Washington State Human Rights Commission

Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development

Date: July 10, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Porter, CTED Communications Office, 360.725.2836

Low Interest Loan Fund Helps People with Disabilities Pay for Tools they Need to Succeed
Access Fund celebrates 100th loan milestone
OLYMPIA -- When King County resident Sean Winters needed help to pay for an innovative new wheelchair, he used a specialized loan fund set up to help Washington residents live independently and succeed at school, work and play.
The Access Fund, established by the Washington Assistive Technology Foundation (WATF), and operated in collaboration with the state Department of Community Trade and Economic Development (CTED), provides low interest loans for all types of assistive devices and services as well as business equipment for home-based employment. It serves individuals of all ages with disabilities of all types, including seniors with age related hearing, vision and mobility limitations.
The fund recently made its 100th loan.
More than $400,000 has been loaned to Washington residents through the fund. Most, like Winters, need help paying for wheelchairs, hearing aids, computers and other assistive devices. Interest rates range from 4.75 percent to 6 percent for loans up to $10,000.
"It's about giving people choice," said Frances Pennell, WATF executive director. "Technology in this field is evolving rapidly, quickly outpacing the ability of families to pay for it. People assume these devices are covered by medical insurance but that is often not the case. Up to 50 percent of all such technologies are private pay."
Opening opportunities for independence
The wheelchair Winters wanted to purchase is an example of what assistive technology can do, and how much it can cost.
The special wheelchair functions in a four-wheel or two-wheel balance or standing position that brings the user to eye level with people who do not use wheelchairs. The wheelchair also climbs curbs and stairs and safely navigates grades and rough terrain.
The wheelchair has been described as revolutionary, but, at $25,000, the price tag is steep. While other high-end power wheelchairs can cost just as much, paying for a this kind of wheelchair is a particular challenge because public and private health care insurers often won't cover them. People who need or want it typically have to come up with the money themselves
Winters, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1996, used almost all of his savings to pay for it. He also got help from his friends and a national nonprofit. His sister chipped in what she could and his dad put the last $6,000 on his credit card.
Then his family found out about the Access Fund. They quickly applied for, and were awarded, a low interest loan for $6,000 which they used to pay off the credit card charge.
Winters has had the wheelchair for about six months and loves it. He particularly appreciates that it enables him to be at eye level with others in social settings. He also uses the specialized wheelchair nearly every day to hike the trails behind his home.
"No more worrying about challenges outside - you finally get your freedom back," Winters said.
Loans 'fill in the gaps'
Most families do not have the savings or other resources to cover a $6,000 pair of hearing aids or a $25,000 wheelchair, Pennell added.
"Loan funds like ours are there to fill in the gaps and give people with disabilities the opportunity to acquire the tools they need or want to fully participate in all aspects of community life," she said.
WATF currently has about $230,000 in loans outstanding (representing 70 loans). Although a majority of its borrowers are low income, WATF boasts a 99 percent loan repayment rate.
The loans can be used for any device that maintains or enhances the functional abilities of a person with a disability, and also for related services such as repairs or training. The top four devices funded include hearing aids (almost never covered by insurance), computers, vehicle accessibility modifications and equipment for individuals who are blind or visually impaired such as computers with screen enlargers or voice and Braille output.
The program is funded through two U.S. Department of Education grants totaling $1.8 million and donations from private individuals and foundations such as the Paul Allen Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Seattle Foundation.
More information about the Access Fund and WATF Foundation and its clients is available at www.watf.org or by contacting Executive Director Frances Pennell at fpennell@watf.org or Program Director, Andrea Dimond at andrea@watf.org or by phone at 206-328-5116.
CTED is the lead state agency charged with enhancing and promoting sustainable community and economic vitality in Washington State. For more information, please visit www.cted.wa.gov

To obtain this information in an alternate format or if you have questions or comments about this site, please contact the Webmaster. PRIVACY NOTICE

State News Release