Now we can get going. Okay, so first of all, I have to look and see who's online today. is new. Do we have anybody new on the call today? I don't think so. Okay. So we don't need to do that. And so just a reminder that after our meeting, for those who are interested that we do do our kibitzing with colleagues, and as you all know, it's a very informal kind of thing. We may have two people we may have 10 may last for five minutes and may last for an hour. So they're all invited to to participate. So anybody join us? That's new today. Okay, so moving on. One of the first of all, as always, thank our sponsors care, FirstHealth plan, Valley of the , Sun United Way, Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association, Kajeet, Triad Wireless, and Karen Ziegler consulting services. So we thank all of you. And moving on. So the agenda, we have kind of a full agenda for today. It's kind of evolved, interestingly. And in terms of updates been in digital inclusion. Sandip I know has a conflict. I haven't seen him. Nicole, Are you online? I think she's traveling today. And Alysa, with the Digital Equity Institute, is ill. So she's not going to be here today. And Cindy, is also out of the country, I believe. So we're not going to get those updates today. But I did want to say that I just talked with Sandip just a little while ago, and told him that I would like for us to schedule a meeting with him, and maybe Cindy and Erin and whoever else, for us to get a better understanding about where they are with their planning, because I'm in the process of updating our sponsorship package. And I want to understand where they are, where they're going, and where we intersect with them, so that we're all in sync with them and collaborating. So hopefully, we'll be able to do that in the next week or so. So far, Sandip is still overwhelmed with so many things going on. But anyway. But we continue with for a good relationship with Sandip and we'll try to figure out how we best intersect with all their BEAD and digital equity planning.
Steve just to mention that I had been in discussions with Brian Sherman and Sandipfor a couple of months. And Sandip plans to join the the ATI C board at a board meeting.
Next thing just moving on quickly. I think most of you knew that NTIA had been having listening sessions for I think the last four or five weeks, and they're now done with those. If you wanted to provide any input today is the deadline. And I don't know if anybody was on that call that wants to was on any of those calls. That wants to share any comments. Yes, not.
Oh, I was just unmuting. Mikhail sent us had some really great comments in the session that I was listening in on from the tribal perspective. So that will be well represented today. Hopefully, yeah,
actually is interesting. I didn't join until late. And just as I joined was Mikhail was speaking. So he's, he's on our agenda today. So he might have something that he wants to add. So moving on, Erin, and excuse me, you guys have anything that you want to add about what's happening with the ACP sign up. Mauricio,
I'm still in a holding pattern for the print materials, working with other people on Lyles team now, thank you for giving me to the right people there. So we're working through the last details on that. And then, just as a reminder, the State Library has a an upcoming webinar geared towards library staff across the state who might end up with questions about the access and kids care benefit changes and things like that, around the continuous enrollment changes that is scheduled for the end of this month on 530 at 1pm. And it is, you know, for it's going to be geared towards people getting questions that's, you know, a public service desk kind of situation. So it'd be pretty top level sharing some of the resources that are available on the various websites. And that is my note on that one. Okay.
So, Mauricio, I haven't seen you in a while you have anything that you want to add, or comments?
No,
we've been busy. That, actually, April 1, was was when access started disenrolling folks from coverage for Medicaid here in Arizona. I know that the May date is for more like a federal date. But in Arizona, they started this disenrolling members, April 1. So as you mentioned, I've been very busy traveling throughout Northern Arizona, just sharing information about the changes, providing materials education to make sure that Arizonans do not lose their coverage. So that's been the main focus right now. To make sure that folks that have their medical coverage that get to keep it. And whenever we do that, we also provide information about ACP with different flyers information, we send them to the websites. And we've actually been just educating people about ACP, you still have a lot of people that never heard about it, which it might be surprising to some of us, but being out in the community, there's still a lot of people that don't even know that it exists or that it's available. So education is a big part.
Yeah. Great. Thanks Maricio
comment about the ACP stuff, how are you coordinating with others to understand how much the lack of computers and digital literacy skills affect ACP enrollments. can
So I canspeak to that a little bit with the digital navigator programs that the State Library and also the digital equity Institute have. That's kind of been one of the ways to combat that, if you will. And so one of the things that we're working with files team before that print material came out, was on connecting them to those local resources here in Arizona, that anyone across the entire state can call either of either of the organizations who provide those digital navigators. So the ones through the digital equity Institute, and I'm sure Elena has much more about this, say as well, I just saw your pop up in the chat. But that that is purely ACP focused. But the Connect Arizona digital navigators provide kind of a wrapper around digital literacy training through one on one trouble or one on one appointments, troubleshooting tech issues, we have access to Northstar, which is a really great educational platform that people can work through on their own or with one of our navigators, kind of helping them through it. So yes, but obviously, there's room for more on all of that. I'm also evaluating the Arizona Career Readiness Certificate through OIO as a possible way to, for me to get trained to be a trainer to take that information out to the libraries. Now, of course, that's a workforce development bent on digital literacy. But definitely, you know, again, wrapping around right and kind of taking it from all those different angles.
Yeah, I understand Erin that the navigators provide information about those things. I'm just really wondering if there's really a bottleneck in enrolling people on ACP, if people don't have computers don't have digital literacy skills, how can they enroll in ACP? If they in internet service if they don't, those things?
Just this lie on site to interrupt and pull back your meeting.
Note, while you're that was a perfect segue for you. Oh, really, really quickly. Real quickly.
