UM, First Security Bank provide
loans for assistive technologies
Montanans in need of assistive technologies may qualify for a new low-interest loan program offered by First Security Bank of Missoula in a partnership with MonTECH of the Rural Institute on Disabilities at UM.

Assistive technologies include devices -- ranging from portable wheelchair ramps to "sip and puff" computer technology -- that help people with disabilities live full and productive lives.

UM President George Dennison (second from left) and Hal Fraser, First Security Bank senior vice president, seal the loan program with a handshake, while consumer loan officer Suzan J. Olinger (left) and R. Timm Vogelsberg, director of UM's Rural Institute (right), look on.

The loan program is designed to help those who are unable to qualify for other types of funding for assistive technology, such as insurance, vocational or educational.

"Getting funding for assistive technologies can be tricky," said Gail McGregor, director of MonTECH. "There are many people who don't meet the criteria."

The loan program got its start in May 1998 with $40,000 from MonTECH, a federally funded organization dedicated to bringing needed assistive technology to Montanans with disabilities.

The money -- joined by another $80,000 deposit -- will serve as collateral for the loan program. This means that people who may not have their own collateral or a good credit rating have a better chance of being approved for a loan.

All told, more than $313,000 in assistive technology loans are available from First Security Bank.

"We wanted to expand the alternatives available to people so they could get what they need," McGregor said.

Loan amounts range from $500 to $10,000. At the prime rate, interest is extremely reasonable. The loans may be used for many types of assistive technologies, including mobility devices, communication aids and adaptive equipment for vehicles.

"This program isn't for everyone, but there are people who fall through the cracks and don't have other funding sources available," McGregor said. "This is geared toward them."

Those who aren't sure exactly what type of assistive technology they need may benefit from another MonTECH service: the Montana Technology Access Center. This center, located at UM, provides the opportunity to try out a variety of equipment.

MTAC has low-tech devices that help people with arthritis thread a button through a buttonhole or feed themselves with a spoon attached to the wrist by a Velcro bracelet. There are toys specially adapted for young children who have disabilities. Then there are high-tech devices reminiscent of a James Bond movie, such as computers operated by the movement of an eyeball or a puff of air, for those who have paralysis.

For more information about MonTECH and the Rural Institute, call Barbara Wainwright at (406) 243-5467 or (800) 732-0323. Or visit the Rural Institute's Web page at http://ruralinstitute.umt.edu/.

To receive a loan application, call First Security Bank at (406) 728-3115.

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