We’ve added an other valuable resource to our website. Please visit https://hla-fl.org/helpful-links-and-resources/ to learn more.

Below the links is the “blurb” we use to summarize FAAST. Feel free to share these with anyone.

FAAST.org

Assistive Technology Short-Term Device Loan Library

Assistive Technology Financing Program (New Horizon Loan Program)

FAAST Annual Report 2020

Information and Service Presentation Recording

Link to Sign Up for FAAST’s Email List

Did You Know: FAAST served almost 16,000 Floridians in 2020

The Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, Inc. (FAAST) has been busy ensuring that Floridians who have disabilities have access to our assistive technology services.

Who is FAAST? FAAST was created from the federal Assistive Technology Act and is part of Florida Statute (413.407). We exist to help Floridians access assistive technology. Assistive technology is any device, software, or tool that helps an individual with a disability to live the life of their choosing. Our services have been used to help people live, work, and play independently, resulting in less dependence on government aid. The best part is that all our services are free to Floridians.

Who Do We Serve? Floridians who have disabilities, their family members, guardians, and authorized representatives. We also serve representatives from education, employment, health, allied health, rehabilitation, community living, and technology.

What Do We Do? FAAST provides assistive technology services as outlined in the federal Assistive Technology Act. Those services include assistive technology device demonstrations, training, short-term device loans, a financial loan program, and recycling durable medical equipment.

• Device Demonstrations, Training, and Short-Term Loans: Anyone in the state can call FAAST to ask about assistive technology and how it can help them, their family, or someone they work with. FAAST can compare and contract different assistive technology devices in our statewide loan library, where we house over 4,000 devices, to help that person learn what technology will work best for them. FAAST then can provide training on how to use the assistive technology device, and let the individual take that device home with them to see how it would work in their day-to-day routine through our short-term device loan program. When they are ready to purchase a device, we can help them find funding opportunities, including our financial loan program.
• Financial Loans: FAAST provides financial loans to help Floridians who have disabilities to purchase the assistive technology devices and services they need. We pride ourselves on being able to provide financial loans to individuals with fixed incomes and low credit scores. Floridians have used our services to purchase hearing aids, recreational equipment, adaptive vehicles, ramps, and even to modify their homes or vehicles.
• Recycling Durable Medical Equipment: In 2020, FAAST saved Floridians $227,235 by collecting durable medical equipment donations and redistributing them back into the community. Any Floridian can drop off durable medical equipment or assistive technology devices that they are no longer using to FAAST and we will sanitize, repair, or refurbish the devices so that they can be given to individuals who need them.

The team at FAAST is extremely humbled and honored to have the opportunity to advance our mission of improving the quality of life for Floridians who have disabilities through assistive technology. As the state’s assistive technology program, we are #Here2Help with any questions you may have about assistive technology.