Lyle Ishida, from the Federal Communications Commission, serve as Chief of Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division, working with a bunch of great Arizonans. Erin, I wish I could just clone you and then I wouldn't have to work actually hire and put you into different states and I would love to retire. ACP in and of itself, depending on on the local ISP providers is also in equipment provision program, right? We are we are, we maybe need to do a little more here at FCC to stress. The $100 discount that comes with comes toward a laptop, desktop, or tablet for successful ACP applicants themselves. And so, you know, most people have opted for the tablet as just informational only. But, you know, so when at least FCC when we're in town, we do enrollments, we are on computers for consumers who do not have a computer so we don't want them to to get caught in a catch 22 How do I apply with a computer when I don't have a computer. So we bring your own laptops and we find different places. And then we recommend that they once they are accepted for ACP, take a look at the companies near me tool. And then which has identified within ZIP Code houses zip code, those carriers who are offering the equipment discount program as a means for them to procure not just the discounted broadband, but also the hardware, and then separate the
computer, you provide a discount, right? It's $100 or $100 off? And and does that provide a I mean, if it can, how much is a computer with basic software? I mean, can they afford these things? And
so it depends, again, like I think the number last time I checked was 95% of folks are going with tablets, and tablets, probably because it's pricing right. Tablets run if you take a look at there's not going to be might not be an iPad Air, but it'll be a tablet. So it wouldn't run where I think the $100 discount will take most of it off. But
the tablets, do they have software on them like Microsoft Office, or I guess they'll have some some equivalent for
the right. They'll be something like it Mac that'd be awesome office, but whatever the operating system is it'd be tuned to the operating system. And that varies by by provider.
So you think you understand the the bottleneck there with people having computers and digital literacy skills about whether that's really going to limit the ACP enrollments.
So my, my personal experience is not necessarily the experience of every consumer, because I see consumers as they come in to enroll with or without a computer with or without computer skills. Often they come into our enrollment. We did a whole bunch of them last week in South Carolina without an email address. So we signed them up for a Gmail address and, and just sort of to do those really basic things and encourage them to hook up with their grandchildren or whatever. But they I only see people as they come in wanting to sign up, I don't get to see the people who don't come in so I don't have a real good. You know, I don't get to see all 300 You know, 15 million Americans. I'm not quite sure I'm the guy to be able to tell you.
Okay, I just think that to really understand where ACP can go seems to me there's a lot of coordination that needs to go on on the, you know, the device and the digital literacy skills training part of it. And I don't, I've never been very clear on how well that's coordinated. And if that's gonna limit how much ACP enrollment you can have I'm like, maybe a lot of the people are enrolling in ECP. I've heard are people who already have internet access? Yes, getting subsidies. On top of that, because they already have computers, digital literacy skills have internet access. They're getting subsidies, because they're low income into for Internet service. But the issue of getting over this hump of people having the skills and the devices to really use the internet service, I don't know if that's really being addressed properly at this point.
I think I think there's two different Yeah, these are two different things we're talking about, right. And Congress passing ACP for its affordability or accounting, affordability hurdle for the floor. Affordability is one of the primary hurdles for people either adopting or maintaining broadband. And so you know, that takes care of that thing. The folks who need more digital literacy that sell more multifaceted, multistakeholder issue that I don't, I don't know if there's one single or even multiple gurus that have a really specific Lane only for that, because there's talks about relevance, you have to have a discussion about relevance to doubt for consumers, and you got to have maybe, for people who may not adopt, there might be language issues, or cultural issues, etc, etc. And so there has to be so many different stakeholders to be effective for that. I think that probably requires a broader discussion. Some of which does not fall into a regulatory regime for a federal independent regulatory agency,
which is us. Well, that's being addressed in a lot of different ways. And we have a number of organizations who are on this call today and part of this task force and in in Arizona, that we're doing a lot of work with ACP, getting people up and supporting them and so forth.
Yeah, I would like to see a clearer explanation of are these ACP signups? are you signing up people that already have internet service, and they're just getting discounts? Or are you are you getting over this hump of people not having devices and digital literacy skills to be able to assign sign up for Internet service? I think that needs to be understood a lot more than what I hear.
So in my experience, because we do a bunch of enrollment things, maybe about 7030 between 7030 and 6040, the higher number being people who are low income folks who need the affordability, affordability boost to maintain their broadband. And you know, I mean, I don't want to read into the discussion. And Aaron, I'm going to shut up not because I'm talking too much. But real quickly. I don't want to minimize the importance of people with broadband, who are now getting a discount because they qualify for the program.
Are you saying wow, that you think it 70% of the people that sign up for ACP already have internet service?
That is not what I'm saying. I'm saying in my experience, my limited experience in doing ACP enrollment things, we're hitting between 60 and 70% of people who have broadband, and again, so I just want to really make this clear. i That's great to me, write the program is written by the wisdom of Congress and, and instituted for people of low income to be able to afford broadband. So that's exactly where it should be. Right. There are others who don't have it that we should still attack there, but we should not minimize the importance of helping low income people maintain broadband, a lot of people okay, so if I'm really screwing up Aaron Elaina, please set me up now that I really do am passionate about this, of making sure that people who have broadband but are low income, we don't minimize the importance of them getting to ACP benefit, because it's still critical in my opinion. And with that, I'm just going to shut up now. Sorry about that. And I'm going to upside a bow Vitesse meeting. Apologies,
no problem, why we need to actually move on but we have a couple of are there other kinds of updates that you want to provide Lyle, and that the chairwoman is going to be in Phoenix and maybe Elena you also want to add to that, but while what is it? What's the plan there and there's a plan
that the chairman is going to have a a press conference with the mayor on the ninth. The we I think they have tentatively identified a library to hold the press conference. And at the press conference, we generally either conduct a train the trainer session, or two so that we can be Johnny or Jamie Appleseed for the community, or do an ACP and Roman session. We're good on that. Phoenicians decide what they want us to do. I know that there's been a lot of movement, a whole lot of movement down among members of this group and others who are working like in the libraries, right, that said, so just already record that we were talking a bunch when we're first originally going to come out of the Arizonans or Phoenicians one of the two announcing a day out of action or a week of action. If so, my message to the leaders of the world is, since you're connected also to the mayor's office, we're going to have a meeting tomorrow, if you want to do that, right. Just do it from the podium, just let the mayor know and kind of that channel me so that we can coordinate the mayor and the chair woman's messaging. And then if you want to do a D of action, we could action. And if me and my team can help on the ground. Happy to help if you guys got it. No harm, no foul, right, no insult, but I just want to be of service. But I just wanted to let you know that that's going to happen. And this is part of a cheer woman's program. She's gone to Boston to Los Angeles to Phoenix, and now in a number of cities are in the queue now, to hold press conferences with Mears to talk up ACP is an important program for digital equity. So that's sort of the program on tonight. And I apologize to Elena and Laura for just talking too much.
