(a) Subject to an appropriation of funds for this purpose in the annual Budget Act, the California Department of Aging shall administer the Access to Technology Program for older adults and adults with disabilities, a pilot program to connect older adults and adults with disabilities to technology to help reduce isolation, increase connections, and enhance self-confidence.
(1) Funds appropriated for this program shall be provided to county human services departments that opt to participate in the pilot program.
(2) Grant amounts to counties shall be provided based on county size and whether the county is rural, urban, or suburban. The grant amounts for each county size and type shall be developed by the department in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association.
(b) Allowable uses of the funds provided to counties that receive grant funding through the program include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Providing technology, which may include, but is not limited to, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, to older adults and adults with disabilities.
(2) Arranging for reliable internet access to older adults and adults with disabilities.
(3) Developing or arranging for education and training for older adults and adults with disabilities on the use of technology.
(4) Conducting outreach about the program.
(5) Administration of the program, including data collection and reporting.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that counties that opt into the pilot program describe how they intend to leverage existing programs, if applicable, that provide one or more of the services listed in subdivision (b) in order to provide maximum benefit to the greatest number of residents.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 85, Sec. 19. (AB 135) Effective July 16, 2021.)