USDA distance learning and telemedicine Project

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New Cuyama

Technology Challenge

Cuyama faces serious technology access problems in that the telephone provider is unwilling to establish the more affordable frame relay digital circuit service to the Valley as there is not a large enough population base to make it profitable. The only Internet access in the Valley at the time of the RAIN DLT Project’s start is a 56k digital line into the high school that costs nearly twice per month what a T-1 line in an urban area ( 25 times the capacity ) would cost.

There is an outstanding need to assist the community in developing local dial Internet access.

The RAIN Network has presented the Cuyama Valley Recreation District has recieved the first of five USDA-funded computers that are planned for distribution in the community to promote public access to the internet.

Political Representation Challenge

The Cuyama Valley is an unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County, and therefore does not have City status - which means no elected officials or tax-based infrastructure; it is entirely dependent on the County for infrastructure services. Given that Cuyama is on the eastern side of the San Rafael Mountain Range, it is geographically extremely removed from the cities and government centers that allocate funds for its infrastructure.

There is an outstanding need to help the community develop a stronger voice in the democratic process.

Health Care Challenge

Cuyama has one medical clinic facility that is open one afternoon a week, staffed by a physician’s assistant and nurse practitioner who must drive over three hours round trip to provide service for the one afternoon a week. At one time the clinic was opened five full days a week with a local physician under federal rural clinic funding, but when that funding ended, the physician moved out of the area. The County Health Department has reported that if they were able to fund funding to keep the doors open, the would see 12-16 patients a day which is sufficient demand to warrant the additional hours, but funding is not available in the foreseeable future.

The County Health Department is very interested in exploring telemedicine opportunities as a solution to the severely underserved rural health care challenge.