No, I was just gonna I was just gonna add Lyle, one of the goals for the City of Phoenix, is they want to have folks there that can be trained by Lyles navigators. So that's, that's largely the goal after the press conference is to do a like a workshop where Navigators will be trained so that they can assist with signups, the city of Phoenix, Phoenix plans to hire they haven't hired yet, but they plan to hire three and up three people. They were one of the FCC HCP outreach grantees. And so with that money, the goal is to have these navigators participate in different or with different agencies within the city of Phoenix. So for example, Youth and Family Services, or HUD, or, you know, the housing I mean housing agency, or any of those kinds of organizations that are already having and bringing people together. And this will be an addition to, you know, them, helping them with other things. So like, Oh, and by the way, we can help you sign up for the affordable connectivity program. And then sit them down and you know, either explain to them what documents they're going to need the math to come back the following week. The goal is to have like a weekly or even somebody every day at a different department within the city. So that the community knows Oh, if I want to go sign up for ACP, I can go you know, to this address. anyway, so that's that's the city's goal is to send their navigators out into the community to help it within various city agencies as well as hosting events and then common sense is going to be working with the city and doing school outreach, and a few other a few other things that we haven't nailed down yet. But yeah, so that's something that I chose. I think they chose Burton bar.
Yes, I did. You read my mind in the chat. There's a question. Burton Barr library at 10 o'clock on tonight. Okay.
So if you want while we can send the information out to the task force. If you want more people there.
Let me
I got to talk to the press officer. Right. So let me let me have this planning meeting between the press officer and the mayor's office tomorrow. And then, if necessary, Steve, I'll get to you. Yeah,
um, and if you decide you want us to do that, please send me what you want. Because I don't want to make up the words.
God you imagined that will get you affordable. So I tried
to be careful about making announcements for other people. Okay, anything Lyle just really
act I stop by every once in a while, I just want to come in the entire state of Arizona, if you all are representative of it, in terms of working on digital equity, and ACP because you all are a forward thinking forward leaning group. And I don't know if you know, compared to other states, but I get to see them how good you all are. So after you log off tonight, or when you have happy hour, you should raise a glass to all of yourselves, as you all are doing great work.
Well, thank you Lyle and we appreciate your collaboration with us. Whenever you can make it We're always glad to see you. Okay, we're ready to ready to move on here.
So Janet, if we can postpone you for just a minute and Mikhail Sundust first and then come back to you is that okay? Of course. So we're pleased to welcome Mikhail Sundust who's the executive director with the Hi Gila River, telecommunications, digital connect initiative. We heard from him some time ago and haven't seen him in a while. But what prompted me to reach out to him is that they have issued an RFQ for they're working on a digital equity plan. And I thought it was very unique, particularly because I think they're a really good example of how a broadband provider can really be engaged in digital equity, digital inclusion. So what that suggests to you that Mikhail Are you there? Okay, are you still with us? Hello. Now, maybe had to drop off. Okay, well, hopefully he'll be back and we'll be able to hear from him. So in the meantime, Janet, we're let's, let's jump on with you. And it's great to see you. I haven't seen you a lot recently. I know you're very busy. And I know you've also been sick for a while, but you were always doing amazing stuff. And Epic. Good to hear from you. But I also want to, I think on behalf of everybody here to congratulate you are being a fellow with the American Telemedicine Association. So we might you might want to talk a little bit about that. Also.
