Need help with census? Reps can assist
With a Sept. 30 deadline to respond to the 2020 U.S. Census, the state Department of Aging urged senior citizens to participate.
The decennial head count figures into federal funding for a host of programs, from pubic transit to wildlife restoration, child abuse prevention and housing assistance for senior citizens.
The Department of Aging added to the list Medicaid, Medicare Part B, nutrition services and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, informally known as food stamps.
“The ramifications of not getting an accurate census count could be detrimental and result in the loss of federal dollars that are needed to preserve these essential programs for years to come,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres.
“We must all work together to ensure each and every one of our older adults is counted, no matter where they live.”
Senior citizens should be counted whether they live alone, with family members, receive in-home care or reside in long-term living facilities.
The ramifications of not getting an accurate census count could result in the loss of federal dollars that are needed to preserve programs for years to come.
With census workers visiting homes of people who have yet to complete a questionnaire, Torres asked residents to be alert for potential scam artists.
If someone says he or she is a census worker, the resident can verify the person’s identity by making sure they have a valid ID badge with their picture, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date.
Anyone who still has questions about the worker’s identity can call 1-844-330-2020 and speak with a Census Bureau representative.
In Washington County, what’s known as the “self-response rate” is 69.1%, slightly lower than the 2010 rate of 71.2%. In Greene County, it’s 60.7%, a full percentage point below the rate 10 years ago. To respond online, residents can go to my2020census.gov.
Anyone who lacks internet access can also call 1-844-330-2020 to answer the questions.
According to the 2014-18 American Community Survey, Washington County has a population of 207,547 with 84,100 households and an average household size of 2.4. Greene County’s population was measured at 37,144, with 14,211 households and an average household size of 2.37.
The census is still filling temporary positions, and the pay in Washington County is $22 per hour.