State Digital Equity Spending Can Benefit Economies, Health Care, and Education

States are using their digital equity plans to demonstrate how successful digital inclusion efforts can advance progress toward other goals, including improvements to civic and social engagement, economic development, education, health care, and delivery of essential services. For example, broader availability of affordable high-speed internet and digital skills can help residents access government services online, apply for jobs, take online classes, and use telehealth resources. Although these tasks are not the direct focus of the federal Digital Equity Act, measures that boost broadband adoption will enable more households to reap the benefits of the digital economy.

• States are emphasizing the importance of digital inclusion to ensuring equitable access to government services. 
• Digital equity programs also can support goals around boosting workforce skills by improving digital skills needed for today’s job market, creating jobs related to broadband and technology, and increasing remote work opportunities.
• Recognizing that digital skills are critical to education today, states are planning to increase internet access and skills training in schools, provide devices for students, and offer opportunities for both children and adults to learn digital skills.
• States are also tying their digital equity goals to initiatives to improve health outcomes through expanded telehealth and access to health records and monitoring. 
• The state plans, in general, focus on increasing government website accessibility and ensuring that government services are widely available online.