I'm a fellow who knew. it's it's one of those lifetime achievement awards. It's really amazing. I am so honored. And it's been a wonderful career for me for 25 years to be involved in the American Telemedicine Association, the United States Distance Learning Association, all of the groups here in Arizona that we've networked with in distance learning and telehealth and telemedicine and it's great. I mean, it's really great. I couldn't couldn't ask for a better award. Well, can I go ahead and thank you everyone so much. Can I go ahead and share Steve, you're about to rip through some slides. You bet I do you have other people's resources I'm sharing because there's so much going on and there are things that you might not have heard about and I'm going to send the PDF and and make you dizzy while I do this. But I've got to be able to
use my notes. They don't call it a BS degree for nothing, right? replicate my slideshow. Okay, here we go. So, as you know, our group is a Part of the consortium of the national telehealth resource centers all those beautiful copper colored states. So our program when we were 10 years old started getting this federal grant this HERSA grant to promote telemedicine and telehealth to the five western states. And there's great strength, then, by networking amongst each of those consortiums, each one of those groups and this has worked very successful for other HERSA projects like the tele genetics collaborative, but for us, the telehealth resource centers are the folks who are supporting projects like telehealth and libraries that people who have a lot of experience in incorporating incorporating telehealth technology in rural areas. So there's those resources for you but a couple of the most recent things that we've produced, the Northwest Regional telehealth Resource Center just produced this beautiful one to two hour learning module. That's telehealth for digital navigators. Now, it's interesting that you know, there's so much happening in the world with regards to training and especially in Arizona, I mean, we're groundbreaking this place in Arizona and we're we're really doing national work here in Arizona, with the training of our digital health navigators and preparing people for for the public health emergency ending and for the insurance transition. So I want to share with you a lot of the work people have been doing. Meanwhile, our program are also working with the national consortium to start a digital health navigator repository. So far, this is just a place where I've been dumping stuff, but it will be beautiful one day, and it will be a product of people who are working in the Digital Health Navigator space nationally. And I look forward to helping build that. One of the other really fantastic resources. That is just now coming to Arizona is this tap map, a resource map of telehealth access points. So a map mapping program was developed. And now by interviewing sites with just very minimal information. they've mapped these Northwestern sites, and we've just started getting just getting started in Arizona. But what you can do is I was for instance, looking at a location if I was to travel, how I could get connected to telehealth resources. And this map is already populating other states. But I'm pretty excited. Of course for Arizona, you could actually find if you're looking for Integrative Medicine, if you're looking for an urgent care center, if you're looking for a primary care provider, you can easily through this asset map, locate those things, which is amazing and a great complement to our service provider directory. So if you do want to in whatever state you live, find a tele genetic counselor find someone who's doing tele dermatology. And we get asked this stuff all the time, we've never tell people what to buy, what services to use. But this is a group of of people, over 200 companies that have completed a you know, 30 Page survey on who their clients are, what their business model is all the information that you would need to be sure it's a legitimate company. So to be able to make these really easy to access resource means that of course we're making access to things like neuro nephrology, intelligent attics, much more widely acceptable. So in tele genetics. If you were in Colorado and you were looking for intelligent edit counselor, often in here in Arizona as well, there aren't a lot of them out there. And to have to travel for that consultation as opposed to having testing and even cutting your trips in half is a significant difference for many people. So you can do a search based on where you are what service you're looking for. A little bit more information about yourself and you'll get this great list. So we want to make it easy to connect people to telehealth and obviously I have the best job on the team right to promote telehealth and telemedicine and we continue to do our training programs. We're doing a statewide training program in Nevada and I can't wait. This is like back to plain old vanilla multipoint video conferencing. We have much like Arizona where we have some competitive Health Sciences networks happening in our three state universities. We do have much like Nevada, much to be proud of by having multiple places so that both usr and Las Vegas have gorgeous health science centers and then Carson City of course is the capital of Nevada. So to offer telemedicine telehealth training to health care professionals in those three cities is pretty, pretty bonus and we look forward to doing that in July. And we do a lot of resources and I want you to easily get connected so I'm going to share this as a PDF. After this little bit later I'll will share a an update on telethon libraries. But here's the link to the press release for that project. More entities including Pima County Health Department and Pima County are deploying things like kiosks for people to take their own vitals and take charge of their own health. There were also other programs at the Health Sciences Center that are doing small grants with libraries to do things like community gardens, a lot of different projects. They also participated in our As Community Health Day, and these are the libraries that are their grant awardees, and I always share these slides when I'm out and about because I want people to know that, you know, they can, of course, get connected to a digital navigator anytime, especially from our libraries. And I don't think that's the model we think about but for live for people to go to libraries and librarians to be able to connect someone to a digital navigator from the library, you know, the possibilities go on, with regards to what a great resources is. And the fact is more and more digital navigators and digital health navigators are being trained all the time. In Arizona, the vitalist foundation stepped up and train 75 Digital navigators specifically to help community health centers and others with this insurance transition. So to think about, you know, our community health centers that already have that nice list of things they do for intake, you know, they make sure you're qualified and apply for SNAP, if you qualify their lifeline and food bank, anything while there, ACP is on that list of intake. And now we also need insurance to be on that list as well. So there's so much that we're doing with people who really are stepping up, and are the digital health navigators. We've been working with them here in Arizona for many years. And through this EHRs and the diabetes work that we did, the parameters in the south in the breast cancer education that we did, as well as CHW. So here in Arizona, we have the unique three different groups who are very different. And their their educational acquisition is very different as well, you know, they are very much self reported and have certificate programs. And there are CHW, one and CHW, two certifications, and CHR is actually originated in the Indian Health Service. So I've got that link coming up. But the real game changer here in Arizona is their services are going to be billable. And I sure would love to see that branded as a digital health navigator billing code. And there are other states that already have billing codes. But if we do have a CHWs EHR who has certification, they can claim medic Medicare can claim reimbursement, that's going to be a