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Service Enhancement through University Partnership

QWE Practice Guideline: 130: Provide and improve accommodations and the use of assistive technology to increase employee access to work and productivity

Target group: Any organization employing or supporting individuals with disabilities

Practice Description

Developed a working relationship with a local university to provide supports to clients and staff

Resources Needed

Subject matter experts/trainers

  • Trained and licensed experts to manage various support programs

Equipment

  • Space and materials for support programs to be set up and run

Labor hours

  • Staff to help oversee working relationships with university staff

Implementation Process

Process

  • Developed a working relationship with a local university to provide a variety of enhanced services and supports to clients and staff
  • Service offered by the university
    • School of Dentistry
      • We have a dental suite in our facility with the dental students, residents, and faculty seeing our clients and individuals in the community
    • School of Optometry
      • We have an optometry suite in our facility where the residents and faculty see our clients for vision evaluations
      • They make recommendations for appropriate work sites
    • School of Education
      • They helped develop training videos related to fitness and accessing medical care which staff and clients can view
    • Department of Physical Therapy
      • Students complete mobility need assessment for clients
    • Department of Occupational Therapy
      • Students and faculty assist in the assessment of client mobility needs and technology use
      • They partnered with us on an assistive technology camp
    • Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
      • Physicians conduct in-house clinics to assist individuals with physical disabilities
    • School of Engineering
      • Students from the Bioengineering department complete a senior project that assists individuals with severe disabilities
        • One project involved the creation of a wheelchair lift to help clients access a workstation

Documentation

  • SOPs
    • Policies and procedures for managing the working relationship

NPA: United Ability
Location: Birmingham, AL
Date Submitted: 2013
Website: http://www.unitedability.org/

Resources: Quality Work Environment Workbook