Disability Policy Consortium Partners with the U.S. Census Bureau to Support the 2010 Census
The DPC is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to spread the word about the 2010 Census. Conducted every 10 years, the census is much more than a population count. Census data are used to reapportion congressional seats to states, and directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments.
Accurate representation and funding is especially important to people with disabilities. Of interest to people with disabilities, an accurate census count is used to:
- Help state and county agencies plan for eligible recipients under the Medicare, Medicaid (MassHealth), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs;
- Distribute funds and develop programs for people with disabilities and the elderly under the Rehabilitation Act;
- Distribute funds for housing for people with disabilities under the Housing and Urban Development Act;
- Allocate funds to states and local areas for employment and job training programs for veterans under the Job Training Partnership Act, Disabled Veterans Outreach Program;
- Ensure that comparable public transportation services are available for all segments of the population under the Americans with Disabilities Act;
- Award federal grants, under the Older Americans Act, based on the number of elderly people with physical and mental disabilities;
- Allocate funds for mass transit systems to provide facilities for people with disabilities under the Federal Transit Act;
- Provide housing assistance and supportive services for low-income individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families under the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program; and
- Make available special education for children ages 3 through 5 through Special Education Preschool Grants
As part of our organization’s partnership with the Census Bureau, we will help to promote the importance of census participation to people with disabilities in our community. Specifically, we will help to inform members of our community that the 2010 Census is easy, important and safe.
Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC) will be available to assist those unable to read or understand the census form. For those with visual impairments, Language Assistance Guides will be available in large print and Braille. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons who do not have access to Video Relay Service (VRS) can call 1-866-783-2010 via FedRelay, a free and confidential federal government communications service. In addition to these options, Language Assistance Guides also will be available in 59 languages at all QAC locations.
By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents’ answers with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. All Census Bureau employees take an oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
To learn more about upcoming census events we are hosting, as well as those in our community visit our 2010 Page. Below are key dates for the 2010 Census:
· March 2010: 2010 Census forms are delivered.
· April 1, 2010: Census Day – the official day of the population count. Information provided on 2010 Census forms should represent respective households as they exist on this day.
· April – July 2010: Census workers visit households that did not return the forms to take a count in person.
· Dec. 31, 2010: Census Bureau presents population count to the President of the United States.
As a Census Bureau partner, we are committed to helping achieve a complete count of our growing and changing population in 2010. Watch for additional details in the coming months, or visit 2010census.gov to learn more.
For more information, please contact Robyn Powell at rpowell@dpcma.org or 617-542-3522.