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FCC ANNOUNCES 36 NEWLY APPROVED PROJECTS FOR CONNECTED CARE PILOT PROGRAM

Program Will Support Connected Care Services Across Country, Focus on Low-Income and Veteran Patients

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WASHINGTON, October 26, 2021—Today the Federal Communications Commission approved a Public Notice announcing its third set of approved Connected Care Pilot Program projects.  These 36 projects were approved for a total of $15,337,689 in funding.  The newly selected Pilot projects join an additional 57 projects approved earlier this year, bringing the total to over $69.3 million in funding for projects serving patients in 36 states plus Washington, DC. 

Telehealth has assumed an increasingly critical role in health care delivery, enabling patients to access health care services without needing to visit a health care provider’s medical office. Among other benefits, connected care services, delivered via a broadband internet access connection directly to the patient’s home or mobile location, also can help contain and treat health conditions during public health emergencies, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Pilot Program will make available up to $100 million from the Universal Service Fund over a three-year period for selected pilot projects to help defray the costs of providing certain telehealth services for eligible health care providers, with a particular emphasis on providing connected care services to low-income and veteran patients. 

The additional projects selected today represent a broad array of geographic areas and a diversity of provider types, involve patients in underserved communities and veteran patients, and will address a range of health conditions.  Funding these projects will help bring connected care services to rural and other underserved areas nationwide and will also help the Commission learn more about how USF support can enable providers to use connected care to help improve health outcomes.

These projects will address a variety of health issues such as maternal health/high-risk pregnancy, COVID-19, other infectious diseases, opioid dependency, mental health conditions, and chronic or recurring conditions:

  • Adult MH & SA Outpatient Services, Barrow, AK.  Adult MH & SA Outpatient Services seeks $557,366 in Pilot Program funding to provide connected care service, such as video visits, to patients for various treatments, including treatment for mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders.  Adult MH & SA Outpatient Services estimates serving 9,872 patients, more than 80% of whom are expected to be low-income or veterans.  It is located in Barrow, Alaska, which is an extremely rural area, and its service area includes Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas.  Adult MH & SA Outpatient Services’ Pilot project was selected because of its focus on expanding the availability of and access to connected care services primarily to low-income patients and veterans in extremely remote, underserved regions in Alaska. 

  • Charles Judd Community Health Center, Honolulu, HI. Charles Judd Community Health Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, seeks $82,535 in Connected Care support to provide a health maintenance program for senior citizens virtually.  Through its Pilot project, Charles Judd Community Health Center would remotely monitor health conditions (including high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer) and monitor mental health, including anxiety and depression, in participating patients.  Charles Judd Community Health Center’s pilot would serve an estimated 300 senior patients, 100% of whom are low-income.  Charles Judd Community Health Center seeks a video platform, hotspots, and internet access to help its patients access its health services virtually.  Charles Judd Community Health Center’s project was selected because of its focus on serving low-income patients, all of whom are senior citizens.  

  • Children with Special Health Needs Branch-State Dept. of Health, Honolulu, HI.  Children with Special Health Needs Branch’s Pilot project would use $316,219 in Connected Care support to provide remote treatments, video visits, and imaging diagnostics services primarily to low-income and veteran patients suffering from chronic conditions and those needing maternal health services.  The Pilot project would reach an estimated 1,000 patients across Hawaii, more than 75% of whom would be veteran or low-income patients. This project was selected because of its potential positive impact on maternal health.

  • Christian Family Solutions – Mankato, MN; Christian Family Solutions – Lakeville, MN; Christian Family Solutions – Waukesha, WI.  Wisconsin Lutheran Child & Family Service, Inc., d/b/a Christian Family Solutions, filed three separate applications that requested a combined total of $412,666 in Connected Care Pilot Program support.  Christian Family Solutions (CFS) will use the funding to provide patients with mental health services via video visits/consults for telepsychiatry, adult dual diagnosis intensive outpatient programs, outpatient counseling, children’s therapeutic services and support, adolescent DBT skills groups, and adolescent day treatment.  CFS will treat an estimated 1,570 patients, 25% of whom are low-income.  This project was selected because of its focus on mental health services. 

