The Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin’s Telecommunications Division is accepting applications for Medical Telecommunications Equipment Grants for fiscal Year 2014. This is a new grant program adopted for the first time in the recent 2013 state budget to award up to $500,000 in grants during FY 2014 to improve broadband communications services in the state and there are plans to award $500,000 for FY 2015.
The grant program was created to provide funding to nonprofits, medical clinics, hospitals, and public health agencies to purchase specialized telecommunications equipment. The equipment is to be designed to augment or enhance the delivery of medical services in rural or undeserved areas of the state and/or to help the underserved population or persons with disabilities.
The PSC expects that the Medical Telecommunications Equipment grant program will be a significant step towards addressing the demand for high-speed internet and IP-enabled telecommunications services in areas of the state that are currently unserved or have limited internet provider options.
The grant funding can be used to purchase video conferencing equipment that will allow patients in rural locations to meet with medical specialists throughout the world. Also, the funding can be used to purchase home health monitoring devices to enable patients to record and report on their health status from their home.
Eligible applicants must be a nonprofit medical clinic or hospital that is governed by a board of directors, serve federally designated health professional areas, medically underserved areas, or a public health agency.
The Telecommunications Division works to promote competition, and generally oversees the providers of wholesale telecommunications services in the state. The division also administers the Universal Service Fund program as it applies to the state’s telephone equipment purchase program, Lifeline and Link-up, telemedicine grants, grants to non-profit organizations to promote universal service, and to provide rate assistance credits.
The Telecommunications Division with grant funding from the U.S National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) spearheads broadband planning and mapping. In this capacity, the Division maintains a statewide map of broadband deployment and organizes and assists regional broadband planning teams
Go to http://psc.wi.gov/utilityInfo/tele/usf/programs/tmSummary.htm for more information. Applications are due April 17, 2014.