Frequently Asked Questions
C.A.T.S.’s primary service is equipment re-use. Gently used adaptive equipment and assistive technology devices are donated to the program, cleaned and refurbished, and then provided to children with disabilities that need them at no cost.
The child must live in or receive their medical or rehabilitative care in Virginia to utilize the program.
There is a Communication Loan Library available at the Richmond, Roanoke and Hampton Roads locations. The Communication Loan Library provides augmentative communication and assistive technology devices to a child with disabilities on a 3-month loan. Only 1 device can be requested at a time.
The request for the device must be made with the child’s speech therapist and a loan agreement must be signed. There is no transfer of these items between locations.
Requested equipment must be picked up at one of our locations or pick-up facilities. We are able to transfer a piece of equipment from one C.A.T.S. location to another, but this can take several weeks. C.A.T.S. staff will notify you once the equipment is ready for pick-up. Requested equipment must be picked up within five business days once it reaches its destination or it will be returned to inventory. There is no personal delivery or shipping available.
C.A.T.S. works with the child’s medical team to ensure that equipment provided meets the child’s functional needs. Therapist contact information is required for all equipment requests. If the child does not have a therapist, then an assistive technology professional (ATP) such as NuMotion or National Seating and Mobility can be utilized.
No. Equipment we have available is pictured on the website. Inventory is updated weekly. Families and therapists need to check the site frequently if they are looking for a specific piece.
A family may request up to 3 pieces of equipment for a child in a calendar year. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions for details.
The child’s parent/legal guardian should make the request if possible. The child’s physical/occupational or speech therapist, case manager, or a family member may request the equipment, but the parent/legal guardian must sign the release form before it can be picked up. A “Transfer of Equipment” form must be completed and signed by school administration if an item will be used only at school.
C.A.T.S. primary service is equipment re-use. Gently used adaptive equipment and assistive technology devices are donated to the program, cleaned and refurbished, and then provided to children with disabilities that need them at no cost.
All of the refurbished equipment C.A.T.S. has available is pictured on our website. Click on the “Request Equipment” tab to get started. Then:
Choose a category (i.e. adaptive seating)
– You can sort your choices by location (i.e. Hampton Roads) or view all the equipment available in that category at once. On a computer, the locations are on the right side of your screen. On a mobile device, scroll all the way down and the locations will be at the bottom of the page.
– You can also search for a particular piece of equipment (i.e. Pacer gait trainer, small) by putting a keyword in the search box in the upper right hand corner of the page.
– Click on the picture of the device you are interested in. This will bring up information about that piece of equipment.
– Click on “request equipment” to request the device.
– Fill out the online form completely. In the notes section, please provide any additional information you want to relay to us.
– Click on “place order”.
– The C.A.T.S. release form will need to be signed online to complete your request.
You will receive a confirmation that the order has been placed. If you do not get a confirmation, the request did not go through.
You will need standard demographic information (i.e. address, phone number), height and weight of the child receiving the equipment, and therapist/assistive technology professional name and contact information. C.A.T.S. staff consults with the child’s treating therapist or assistive technology professional (equipment provider like NuMotion, National Seating) to be sure that the equipment meets the child’s functional needs before it is provided.
You can either request the equipment and ask the questions you have in the “notes” section of the request form, or email the location where the equipment is housed, or call us. We can give you more details on the piece of equipment you are looking at.
C.A.T.S. policies can be reviewed on the release form or by visiting the Terms and Conditions in the footer of every page. We strongly recommend that you review these policies prior to requesting equipment through the website.
If you have gently used adaptive equipment, mobility devices or assistive technology to donate, please contact the C.A.T.S. location closest to you by phone or email.
If you choose to make a donation during the equipment request process, it helps cover the costs of preparing and distributing equipment, including repairs, cleaning, and transportation. These contributions support our ability to provide equipment to children at no cost to families.
C.A.T.S. does not take adaptive beds, full size ramps, porch or stair lifts. If you have one of these large items to donate, C.A.T.S. can post the information on our website and Facebook page and help match the donor with a child and family in need. C.A.T.S. also cannot take car seats, power wheelchairs that do not work, or medical supplies such as respiratory items, nutritional support, or diapers. C.A.T.S. also cannot take toys, unless they are adaptive toys.