Skip to main content
Category

News

White House releases SC fact sheet, presenting the benefits of the American Jobs Plan in the state

By News

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– On Monday, the White House released fact sheets for each state, highlighting the needs of each state that will be addressed under the American Jobs Plan.

The report says that South Carolina has over 3,780 miles of highway that are in poor condition, and the American Jobs Plan will dedicate over $600 billion towards improving the country’s transportation infrastructure including roads and bridges. The White House says the Americans Jobs plan will also invest over $85 million to modernize the nation’s public transit system.

According to the White House, the American Jobs Plan will address a number of needs in the country, including broadband, housing, clean drinking water, caregiving and manufacturing. The plan also recognizes the over 400,000 military veterans that live in the Palmetto State, and saying it will invest $18 billion towards improving the nation’s VA health care facilities.

Click here to see the full American Jobs Plan fact sheet for South Carolina.

Editorial: Broadband expansion efforts promising but still not enough for SC

By News

Jennifer Lewis, a physical therapist at Tidelands Health Pediatric Rehabilitation Services, blows a kiss to a patient upon finishing a telemedicine visit. Lauren Petracca/Staff

Telemedicine has proved its worth during the pandemic, and its expansion in South Carolina is strongly supported by Gov. Henry McMaster and the Legislature. But reaching the medically underserved regions of the state requires that they have adequate broadband internet service that in many cases remains unavailable.

That makes the lack of broadband services a major bottleneck for expanding telemedicine. It also is a chokepoint for online education. There are many ideas for expanding broadband service, but nearly all of them will require more government spending. Given the benefits of telemedicine and online education to our state’s rural communities, this should be a high priority for local, state and federal governments.

There is a large overlap between the medically underserved areas of the state and the many scattered areas — including some in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties — without any internet service or service that is too slow for effective online teaching or medical consultation.

The Legislature has appropriated $50 million to help expand broadband in the state, but that amount pales next to one projection that it will take an investment of $800 million to get the job done.

Given the poverty of many underserved areas, major commercial internet service providers have little incentive to make the necessary investments, just as many communities have found they can no longer afford hospitals.

The provision of adequate telemedicine services and the educational benefits of access to the internet are clearly public goods, and government should step in to provide the necessary incentives, including the creation of local nonprofit cooperatives to compete in the delivery of internet services. Such cooperatives are now forbidden by state law. That should change.

President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal includes $100 billion for government subsidies to broadband expansion, drawing on the analogy of the Rural Electrification Act that provided low-cost loans and authorized electric co-ops. South Carolina’s proportional share of this largesse would exceed $1 billion, which, if wisely spent, would be more than adequate to cover all of its gaps in broadband coverage.

The internet service provider industry, including such giants as AT&T and Verizon, opposes the creation of government-subsidized nonprofits to compete in the delivery of broadband services, and some prominent Republican voices have been raised against the Biden initiative.

So far that initiative lacks a full definition, although it is likely to follow the form of legislation recently proposed by S.C. Rep. Jim Clyburn, a champion of broadband for all. But the idea that adequate home access to the internet is a public good like farm-to-market roads and rural electric cooperatives is sound. Like most public investments, the government should strive for broadband service that is self-sufficient in the long run, and Congress needs to figure out a formula for distinguishing good investments from bad ones. The subsidies should not just add to the federal budget deficit.

A well-financed national plan for broadband expansion makes sense for the nation and for South Carolina. It would lead to a better-educated, healthier population and stronger economic growth. It should be enacted.

Source:  Post and Courier

USDA Seeks Applications for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants

By News

 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is accepting applications for Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) program grants to help provide educational and medical services in rural areas.

The DLT program helps fund distance learning and telemedicine services in rural areas to increase access to education, training and health care resources that are otherwise limited or unavailable. USDA plans to make $44.5 million available in fiscal year 2021. Of this amount, $10.2 million is intended for projects that provide substance use disorder treatment services in rural areas.

Eligible applicants include most state and local governmental entities, federally recognized tribes, nonprofits, and for-profit businesses.

Applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov no later than June 4, 2021. For additional information, please visit the DLT webpage.

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page

.

###
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender

Federal Communications Commission Set to Launch Second Round of COVID-19 Telehealth Program

By News

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the relaunch of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program on March 30, 2021, setting in motion the next round of awards for providers and healthcare organizations. The announcement means that providers and entities providing telehealth services can begin applying for program funding.

The COVID-19 Telehealth Program was first established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) in March 2020 with an initial infusion of $200 million in federal funding for the program. According to the FCC, the COVID-19 Telehealth Program provides direct financial and technical support by funding “telecommunications services, information services, and devices necessary to provide critical connected care services.” While most COVID-19 telehealth funding opportunities are grant-based, this program reimburses providers for actual telehealth-related expenses incurred as a result of the pandemic. Funds are distributed as reimbursements for these eligible expenses.