game changer for diabetes and for a lot of things happening. So there's a lot that we're doing to make this happen. And it's taken a lot of groundwork for a couple of years, but the stars are lining up, which is really great. So if you want more information about this EHRs, the CHWs the promo tours, as Chow has their next conference in June, if that's something that you'd be interested in learning, and they really did, group together form a 501 C three, they have a very formalized process for providing training. And I also wanted to share this beautiful new Aiden link. For information about the Arizona Digital Inclusion network. It's been such a pleasure to network with people and have our own chapter of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. And here you see the fun group. And many of the people who went from Arizona to the conference, we really should get together and share everything that we learned we went to kind of spread out and all ended up in complimentary presentations based on our experience. And it was really a lot of fun to network. And it's great working here in Arizona with the practitioners with the boots in the mud kind of people. And we're very fortunate here in Arizona. And I'm hoping that Miguel will come and tell us an update. But we're very proud of the fact that we do have a tribal entity that was awarded a digital navigator tribal led core. And that would be the healer River Indian Community and at NDA as well as an adn last week. It's been wonderful to network with Tyler Smith, who's the digital navigator who's really built that program and built up some really amazing resources. And it's doing a fantastic job. And one of the things that I wanted to mention, which brought up my question Lena is I know that at some point, I think Cindy might have put together this form where there's a list of preparing to apply for ACP, you know, for people who can get an email address before they go to the library before they go to ask for help. And if they can put together this pile of documents that they need, because the horror stories that you've heard many people do the sign ups as well, we got everything together. But the proof of participation and snap wasn't on letterhead. Well, you know, to try and prevent those types of things that to be able to, as we do Community Health days, as we do invite people to come sign up. It's also I want to start baiting people earlier than that with this list of the things that you need. Because if they can come to a community health day and they're prepared, we can sign them up. If not, then it's like, well, I'll come back and do it later. When I get all my stuff together. You know, I think that we get a lot of bang for our buck and you know, one page English, one page Spanish, you know, front back and, and have that list in the order that it's asked for on the application along with those helpful hints. You know, if you're if you have to, if you're requesting documents, make sure that that it's it's that it's a qualified document that will be accepted because we want to set people up to be successful. And Tyler's did a great job and it's been great to meet him. The other conference that I had the opportunity Need to attend recently I was so lucky and begged my way in, I might add, the National Tribal telecom Association, there was a whole hallway of federal resources in our HERSA federal grant. I was happy to be there to sing and dance telemedicine telehealth, knowing that I had information that I could have helped anybody with nationally, but it was also wonderful to see how represented our state was, um, Sandeep, of course, participated on a panel as did Nicola my young. And, and Miguel moderated that panel that was really amazing and made me proud. And the thing that really made me proud, which was so striking, is the best thing ever was many of the leaders in tribal telecom are women. There was a panel and it's true. It's I mean, you look at this nationally, and it isn't just a matriarchal thing. It's a super smart thing. I was just so proud to see that. The other thing I wanted to do is share a quick update on telehealth in our library. So Molly and I are taking our show on the road this summer. We love to share what we've done. We've interviewed seven or eight different states, we still network with monthly group of people who do telehealth and libraries who either have a pilot or have done a pilot, there's now like 19 states or something crazy. This is more like a national movement, right? It's something that it's taken a long, hard road to get there. But Mala has has installed connectivity up in Navajo area where we can continue this project. And we've also started conversations with her tahona autumn, who have a Arizona broadband planning grant to expand to 12 locations. So again, there's that link. And then Marla and I, you know, we really obviously want this thing to grow. And we've partnered with NAU, as well as Dr. Kim Shea who's on our team with a cancer grant. And the next location will be in Tuba City where we'll have this set of equipment including a medical grade tent and use it for training use it for screening. And, and really the most important things that are next steps, of course are to although I included this just as an FYI, but it is still really interesting to see. These are all the folks that were awarded those broadband planning grants, and it's the last one here 12 really remote Tohono O'odham sites, which will be really great. Um, so training digital health navigators for the future, you know, we only have two pilot locations, and we really want people to go there and use this stuff. So we really need to be planning events in the library that bring people in, we can show them how to use a blood pressure cuff, we can, we can encourage people in the local community to use these devices, because it's going to be a lot easier to expand this and invest in more than more people use it right, our success is measured in numbers. So I've been working with trying to get a contact with the VA. So we can have people who who want to eliminate pre and post surgery, follow ups or any type of appointment they want in their local library if they're in that geographic area. And that's it. 19 states now have pilot projects. So it really is total national movement.
This is a really great learning module produced by the National Library medicine, let's telehealth one on one for libraries and tells them what they need to know if this is something that they want to do. Because many libraries of course, just as ours here in Arizona, did quite a bit of research to be sure that you know, network security was was being addressed. Safety, all of the things that of course you take a look at but to have like a how to playbook or help people learn how they can do this has really been great. And Malia and I had her presentation. In July, we'll not only be doing a one hour panel, but we also would be facilitating a discussion with you know, whoever else is doing a program, whoever is interested in starting a program, and sharing all the resources and the great contacts that we've made by working on this. So one more really great resources I have to share. First of all, I wish Cindy was here because I'm so excited for and congratulations to Cindy, our digital equity program manager for the Arizona commerce authority. And if you have not seen this, you have to go, you have to go on the Arizona Commerce Authority webpage. And I saw this demonstrated over a year ago with the Maricopa Association of Governments. There's this Arizona asset map and you click around and you can sort things you can look at the mines, you can look at congressional districts, K through 12 schools, which is really amazing. So you click on hospitals, and you get all the hospitals you click on the link and of course you get that minimal information, the name, the address, the phone number, all that stuff. So that means that when you're traveling no matter where you are, no matter where you live, you can click on Libraries. And again, look for a specific library you're looking for a library in this neck of the woods. Well that would be the Tonto Basin Public Library, and again, very minimal information and and populates what you would want to know and it's just an amazing tool if you haven't seen it, just