Telecommunications Equipment Project
Department of Labor

Serving All Ages

AT Devices:

Hearing:

Visual & Reading:

AT Services:

Eligibility Requirements:

  1. Must submit form verifying that the individual is deaf or speech impaired and cannot use the phone in a normal manner. This form must be signed by physician, audiologist, speech language pathologist or otologist.
  2. Must meet income eligibility requirements (lending program only).

How to Apply:

Contact the Maine Center on Deafness to obtain an application.

Helpful Hints:

The Telecommunications Equipment Project (TEP) offers two separate programs: the Cost Sharing Program and the Lending Program.

The Cost Sharing Program pays for 50% of the cost of each TTY and amplified telephones, speaker phones to any individual, municipality or organization that raises the other 50% of the cost.

The Lending Program lends a TTY to those who cannot afford to buy one. Training workshops are held on an as needed basis. Maine Association of the Deaf provides basic training on installation and operation of equipment via a contract with the Maine Center on Deafness.

Maintenance provided at no cost to the recipient under lending program only. If repair is necessary, the Maine Association of the Deaf sends a representative to check on the individual's equipment. If the problem cannot be fixed by the representative then the client is provided a loaner until the needed repair is made. Under the lending program, lifetime warranties are set up by the program staff. The state pays for the repair costs after the warranties expire. Under cost sharing program, the client is responsible for maintenance and warranties.

TTY's closed captioning devices, ringing signaler and receivers are replaced without cost for people who are deaf/ hard of hearing and are eligible for lending program.

This project also publishes an annual directory of TTY users in Maine.

Contact:

Diane McGinley, Director
Telecommunications Equipment Project (TEP)
Maine Center on Deafness
68 Bishop Street, Suite 3
Portland, ME 04103-2616
Phone/TTY: 207 797-7656
Toll free voice/TTY - outside of the Portland area: 800 639-3884

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