Every ten years, the Census counts every person living in the United States, regardless of age, race, geographic location, or citizenship status. Data from the Census determines how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding are distributed throughout the country. Census data also help state and local officials, community leaders, and nonprofits identify needs for healthcare, education, housing, food security and other services.
In Kentucky, an accurate Census count doesn’t just determine how many federal dollars we bring back to the state – it has an enormous impact on the health of our Commonwealth.
Every Kentuckian benefits from a complete count. Statewide programs supported by federal funding that use Census data include health insurance through Medicare, Medicaid, and KCHIP; nutrition assistance through SNAP, WIC, and school lunch programs; education programs like Head Start and Title I; affordable housing through Section 8; subsidies that make quality child care more affordable; and critical programs that protect children from abuse and neglect through family services and foster care.
In many ways, the Census determines whether our safety-net is strong enough to support Kentuckians in times of need. Those who stand to lose the most from an undercount are low-income families and underpaid workers of all ages, races and areas of the state.
Underfunding of federal programs would have a negative impact on the children of Kentucky in particular. Eleven percent of Kentucky children under age five live in hard-to-count census areas. That’s about 30,000 babies and kids who are at risk of not being counted in the 2020 decennial census, or a staggering $606,300,000 that should be going to children’s programs in the state.
A recent Georgetown University report found that Kentucky saw a 50.7% increase in the number of uninsured children under age six from 2016 to 2018. Many, if not most, of those children are eligible for Medicaid and KCHIP – programs that rely on an accurate Census count for funding.
Without access to these programs, children’s health falters. The implications are far reaching and can be devastating. Developmental delays and problems with hearing or vision go undiagnosed, making it harder for kids to succeed once they reach school age. Achieving equitable health outcomes for all children in Kentucky relies on knowing where the children are, so they can get the services they need.
Based on the latest census estimates, approximately 10% of Kentucky’s current population (or 435,452 people) lives in hard-to-count neighborhoods and the Urban Institute estimates that as many as 23,500 Kentucky residents may be undercounted in 2020. Those undercounted are more likely to be young children and those living in foster care, people who are renting or experiencing homelessness, and people of color.
An undercount impacts everyone. We stand to lose $2,021 for every uncounted person in Kentucky. Over a ten-year period, that amounts to $20,210 per uncounted person. Multiply that by the estimated thousands of Kentuckians who are at risk of being missed in the count, or members of hard-to-count populations that are at severe risk of an undercount, and the amount of federal funding Kentucky stands to lose soars into the tens of millions.
The stakes for Kentucky are high. Unfortunately, our state legislature has yet to budget any funding to ensure a complete count. As legislators prepare to convene for the 2020 General Assembly on January 7th and tackle a significant budget shortfall, funding to ensure that all Kentuckians are counted is a smart investment that pays dividends. Not only would a complete count bring in nearly $100 million more in federal funding over the biennium, but investments in safety-net programs also produce savings down the road as Kentuckians are healthier and more financially secure. Call your state legislators today to ask them to make funding a complete count a priority in the 2020 budget.
There are a number of other ways you can help make sure your community receives the federal dollars it needs, and it’s easier than ever to get involved. Follow The Census Project, a national coalition that connects hundreds of organizations and individuals advocating for a decennial Census to count everyone where they live. Join a Complete Count Committee in your area or, if there isn’t one in your region, you can start one. And spread the word that the US Census Bureau in recruiting to fill thousands of positions in Kentucky to assist with the 2020 Census count.
Emily Beauregard is Executive Director of Kentucky Voices for Health