The Appropriations Act of 2021 passed in late December 2020 authorized nearly $250 million in second round funding for the program and directed the FCC to improve the transparency and fairness of its application review process. In the Summer of 2020, concerns were raised by lawmakers about how the first round of funds were distributed under the program. In particular, lawmakers expressed concerns that the FCC did not disclose the entities that had received funding and that some providers in medically underserved areas could not obtain funding under the program. Congress explicitly directed the FCC to develop a more equitable application review process and to fund providers and entities from all 50 U.S. states and territories, with an emphasis on providers serving underserved populations.

After receiving public input on the second round, the FCC announced that it will prioritize applicants from areas with provider shortages and those that have been hit hardest by COVID-19, such as low-income and Tribal communities. The application process will also include objective evaluation criteria and a formal application deadline to ensure fair competition. In its March 30, 2021 announcement, the FCC stated that the application window will open in 30 days.

The COVID-19 Telehealth Program is one of several connected health funding opportunities introduced by the FCC in recent years and in response to COVID-19. The FCC’s Connected Care Pilot Program provides $100 million in funding over a three-year period to support broadband connectivity and network equipment for telehealth providers serving low-income areas and veterans.

Visit the FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program website to learn more about the program. To view the FCC’s announcement, please visit this link.

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

By News

Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Emergency Broadband Benet program will assist low-income households with broadband/internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will provide up to $50/household/month and up to $75/household/month for those on native tribal lands. The program includes a one-time reimbursement option of up to $100 for purchasing desktops, laptops or tablets for connecting to the internet, with a co-pay of between $10 and $50. There is a limit of one monthly service discount and one device discount per household. This program will last approximately6 months aer the public health emergency.

The broadband providers listed below have elected to participate in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program). The list will be updated as more providers join the program.  Learn more about the Emergency Broadband Benefit, including eligibility details, by visiting: fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit

 

Definitions: Fixed broadband services are provided to your home, or a single location. These include cable, fiber optic, DSL, and fixed wireless services.  Mobile broadband services are device-based and available throughout the service provider’s cellular coverage area, similar to cell phone services. To view participating providers in your state or territory, click on the name of your state or territory below.

Download the data in the table below click the link

Click Here to find your state and broadband services.

Source FCC

Trouble kicking the habit?   Telehealth can help

By News

About 42 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, and tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. Quitting is an incredibly challenging process, but with the right resources, including behavioral counseling and medications, anyone can become smoke-free.

When the COVID-19 pandemic restricted the number of patients who could safely visit the Tobacco Cessation clinic at the Medical University of South Carolina, counselors turned to telehealth to continue treating patients.

“Our ability to do telehealth visits was key to still being able to reach out to them and have that connection with patients,” said Emily Ware, Pharm D., a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with the Tobacco Treatment Program at MUSC.

Ware and other counselors use virtual visits and phone calls to connect with patients. One of her patients, Jason Ramsey, a father of four, knew that he needed to quit smoking cigarettes for the sake of his family, but after smoking since the age of 15, his addiction was not easy to overcome.

He said he experienced anger and anxiety when he tried to quit smoking on his own, but through the tobacco cessation program at MUSC, he quit smoking cigarettes for good.

“I appreciate everything that they did, I really do,” Ramsey said. “With trying the medicine and the counseling, it did make me feel a whole lot better about myself. I could wake up without yearning for (cigarettes).”

Benjamin Toll, Ph.D., Professor of Public Health Sciences and Psychiatry and Director of the Tobacco Treatment Program at MUSC, said he prefers in-person counseling but the virtual visits are working very well for patients and counselors alike. Connecting virtually also eliminates any transportation issues and allows more family members to take part in the treatment plan.

“(Virtual visits) have allowed a much larger number of patients to come to our service – there are just many barriers that have been let up,” Toll said.

Source SCETV

Rural areas getting broadband: Here are low cost internet options

By News

Once broadband is expanded into more low-income areas, many families will need help paying for monthly internet services.

Rural areas getting broadband: Here are low cost internet options

Once broadband is expanded into more low-income areas, many families will need help paying for monthly internet services.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Many rural counties will soon have broadband expanded in their neighborhoods.

The Office of Regulatory Staff has announced they’re distributing $30 million to broadband expansion projects in 29 South Carolina counties.

“There’s 14 eligible counties, I believe 15 adjacent counties. And how were these counties chosen? They were chosen because of declining population and poverty level,” explained Executive Director of The ORS, Nanette Edwards, in a recent interview.

Edwards said the agency chose rural counties with high levels of poverty in their school districts. Among the counties that made the list are:

  • Clarendon
  • Orangeburg
  • Fairfield
  • Lee
  • Calhoun
  • Sumter
  • Newberry
  • Kershaw

Once low-income families get broadband expanded to their neighborhood, paying for monthly internet service is another challenge they’ll be faced with.

That’s why there are programs to help families cover costs. For example, the FCC’s Lifeline program offers low-income families up to $9.25 off monthly phone and internet fees. According to their website, “Subscribers may receive a Lifeline discount on either a wireline or a wireless service, but they may not receive a discount on both services at the same time. Lifeline also supports broadband Internet service and broadband-voice bundles.”

AT&T and Xfinity both offer internet for about $10 a month to eligible households. Xfinity is offering the first two months free if customers apply by June 30, 2021.

