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Good practice Imported

PRATP — Puerto Rico's State Assistive Technology Reuse, Loan and Fabrication Program

Puerto Rico · San Juan · See the Puerto Rico profile · See the San Juan profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 61% 68/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Since 1993, Puerto Rico's federally funded Assistive Technology Act program has run device loans, reuse and low-cost fabrication services islandwide; its 2023 federal report shows 31 fabricated devices delivered for $90 each against $13,781 retail value — a $13,691 saving.

31
Individuals served by fabrication/maker programme (2023)
13781 USD
Retail value of fabricated devices delivered (2023)
90 USD
Actual charges to consumers for fabricated devices (2023)
13691 USD
Aggregate consumer saving from fabrication programme (2023)

Details

Maturity
Established
Promoter
Puerto Rico Assistive Technology Program (University of Puerto Rico)
Period
1993–present
Keywords
assistive technology, disability services, device reuse, digital inclusion

Context

The Puerto Rico Assistive Technology Program (PRATP) is a federally funded Assistive Technology Act state programme operating since December 1993, institutionalised under the University of Puerto Rico in 2000, serving the island's Spanish-speaking population under an Administration for Community Living grant.

Activities

Services span information and referral, awareness activities, training, hands-on device demonstrations, two-week equipment loans, a device reutilization and exchange programme, evaluations, and in-house fabrication or adaptation of low-cost devices.

Results

Puerto Rico's 2023 federal Annual Progress Report shows the state financing branch served 2 individuals with 4 telecommunications devices worth $1,641, while the fabrication/maker programme served 31 individuals across mobility, environmental adaptation, daily living, communication and recreation categories, delivering $13,781 in retail-value equipment for just $90 in charges.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k)
Time to results
Long (> 3 years)
Staffing & skills
University of Puerto Rico program staff at the Botanical Garden campus, device fabrication/maker technicians

Conditions for success

  • federal Assistive Technology Act funding continuity (ACL grant)
  • in-house fabrication capability lowering per-device cost far below retail

Common failure modes

  • public report does not disclose multi-year totals or overall grant amount
  • activity concentrated in the metro area (29 of 31 fabrication cases), limiting verified island-wide reach

Commonly funded by

National / regional programmes

Indicative funding routes for practices of this type — always check each programme's current calls and eligibility rules.

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

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