  • Circare, Syracuse, NY.  Circare seeks $133,246 for patient connectivity, network equipment and upgraded bandwidth to provide video visits and remote treatment to patients requiring mental health services.  Circare estimates that its Pilot project will directly impact 100 patients, all of whom are low-income.  Circare was selected because of its focus on low-income patients.

  • Conway Medical, Conway, SC.  Conway Medical’s Pilot project would use $1,018,449 in Connected Care support to provide patient-based video visits, imaging diagnostics, and remote treatment services primarily to low-income patients suffering from chronic or long-term conditions. Conway Medical’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 2,000 patients, 18% of whom are low-income, in Conway, South Carolina.  Conway Medical was selected because of its plan to expand telehealth access to patients residing in rural and underserved areas. 

  • Cooper Health System, Camden, NJ.  Cooper Health System’s Pilot project would use $62,900 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and virtual visits to veteran patients suffering from COVID-19, mental health conditions, diabetes, cancer, and cardiac conditions.  Cooper Health System’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 50 patients, 100% of whom are veterans.  Cooper Health System was selected because of its commitment to serve the local veteran population.

  • Covington County Hospital, Collins, MS.  Covington County Hospital’s Pilot project seeks $162,860 in Connected Care support to provide remote treatment and video visits primarily to low-income patients suffering from chronic conditions, infectious diseases, and opioid dependency.  Covington County Hospital’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 800 patients, 25% of whom would be either low-income or veteran patients.  Covington County Hospital’s project was selected because of its potential impact on an extremely rural area.

  • Crisp Regional Hospital, Cordele, GA.  Crisp Regional Hospital seeks $849,720 in Pilot Program funding to provide connected care services, including remote patient monitoring, primarily to low-income patients suffering from chronic or long-term conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.  Crisp Regional Hospital’s Pilot project would serve approximately 1,000 patients, an estimated 89% of whom would be low-income.  Crisp Regional Hospital is located in Crisp County, Georgia, a rural area with a high incidence of chronic illness.  Crisp Regional Hospital’s application was selected because of its primary focus on providing connected care services to low-income patients with chronic conditions, and its potential impact on patients in rural Georgia. 

  • Forensics, Salt Lake City, UT; Valley EPIC Outpatient, Taylorsville, UT; Highland Springs Specialty Clinic Holladay, Salt Lake City, UT; Highland Springs Specialty Clinic American Fork, American Fork, UT; Carmen Pingree Autism Center of Learning, Salt Lake City, UT; Kids Intensive Day Services, Midvale, UT; CORE Recovery Management Outpatient Services, Salt Lake City, UT; Valleywest, West Valley City, UT; Children’s Outpatient Services, Salt Lake City, UT.  These sites filed separate applications for similar Pilot projects. Collectively, these projects seek $5,550,146 in Pilot Program support to offer increased video visits and enhanced telehealth experience to patients dealing with chronic and mental health conditions. These projects would reach 23,239 patients, 96% of whom would be low-income patients. These projects were selected because of the potential impact on low-income patient communities.

  • Friend Health, Chicago, IL.  Friend Health’s Pilot project would use $606,900 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and remote treatments to primarily low-income patients suffering from chronic conditions, high-risk pregnancies, infectious diseases (including COVID-19), mental health issues, and opioid dependency.  Friend Health’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 39,000 patients in Chicago, 86% of whom are low-income.  Friend Health’s application was selected for its plan to engage low-income patients in connected care services and thus optimize preventive care and more effectively manage chronic conditions and COVID-19.

  • Long Island Select Healthcare, Inc., a consortium with five sites in Long Island, NY.  Long Island Select Healthcare seeks $306,000 in Connected Care support to provide patient connectivity for video visits and consults and other remote treatment.  Long Island Select Healthcare’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 5,700 patients who reside in group homes, 100% of whom are low-income.  Long Island Select Healthcare would leverage Pilot Program funding to expand access to care for its patients who reside in group homes, including patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Long Island Select Healthcare’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on expanding access to care and addressing broadband access issues for a significant number of vulnerable, low-income patients residing in Long Island. 