go fishing. Just go look at it because it no matter how you slice it, it's a great resource and hopefully it would be useful for you This is something that you're working on. We also have a new American Indian Health Health Education Center, we've had a hex for many years, we have the first one that's dedicated. And this is really helpful with things like our medical residency programs, where we send students out in the community. And then this link was very helpful to me. And if you were interested in contacting and working with someone who's responsible for education in any of the 22 federally recognized tribes, this is an awesome link. I'm busy planning with the Arizona diabetes Coalition, a tribal diabetes Summit, we're calling it summit November 2. And we really take great pride in the fact that we want to aggressively be sure that we do get representation representation from all of these tribes. And we do want to reach everyone and it is going to be an opportunity for not just an update for clinicians, but patients and the opportunity to do some digital health care, training. And this is my favorite FCC handout, which I always share. This is the folks who know everything about data exchange for both Arizona, Colorado and maybe even some other western states, if that's something that you're interested in, it's a great resource. And absolutely is a very critical piece of telemedicine and telehealth and healthcare in general is data communication between all of your different providers. And then this is the American Telemedicine Association, we've we have two former presidents on our team, we've always been very involved. The technology special interest group is always looking at the latest and greatest, the latest and greatest right now are multipurpose devices that you know, do ears, eyes, nose, throat, everything, but also the database and the providers which you know, it's hard to piece parted apart. Because of course, if you have the providers, maybe you just want the technology and it's a different transition. But I'll be doing my annual Technology Review in June or July. So stay tuned if you're interested in that update. And now our webinars are the gift that keeps giving if you want to learn more about the grants that we did a great thorough presentation on February all those grant resources, please check it out. Information about the end of the public health emergency information specifically for FQHCs and health care providers. But if you serve, you can look at this either by the word of course the name of the of the presenter, but it's a great resource. And we absolutely say always tomorrow is here. But I think honestly, what might be a better a better saying is tomorrow is today, right? It's here. It's here right now. And I'm very excited to have the opportunity to share all these resources with you. And and I am going to save it as a PDF right now is to get in chat. Because I don't know, if you distribute that stuff, Steve, or you want to do, I'm
just gonna tell you, please be sure and send that to me. And I will make sure that it gets included when we send out the update. Okay. If you put it in chat, that's fine. But just FYI, any files that are put in chat after the meeting is over, you can't download it. So you can download that file while the meetings running. But you can't do it afterwards. And it's not in the chat when I send out the chat. So I'll get it. Yeah, so please send it to me. Okay, any questions, so dammit, I can understand why you. I thought you were just sitting around with your feet up with nothing to do.
I try not to get too excited. I come back and talk about how great the food is. You know, it's not the Bon Bon tour, but I'm very lucky because I do I get to attend some really great conferences. I've really enjoyed the NTTA conference and I had never been to an NDIA conference which just by coincidence was next door to ATA. I was like living in in in San Antonio for a week and a half. It was great.
I was interested in going down TTA but I couldn't make it.
And then I should also mention the American Telemedicine Association is going to be in Phoenix in May. How cool is that? In a year?
Awesome. Yeah.
Okay, anything else? Janet or any questions or comments for Janet? Well, thank you so much, Janet. It was good to see you. And hopefully we'll get to see a little more regularly. I know you're I know you're busy like everybody. But So one last thing. It didn't give us a good picture of what's happening with this fellowship thing. What does that mean? That fellowship? Yeah.
So it's interesting that implies that it's like, you know, a piece of work like the fellowship that the produce the digital navigator materials, but this is more of a fellowship in terms of being like a brain trust of fellows. It is. People who have worked hard on behalf Half of the American Telemedicine Association and the network of that has been developed throughout the years of telehealth to be really just a service and advisory board. And Joel by fellow mu is a fellow by the way. Arizona as well, yeah.
Okay. Any, any questions for for Janet? Going once, going twice. So Janet, do you have I think you've pretty much covered your updates for today. Yeah.
That's great. Yeah, I got I got I got to see it all to this is great. Thank you so much. You bet.
Okay, so I don't think unfortunately, I just excuse me that Mikhail had to drop off. We'll try and get him rescheduled. I have actually talked to him that wanted him to actually, this was gonna be a just a brief intro. But I wanted him to really focus on what on the work that they've been doing. Because I think it's a really unique and interesting kind of program that I think a lot of people will be interested in. And as I was talking with him, and asking him about whether he's been partnering with a lot of the folks on this call that he said, No, I don't know them. And I don't know that her and I don't know him and, and so I said, Hey, well, within maybe we need to get you engaged again. So possibly next week, we will hear from him. The other thing is, while I'm mentioning that is that you may know that I've been trying to schedule a an update on what's happening in Indian country. And it's been quite a challenge. It's like herding cats. So hopefully that will happen sometime in the next week or two.
Everybody's good. So crazy busy. Yep.
And some of us were sick. Janet. Yeah. John Kelly, you still online?
I am Steve.
So John, you want to give us any quick up legislative update?
Well, I told Thanks, Steve. I told Steve that nothing had happened. I'd be happy to come on and tell everybody nothing's happening at the legislature. They're on spring break part two. And there we have to get a another Republican in the House and Democrat in the Senate to fill out the roster. There are some budget negotiations going on. It's some of its visible most of it is not visible. As has taken place between the governor, the Senate President, the House Speaker, I heard somebody earlier on a call say that they were working with the Office for economic opportunity. And I wanted to point out there's a bill and the number I don't have off the top of my head. The office is subject to sunset review, as well, as are all state agencies from time to time, and the legislature killed it till the agency killed the division of the Arizona commerce authority. It'll likely get Reese resurrected in the budget deal, but it was a combination of certain Republicans who didn't like aspects of the government role and Democrats who didn't like some of the incentives Elio is responsible for administering so it was it died 1550 in the Senate. So like I said, it'll likely come back but it's under under a bit of a microscope at the moment. We I've said since a Steve and to mark and Timo and others a one pager on the Iraq rate matching grant program for for the recapitalization of that program that was first started 2017. So please share that get the word out. We got to fight to get that keep that in the governor's budget. That's all I've got for now. See, but of course, if anybody's got a question, I'll be happy to make up answers.
Okay, thanks, John. Glad to make it for a few minutes today. Any questions for John?
Apparently not.
So let's, let's move on. So Mala, you have anything, any updates that you want to share with us today?
