The graphic that heads up every page of ICAN's website contains logos for Arkansas Department of Career Education and Arkansas Rehabilitation Services as well as four small photographs: young girl at a computer, a senior couple reading the paper, a man at work at a computer, and a woman helping a baby operate a toy.  

 
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AgrAbility:
Enhancing Success for People with Disabilities Living and Working in Agricultural Communities
What is AgrAbility?

The vision of AgrAbility is to enable a lifestyle of high quality for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, so that they, their families, and their communities continue to succeed in rural America. AgrAbility is a program with the aim of enabling farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities to achieve a high quality lifestyle so that they, their families, and their communities can succeed in rural America. 
Because vocational rehabilitation has historically focused on working with employers and employees in more urban settings, VR counselors frequently do not have the specialized expertise to provide rehabilitation services in agriculturally-focused ventures.  AgrAbility services focus on helping workers with all types of disabilities to gain access to assistive technology needed not only for work, but also for independence in daily living activities.  (Photo to right is of a man riding a tractor.)
AgrAbility programs work closely with state rehabilitation services, agencies provided funding to fund services like this.  The collaborative nature between AgrAbility program and state vocational rehabilitation programs is a win-win solution for farm and ranch workers with disabilities and for farmers, ranchers and other rural employers who seek to employ or retain workers with disabilities.

The Arkansas AgrAbility Project
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Services has received a grant to initiate a statewide AgrAbility program in Arkansas.  Beginning in October, 2010, Arkansas AgrAbility will help farmers and their families overcome the challenges of disabilities by providing the following services:  On-site assessments of the agricultural worksite or home; recommendations for assistive technology equipment or modifications that can make it easier to perform work; referrals to other local services for assistance, and peer support.  Arkansas AgrAbility will not provide direct funding or equipment, but does provide information and assistance with funding services. 
Arkansas AgrAbility is a partnership between University of Arkansas Deivision of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, ICAN-Increasing Capabilities Access Network; and the Arthritis Foundation, Arkansas Chapter.  
For more information, contact:
LaVona Traywick, Ph.D.
Project Director
ltraywick@uaex.edu
              or
Jessica Vincent
AgrAbility Coordinator
jvincent@uaex.edu
University of Arkansas
Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
2301 S University Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72204
Phone: (501) 671-2027
Fax: (501) 671-2294
The National AgrAbility Project
The National AgrAbility Project (NAP) is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  NAP is currently operated through the Purdue University in partnership with Goodwill Industries International, the Arthritis Foundation-Indiana Chapter, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.(http://agrability.org/ )
There are 21 USDA-funded State/Regional Projects providing services in 22 states, plus several programs that are providing AgrAbility services that are not within the same funding structure. 
State/Regional AgrAbility Projects must be partnerships between a land grant university and at least one nonprofit disability organization.
AgrAbility Toolbox & CD

NAP offers an AgrAbility Toolbox & CD which describes agricultural tools, equipment, machinery, and buildings for farmers and ranchers with physicla disabilities. (http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~agenhtml/ABE/Extension/BNG/Resource%20Center/Toolbox/index.htmlIntroduction page )

Caregiving in Rural Areas 
Caregiving is always challenging. However, for rural caregivers, the challenges are compounded by factors such as geographical isolation, gaps in rural service delivery systems, and the unique needs of agricultural workers with disabilities. Ruralcare.info is designed to help bridge the information gap and assist in creating a web support community for rural caregivers. (http://www.ruralcare.info/ )



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