Bill Overview
Title: AACCENT Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award three grants in geographically diverse regions to establish a network of resource centers to improve access to tools, technologies, strategies, training, and other methods used to supplement or replace speech (i.e., augmentative and alternative communication) for individuals with significant expressive communication disabilities. These are communication disabilities (other than communication disabilities that are primarily visual or auditory in nature) that prevent or significantly limit an individual from understanding or being understood using spoken words, resulting in the need for or benefit from augmentative and alternative communication.
Sponsors: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Target Audience
Population: People with significant expressive communication disabilities who need augmentative and alternative communication
Estimated Size: 3300000
- The bill targets individuals with significant expressive communication disabilities that prevent or limit them from being understood using spoken words.
- Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools are intended to support people who cannot rely solely on verbal communication.
- The legislation focuses on communication disabilities that are not primarily visual or auditory, indicating a focus on speech and language deficits.
- Global data suggests expressive communication disabilities can impact about 1% of the population. With a global population of approximately 8 billion, this suggests about 80 million individuals might benefit from AAC.
- AAC devices and strategies can help individuals with conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, ALS, and other disorders affecting speech and communication.
Reasoning
- The policy specifically targets individuals with expressive communication disabilities, so the population affected will mostly consist of people with conditions like cerebral palsy, autism, ALS, etc.
- Those who are non-verbal or have severe speech issues benefit most from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools.
- Most affected individuals will likely see a medium to high impact in their wellbeing scores due to increased access to AAC resources.
- The population is very specific (1% of the U.S. population, i.e., about 3.3 million people), but not everyone will have the same level of impact due to differing levels of existing access to AAC tools.
- A portion of the interviews will include individuals who reside in areas where these centers will be established, as they will feel the impact more immediately.
- Budget limitations mean only a fraction of people will be directly served initially, and impact will grow over time as the network expands.
Simulated Interviews
Unemployed (Rural Texas)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Current resources are very limited in rural areas, making communication challenging.
- Having a local AAC resource center will greatly help in accessing necessary tools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Technology Specialist (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Already have access to some AAC tools, but further development and support would enhance quality of life.
- The grant could advance technology to a more user-friendly and effective tool.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Student (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 15 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The school provides some resources, but additional AAC training could significantly improve communication capabilities.
- Access to improved technologies would enhance educational experiences.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Caregiver (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Training centers would help in learning effective communication strategies.
- Accessibility to professional advice on AAC would be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Freelancer (Miami, Florida)
Age: 36 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Limited awareness and use of AAC in therapy sessions.
- The policy would raise awareness and ease adaptation with advanced tools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired (Suburban Ohio)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Somewhat familiar with AAC tools, but further insights would be valuable.
- Access to a center would support continuous learning and rehab.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Artist (New York City, New York)
Age: 25 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Current communication strategies are cumbersome.
- Investing in technological enhancements would significantly ease daily interactions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Advocate for Disabled Rights (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The establishment of these centers would significantly contribute to the advocacy efforts.
- Such advancements could lead to monumental social inclusion.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
Customer Service Representative (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Further training could maximize the potential of existing software.
- Looking forward to potential workshops and community support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired (Orlando, Florida)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Enhanced resources could improve group interactions and personal communication.
- The policy would bolster ongoing rehabilitation efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 2: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Year 3: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Year 5: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Year 10: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Year 100: $8000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $10000000)
Key Considerations
- The centers can significantly improve quality of life and communication effectiveness for a vulnerable population.
- Implementation complexity due to geographical distribution and need for specialized staffing must be managed.
- Ensuring sustainable funding beyond the initial five-year grant period will be crucial to maintaining operations.