KATCO | Kansas Assistive Technology Cooperative

An AT-IDA is a program* offered through KATCO that provides eligible families and individuals an opportunity to establish matched savings accounts for moneys which may be used for the purchase of assistive technology devices and services.  At this time the match ratio is 1:1.

Assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially, off-the-shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capacities of individuals with disabilities. 

* Until otherwise notified this program is available to residents in Lyon, Osage, and Coffey.  It will expand across the state when additional match moneys are found.      

Program Requirements

• Any Kansan with a disability or a family member acting on the individual’s behalf whose household income is less than or equal to 300% of the federal poverty level.**
• Deposits into a savings account must be from earned income.  SSI & SSDI are not considered “earned” income.
• If accepted, develop a Savings Plan.  This plan will include: 

1. Documentation that the participant attended and completed a full-day economic education program
2. Identify a specific AT device or service.  Any device must include name and model number
3. Provide the total cost of the AT equipment
4. Complete a household income and expense sheet that includes verification of earned income
5. Specify the amount to be deposited monthly
6. Specify the date when each monthly deposit is to be made

• Notify KATCO when a monthly deposit cannot be made (not to exceed three consecutive months or 4 occurrences in a 12 month period of time)
• When the target amount has been saved, provide a written request to send payment to the vendor so the purchase can be made
• Annual deposits must not exceed $10,000.00 annually or exceed $50,000.00 in 5 years.
• No AT-IDA savings account will exceed 5 years

KATCO will:

• Determine if interested individual meets eligibility requirements
• Coordinate and provide the financial literacy curriculum
• Work with eligible participants to write the AT-IDA Savings Plan
• Set up a physical file that contains:
  • Income/Expense sheet with earned income verification
  • Original signed copy of the AT Savings plan
  • Verification of completed economic education curriculum
  • Copies of monthly payments
  • Copies of bank statements, if paper copies are mailed
  • Documentation of the AT that will be purchased
  • Meeting notes or copies of e-mails that are exchanged with the participant
• Work with bank partner to set up a savings account
• Accept monthly payments from customers
• Deposit monthly payments and transfer the match amount for each customer***
• Notify the borrower when the target saving amount has been reached
• Upon written request by the customer, arrange for the bank to send payment to the vendor
• Arrange to have the equipment either delivered to or picked up by the customer
• Confirm that the equipment was delivered in satisfactory condition
• Close the savings account

** See Table of HHS Breakdown Below

*** A savings match will only occur when a customer makes a deposit.  Any deposit that is  returned will have the match amount withdrawn from the savings account, and the customer will be assessed any penalty fees which will be debited from the account.

Useful Documents

If you are interested in becoming a participant in the AT‐IDA program, please complete the following form. We will contact you once the program particulars have been set up and will ask you to provide some specific information at that time.

The form is provided in both PDF and Microsoft Word format. The PDF form has fillable fields.  Please fill it out online and print it. Note:  You cannot save any changes to this form; you can only print it.  So please make sure you have a printer installed and ready before filling out the form.

• AT-IDA Interest Form (PDF Format)
• AT-IDA Interest Form (Microsoft Word Format)

Kansas AT-IDA Poverty Guideline Table

This table is to be used when calculating eligibility for the Kansas AT-IDA program.  Kansas statuette states that eligible participants must meet the household income guidelines of 300% poverty or less.

2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines

SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 76, No. 13, January 20, 2011, pp. 3637-3638

In general, one can calculate various percentage multiples of the guidelines by taking the current guidelines and multiplying each number by 1.25 for 125 percent, 1.50 for 150 percent, etc. Be aware, however, that the rounding rules for these calculations, as well as procedures for calculating monthly income, are determined by the federal, state, and local program offices that use the poverty guidelines for eligibility purposes.