As states continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including economic recovery efforts, Governor Tom Wolf and a bipartisan coalition of 11 governors today sent a letter urging the president and Congressional leaders to make critical investments to ensure that all Americans have access to broadband internet connectivity, which they say is critical infrastructure that’s vitally important to our economic future and national security.

“An investment in broadband internet connectivity is an investment in our commonwealth’s future and prosperity. The critical need for high-speed internet has become clear in light of our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, as more families work and learn from home, businesses operate online services and patients access medical care through telehealth,” Gov. Wolf said. “Now, as Pennsylvania focuses on our economic recovery, it’s critical that broadband internet access becomes a reality for every community, and especially our rural areas.

“It’s clear that this is more than a Pennsylvania issue – the digital divide exists in communities across the country,” Gov. Wolf said. “It’s in everyone’s best interest, especially as technology continues to evolve and advance, that we make a significant infrastructural investment.”

Some 18 million Americans, including nearly a million Pennsylvanians, lack access to broadband internet connectivity. Businesses and families without adequate access are left behind, and the consequences are staggering from an economic, health, education, and social standpoint, the governors said. A significant investment in broadband connectivity, the governors added, will unleash economic potential, promote stable job growth that’s resilient in times like these, and ensure all businesses and families can participate in the digital economy.

Governor Wolf has made access to high-speed internet a top priority. He led this bipartisan call to address the issue following a discussion with Land O’Lakes President and CEO Beth Ford. The farmer owned cooperative is working with organizations across industries including agriculture, healthcare, finance, and tech to address connectivity.

“We commend Governor Wolf and his fellow leaders for making this bipartisan call to action and for recognizing that our country simply cannot afford to allow the digital divide to widen,” Ford said. “Land O’Lakes, and many of our partners who understand the economic, educational and quality of life impacts that digital technology can have for individuals and for communities, look forward to working together with these governors and other policy makers as we advocate for high-speed internet access to become a reality for all Americans.”

Broadband internet access is also a key component of Restore Pennsylvania, a statewide plan to aggressively address the commonwealth’s vital infrastructure needs, including installation of infrastructure to bring high speed internet to every corner of the commonwealth. Funded through a commonsense severance tax, Restore Pennsylvania is the only plan that will help make Pennsylvania a leader in the 21st century.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Regional Operations (ORO) recognizes National HIV Testing Day on June 27 in Region 3. This year’s Testing Day theme is “Knowing,” which highlights the importance of knowing your HIV status, knowing where you can get tested, and knowing how you can connect to care and treatment services if you test positive. Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV, but one in seven people with HIV are unaware they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult to access traditional places where HIV testing is provided, including health centers and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program medical sites, HIV screening continues to be essential to reducing new HIV infections and to improving health outcomes for people with HIV. HRSA encourages promoting access to and continuity of care in a safe way to support social distancing during the COVID-19 public health emergency. One example of a safe way to encourage HIV testing during this time is through self-testing. The CDC recently published guidance about HIV self-testing programs using an FDA-approved home test as a way to supplement ongoing HIV prevention efforts.

In addition, this Testing Day HRSA recognizes there is an unprecedented opportunity to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. through the Administration’s “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America” initiative. This is a 10-year plan which began in FY 2020 to achieve the goal of reducing new HIV infections to less than 3,000 per year by 2030. Through HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and Health Center Program, the agency continues to play a leading role in helping diagnose, treat, prevent, and respond to end the HIV epidemic.

To find a Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program medical provider, visit https://findhivcare.hrsa.gov/. To find a health center, visit https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/.

Pam Kania, HRSA Regional Administrator, ORO Region 3, R3@hrsa.gov

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued brief guidance for health departments, community-based organizations, and other clinical providers for expanding their support for HIV self-testing where face-to-face testing services have been disrupted. Read more here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created an online training platform that focuses on the central role that pediatric medical providers play in understanding, recognizing, preventing, and treating adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Read more here.