Yes, I am totally excited by the first wave of funding that we've got from Erie. We had 1200 22 applications for Arizona schools and libraries this year. And of those 562 of them got funded in the very first wave. This is the first time ever so they release funding by waves every week after review. So, you know, the reviews. Reviewers have been doing really awesome work to be able to review so many applications and send us funding letters. We had total totally applied for 86 million, that is the discounted amount was 86 million. And of that 17 million has already been approved. So libraries and schools can start their work and get their, you know, upgrades done during the summer and be ready for school reopening on the first of July. And so can libraries though, although libraries, this is a very, very busy time summer reading program is on. So they usually don't do their upgrades until the summer is over. But at least they know that they've got their funding and they can get all their ducks in a row and order whatever they need to order to make sure that they have the right speeds and upgrading their routers, hubs or anything else that they need to do 17 million in just the first weeks. Awesome.
Awesome. That's because you're awesome.
I think it's because I think they're getting it right, the applicants are finally getting it. Right. And they are, you know, this just shows that the that there haven't been much errors in their application, and they were able to go through smoothly. There are some that are caught up in the pipeline of reviews so that they get funded once they get reviewed. But I think I think that's awesome that that we got so much within the first in the first wave itself. The other thing that is going on is that there is the tribal library support and notice of rulemaking that FCC had put out the deadline was April 24. And a number of stakeholders had provided feedback to FCC. The reply comment period is now on and reply come comments are due by mid May, I think it's the 13th not pretty third me sorry, 23rd. Me, and these are in trying to make the rules and guidelines easier for tribal applications, tribal schools and tribal library application some of those, I think we could, we would really benefit by having it even for the regular public libraries and schools, not just the tribal ones, you know, cost allocation that they want for splitting allocations in the building and into which the internet comes. That's crazy the way it's done. But all of that we're requesting that they simplify the process. So hopefully that will happen. And we, you know, with all the comments coming through, they'll simply simplify the process. Other than that, I did I don't have anything but I just was so worried about the May 9 date, May 9 is the date that three of us at least on this call. Janet Aaron and I are speaking at the NE cog meeting about the enemy. That meeting is on transportation and Health Technology Summit for rural healthcare. And they are doing it in doubt they're doing it downtown Phoenix, they've invited us to talk about our telehealth projects and transport transportation needs of the community that are being met by the libraries doing telehealth. So we're going to do a little bit of discussion on that. And that's the very same day thought to be that very same day that we have Chairman Rosen we're sort of coming to, you know,
I already reached out to Todd to see if we can get rescheduled until later in the day so that we can be at both. Thank you. Thank you. Thank
you. I was like I when he said nine, I was hoping he would say June 9, but it does mean. Anyway, it is what it is.
We were asked last meeting, we had a presentation from one of the folks who's helping to coordinate that conference. Oh, yeah. The notice in the meeting announcement today, and I will again, following this meeting about information on that conference. And it's important because it really is a good way to talk about the intersection. And we all know that transportation is an issue, particularly getting people signed up for ACP but it was really interesting, new, a new I guess, a new level for us and looking at ACP II and digital inclusion issues.
And Tod Morris, we got in touch with Tod Morris only after that last meeting Steve just so you know that your your invitees to the meetings really are people we follow up with seriously and sincerely and I didn't get in touch with him and so did I. And he got back and signed us up. And I think he got in touch with Janet as well. So all three of us, he's roped us in into that, to that meeting. Oh, thank you.
So you guys, were the people that I told him he needed to talk to? Aaron, you're a little slow, you're probably you're probably contacting them five minutes after the meeting or something.
I emailed him during the meeting. Thank you.
Well, you're pretty amazing.
So Erin, do you have anything else that you want to share? Um,
just super briefly, um, we don't know if these program proposals would be accepted or not yet. But there are a number of digital equity and telehealth focused program proposals up for review for the Arizona US Library Association's Conference, which is coming up in October, which will be held at the Waco Park casino Casino. And so I'm only bringing that up, because in case people on this call who love libraries, which we know a lot of you do are unaware, you can actually be a member of acla as a library lover for only $15 a year. And then you get to participate in things like the conference and and things like that at a reduced rate. And so I just wanted to let you all know that we're gonna be well represented in the DEA and telehealth spheres, hopefully, as long as we get accepted. And so if you're interested at all, I'm just dropping a link to the conference information. I mean, you can come to the conference, whether or not you're a member, but if you want to be a member, you can do that, too. I happen to serve on a committee for acla and have for the entirety of my time here in Arizona. So it's a wonderful organization to support. And of course, there's so much intersection here, you know, in the next few years, but always, you know, in that education and adoption, and all of those aspects that we were discussing earlier. You know, libraries have been doing digital inclusion work since before that was a term because we've been, you know, guiding people through all of that. So just wanted to give a little plug for acla in the conference as well. And Paul, I just dropped the links for you there in case you're interested. I know you're gonna sign up before the end of the day, aren't you? Oh, that's all I've got right now. If there's any questions, let me know.
And I don't think Holly is on the call today. Is she?
And we've heard already from Janet, Phillip, are you still online? Saying Yep. Yes, he's gone. And Derek's not here. Rory. You have anything else you want to add about? The final mile project or anything?
Oh, he is gone too Okay.
We'll see how you are. Just a reminder, a couple of things, which you've already heard about was the healthcare and transportation workshop on the ninth. on the 11th. The Arizona Technology Council is having their cybersecurity Summit. And on the 18th is the ASU enterprise, trusted learner network unconference charting the horizon and June the seventh is building for digital equity community networks Institute for local self reliance. So I don't know if I've got I'm sure there's probably other events but I think that's it. So anybody have anything else that they want to share or announcements?
not hearing anything. Shereka you want to give us an update on your on your event?
