Where to Begin and How to Build an AT Reuse Program

Pass It On CenterCarolyn Phillips , Moderator

Jessica Brodey, JMB Policy Consulting

Alma Burgess, Utah State University

ATIA

January 28, 2010

www.passitoncenter.org

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview What is liabilityWhat is liability Mitigating LiabilityMitigating Liability What are Policies and Procedures?What are Policies and Procedures? CReATE Case Study: Initial CReATE Case Study: Initial

ConsiderationsConsiderations CReATE P&Ps: How we got startedCReATE P&Ps: How we got started CReATE ProcessesCReATE Processes CReATE P&Ps: ChallengesCReATE P&Ps: Challenges Lessons Learned from CReATELessons Learned from CReATE

Liability means legal Liability means legal responsibility for actions or responsibility for actions or activities (and any problems or activities (and any problems or injuries that arise from those injuries that arise from those actions or activities).actions or activities).

LiabilityLiability

Liability (con’t)Liability (con’t)

Legal responsibility can result in Legal responsibility can result in expenses – the costs for repairing expenses – the costs for repairing or fixing, litigation, or damages.or fixing, litigation, or damages.

Affect reputation.Affect reputation.

Unhappy consumers = claims of Unhappy consumers = claims of liabilityliability

InsuranceInsurance

Develop organizational Develop organizational structure/staffingstructure/staffing

Identify reuse activitiesIdentify reuse activities

Create Policies and ProceduresCreate Policies and Procedures

How do I mitigate How do I mitigate liability?liability?

Who will you insure?Who will you insure? For what activities?For what activities? Activities must reflect/be consistent with your Activities must reflect/be consistent with your

coveragecoverage

Types of insurance:Types of insurance:– Directors & OfficersDirectors & Officers– Key Person InsuranceKey Person Insurance– EmployeesEmployees– VolunteersVolunteers– Car/DriverCar/Driver– FacilitiesFacilities– InventoryInventory– ActivitiesActivities– PropertyProperty

InsuranceInsurance

Determine appropriate organizational Determine appropriate organizational structure (corporation, sole structure (corporation, sole proprietorship, 501(c)(3))proprietorship, 501(c)(3))

Independent or affiliated?Independent or affiliated? Identify staffing needsIdentify staffing needs

– EmployeesEmployees– VolunteersVolunteers– Contractors/PartnersContractors/Partners

Organizational Organizational Structure/StaffingStructure/Staffing

ExchangeExchange Reassign/RedistributeReassign/Redistribute RefurbishRefurbish RecycleRecycle

Narrow the scope – start small Narrow the scope – start small and buildand build

Identify Reuse Identify Reuse ActivitiesActivities

Topic Overview:Topic Overview:– Define policies and proceduresDefine policies and procedures– Why should we care about policies Why should we care about policies

and procedures?and procedures?– Utilize resourcesUtilize resources– Prioritize policies and proceduresPrioritize policies and procedures

Policies and Policies and ProceduresProcedures

Policies are high-level guidelines Policies are high-level guidelines for decisions and actions.for decisions and actions.– Provide ground rules for effective Provide ground rules for effective

interactions. interactions. – Reflect high-risk areas of care. Reflect high-risk areas of care. – Policies are based upon accepted, Policies are based upon accepted,

well-defined norms/standards of well-defined norms/standards of practice. Norms/standards articulate practice. Norms/standards articulate what is done, who is served, and what is done, who is served, and resources needed. resources needed.

What are Policies and What are Policies and Procedures?Procedures?

Procedures:Procedures:– Procedures delineate the processes Procedures delineate the processes

and activities necessary to implement and activities necessary to implement policies (day-to-day operations). policies (day-to-day operations).

– Procedures are based on professional Procedures are based on professional guidelines (when available). guidelines (when available).

– Procedures provide step-by-step Procedures provide step-by-step guidance for basic organizational guidance for basic organizational activities.activities.

What are Policies and What are Policies and Procedures?Procedures?

