TAP for Telephone

Eligibility Requirements Certifiers Demo Sites Equipment Other Questions

What are the Eligibility Requirements?

  • You must be a Missouri resident
  • You must have telephone service in your home
  • You must have a certified disability that prevents you from accessing or effectively using basic telephone services with standard telephone equipment
  • Your annual adjusted income cannot exceed $60,000 for an individual or an individual plus a second exemption, spouse or dependent. For each additional dependent claimed, $5,000 can be added to the $60,000 base level.
  • CapTel captioning phones are available for persons who are unable to benefit from an amplified phone, and who have intelligible speech. Generally, eligible consumers will have an audiogram that indicates a substantial hearing loss with a speech discrimination rate of less than 60% in both ears. Additional hearing–related factors may also be considered in determining eligibility for a captioned phone.

Who Can Certify me as Having a Disability?

Professionals who can certify include licensed physicians, audiologists, speech pathologists, hearing instrument specialists, or agencies approved by Missouri Assistive Technology.

TAP-T Demo Sites

Missouri Assistive Technology works with 31 demo center sites in the state of Missouri. Most are located at Centers for Independent Living or a few agencies specializing in specific disabilities. To find the closest demo center, click on the regional  Missouri map.

What Type of Equipment is Available on the TAP for Telephone Program?

A full range of adaptive equipment is provided at no cost to meet the needs of individuals with all types of disabilities.  We have phones available for all disabilities. To view the phone available through the TAP for Telephone program, select on the disability area below:

How Do I Apply for Equipment and Select Equipment to Meet My Needs?

All TAP-T demonstration sites listed on the map ( click on the regional map) have demonstration equipment, applicants and staff to help with the selection of equipment (locate the county you live in and contact the nearest listed center). If you already have a certified application by a: physician, audiologist, speech pathologist or hearing instrument specialist, contact the closest demo center for an appointment to try out new phones and find the most appropriate match for your disability. If you have a certified application, take your application with you to this appointment.

Who Owns the Equipment After it is Purchased?

In most cases, you own the equipment! One exception is captioned phones which are loaned devices. There will be a sticker on the phone equipment that includes the name of the vendor who distributed the equipment and the phone contact. If you need your phone repaired during the four years after you receive the phone, you need to contact the vendor who distributed the equipment. Miscellaneous supplies such as TTY paper, headsets and regular batteries are your responsibility.

How Often Can I Apply for Equipment?

You can reapply for equipment every four years. If your disability changes to the point that different equipment is necessary, you may reapply based on your new needs.

To ensure that the best equipment is ordered to meet the individuals needs, applications must be completed in person. For more information about the program, call Missouri Assistive Technology at (800) 647-8557 (voice) or (800) 647-8558 (TTY).