HOPE SolutionsRI (C-3)

With many healthcare facilities and congregate care settings, including Perspectives Corporation, facing shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic (such as goggles, face masks, gowns, gloves, shoe coverings), we would like to explore operating a microenterprise to self-generate PPE. As we work to expand employment opportunities for individuals we support, the business could be run by Rhode Islanders with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities who would design and create PPE to be sold to hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other companies/community organizations in need as well as to our own organization. PPE should be adaptive to better support individuals with disabilities (e.g. individuals with physical disabilities who may be unable to adjust their PPE without physical assistance, support staff who’s face can’t be covered in order to better communicate with the individual they are supporting).

Some of the ways Perspectives can achieve this goal is to:

• Get access to 3D printing to design the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and test that equipment to be sure it protects from injury or the spread of infection or illness
• Develop training modules for users on how to use adaptive PPE
• Develop a business model that would support sustainable operations