Federal agencies are highlighting efforts to improve access to broadband to expand the delivery of telehealth services and to address other social determinants of health.
HRSA’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth https://hrsa.gov/rural-health/topics/telehealth recently announced their new Telehealth Broadband Pilot Program. (TBP)
TBP an effort between HHS, FCC, and USDA is going to assess the broadband capacity available to rural healthcare providers and patient communities to improve access to telehealth services.
In addition, the FCC https://www.fcc.gov is addressing the digital divide and working to expand availability of high speed internet through their Universal Service Fund, Rural Health Care Program, and Connected Care Pilot Program.
The FCC has also established the Affordable Connectivity Program to help households afford the broadband they need. The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet services for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands.
On July 13, 2022, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) https://ntia.doc.gov announced that all states and territories are going to participate on the “Internet for All” initiative announced in May.
The “Internet for All” initiative will provide $65 billion in funding to expand high speed internet access. The aim is to fund planning infrastructure and adoption efforts to provide digital equity and inclusion.
In another NTIA effort, the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, enables states and territories to expand high speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs.
Also, NTIA’s separate State Digital Equity Planning Grant program supports digital skills training and workforce development plans. This grant program is the first step for states, territories, and Tribal nations to use to develop their digital equity plans. Funding for $1.44 billion is to be made available later to fund specific projects. NTIA will announce the $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant funds by September 29, 2022.
In June 2022, NTIA announced that the agency has awarded nine grants as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program which is making $980 million available for grants to eligible Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian entities. The funds will be for broadband deployment, digital inclusion, workforce development, telehealth, and distance learning.
USDA’s rural development programs https://www.rd.usda.gov are designed to finance infrastructure programs by funding the planning, development, and end-use of broadband infrastructure.
USDA’s grant programs involved in the deployment of broadband networks in rural areas are Community Connect Grants, Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants, Rural Broadband Access Loans, Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans, Community Facilities Loans and Grants, and ReConnect Program Loans and Grants.