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Program offers free specialized phones to Californians with disabilities

OAKLAND – The telephone may be an accepted part of life in the 21st century, but not for an estimated three million Californians. Most people take using the telephone for granted. But individuals who have difficulty seeing, hearing, speaking, remembering, or moving, what seems to be a simple telephone call can be challenging, preventing communication with their family, friends, and others.

The same telecommunications technology that fuels never-ending innovation has produced a wealth of specialized California Phones and devices so people with disabilities can communicate with family and friends. These California Phones are provided by the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) free to eligible Californians.

California residents are eligible for specialized California Phones if they have phone service and are certified by a licensed physician, medical doctor, or audiologist as having difficulty using a standard telephone because of difficulty seeing, hearing, speaking, remembering, or moving. There is no cost, obligation, age, or income requirement.

Once an individual qualifies for a California Phone, they can go into one of CTAP’s Service Centers throughout California or call (800) 333-7900 to determine the most appropriate device for their requirements. Trained staff will recommend the phone that best fits a client’s needs, discuss the phone features, and provide training on how to use and personalize their California Phone.

The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) distributes telecommunications equipment and services that improve communication for all Californians. A program of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), DDTP provides Californians with free specialized telephone equipment and relay services through CTAP and California Relay Service (CRS), respectively.

CTAP provides California Phones that amplify sound, adjust tone, light up for incoming calls, display phone conversation as text, have large buttons with raised numbers, are portable, or have speed dial phone buttons incorporating photographs. CTAP offers approximately 60 types of specialized California Phones and devices.

CRS provides specially-trained communication assistants to relay telephone conversations between people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or are speech-disabled with those they wish to communicate with by telephone. CRS, captioned telephone, and Speech-to-Speech relay services are all offered in English and Spanish.

DDTP is funded by a small surcharge that appears on all Californians' telephone bills. The money collected pays for both CTAP and CRS. This surcharge appears on phone bills as "CA Relay Service and Communications Devices Fund."

To download an application, to find the nearest service center, or for more information, visit www.CaliforniaPhones.org or call (800) 333-7900.

 

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