Disability Rights Advocates For Technology

TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH ADVOCACY FOR UNIVERSAL DESIGN.

DRAFT'S SEGS4VETS PROGRAM SERVES BOTH VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY WHO WHILE SERVING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES RESULTING IN PERMANENT DISABILITY. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES ONGOING SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING BATTERY REPLACEMENT, KEY FOB PROGRAMMING AND REPLACEMENT, WARRANTY SERVICES, USE AND ACCESS COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY SERVICES AND ONGOING DEVICE APPROPRIATENESS ASSESSMENT TO CURRENTLY MORE THAN 1,700 MILITARY FAMILIES AWARDED SINCE 2005.THE PROGRAM PROVIDES ASSESSMENT, TRAINING, DEVICE SELECTION AND CUSTOMIZATION OF ALLY CHAIR ADAPTED SEGWAYS AND SEGWAYS TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF NEWLY SELECTED RECIPIENTS OF THE SEGS4VETS PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, THE PROGRAM HAS SINCE 2006 MAINTAINED ONGOING ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS AT THE THREE MAJOR MILITARY MEDICAL CENTERS PROVIDING REHABILITATIVE CARE TO OUR SEVERELY INJURED MILITARY MEMBERS, INCLUDING WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER, SAN ANTONIO AREA MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER AND THE NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER IN SAN DIEGO.THE SEGS4VETS PROGRAM AWARDS SEGWAYS AND ALLY CHAIR ADAPTED SEGWAYS, UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED MOBILITY DEVICES WHICH DO NOT DRAW ATTENTION TO ONE'S PHYSICAL DISABILITY. WHILE THE PROGRAM'S HISTORICAL AND PRIMARY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO BROADEN ITS SUPPORT TO OTHER DISABLED VETERANS WHO MEET SPECIFIC CRITERIA. THESE UNIQUE TOOLS ARE SOLVING MANY OF THE MOBILITY ISSUES FACING OUR DISABLED VETERANS IN A MANNER WHICH IS BOTH PSYCHOLOGICALLY UPLIFTING AND PHYSICALLY BENEFICIAL, PROMOTING GREATER INDEPENDENCE AND THE SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES RESULTING IN GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO LIVE INDEPENDENT, JOYFUL, PURPOSE FILLED LIVES.DURING THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR, THE SEGS4VETS PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES TO 400 VETERANS, INCLUDING ISSUING 17 DEVICES AND SERVING MORE THAN 1,700 MILITARY FAMILY MEMBERS.DRAFT IS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE ADOPTION OF UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, AS A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH FOR CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY LIFE ISSUES AFFECTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE INCREASING NUMBER OF BABY BOOMERS AGE 65 AND OLDER. THE OPPORTUNITIES THESE SOLUTIONS OFFER FOR EXTENDING THE INDEPENDENT LIFE OF THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PROVIDE EXTRAORDINARY BENEFITS TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. THE SEGS4VETS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS STARTED IN 2005, WAS INTENDED TO BE A REAL-LIFE EXAMPLE OF THE BENEFITS DERIVED BY THE UTILIZATION OF UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED TECHNOLOGY. THE ADOPTION OF PUBLIC POLICY AND A REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT WHICH WILL BE CONDUCIVE FOR INNOVATION AND THE ADOPTION OF UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN SOLVING THE PROFOUND ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES FACING SOCIETY IN CARING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE AGING BABY BOOMER GENERATION.