Are you a Floridian with a disability or do you care for one? If you haven’t heard of FAAST, it’s time we get acquainted, because here at the Florida Alliance for Assistance Services and Technology we are here to help … in fact, “here2help” is our motto!
FAAST is a state agency that helps its clients acquire assistive technology (AT), which refers to any piece of equipment, software, or product system that aids the function of individuals with disabilities.
It includes:
- gear to help you move, such as wheelchairs, scooters and adaptive vehicles
- equipment to help you communicate, such as software-enabled iPads and adaptive keyboards
- tools to help you live comfortably and safely in your home, such as guardrails, lifts and ramps
The list goes on and on!
We help our clients in four main ways. We provide information about products, services, and funding. We demonstrate those products for you until we find a good fit and may even be able to temporarily lend them to you. We train you in your AT and offer classes and workshops. And finally, we can offer monetary loans to cover AT needs that aren’t funded through insurance or Medicaid. Our interest rates are usually much lower than what a bank would charge, and we can offer more flexible terms.
Although we’re always only a phone call away, our services are consolidated at six regional
demonstration centers, located in Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Tampa. Most of the AT is provided by a vendor or manufacturer, but you can come to any of these regional centers to explore which AT is right for you. We’ll help you make the best choice, refer you to a suppli-er, and help navigate your insurance and other funding sources.
Thinking toward the future, we at FAAST look forward to boosting our reuse centers. What happens when someone no longer needs a hospital bed, for example? Donate it to us! We accept almost any AT that has a fair market value of over $100. We’ll repurpose and clean it for someone who needs it – a great way to pay it forward.
Give us a call if you think we might be able to help you; our number is 1-844-FL-FAAST (353-2278). Even if you need assistance in an area other than AT, we pledge to help connect you with someone who can assist you. We really are “here2help”!
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