Means to mitigate liabilityMeans to mitigate liability Provide a structure to ensure Provide a structure to ensure

practices are performed practices are performed appropriatelyappropriately

Safeguard to avoid mistakesSafeguard to avoid mistakes Guidelines for accountabilityGuidelines for accountability Help with continuityHelp with continuity Presumption that you “did it right.”Presumption that you “did it right.”

Why should we care Why should we care about Policies and about Policies and Procedures?Procedures?

View Policies and Procedures as your View Policies and Procedures as your road map to successroad map to success

Liability issues are a series of Liability issues are a series of questions you need to answer – questions you need to answer – What, When, How, Why, Where, Who.What, When, How, Why, Where, Who.

Addressing these questions will Addressing these questions will become your road map for operating become your road map for operating your program.your program.

Roadmap to SuccessRoadmap to Success

Case Study: CReATECase Study: CReATE CCitizens itizens ReReutilizing utilizing AAssistive ssistive TTechnology echnology

EEquipment (quipment (CRCReeATEATE))– Refurbish power and manual wheelchairs and scootersRefurbish power and manual wheelchairs and scooters– Focus on Northern Utah and Wasatch FrontFocus on Northern Utah and Wasatch Front– Serve all ages, statewideServe all ages, statewide– Part-time technician and office coordinatorPart-time technician and office coordinator– Charge Service FeeCharge Service Fee

CReATE StatsCReATE Stats Devices transferred: 22 (Oct Devices transferred: 22 (Oct

08 to Sep 09)08 to Sep 09) Donations received: 87 Donations received: 87

Wheelchairs and scooters (Jan Wheelchairs and scooters (Jan 20 to Sep 10, 09) 20 to Sep 10, 09)

Saved individuals: $92,846 Saved individuals: $92,846 Phone inquires: 97 (Jan to Sep Phone inquires: 97 (Jan to Sep

09) 09) Devices recycled: 70 (Aug to Devices recycled: 70 (Aug to

Sep 2009) Sep 2009) Weight of recycled devices: Weight of recycled devices:

15,920 pounds or 7.96 tons 15,920 pounds or 7.96 tons (Feb to Sep 09)(Feb to Sep 09)

CReATE P&Ps: Initial CReATE P&Ps: Initial ConsiderationsConsiderations Desired process/organizationDesired process/organization Program based NOT person basedProgram based NOT person based LiabilityLiability TransportationTransportation

– Partnership with Arc of UtahPartnership with Arc of Utah Verbiage – plain English, not Verbiage – plain English, not

technical writingtechnical writing

CReATE P&Ps: How we CReATE P&Ps: How we got startedgot started

Research Research – Talked to other programs and peopleTalked to other programs and people– Attended conferencesAttended conferences– Spent time at warehouseSpent time at warehouse

Thoughts on paper – brainstormingThoughts on paper – brainstorming– Staff & Advisory CommitteeStaff & Advisory Committee

Decided on a formatDecided on a format Divided into sectionsDivided into sections ImplementedImplemented Lesson Learned:Lesson Learned:

– Put into practice – don’t wait!!!Put into practice – don’t wait!!! Office Coordinator updating regularlyOffice Coordinator updating regularly

CReATE P&Ps: How CReATE P&Ps: How we got startedwe got started Procedure Example Procedure Example

– Money Handling Procedure (first Money Handling Procedure (first procedure)procedure)

CReATE ProcessesCReATE Processes

Device Donation to AcquisitionDevice Donation to Acquisition– RecyclingRecycling– Refurbishing Refurbishing – SanitizationSanitization– EvaluationEvaluation– Service FeeService Fee

CReATE Mitigating CReATE Mitigating LiabilityLiability P&Ps P&Ps Quality Control ProcessQuality Control Process

– ChecklistsChecklists FormsForms

CReATE P&Ps: CReATE P&Ps: ChallengesChallenges Employees implementing on daily Employees implementing on daily

basisbasis Collaborators implementingCollaborators implementing Recording changesRecording changes Managing from a distanceManaging from a distance

