CTEC and the Supported Life Institute would like to thank the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation for their generous 2024 grant.  $20,000 received from Yocha Dehe helped CTEC to replace, upgrade and purchase iPads and other mid/low tech equipment.  This inventory of equipment is being used by our clinical team as a lending library to support our AAC communication evaluations.  Clients, when appropriate, are allowed to borrow equipment from this library for a trial period.  Sometimes this trial is to help determine the best communication solution for the client, and other times the equipment is intended to bridge the gap between our evaluation and funding/purchase of permanent equipment for the individual, which can be many months long.

Equipment purchased through this grant resulted in 38 device loans in 2024. All device loans are intended for active CTEC clients and managed internally by CTEC staff.  This lending library is not available to the general public.

As a result of their continued support of the CTEC program over the years, we have elected to formally name this project – The Yocha Dehe AAC Device Trial Lending Library.

At the Supported Life Conference on October 18, 2024, CTEC peer mentors shared their experiences in supporting others to learn & use Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. You will hear about their journey with AAC and Assistive Technology (AT) and what they have learned through their role as mentors. Skills & responsibilities of a successful peer mentor will be shared, along with tips & strategies for leading a chat group.

Click here to jump to the video presentation The Art of Mentorship

CTEC has a well-established and effective communication assistance program for individuals with developmental disabilities.  Our program focuses on observing and evaluating the communication needs of individuals with complex communication needs.  We work with these individuals in their own environments so we can identify their day-to-day communication needs – at home, at school, at their day program or in the community.  This approach means we are currently, primarily serving individuals who live in the greater Sacramento region.  However, the need for these services and the number of inquiries we receive about possible referrals is much broader and includes people who live up to three hours from our Sacramento office. CTEC’s service delivery model is quite unique and there is generally no other comparable program in Northern California where these outlying individuals can be referred. These are individuals who have little to no means of communicating their wants and needs because they are primarily non-speaking. These potential clients have access to government funds that will pay for CTEC support, but because that financial support is limited to services in direct support of the client, such as, appointments, report writing and material preparation, we struggle to cover the travel expenses related to serving these clients.  Recently, CTEC secured mileage reimbursement for our travel, but in no way does that cover the overall cost of staff time traveling to these outlying individuals – costs such as staff salaries and overnight lodging when necessary.

The establishment of a Greater Reach Assessment Expenses Fund would make our services available to a broader group of developmentally disabled people with communication challenges who would otherwise not receive communication assistance because of where they live.

CTEC’s contract with Alta California Regional Center covers the cost of our evaluations, training, and related, client specific reports and materials. It also, now covers mileage reimbursement as we drive to our appointments.  Locally, this is sufficient, but in order for us to properly serve clients who live outside of the Sacramento area, we would like to create a fund allocated to covering the additional expenses related to serving clients who live in outlying areas. Staff salaries for our licensed Speech-Language Pathologists to drive out to a non-local client for an evaluation appointment can add up to $300-$400 per visit. If an overnight stay is necessary, the expense increases by another $200-$300 per trip.

It is heartbreaking, but we have had to turn away potential clients, knowing that they don’t have any other affordable option for their communication assessment, because we don’t have the financial resources to serve them properly.

Based on recent service inquiries, we anticipate the potential for up to 50 referrals from individuals in outlying areas per year.  That equates to about a 15% increase over our current active clients and a financial need of about $30,000 per year to cover staff time and potential lodging.

This project is active on our Benevity and Giving Edge giving platforms, or feel free to contact our Program Manager, Stephanie Maki if you wish to contibute to this project directly.

Speech-Language Pathologist

Communication Technology Education Center (CTEC), a program of Supported Life Institute, is Northern California’s leader in “Augmentative and Alternative Communication” (AAC). We provide communication evaluation, training and education.

We are looking to add a Speech Language Pathologist / AAC Specialist to our clinical team. This candidate, in partnership with our exceptional clinical team, will provide comprehensive communication evaluations, training and support to developmentally disabled individuals and their family/staff in how to use their communication systems to enhance daily interactions.

Strong candidates will possess one or more of the following skills/qualities:

· Current CCC-SLP license,
· Experience working with AAC technology,
· Enjoy sharing/teaching strategies to support AAC technology,
· Working knowledge of various communication applications (i.e. TouchChat, Go Talk Now, Grid 3, etc.).
· Background in Special Education.
· Bi/Multi-Lingual is a plus.

This position also requires a clean driving record and consistent, reliable transportation as sessions are conducted at various sites around Sacramento and surrounding counties.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 30 hours of weekly availability, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Starting hours may be different during the first month of training, increasing as you start working independently with clients. For the right candidate, the position could become full-time, with benefits, after a 90+ day training period.

Job Types: Full-time; Part-time

Pay: $45.00 - $60.00 per hour depending on experience

Expected hours: 20–40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k) - (full-time only)
• Dental insurance - (full-time only)
• Health insurance - (full-time only)
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Travel reimbursement
• Vision insurance - (full-time only)

License/Certification:

• Speech Language Pathology License (Required)

 

Please submit a resume with cover letter indicating your experience with AAC technology to info@ctecaac.org.

Thank you to all the generous donors, clients and partners who have supported the CTEC program, and Supported Life Institute as a whole, in 2023.  In 2024, we are exploring some exciting grant opportunities, building our agency profile to participate in the Big Day of Giving fundraising event, partnering with schools and other programs to provide group trainings on AAC applications and researching apps, subscriptions and processes that will help us to continue to improve the quality and efficiency of our service delivery.  We are motivated and inspired by this community and strive to meet you where you are while encouraging you on the journey to where you want to be.

Happy New Year!!

Randy Kitch, is remembered as a fiercely independent Consumer Advocate with the North Bay Regional Center. Over the course of his life he traveled extensively advocating for people with developmental disabilities rights and services. He was even the subject of a 1970s documentary entitled Randy Kitch Travelin' Man. Randy was also a pioneer in the area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technology, using a Speak N Spell children's toy to communicate before there were formal Speech-Generating Devices available to work with. At one time, Randy served on the Supported Life Institute board of directors in addition to his many other advocacy roles.

Randy's family has extended the option to donate in lieu of flowers to Supported Life Institute - CTEC to support Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Resources.

Make a Donation in Lieu of Flowers…