Frequently Asked Questions

WHO DO WE SERVICE?

The ATEL program provides equipment to residents of the State of Rhode Island who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, have a speech disability, or neuromuscular disability (unable to dial or hold a receiver).

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE EQUIPMENT?

To receive equipment the person must: 1) be a resident of Rhode Island, 2) be Deaf, Hard of Hearing, have a speech disability, or a neuromuscular disability (unable to dial or hold a receiver), 3) have a single party telephone line. (The phone line must be in their place of residence, but does not need to be in their name.), 4) receive one or more of the following: food stamps, Medicaid, SSI, heating assistance, rite care, family independence program, general public assistance, RIPAE (assisting tiers 60% and 30%) or telephone lifeline service, or have an income below the 250% poverty line (see chart on back of application).

HOW DOES A PERSON APPLY?

To apply, the person must fill out the application form. In addition, a Certificate of Disability must be completed and signed by an authorized professional. The Certificate of Disability statement should be completed by one of the following: 1)a doctor, 2) a qualified staff member of the Office of Rehabilitation Services, 3) a speech pathologist, 4) an audiologist, or 5) a qualified staff member of the RI School for the Deaf (only if the applicant attends, or has attended the school). If you cannot obtain one of these, please contact the ATEL Program office.

HOW LONG DOES THE PROCESS TAKE?

Because equipment is loaned free of charge and many people apply, it is not possible to specify how long an applicant will have to wait. Devices are issued on a first-come, first-serve basis. TThe average wait, when equipment is in stock is about four to six weeks; however, the wait time may be longer or shorter depending on type of equipment needed and its availability.

HOW DO I GET EQUIPMENT?

When equipment is available, you will be contacted (or an alternate person noted on application) for an appointment to come to our office. Once a time is scheduled, you will be sent a confirmation letter with directions to our Providence location. If you are unable to come in, you may send a family member to represent you. If you do not have anyone available to assist you please inform our office.Please bring with you verification that you participate in one of the noted programs (described in the requirements section) or proof of income less then the 250% poverty level.

IS THE EQUIPMENT MINE TO KEEP?

The equipment remains the property of the State of RI. If you move within RI you are required to notify the ATEL Program with your new address and telephone number. All equipment that is broken must be returned to the ATEL Program for repair. It will be repaired free of charge if the damage was not due to abuse or misuse. Also, if your condition or needs change, you may make an appointment to exchange the equipment.

WHAT TYPES OF EQUIPMENT ARE AVAILABLE?

VOLUME CONTROL TELEPHONES

A variety of volume control telephones are available; these include big button phones and cordless phones. These telephones provide individuals with hearing loss an increase in amplification of up to 55 decibels, for the incoming voice. Also, for clients with a soft voice production, we provide a device with an additional 18 decibels of outgoing amplification.

TTY/ VCO PHONES/ CAPTEL PHONES/UNIPHONES

TTY, Uniphones, VCO (Voice Carry-Over) telephones are for individuals who are extremely Hard of Hearing and/or Deaf but can speak.

A TTY is for people who type their side of a conversation and read the other party's responses.

A VCO telephone is for people who have a severe hearing loss, but can still use their voice on the phone; users speak directly to the person being called and through specialized equipment and relay services (see below), read what the other party speaks.

A CapTel telephone is a specialized telephone designed specifically to interact with the CapTel Captioning Service in order to display captions. The telephone does not, all by itself, translate spoken words into written captions. The CapTel Captioning Service transcribes the caller's spoken words into written captions, which appear on the CapTel phone display .

A Uniphone can be used as a TTY, a VCO or for HCO (Hearing Carry-Over). HCO is for people who have a speech disability; users listen directly to the person being called and, again, through specialized equipment and relay services, type their response to the other party.

Rhode Island Relay (711) is a free, 24-hour service that allows people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled to communicate via the telephone. Through the use of specialized equipment, relay users communicate freely with friends, family and businesses that use a standard phone.

CELL PHONES/DEVICES ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

The program only carries phones/devices that utilize a single party landline.

EMERGENCY PHONES AND DEVICES

The CL600 Emergency Connect Phone (ECP) provides 6 emergency connect SOS numbers with remote pendant.The friends/family members (with touch-tone service) selected need to be aware that if they were to receive a pre-programmed emergency SOS message from you, they will need to determine if there is a real problem and call for assistance if necessary. The AEC Phone provides peace of mind for individuals who live alone and their families. It is an amplified phone with Caller ID, speakerphone and emergency connect features all in one unit. The emergency connect feature is just like a security monitoring service, but without the monthly fees. It can be activated from 66 feet away.

Also, the Fast Response Emergency Dialer (FRED) is a small device that is slightly larger than a deck of cards. The unit features a large red button which, when pressed, automatically dials 911 to summon emergency aid. The user does not remove the telephone handset from the hook or perform any functions other than press the button. The device may be activated from up to 150 feet away by a remote pendant; the pendant can be attached to a key ring, bracelet, or worn around the neck. With Rhode Island's enhanced 911 services, the operator will immediately receive, on his/her computer screen, the name and address of the caller. If no further communication is received from the caller, the police will be immediately dispatched to investigate the emergency.

FLASHERS/BELL RINGERS

Light alerts or flashers can be used with any volume control telephone; this device activates a designated lamp to flash, alerting the user the telephone is ringing. This device is helpful for a deaf individual, or for the hard-of-hearing individual that is listening to loud television/music or has his/her hearing aid off. The Bell ringer provides up to a 95-decibel ring to alert a hard-of-hearing individual that the telephone is ringing.

TELITALK

This phone allows an individual with a Laryngectomee to speak on the phone using a built in artificial larynx. The electronic speech aid, known as TruTone™, has a natural resolution that will bring intonation back into your voice. Using new technology (U.S. patent secured), the speech aid lets you fluctuate the pitch of your voice using a single pressure sensitive button.

SPEAKERPHONE

A speakerphone with an external switch is a "hands free" telephone. To operate the phone, the user can press the included remote control, which will turn the unit on/off. Up to 20 numbers can be stored into the telephone memory, however for those with severe limited access to the telephone, the unit will automatically dial the operator who will then place the call for the individual. This device is used for people who cannot dial or hold the telephone receiver. To hang-up, the user lightly touches the remote control again and the call is disconnected.