Answering the 2020 Census call

The nation's estimated 140 million households are receiving their 2020 Census invitations. The forms are easy to fill out and you can submit them online, by mail and by phone. To keep everyone safe, the Census Bureau has suspended all field operations for now. The idea is to take a break to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Census takers are scheduled to visit households that have not responded to the 2020 Census in mid-August, but those plans could change as the bureau continues to monitor the ever-changing situation.

Listen to our AARP Podcast: Answering the 2020 Census call

Rebecca Briscoe is a Partnership Coordinator for the 2020 Census. She said safety is a main concern regarding the 50+ community and census forms. Some people, Briscoe said, think the census forms are a scam.

“It was so safe that I was able to assist and help them (older residents) complete the forms online in less than six minutes. It just asks basic questions. It does not ask for your social security number. It does not ask about your banking information. When that data is captured, it goes into a database immediately so it cannot be retrieved,” said Briscoe. “Most importantly, it does not report any of your information to other federal agencies.”

Briscoe said the census occurs every 10 years and means resources for local communities.

“I have to educate the community in letting them know that getting that count is going to make sure we get our fair share in our community in the event of a disaster,” said Briscoe.

The census, which is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, is not only used to draw the lines of legislative districts, it is also used to determine how to distribute government funds to state and local governments in order to help pay for schools, roads, bridges, public services and more. A complete and accurate census is a vital resource for everyone.

“When you take your husband to the doctor, and he is treated, most of the funds from Medicare come from census data,” said Briscoe. “Those potholes you want to get rid of on your neighborhood street, well guess what? Census data has an impact on infrastructure and our roads.”

Briscoe said she wants people in the aging community to know that they need to report anyone who spends the majority of their time in their home. This includes grandchildren.

“They (aging community) are serious caretakers. If you are responsible for your grandchild more than usual, six months plus one day, your grandchild should be captured in hour household because they are spending most of their time there,” said Briscoe. “We want to make sure that those additional resources these families are so dependent on … they’re able to get those for the next ten years.”

In addition to Medicare, census data is also used to gauge how federal funds will be sent to states for spending on programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and more. At stake is the distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds, grants and support to states, counties, and communities

People have until August 14 to respond to their 2020 Census forms. Expect to get a census worker knocking at your door if you do not submit your forms. Briscoe said census workers will have an official Census Bureau badge with photo and watermark, they will have U.S. Census Bureau branded materials, they will never ask for Social Security numbers, etc.; and there’s no cost to participate.

You can apply to work with the census at www.2020census.gov. You can also go to that website to access more information on the census or you can call 1-800-923-8282. AARP also has a host of information to keep informed. You can access that information regarding important dates, census samples and more go to aarp.org/census.

A detailed list of timelines for all types of counting can be found here, and that timeline may change again: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/factsheets/2020/dec/2020-census-operational-adjustments-long-version.pdf

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