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Mar 19 2020

Coronavirus & the Census

You Matter. Be Counted. OhioCensus.org

At this time of unprecedented uncertainty, it can seem hard to focus on anything else as we grapple with the coronavirus outbreak. But the 2020 Census remains extremely important for our communities’ long-term wellness and everyone needs to know that virtual and by-mail census operations are still in motion.

You can fill out the Census online or by mail

Your participation in the 2020 Census has impact on you and your community for the next decade, well beyond this crisis, including through community development and political representation.

This is why everyone who can should fill out the census online at https://t.co/jEt72vy3kb https://t.co/BAje4dgAUn

Ari Berman (@AriBerman) March 18, 2020

Completing the Census, either online, on paper, or by phone, does not require any interaction with people outside your household or to leave your house.

Keep an eye on your mailbox for the invitation to participate. The mailer will contain a unique ID tied to your household that will make it quicker and easier for you to complete the questionnaire and for the US Census Bureau to process your answers. The invitation will direct you to my2020census.gov to complete the Census.

How will the Census be impacted by the coronavirus?

Given the current pandemic, the Census Bureau is making adjustments to how they count group quarters (large group living facilities like prisons, shelters, nursing homes, and college dorms), including on college campuses, where many college students have been sent home.

But for the more typical households, completion of the Census should not be impacted by the current situation. While you spend more time from home social distancing, it is a great time to fill out the Census. It should take less than 10 minutes. It may even be a welcomed distraction.

What can I do to help, besides filling out my Census form?

Spread the word by sharing a photo of you with your Census invitation on social media.

My #2020Census finally came!

In fewer than 4 mins, I filled out a form that’ll help shape the future of my community – both in terms of getting the resources we need to thrive, but also to get the fair political representation we deserve as the first step to getting #FairMaps! pic.twitter.com/2E8ipwdzgy

— Katy Shanahan (@Katy_AOTLoh) March 18, 2020

Written by Katherine Liming · Categorized: Democracy · Tagged: 2020 census, census, fill out the census, households, how do I fill out the Census?, katy shanahan, my2020census.gov, selfie, Twitter, US Census Bureau

Mar 05 2020

Women Have Outsized Stake in Census and Play Key Role in Ensuring a Complete Count

This blog post from the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network originally appeared on the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition‘s website.

Every ten years, the United States Census Bureau conducts a count of the entire U.S. population, known as the census.

The census determines a lot of important information, including government representation and the allocation of critical federal funding for programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance. Getting a complete and accurate count is important, especially for women and their families who have a lot at stake in the census – and women will play a key role in ensuring this happens.

Not only are women one of the biggest groups impacted by the census, but they play a crucial role in ensuring that an accurate count happens at all.

One of the most fundamental outcomes of the census is the determination it plays in the allocation of federal funding to the states. In Ohio, there are more than $33 billion dollars in funding for public programs on the line, and many of those programs provide crucial support women and their families need to live healthy and economically secure lives.

For many women, the funding that could be forfeited due to an incomplete census count would jeopardize their family’s health, safety, and financial stability: The mother who relies on federal aid to receive quality child care, allowing her to continue to work and provide for her family. The young woman who receives STI testing and prevention through access to Medicaid. The woman who has turned to Ohio’s network of domestic violence shelters for protection and the help she needs to get her family on their feet.

Because women often serve as family caregivers, the stakes are even higher.

$675 billion for social programs and services like SNAP and Medicaid, relies on your participation in the 2020 Census
Find more resources for census outreach

There is probably no greater example of the weight of the census for women than Medicaid dollars. Women comprise the majority of the adult Medicaid population – before the passage of the Affordable Care Act and today. Medicaid is a crucial resource for women to access the healthcare they need, and it impacts women’s ability to remain healthy and join or stay in the workforce. Whether it’s pregnancy care, postpartum care, Pap tests, timely blood pressure checks, or other preventative services, women have a lot on the line when it comes to Medicaid funding.

Because women often serve as family caregivers, the stakes are even higher. Two in five female-headed families with children are living in poverty – that’s nearly 90 percent higher than that of male-headed families with children. These mothers and their children rely on full funding for programs like SNAP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Head Start, and even housing vouchers.

Not only are women one of the biggest groups impacted by the census, but they play a crucial role in ensuring that an accurate count happens at all. Census research indicates that one person often takes the lead in filling out the Census for the whole family. Women, who are increasingly the main caregiver or head of household, are more likely to take the lead in their families. As the 2020 Census approaches, it’s important to recognize the key role Ohio women play and the outsized impact an incomplete count will have on their livelihood and their families.

Written by Erin Ryan · Categorized: Democracy, Gender Equity · Tagged: 2020 census, census, complete count, Erin Ryan, Medicaid, ohio women's public policy network, ohio wppn, SNAP, women, wppn

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