California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) outreach specialist Andie Squires will speak to Palisades Alliance for Seniors at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 24, at the Palisades Library community room, 851 Alma Real. The meeting is open to the public.
Squires will explain that CTAP, also known as California Phones, distributes free telecommunications equipment and training to individuals certified as having difficulty using the telephone. CTAP is a California State mandated program, under governance of the California Public Utilities Commission.
These phones enable people who have difficulty hearing, seeing, moving, speaking or remembering, to more easily make and receive calls. There is no cost for the phone. The equipment connects a to a home’s regular phone lines, and regular phone service charges continue but the device itself is free.
Californians who are deaf, hard of hearing, speech disabled, blind, or who have low vision, cognitive impairments, or restricted mobility, are eligible to receive equipment with certification by a medical doctor, a licensed audiologist, a qualified state agency, or a hearing aid dispenser. There is no age or income requirement for eligibility.
Squires will demonstrate CTAP’s range of free specialized telephones that include amplified, captioned, speech assist, and picture dial, and provide information on CTAP’s Smartphone trainings. She will also briefly cover the California Relay Service and Caption Service.