Best Practices • Presented by Carol Fury, BA, MMBA, LBA

Executive Director of EquipALife Minnesota’s provider of the Alternative Finance Project and Access to Telework Programs. We celebrate our tenth year of operation in 2011 and are excited about the continued growth of the loan programs as we expand services throughout the state. Please join us today for a preview of the key variables involved in designing best practices for loan programs across the nation and territories.

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• WHY CREATE EXTRA WORK?• WHO REVIEWS ADDITIONAL

POLICIES? • WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT SERVE?• KIS(S) – KEEP IT SIMPLE

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EXCESS BAGGAGE -

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ELEMENTS OF BEST PRACTICES

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• Best practices are an ethical component of the application of a science, practice or study professionals adherer to as an approach / standard in the delivery of services.

• As we address the issue of creating and accepting Best Practices in the application of Assistive Technology Services standards are necessary to validate and provide reliable data to the federal government as a step toward inclusion of the ATP as a code under Medical Assistance.

• The eighteen components presented today are provided to guide Alternative Finance Projects and Telework Programs to adopt Best Practices required to validate the industry.

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EVALUATE & QUANTIFY

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Public Funding• Government and private funding resources

have built the existing programs. • Continue infusion of public dollars and

expand how we include government at all levels to achieve new funding sources.

• Think out side of the box – there is money in other areas of government to meet the ongoing financial expansion of programs.

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Demonstrate Consumer Control• At all levels: administrative, personnel,

volunteers, board and review committee• Seek feedback from all levels of

participation, not just customers• Review, adjust and make changes to

ensure your program is controlled by the consumer.

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Establish Policies• Compliance with funding requirements• Ensure all customers are informed of

their right to privacy and right to grieve decisions.

• Governing body is responsible for the oversight of all fiduciary, program and ethical practices of the program.

• Internal controls for all programs regardless of size and financial worth.

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Invest Wisely• Grow funding by using the existing

resources to enrich the program assets. • Seek investment advice when in doubt.• Create a plan for the future.• Maintain the permanent separate account

to comply with the rules of the project.• Seek additional public funds, private

resources, trusts, investors and other atypical sources of funding.

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Prepare for Review• At all times be prepared, stay ahead of

proposed changes and learn what is required for Best Practices implementation.

• Create internal checklist to aid in evaluating how your program complies to the requirements set forth under the contract award(s).

• Ask for help – no better way to learn!16

Program Audit• Program audits are useful tools and help

point out areas where the services could be improved / expanded.

• Make use of Review Councils in your state to adhere to nonprofit / state agency certification.

• Customers should be included in the audit as they are in all components of program delivery.

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Reporting• Enter data daily using required format.• Keep an ongoing list of items not

complete with timelines for review.• Watch for trends in data indicating areas

of underserved populations, different resources for marketing and expand the types of loan applications based on your data set.

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Oversight

• Maintain up to date contact with oversight agency.

• Request changes to the master contract to maintain compliance with federal, state and lending rules.

• Build relationship with oversight agency to ensure services are not interrupted.

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Lending Partnership• Frequently interact with lending partners.• Ask for the products most important to the

customers you serve such as interest rates.• Seek out additional partners as a back up

and to ensure choices are available for customers.

• Statewide resources – does your lender or does your program have multiple locations for customers to “close” the loan papers?

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Contracts • Maintain lender contract, re-negotiate as

often as possible to improve product services.

• Contract with third party insurers, device lenders is you sell directly through the business.

• Be diligent about updating contractual relationships and take opportunities when they arise.

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Right to Appeal• Private written copies of the program

customer’s right to appeal, complain or grieve.

• Protect the privacy of all customers by double locking, destroying private data such as social security numbers and date of birth.

• Be open to the request of the customer. Many times you can avoid a problem by being a good listener.

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Review Policy Manual

• Governing body should review the policy manual at least once per year.

• A simple sign off is not sufficient, a though review of each policy is needed to ensure all members of the committee or board are aware of the policy its limitations as well as options.

• Make changes when necessary!

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Compliance to Lending Laws

• Programs are required to follow the lending laws established at federal, state and local levels.

• Failure to comply causes multiple problems placing the program at risk of termination.

• Fully understand what the laws are in your state and if the program is a private lender your responsibility is greater!

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Stay up to Date

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Consistent Application

• Everyone is entitled to the same opportunities when applying to the program – no limits on income, diversity policy in place. NO EXCEPTIONS

• Policies must guide the review committee, however the customer need, choice and ability all are to be considered.

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Training

• All staff, committee members and volunteers are trained prior to participation in program review.

• Annual update of training, changes to policy or procedure are automatic signals to train the members of your Team.

• Remember training is only as good as the trainer!

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Feedback is the Key

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Success Measured

• In this final segment measuring success can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The most critical component of any measurement system is to ensure the data is valid or it can not be considered reliable. As we complete a preview of several key components of developing Best Practices for the industry professionals involved in AFP / Telework Loan Programs your final task is to measure outcomes statistically solid.

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Do It Your Way

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Thank You for taking the time to participate. Questions may be

directed to Carol Fury

Executive DirectorEquipALife

www.equipalife.org866.535.8239

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