventory;  Trial  Usage.   The   Assistive
Technology  Evaluation and Training Centers shall be required
to have on hand a broad  array  of  assistive  technology  in
order  to  conduct  appropriate comprehensive evaluations, to
facilitate consumer, family, and professional  training,  and
to  offer consumers opportunities for usage at the Centers or
in appropriate community settings.

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