  • Marion General Hospital, Marion, IN. Marion General Hospital seeks $34,230 in Connected Care funding for patient broadband and telehealth platform licenses to provide remote patient monitoring, video visits, and remote treatment to treat patients with chronic illnesses (such as diabetes, and high blood pressure), infectious diseases (including COVID-19), and opioid dependency.  Marion General Hospital’s Pilot project would serve 345 patients, including 25 directly served by requested patient broadband, an estimated 45% of whom are low-income.  Marion General Hospital’s service area includes rural areas and Medically Underserved Areas.  Marion General Hospital would leverage Pilot Program funding to expand its connected care services to treat additional conditions.  Marion General Hospital’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on expanding the availability of and access to connected care services to underserved high-risk patients with chronic conditions, opioid dependency, and infectious diseases. 

  • Metro Health, Washington, DC.  Metro Health seeks $297,517 in Pilot Program support to provide remote patient monitoring and video visits to treat patients with chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and HIV/AIDS.  Metro Health’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 1,450 patients, including 200 directly served by patient broadband, 100% of whom are low-income.  Metro Health’s service area includes Health Professional Shortage and Medically Underserved Areas.  Metro Health’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on addressing patient connectivity barriers and providing enhanced video visits for low-income patients.

  • MFA 2150 C-19, Washington, DC.  MFA 2150 C-19’s (GW Medical Faculty Associates’) Pilot project would use $454,809 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and virtual visits to primarily low-income patients suffering from chronic conditions including heart disease, diabetes, atopic dermatitis, and COVID-19.  MFA 2150 C-19’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 1,100 patients in the District of Columbia, 80% of whom are low-income patients.  MFA 2150 C-19’s Pilot project was selected because of its focus on improving access to care for a large percentage of low-income patients in Washington, DC.

  • New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center – Bronx Child and Family Mental Health Center, Bronx, NY.  New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center’s Pilot project would use $636,650 in Connected Care support to provide video visits or consult services to low-income patients suffering from mental health conditions.  New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center’s Pilot project would serve an estimated 10,000 patients in Bronx, New York, 100% of whom are low-income patients.  New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center was selected because it would expand mental health access to a large patient population that is 100% low-income. 

  • North County Health Services (NCHS), San Marcos, CA. North County Health Services seeks $334,887 in Connected Care support for health care provider broadband and telehealth video licenses to provide patient-based Internet connected remote monitoring and virtual visits and consults.  Through this funding, North County Services’ Pilot project will provide primary care services, COVID-19 screening, routine and urgent care, behavioral health, women’s health, and dental services to patients, and will treat chronic and long-term conditions, high-risk pregnancy and maternal health conditions, infectious disease, and opioid dependency.  North County Health Services would treat 30,000 patients in San Diego County, 96% of whom are low-income patients.  North County Health Services was selected because of its focus on increasing access to comprehensive healthcare for low-income and underserved individuals.

  • Norwegian American Hospital, Chicago, IL. Norwegian American Hospital’s Pilot project seeks $203,065 in Connected Care support to provide patient broadband and telehealth software to increase the use of telehealth visits with its patients.  Norwegian American Hospital’s Pilot project would serve approximately 675 patients, 100% of whom would be low-income.  Norwegian American Hospital was selected because of its 100% low-income patient population and plans to provide those patients with broadband service for telehealth visits.

  • NY Community Broadband Partnership, consortium with sites in Sodus, NY; Port Byron, NY; Geneva, NY; Bath, NY; Newark, NY; Penn Yan, NY; Ovid, NY; and Dundee, NY.  NY Community Broadband Partnership seeks $126,480 in Connected Care support to build out its telehealth resources and better serve the migrant community of the Finger Lakes region.  The project would target chronic health conditions, mental health conditions, opioid dependency, and infectious diseases, which have been treated by the participating sites for more than 20 years.  The project would reach 24,227 patients, 100% of whom would be low-income.  The project was selected because of its potential regional impact addressing a diverse set of health conditions for low-income patients.

