MEDDAC Fort Jackson has developed a new procedure for obtaining Ergonomic Equipment through the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP). Although originally designed for MEDDAC staff, the process is applicable to service members and civilian employees across the installation.
"The CAP program provides assistive technology and accommodations to support individuals with disabilities and wounded, ill and injured service members throughout the Federal Government in accessing information and communication technology," said Lou Brito, MEDDAC FJ Chief of Strategy and Innovation. "CAP is a program for DoD employees and centrally funds request for employees with disabilities to provide reasonable work accommodations."
DoD employees must submit a request thru the CAP. The submission request (using the DD Form 2987) must be made online through the www.cap.mil website. After submission of the form, CAP reserves the right to request medical documentation to support a request for accommodation and maintain acquisitions integrity. If CAP determines that medical documentation is needed to evaluate a request, the documentation must be issued by a licensed medical professional or other appropriate practitioner and indicate the medical diagnosis, including the current clinical status. A medical diagnosis must disclose the specific disease or condition that explains an individual's limitation as it relates to the accommodation requested.
All Ergonomic Evaluation requests and or needs assessments must be submitted by scheduling an appointment through the USA MEDDAC Fort Jackson Occupational Health Department.
"Individuals who are not sure what they need or are not familiar with assistive technology may benefit from a needs assessment which is an exchange of information to help determine possible solutions," Brito said. "Anyone interested should visit the CAP website for more information."
When medical documentation or any additional supporting information is necessary to evaluate a request, customers must submit the information within five business days or the request may be declined. CAP is a resource and does not assume the legal obligation of an employer to accommodate its employees. If CAP declines an accommodation request for any reason, it should not be interpreted as a decline by the employing agency. Employees may request an accommodation from their employer at any time.
"If CAP disapproves the request for ergonomic equipment, please process a New Item Request (NIR) in DMLSS and provide a hard copy of the licensed medical professional's recommendation to the Chief of Supply and Acquisitions," Brito said. "Copy and paste the actual denial notification into the NIR note section. The NIR note section along with the licensed medical professional's recommendation will be used as justification to procure the necessary item."
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