The Design and Technologies for Healthy Aging welcomes Joy Kniskern, Carolyn Phillips and Martha Rust, Pass It On Center, who will speak about "Assistive Technologies Reutilization".

The lecture meeting will be held on November 16th 9:30-11:30AM at Room 207 in the Health Systems Institute (HSI) Building, located at 828 West Peachtree Street, NW 2nd Floor Atlanta, GA 30332. Metered parking available at the address.

Assistive Technology (AT) reutilization is a concept that is born out of need. From local grassroots efforts, it has grown to become a nationally recognized response to providing AT to those people who would otherwise “go without”. We have witnessed the power and independence AT brings to the individuals who have participated in many programs committed to the intelligent reutilization of assistive technology. We have also experienced the incredible frustration of knowing that efforts to assist more people have been limited because of the lack of understanding about reuse programs. The Pass It On Center will respond to this unmet need by coordinating national collaborative on AT reuse programs that will provide multi-faceted information on best practices, a national database and home page, a coordinated plan to respond to natural disasters, and a National Pass It OnTask Force. At DATHA, Joy Kniskern, Carolyn Phillips and Martha Rust will talk about the latest programs developed at the center.

Joy Kniskern, M.Ed, CRCC, Assistive Technology Services Manager for the Georgia Department of Labor Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program, is a 30-year veteran in the rehabilitation services arena. In her current role as AT Unit Manager, she provides leadership and technical assistance to Tools for Life and the Assistive Work Technology Services (AWT), the most comprehensive state agency rehabilitation engineering program for public VR services in the country. Ms. Kniskern holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Sociology from Vanderbilt University and an Masters of Education Degree in Psychological Services and Community Counseling from Georgia State University. Joy maintains her certification as a rehabilitation counselor and is a member of the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA).

Carolyn Phillips is Project Director of the Pass It On Center and Tools for Life. She has a Masters  in Rehab Counseling from the University of Kentucky. She also has an undergraduate degree from UGA and is a licensed Assistive Technology Practitioner.

Martha Rust is an Assistive Technology Specialist with Tools for Life and has a Masters in Rehab Counseling from the University of Tennessee.