July 2024 NCHBC Bulletin
OVERVIEW
The Digital Champion Grant program in North Carolina has awarded more than $30 million to various entities to expand digital equity across the state. This initiative aims to develop or enhance digital equity programming and address key elements of digital inclusion, such as affordability of high-speed internet, provision of internet-enabled devices, access to digital literacy and skills training, quality technical support, and applications designed to increase accessibility and inclusivity. The NC Healthcare Broadband Coalition (NCHBC) is one of the awardees and will pilot an effort to bring telehealth to rural Madison County. It will establish a collaboration between local healthcare providers and community libraries, making telehealth available to many residents who would otherwise be unable to leverage telehealth and healthcare more broadly. As a pilot, it will assess the viability and value of expanding to other rural NC communities.
DIGITAL CHAMPION GRANT BACKGROUND
The NC Department of Information Technology’s Office of Digital Equity and Literacy (ODEL) has leveraged American Rescue Plan Act funding to pursue the NC Digital Champion Grant program. This program pursues Governor Roy Cooper’s digital vision for NC,
“All North Carolinians need the resources and skills to access high speed internet and use it safely and effectively…This program will help ensure that every resident of our state is part of today’s digital economy and can work, learn, access telehealth and connect with others online.”
– Governor Roy Cooper
With the Champion grant programs, the Office is establishing partnerships with a variety of NC organizations to address the digital needs of NC’s covered populations – rural residents, racial or ethnic minorities, and elderly North Carolinians, as examples.
The program projects will address at least one of the following digital needs:
- Affordability of reliable high-speed internet
- Provision of internet-enabled devices (computer, laptops, etc.) that meet users’ needs
- Access to digital literacy and skills training
- Quality technical support
- Applications and online content designed to increase accessibility and inclusivity
DIGITAL CHAMPION GRANT STATUS
The needs and capacity of NC communities and their organizations are evident in the response to the ODEL Notice of Funding Opportunity. About 230 applicants applied for roughly $150m in funding to pursue digital inclusion activities in their communities across NC. In the end, 36 applicants were funded with $30m going to their projects. The type and locations of the awardees are diverse including libraries, community colleges, schools, regional councils of government, and nonprofits like El Centro Hispano, Goodwill Industries of Central NC, HUBZone Technology Initiative, and Our Journey. Currently recipients are providing ODEL with some revisions and additional information and will probably initiate their projects in early August.
NCHBC MADISON COUNTY TELEHEALTH PROJECT
The NC Telehealth Network Association, on behalf of the NCHBC, is one of these awardees, receiving $400,000 in funding. The Coalition pilot project is a proof of concept that expands telehealth access points in rural NC communities. In so doing, it also expands rural access to the best healthcare. Specifically, NCTNA will partner with selected healthcare providers, libraries, and other allied organizations in Madison County to establish a telehealth service located in participating rural libraries. Essentially, the service will include the provision of private, securely connected spaces for telehealth consultations, diagnoses, and treatment activities. In addition, the pilot will provide lending, distribution, and technical assistance to promote telehealth adoption at patient’s homes, and finally, the pilot will undertake a device recycling and reuse program for our local healthcare providers and patients. As a pilot, the project will also include a formal evaluation to assess the viability of this kind of project and to make recommendations to scale it to other rural NC communities.
CONCLUSION
The NCHBC believes that the value of connectivity depends on the access and availability of relevant applications to utilize said connectivity. It believes telehealth to be one of the most beneficial applications, particularly for rural NC, where healthcare access is an important issue. With the Madison County pilot, the Coalition hopes to demonstrate innovative ways that broadband and telehealth can enhance rural North Carolinian’s health. The NCHBC looks forward to working with ODEL and other Champion Grant Awardees.