– Implementation and revisions Implementation and revisions

Lessons from CReATELessons from CReATE

Consider all aspectsConsider all aspects

PrioritizePrioritize

Focus on YOUR activitiesFocus on YOUR activities

Utilize ResourcesUtilize Resources

Organizational Structure Organizational Structure  Governance & ManagementGovernance & Management InsuranceInsurance Consumer InvolvementConsumer Involvement Human ResourcesHuman Resources Finance and AccountingFinance and Accounting User ServicesUser Services Program OperationsProgram Operations Marketing and Public RelationsMarketing and Public Relations OutcomesOutcomes Partners/CollaborationPartners/Collaboration SustainabilitySustainability Disaster PreparednessDisaster Preparedness

CategoriesCategories

Policies and procedures are constantly Policies and procedures are constantly evolving and ongoing – cannot ever get evolving and ongoing – cannot ever get them “perfect.”them “perfect.”– Always room for improvementAlways room for improvement– Always additional things to be addedAlways additional things to be added– Programs are always growing and changingPrograms are always growing and changing

Identify which of the categories are most Identify which of the categories are most “critical” to the core operations of your “critical” to the core operations of your programprogram

Identify which of the categories pose the Identify which of the categories pose the most risk/exposure for your programmost risk/exposure for your program

PrioritizingPrioritizing

High PriorityHigh Priority– User ServicesUser Services– Program OperationsProgram Operations– InsuranceInsurance

Moderate PriorityModerate Priority– Organizational Structure Organizational Structure – Governance & ManagementGovernance & Management– Consumer InvolvementConsumer Involvement– Human ResourcesHuman Resources– Finance and AccountingFinance and Accounting– Marketing and Public RelationsMarketing and Public Relations– Partners/CollaborationPartners/Collaboration– SustainabilitySustainability

Low PriorityLow Priority– OutcomesOutcomes– Disaster PreparednessDisaster Preparedness

Tiered System for Tiered System for PrioritizingPrioritizing

User ServicesUser Services– Client IntakeClient Intake– Equipment MatchingEquipment Matching– TrainingTraining– Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance– DeliveryDelivery– Follow UpFollow Up– Website OperationsWebsite Operations

Program OperationProgram Operation– FacilitiesFacilities– Acquisitions/DonationsAcquisitions/Donations– Inventory ManagementInventory Management– EvaluationEvaluation– Repairing/RefurbishingRepairing/Refurbishing– SanitizationSanitization– StorageStorage– Distribution/Transportation of EquipmentDistribution/Transportation of Equipment– Disposal/RecyclingDisposal/Recycling– Website OperationsWebsite Operations

Break it Down – Focus on Break it Down – Focus on YOUR reuse activitiesYOUR reuse activities

Affiliated with a broader Affiliated with a broader organization or an umbrella organization or an umbrella organization?organization?– UniversityUniversity– Government AgencyGovernment Agency– 501(c)(3)501(c)(3)– PartnerPartner– Board membersBoard members

Utilize resources!!Utilize resources!!

Questions?Questions?

Start slow – it is better to delay providing Start slow – it is better to delay providing services and get the planning and structure services and get the planning and structure in place.in place.

Insurance coverage is critical.Insurance coverage is critical. Address organizational structure/staffing.Address organizational structure/staffing. Focus on activitiesFocus on activities

– Pick onePick one– Break it down into parts – think Who, Break it down into parts – think Who,

What, When, Where, How and Why.What, When, Where, How and Why.– Write it all out on paper.Write it all out on paper.

SummarySummary

Jessica BrodeyJessica Brodey

JMB Policy ConsultingJMB Policy Consulting

(301) 770-1127(301) 770-1127jessica@passitoncenter.org

Alma J. BurgessAlma J. BurgessUtah Assistive Technology Program (UATP)Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP)

435-797-0253 435-797-0253 alma@cpd2.usu.edu

http://www.uatpat.org/

ContactContact

For Your Time & Interest!For Your Time & Interest!

We Want to Hear from YouWe Want to Hear from You