Assistive Technology Legal Project

The Assistive Technology Legal Project (ATLP) works to increase access to assistive technology for Iowans with disabilities. ATLP has provided legal advocacy to more than 400 Iowans since the project began in 1993 as an optional part of the Assistive Technology Act, before such activities were required nationwide.

Case Representation

ATLP provides case representation on assistive technology (AT) issues through contracts with the Clinical Law Program of the University of Iowa's College of Law and through Iowa Legal Aid, including free legal help to Iowans dealing with adapted equipment legal issues, such as:

• Denials of equipment claims by Medicare Part B, Medicaid or private insurance
• Dual eligibility issues – these are complications that can occur for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid
• Issues about getting equipment for nursing home residents

People who have, or think they may have, a legal question related to AT should get in touch with Iowa COMPASS at 800-779-2001 or iowa-compass@uiowa.edu for referral to ATLP.

Enhanced Community Capacity

Through ATLP, nearly 200 law students have gained significant experience with legal issues and systems encountered in representing persons with disabilities, and attorneys in eight Iowa Legal Aid offices have had the opportunity to work on ATLP cases. As a result, the project has increased the number of attorneys in Iowa who are willing and trained to represent consumers about assistive technology.

Additional Training and Education for Students

Staff members from the Iowa Program for Assistive Technology (IPAT) and CDD's Seating/Positioning, Augmentative Communication, and Occupational Therapy services provide AT training for students on a wide range of devices.

ATLP collaborated with the Iowa Center for Assistive Technology Education and Research (ICATER) at the University of Iowa to produce a taped lecture on AT legal issues that is part of a distance-learning introductory course on assistive technology for students from the College of Education programs in rehabilitation counseling, teacher education or student services. This lecture, "Assistive Technology Law for the Non-Lawyer," includes topics such as: Basic Legal Literacy, the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, Iowa Medicaid and durable medical equipment coverage, other public funding sources, and federal and state laws that cover AT.