To help students, The South Carolina Department of Education has paid for over 92,000 families to get hot spots or monthly internet service through CARES Act funding.

Spokesperson Ryan Brown told News19 SCDE is looking into future options once those funds are expended.

Brown said, “there are a number of public and private partnerships that aim to significantly expand broadband access across South Carolina. There are also bills in both our state General Assembly and Congress that would provide significant funding to increase broadband access and affordability across our state and nation. The SCDE is coordinating with these entities to ensure that those families who do not have or cannot afford broadband access will receive service to the largest extent possible.”

Brown suggested that families should reach out to their school districts for more information.

The ORS hopes to get the new broadband expansion projects approved and underway by July.

Source WLTX Channel 19

SC Gov. McMaster sends $6 million to establish free computer labs in internet deserts

By News

Governor Henry McMaster discusses new education funding. The new funding is meant to help respond to immediate problems related to the coronavirus and to help with economic recovery.

Updated March 30, 2021 03:24 PM

South Carolina will spend $6 million of its federal COVID-19 aid to help tackle broadband deserts across the state.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster awarded the money from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund to the University of South Carolina, which will partner with Benedict College to create eight free-to-use Apple computer labs across South Carolina, according to a Tuesday statement from the governor’s office.

“The pandemic has made it abundantly clear that internet access is not a luxury but a necessity for millions of South Carolinians,” McMaster said in a statement. “The strategic placement of these labs will bolster South Carolina’s premier workforce training efforts by giving our communities and people access to resources they need to expand participation in our state’s growing economy.”

During a press conference, McMaster said the initiative was part of a project aimed at expanding broadband internet access across the state. He said he is working with the state’s congressmen to secure additional funding for broadband expansion.

The computer labs’ locations were chosen so they would be near historically Black colleges and universities, facilities in the state Technical College System and local school districts that may need them. There will be one lab located in Columbia’s BullStreet District and another at Benedict College. Those facilities will have an operating budget of $2 million.

“We are pleased to partner with the University of South Carolina to expand educational technology access to communities around the state,” Benedict College President Roslyn Clark Artis said in a statement. “Benedict College remains fully committed to narrowing the digital divide for underserved communities in our state. This is a tremendous step in the right direction.”

Seven other labs, with operating budgets of $571,429 each, will be located at six of USC’s Palmetto College and regional campuses, according to the statement. All of USC’s Palmetto College campuses chosen for the project are located within 15 miles of a broadband desert.

“As the state’s flagship institution, the University of South Carolina is committed to enhancing statewide economic and workforce development initiatives,” USC President Bob Caslen said in a statement. “By providing access to Apple’s coding curriculum and emphasizing creative learning, this partnership is a game changer for our state. The educational programs and training at these learning centers will give South Carolinians relevant skills that are in high demand in today’s economy. We are proud to partner with Governor McMaster, Apple and Benedict College in this mission by investing in underserved communities across the state.”

The labs are free to use by members of faculty, staff, students and community members. Availability will be advertised in each community. Officials expect to get some facilities running within the next 90 days.

The labs will be paid for through the CARES Act, which was a coronavirus aid package passed by Congress in March 2020. Each state received money for emergency education relief spending which the governor may direct. South Carolina received $48 million.

Tuesday’s announcement gives McMaster another path to provide COVID-19 aide to the state’s HBCUs, which are all private but for one.

McMaster initially pushed to spend $32 million of the funds on one-time tuition grants of up to $6,500 per students who attend K-12 private schools. McMaster’s plan was shot down by the State Supreme Court. McMaster’s initial plan also allocated $2.4 million for private colleges, including HBCU’s, but that money was also frozen by the court decision.

Source:  The State

Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott introduce broadband expansion bill

By News

If Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott and Jim Clyburn get their way, more South Carolina residents may soon be connected to the information superhighway.

Graham and Scott introduced an act late last week that would expand broadband access to underserved rural areas.

“There are places in South Carolina you might as well be on the moon when it comes to getting high speed internet service,” Graham said. “All South Carolinians should be able to utilize the educational, telehealth and business benefits of accessible and affordable broadband. There is bipartisan support for expanding broadband access, and our legislation dramatically improves access in rural and underserved areas.”

“Connectivity is absolutely essential for South Carolina families and businesses,” Scott said. “Increased broadband access means more opportunity for underserved and rural communities, positively affecting everything from education and health care to business and workforce development.”

The act will provide $20 billion for broadband infrastructure utilizing fiber-optic cables, wireless, and 5G technologies, use a reverse auction method to provide top-quality broadband service at the lowest price for the American taxpayer, and base a state’s funding on their unserved (no internet access at all) and a percentage of their underserved populations to distribute funds to the areas of greatest need like rural America and Opportunity Zones.

More than 650,000 citizens lack internet or have adequate broadband speed across South Carolina, and nationally, this number nears 20 million. The State Fix Act aims to close that gap and ensure every American is able to reach their full potential and access life-changing tools to better their lives, families and communities.

Clyburn and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduced a broadband expansion bill in mid-March.