Commissioner Starks Remarks at Black Mental Health Event

Telehealth services surged during the coronavirus pandemic, and yet we have to deal with the harsh reality that Black communities disproportionately lack access to the telecommunications services that provide access to critical, life-saving care. This is why I have called for an expansion of the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program, which is the only federal subsidy that offers voice and broadband services at a subsidized rate to low-income Americans, to meet the critical needs of this moment in history. This program, which is vastly underutilized at an under 20 percent participation rate, can fulfill broadband and voice connection needs for many families that must choose between buying groceries versus purchasing an internet connection.

And I want to be clear; these glaring inequities have been a historical, structural failure that have always deserved our attention. However, in this moment and in this movement, I challenge all of us to rise to the occasion and address the issues of the digital divide through a lens of equity with the understanding that broadband access is a civil right we can’t afford to lose but many can’t afford to have.