What is Technology for HOME?
Technology for HOME (T4H) is a state-funded service that provides assistive technology consultations for people who receive home care or home and community-based services who need assistive technology to live more independently. Technology for HOME offers a team approach that allows multiple professionals to assess and meet a person’s assistive technology needs concurrently. T4H is a direct assessment of AT needs for individuals referred to the program.
The Technology for HOME program is currently administered by LiveLife Therapy Solutions, Inc.
An eligible applicant is a person who uses or is eligible for home care services, home and community-based services, personal care assistance, or community first services and supports, and who meets one of the following conditions:
- lives own home and may benefit from assistive technology for safety, communication, community engagement, or independence.
- is currently seeking to live in the applicant’s own home and needs assistive technology to meet that goal.
- resides in a residential setting (e.g. customized living), and is seeking to reduce reliance on paid staff to live more independently in the setting (new as of 7/1/2023).
T4H is used when there is not a billable solution for assistive technology assessment, or when there are complex needs that can only be addressed in the grant. T4H also covers complex training of individuals, when there is not a billable solution model available; as well as training of others who may support the individual. The overall intent is to recommend the most useful and cost-effective AT for an individual, and also provide the necessary training and follow up to make sure the AT can be effectively utilized.
T4H is used when there are not other resources for Assistive Technology Services. T4H funding can be used when it is the only option for the AT assessment or training and will remain involved until other services can be established (clinic or waiver billable). If interpreter or translation services or captioning or transcription for examples of accessible formats and options are needed, T4H will work with lead agencies to coordinate these services, and when that is not an option help to refer the person to services where that is built in or billable in the waiver programs.
Speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists have an important role to play in reducing interfering behavior and improving a person’s quality of life. In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Technology for HOME was able to provide in-home assistive technology intervention for adults with interfering behavior, communication and sensory challenges. This training video will provide professionals with information on how communication and sensory interventions can be used as positive support strategies.