Q&A on Advisory Councils under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended.

In order to be eligible for a grant under Section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended (AT Act), a state is required to establish an advisory council to provide consumer-responsive, consumer-driven advice to the state for the planning of, implementation of and evaluation of the activities carried out by its Statewide AT Program, including setting the state's measurable goals. Participants on the state's advisory council must reflect the diversity of the state, and a majority (not less than 51%) of those participants must be individuals with disabilities that use assistive technology or the family members or guardians of such individuals. Sections 4(c)(2)(B)(i)(II)-(V) of the AT Act require that, at a minimum, the advisory council include representatives from: the state vocational rehabilitation agency, and the state agency for individuals who are blind, if these agencies are separate; a state center for independent living; the state workforce investment board; and the state educational agency. Representatives from these organizations who are also individuals with disabilities cannot be counted toward the 51% majority of individuals with disabilities. States were required to establish these advisory councils no later than February 22, 2005.

Q&A on Technical Assistance for the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended.

The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (AT Act) was amended on Oct. 25, 2005, and is administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The AT Act provides grants to states to maintain comprehensive, statewide programs (Statewide AT Programs) that are designed to increase access to assistive technology for individuals with disabilities. In addition, the AT Act provides grants to each state for protection and advocacy related to AT (PAAT).

For fiscal year 2005, the AT Act also provides grants for Alternative Financing Programs (AFPs) authorized under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as in effect prior to the 2004 amendments, to pay for the federal share of the cost of establishing or expanding financing mechanisms to allow individuals and their families to purchase AT devices and services. Currently, there are 56 Statewide AT Programs, 57 PAAT programs, and 31 AFPs.

Section 6 of the AT Act requires that RSA award, on a competitive basis, a grant, contract or cooperative agreement to an entity to provide training and technical assistance to entities funded under the AT Act and entities not funded under the act. The following Q&A is intended to provide information to interested parties and the general public about the upcoming competition to award a grant, contract or cooperative agreement to an entity to provide this training and technical assistance.

Q&A on Lead Agencies and Implementing Entities in the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended.

Section 4(c)(1)(A) of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended (AT Act) requires the governor of a state to designate a public agency as a "Lead Agency" responsible for:

Section 4(c)(1)(B) of the AT Act allows the governor to designate an agency, office, or other entity different from the Lead Agency to carry out the Statewide AT Program. If such a designation is made, this "Implementing Entity" must carry out the Statewide AT Program through a subcontract or another administrative agreement with the Lead Agency.