Minimum Eligibility Requirements

(1) All applicants must be residents of the State of Tennessee. (2) A qualified applicant shall have a disability, as verified by a care giver licensed to practice in the state of Tennessee, such that the person cannot use the basic telephone network effectively without the use of an assistive communication device. (3) Only one assistive communication device per household will be awarded through the Program unless there are persons in the same household with different adaptive needs. The TDAP Coordinator may then determine the need for more than one assistive communication device. (4) Because the demand for assistive communication devices may exceed the supply, the Commission will award the assistive communication devices on a first come basis. Priority, however, will be given to those applicants with the greatest physical and financial and/or social need. Such factors as described below shall be used to evaluate an applicant’s physical, financial and social need for the assistive communication devices: (a) The receiving of federal or state public assistance (i.e., Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Food Stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Housing/Section 8 or Low Income Heating, etc.); (b) Applicants whose total gross family income is less than 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; (c) The presence of any serious physical, medical, and/or cognitive condition, as verified by a care giver licensed to practice in Tennessee, that may present a life threatening situation (i.e., heart condition, stroke, severe depression, epilepsy, etc.); (d) A qualified applicant living alone; (e) Applicants who are under the age of 18 years who are able to use assistive communication devices for at least emergency purposes and who are frequently left in charge of the household or alone; DISTRIBUTING ASSISTIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT TO CHAPTER 1220-04-10 QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES (f) A living situation where there is more than one person requiring an assistive communication device; (g) Other unique circumstances deserving of special consideration that do not meet the above factors; and (h) Applicants who meet the federal and/or state qualifications for the Lifeline Telephone Assistance Programs. (5) The Commission may request all necessary documentation needed to confirm information provided by applicants. This documentation may include, but not be limited to, medical statements, copies of the applicant’s federal income tax returns, evidence of public assistance eligibility and any other documentation needed to ensure the applicant meets the requirements as specified in the Act and this Chapter. (6) Applicants must confirm in their application their ability to utilize an assistive communication device effectively. For those applicants that are not qualified in the use of such equipment, the TDAP Coordinator will provide applicants with information about qualified training. (7) The Commission shall furnish application forms to be completed by the applicant or his/her authorized representative.