Sure, it was great. It was hot. 17 different activity tables 363 attendees. Yeah, it was good. Very diverse, very interactive and when decided to come and take a tip but you know, we're able to keep no one got hurt.
That's it. That's always it. Good thing. So Lupe, and Elena, do you guys have anything that you want to provide an update on the grant. And what's happening at this point, I know you're kind of still figuring it all out. But anything that you want to provide an update or and we're
waiting for the EOA, we did have to sign up some additional items that we had to send over. But after that we're just waiting on but we are doing our due diligence at the same time. And for the positions that we are going to be posting, we're already working with our HR team to kind of get everything going. So when they do announce that we have no way, we can go ahead and get them published. And at the same time, we're kind of just sharing it around to see if there's anybody that may be interested. So that way, we can kind of be a step forward, and kind of have a plan already of where we're going to be starting. And the goal will start here in Arizona, in the very beginning and have a calendar where we'll kind of go into our 28 counties and how we're going to implement those. But I know our programs within CPLC are very excited. And so we've been kind of keeping them engaged. So when we get that going, they're ready to go on their end as well. So we can start doing a lot of ACP applications and getting people enrolled. And we have been working with a couple of ISP providers as well, because what we want to do is depending on the area, we're looking at the zip code and identifying which is the best ISP, but then working with that community, because we'll be working with those program directors to see what their community has, they have identified for their best ISP. So that way, we can bring a couple options when we're doing that enrollment. So we can enroll them, and then they can go to the ISP that they would like. And then that way they're leaving with, you know, full service ready to go. And we are currently identifying additional funding so we can provide devices for all the households that come through.
Oh, awesome. Any
questions further? Okay. Yes, Madalena, you want to add anything, I know you've got a contract with the city of Phoenix, I believe.
Yeah, we also will have a contract with ASU, we just found out. So that's exciting. The work with the City of Phoenix is gonna kick off with that may 9 event. They want us to help them do application, ACP application labs, as well as outreach. So we will be working on a new marketing, probably digital marketing and outdoor marketing campaigns around signing up and being able to call the 800 numbers, which would be the call center where they can get help assistance in, you know, in getting their applications processed. And yeah, so not much that we haven't already talked about. I mean, as far as our work on the ground, it's going to be, as I mentioned before, largely through school connections and events, and working with the city, within the city's different agencies to provide to help them not only provide navigators and some training, but also as a consultant.
Any questions for Elena? So I'm gonna take one more minute and Jenny, record their online, put you on the spot. I'm gonna just quickly, you guys are doing some great stuff also. And maybe you want to just tell people quickly about some of the work you're doing?
Well, gosh, you
are putting me on the spot. So I think you all remember that we we were with the PASCO yaki tribe in Tucson, and they were awarded the NTI, a TV CPE. Award was announced last August and not to be negative, but I'm sure you're hearing the stories about all of these pots of money, they're taking a long time to flow out. So environmental assessment is is a big piece, particularly when there's a lot of moving parts. So there's a fixed wireless component, there's fiber, and it's all being done on land. That, of course, is going through, not only tipo, but Shippo. In the state of Arizona, the good news is, is that at the tail end of this summer, if it tracks correctly, then that infrastructure will go in place and serve 13 172 new end users in that area. So that's exciting. That's a big number of people who really need the internet. And the other thing is, I think some of you remember that native network is Microsoft airband partner and we got bad news recently that Miley Martinez had left the organization. But we still have a lot of people that we work with there and we're actually having a meeting tomorrow to regroup on as it relates to digital equity. A inclusion tools that native network and any partners can can use for their customers so probably have a more meaningful update on that front for ASD here, you know, maybe even next week or
two. Okay. Yeah, I saw that Miley, I assume she was gone since your email is no longer functional. So,
yeah. So I'll let you know what happens there and see what kind of traction I think we had a fellow not too long ago from the TEALS part of Microsoft, right? On this call. Yep. But we'll see what else we can stir up for some, some tools,
cuz I've been wanting to get them to do a presentation and and have talked to Miley some time ago. And then we haven't really connected. So because we haven't really heard about airband. And, you know, what, what airband is and what what people were doing? Yeah, do I remember correctly? I think, first of all, you want to just tell people quickly who you're with?
Yeah, sorry, I did mention her name. I did that mid mid way through. But so we are based in Washington State, but we do a lot of business with tribes all over the country. And as it relates to you guys, of course, I mentioned Pasco yaki, but we were formed. I'm one of the founders in 2015, to work almost exclusively on solving the bridge, bridging the digital divide in Indian country, but in a way that we support tribes and being their own telecommunications companies. So we do a variety of things to help them with that.
So Jenny,
again, and maybe I could maybe my memory is not correct. But I thought you guys had developed some kind of a portal for either the community college and are the communities talk town on community? It was that you or was that somebody else?
No, I think I think it may be of someone else we do have a portal for so Pasco. Yaki is ISP is named P Whitey networks. And with the help of Microsoft, we have had a portal for tools and things that relate to their constituents, you know, their members, but we are honestly out of date on that. And that's one of our meetings tomorrow is how do we with Microsoft? How do we work together to just refresh and get the latest and greatest tools in the hands of people who need them?
Thank you. So Jenny, when you find out who who could be the lead with with airband, if you'd let me know. That's two people now who have left. Yes.
So I think you guys have seen in the headlines, some of these big tech companies are really, you know, they let go of a lot of people in it. The focus is still around. I think they are fairly spread fairly thin. So, but I hear you I have the same frustration. Okay.
All righty, any other anything else? For the good of the order? I'm going to stop the recording. And if anybody wants to stay online, and Tibbits for a while, fine. If not, we'll all go eat lunch or whatever.
