Articles

How to Fund Technology Supports

After having the initial conversation about technology supports and then making a plan to implement that technology, individuals, families, providers, and case managers often find themselves at odds with forms and paperwork. This at best slows down the whole process and at worst can halt it completely. Never fear, we’ll take you through the process and help you get your projects back on track.

Monitoring Technology: Informed Consent and Individual Privacy

Monitoring Technology: Informed Consent and Individual Privacy When utilizing monitoring technology, the issues surrounding informed consent and individual privacy must be accounted for. Informed consent must be obtained for all individuals affected by the proposed monitoring technology as people have a right to know what is being used in their environment and what information may be captured.

Asking the right questions

Assessments for remote monitoring—and technology in general—help teams ask the right questions to identify goals and outcomes technology may assist with. Most technology service vendors and many service providers have their own assessment process to help fine tune outcomes and recommend specific tool options.

Funding 101

Funding 101

There are numerous funding streams that providers and service recipients can use to support
technology use.

Investing in Better Outcomes

A Case for Provider Investment

While the state of Minnesota boasts one of the richest, most comprehensive funding structures for technology, there continue to be areas in which funding is not available. Lack of formal funding should not deter providers from considering to invest their own dollars in certain solutions which make sense to help improve an organization’s ability to encourage independence of the people we support as well as helping an organization become more effective.

Alternative Overnight Supervision

Alternate Overnight Supervision

A proven way to increase both independence and privacy of the person served, this newer monitoring practice is called Alternate Overnight Supervision and can be utilized following a formal assessment of the individual and once informed consent has been given by the person served. Along with obtaining an AOST (Alternate Overnight Supervision Technology) License, defined policies and procedures must be in place.

Measuring for Success

With newly implemented technology support strategies, it is important to measure the success, not only for persons-served and staff, but the financial success as well. To get a full look at the impact technology supports have had on an organization, providers should consider several key factors when assessing the financial output and associated benefits of the plan in place to determine cost effectiveness.

Getting to Know Assistive Technology

Assistive technology devices can either be created at home, purchased and used off the shelf, modified, and/or customized to meet individual goals and needs. From low-tech options such as toy or game modification to high-tech devices that include voice recognition or elopement monitors, assistive technology is empowering those with disabilities to live, work, and play in the most independent way possible.

Creating a strong base

The Phoenix Residence made the decision to invest heavily in new technology when they transitioned from paper records to electronic processing. Their new technology investments not only freed up resources to assist in handling some workforce issues that are common in the disability services industry, but also had the added benefit of allowing their residents to utilize assistive technology devices powered through Wi-Fi to increase independence.

Remote Supports : 10 common questions every family should ask

Remote support technology comes in many forms. From medication dispensers that remind individuals to take their medication (and alert staff if access hasn’t occurred) to more high-tech options such as remote monitoring where external staff monitor a series of sensors and/or video  to alert internal staff to a need, options exist to help increase an individual’s privacy and independence while maintaining their needed level of care.

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