First Mile
The working group
Our first client: Igor
Igor is a recent double bilateral amputee. He is undocumented which means he is ineligible for federal support such as medicaid to recieve prosthetics. He is currently involved in substance abuse treatment which necistates freqent weekly appointments at the hospital. This client is navigating inaccessible transport, legal, and medical systems without support due to his documentation status.
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We are currently working with fellow methadone patient and mechanic, Miguel, to refurbish his old electric wheelchair to donate to Igor. The next goal is:
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Prosthetics
Working Group's Goal
Evaluate the barriers to prosthetics
Organizations like Steps of Faith help connect people who are ineligible for federal services to prosthetics. However a major hurtle is that they require prosthetists to donate their time and specifically the organization has found that prosthetists in New York are unwilling to work pro bono. The working group will: (1) Gather professionals and advocates across immigration, disability, and substance abuse treatment (2) Interview Steps of Faith to better understand their process (3) Interview a representative of a prosthetic company (4) Identify what are the major barriers for Steps of Faith's work in New York.
Future focus: Complete Igor's Case
Help fill the gap between Steps of Faith and prosthetists through fundraising, network and resource connecting, and advocating for Igor to prosthetic companies.
Is it replicable?
From the electric wheelchair to prosthetics, is this process scalable?