After more than a year of sustained advocacy, KenCrest is proud to share a major victory for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Pennsylvania: the Lifetime Cap on Enabling Technology has officially been lifted. This long-standing policy limited funding for assistive and enabling technology to $10,000 over an individual’s entire lifetime, an amount that did not reflect rising costs, rapid technological advancements, or the evolving needs people experience as they age.
KenCrest has been at the forefront of efforts to change this policy, emphasizing that a lifetime limit does not align with how people live, grow, and age.
“We wanted to remove the word ‘lifetime’ from this policy,” said Chip Riddleberger, Director of Government Relations & Advocacy at KenCrest. “Other states have already moved away from lifetime caps in favor of funding models that renew every few years. A person’s needs in their 20s or 30s can be very different from what they need in their 50s or 60s, and a fixed lifetime limit prevented people from accessing the supports they truly need.”
For the people KenCrest supports, Enabling Technology is not optional; it is essential to independence, dignity, and full participation in the community. Devices such as smart home systems, adaptive equipment, and mobility supports help individuals manage daily routines, communicate, and live more independently. Yet even basic technology can be costly. A motorized wheelchair can cost up to $4,000, while more advanced devices can quickly exhaust a $10,000 lifetime limit.
“Enabling (assistive) technology can be expensive, but its impact is life-changing,” said Gregg Kelinson, Vice President of Innovation. “For someone who cannot ambulate to eat independently, there is a device called the Obi, an adaptive eating system that allows a person to feed themselves with minimal assistance. It costs about $8,000, but it restores independence and dignity. Even lower-cost tools like smart speakers or safety cameras add up over time.”
How Enabling Technology Transforms Lives
The impact of Enabling Technology is best seen in the lives of the people who use it. Ryan, a person supported by KenCrest, previously struggled to shower independently, often forgetting important steps in the process. With guidance from KenCrest’s Enabling Technology team, he now uses an Amazon Echo Dot and a Flic wireless button to receive step-by-step prompts with the press of a button, giving him greater confidence and independence in his daily routine.
Patricia, who uses a wheelchair, had a strong desire to live independently but faced physical barriers in her home. Through Enabling Technology supports, she received an automatic door opener, ADA-compliant countertops, and a specialized Roomba that vacuums and mops her floors. These tools made it possible for her to move into her own apartment and live independently, achieving a goal that once felt out of reach.
KenCrest has also worked to raise awareness of what Enabling Technology can accomplish through its Smarter Living Home, which opened last year. The home—once a vacant group home—was reimagined as a demonstration space featuring adaptive and smart technologies such as motion-activated faucets, tilt mirrors, smart toothbrushes, accessible laundry units, and GrandCare tablets used for health monitoring, reminders, and guided prompts.
The Smarter Living Home has welcomed more than 100 visits from KenCrest staff members, people supported, and community partners, as well as tours for Pennsylvania legislators and representatives. These visits have helped illustrate how technology can evolve alongside a person’s needs and why flexible, ongoing funding is critical.
“As we age, our needs change,” Riddleberger said. “From a health and quality-of-life perspective, a lifetime cap never made sense. This policy change recognizes that people deserve access to the right supports at the right time.”
With the Lifetime Cap now lifted, more individuals will be able to access Enabling Technology throughout their lives, supporting independence, inclusion, and dignity at every stage. KenCrest is proud to have played a role in this achievement and remains committed to advocating for policies that empower people to live full, self-directed lives in their communities.
This progress happened because people spoke up, and because technology makes independence possible.
With the Lifetime Cap lifted, there’s more work ahead to ensure every person has access to the supports they need throughout their life. Whether you’re passionate about shaping policy or exploring life-enhancing tools, there’s a way to get involved.