  • One Brooklyn Health System, consortium with sites in Brooklyn, NY.  One Brooklyn Health System is a consortium comprised of three sites across Brooklyn.  One Brooklyn Health System’s Pilot project seeks $882,401 in Connected Care support to provide video visits and other services to low-income individuals suffering from chronic or long-term conditions, high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, infectious disease, including COVID-19, mental health conditions and opioid dependency.  One Brooklyn Health System’s Pilot program would reach an estimated 68,000 patients, 80% of whom would be low-income.  One Brooklyn was selected because of its potential impact on a large low-income population.

  • Parkview Consortium, consortium with seven sites in Indiana and Ohio.  Parkview Consortium will use $642,600 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring to treat low-income and veteran patients who suffer from diabetes.  Parkview will serve an estimated 350 patients, 18% of whom are estimated to be low-income or veterans, at 7 sites in Indiana.  Parkview Consortium was chosen for its plan to extend connected care services for diabetes management to rural patients.

  • Sky Lakes Medical Center, Klamath Falls, OR.  Sky Lakes Medical Center seeks $193,673 in Pilot Program funding to treat patients with chronic or long-term conditions, high-risk pregnancy/maternal health, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency.   Sky Lakes Medical Center would serve an estimated 150 chronically ill, isolated patients, in rural Oregon, all of whom are low-income.  Sky Lakes Medical Center would leverage Pilot Program funding to provide patients with broadband connections to participate in video visits.  Sky Lakes Medical Center was selected because of its focus on expanding access to care for chronically ill, isolated patients in rural areas.

  • Trinity Health Consortium, Darby, PA, and Langhorne, PA.  Trinity Health Consortium’s Pilot project would use $652,800 in Connected Care support to provide remote patient monitoring and video visits and consults for primarily low-income patients suffering from chronic conditions, mental health issues, and opioid dependency.  Trinity Health Consortium’s Pilot project would serve approximately 80,000 patients, approximately 65% of whom are either low-income or veterans, in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metro area.  Trinity Health Consortium’s proposal was selected for its proposal to treat and monitor chronic health conditions, mental health conditions, and opioid dependency for a sizeable low-income and veteran patient group.

  • Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center, Inc., consortium with 13 sites in Erie County, NY; Niagara County, NY; and Genesee County, NY.  Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center, Inc.’s, Pilot project would use $373,320 in Connected Care support to provide remote treatment and video consults to primarily low-income patients who require mental health and opioid-dependency services.  Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center, Inc.’s, Pilot project would serve an estimated 15,000 patients in western New York, an estimated 73% of whom are low-income and 5% veterans.  Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center’s Pilot project was selected for its plan to provide connected care services to a large Medicaid population with mental health and opioid-dependency requirements.

  • Winchester Medical Center, Winchester, VA.  Winchester Medical Center seeks $367,200 in Connected Care Pilot Program funding to provide patient broadband and connected care services, including remote patient monitoring, and video visits and consults, to treat patients for infectious diseases, opioid dependency, chronic conditions, mental health conditions, and high-risk pregnancy/maternal health in Virginia and West Virginia.  Winchester Medical Center would serve an estimated 338 patients, all of whom are low-income.  Winchester Medical Center’s service area includes rural areas, as well as Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas.  Winchester Medical Center was selected because of its potential impact on rural and underserved areas, and its focus on increasing access to care for high-risk, low-income patients.

  • Youth Outreach Services, a consortium of three sites in Chicago, IL.  Youth Outreach Services seeks $79,050 to provide mental health and substance abuse disorder services remotely.  Youth Outreach Services’ Pilot project would treat an estimated 12,000 at-risk youth in the greater Chicago area, 90% of whom are low-income patients.  Youth Outreach Services’ Pilot project was selected because of its focus on providing mental health services to a large number of low-income children and young adults.

To learn more about the FCC’s Connected Care Pilot Program, visit https://www.fcc.gov/wireline-competition/telecommunications-access-policy-division/connected-care-pilot-program. Action by the Commission October 26, 2021 by Public Notice (FCC 21-113).  Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington approving.  Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr and Starks issuing separate statements.