Requests by OTs and other professionals
Clients are frequently referred to CanAssist by a health-care professional. In many cases, the OT, SLP or other professional is able to secure funding for a CanAssist technology project through a partner organization such as WorkSafeBC or ICBC. In other instances, CanAssist may be able to identify philanthropic organizations willing to assist financially.
If you are an occupational therapist or other health-care professional and think that CanAssist may be able to help one of your clients, please take the following steps:Submit a request:
- Do your best to find out if the solution you are looking for already exists. In order for CanAssist to take on a project, the solution must be unavailable commercially or through other providers. However, CanAssist does modify commercial technologies when they do not meet an individual's specific needs.
- Complete the CanAssist Assistive Technology Project Request Form [PDF - 155 KB]. It can be filled out on your computer or printed off and completed by hand.
- Once completed, the form can be sent in one of the following ways:
- fax to 250-721-7299
- mail to : CanAssist, University of Victoria CARSA, PO Box 1700, STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2
- scan and email to canassistcr@uvic.ca.
Once you have submitted a request:
We will review your request and contact you as soon as possible – usually within a week to 10 days. If we can find a solution that already exists, we will direct you to its source and assist you in determining its suitability.
Important: Please keep in mind that while CanAssist wants to help as many people with disabilities as possible, limited resources and the increasing demand for our technologies and services mean:
- CanAssist must first secure funding to pay for each project's development. In many cases, the OT or other health-care professional is able to secure funding for a CanAssist technology project through a partner organization such as WorkSafeBC or ICBC. In other cases, CanAssist is able to secure funding through philanthropic or other organizations;
- while we are delighted to assist individuals other provinces and countries, our priority must be to those who live in British Columbia. Certainly, we would be happy to discuss ways that we can provide assistance to those outside B.C. and help find ways to minimize the costs borne by the users of our services and technologies.