People With Disabilities Answer the Census A Guide for Advocates, Caregivers and People With Disabilities Why Does Census 2000 Ask Questions About Physical, Mental and Emotional Conditions? * Federal, state, local and tribal governments all need accurate information to plan, fund and implement effective programs and policies for people with disabilities. * The questions on disability will provide information needed to manage and evaluate federal programs. The 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is specifically concerned with the rights of people with disabilities as they relate to employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation and telecommunications. * Information on disability is,used by state and county agencies to plan for eligible recipients under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. * The distribution of funds for health services, special housing needs and accessible mass transit are based on census numbers. * This information is also used for the Older Americans Act, Veterans Employment and Training Program, Provisions on Higher Education to Serve Adult Learners, Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategies, Job Training and Partnership Act and more. Why Does Census 2000 Ask About Disability the Way It Does? The Americans With Disabilities Act considers an individual to have a disability if he or she has an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The disability questions ask about health conditions that limit activities, such as working at a job, going outside the home alone and taking care of personal needs, such as bathing, dressing or getting around inside the home. Approximately 20 percent of Americans have some type of disability and about 10 percent have a severe disability. Why Are Questions on Disability Asked Only on the Long Form? Because the information gathered on disability is not needed for small areas, such as individual city blocks, the Census Bureau collects this information on the long form-a special census questionnaire that goes to one in six housing units across the nation. This one in six sample is large enough to produce reliable information for neighborhoods and larger areas of geography. To maintain an acceptable level of accuracy, a larger share of housing units gets a long form in some small towns and rural counties. Responding to Census 2000 Will Be Easy. Census 2000 questionnaires will be easy-to-read and simple to fill out. To ensure that everyone is included, we'll make additional forms available in Spanish and other languages. If you do not receive a census questionnaire at your home, they will be available to pick up in public places. Questionnaire Assistance Centers will be opened to provide assistance. And a toll-free telephone help line with a multilingual staff will be listed on the census questionnaire. Should You Include a Family Member in a Care Facility on Your Census Form? People receiving short-term care at general hospitals or Veterans Affairs facilities should be included on the form at their usual residence (their home). People receiving long-term care at the following facilities will be enumerated by census takers at that facility, including: * Psychiatric or chronic disease hospitals or wards. * Homes, schools, hospitals or wards for people with physical, developmental or mental disabilities. * Drug or alcohol recovery facilities. * Nursing, convalescent or rest homes. * Hospice facilities on Census Day. Can People With Disabilities Work for Census 2000? Yes! The Census Bureau encourages people with disabilities to help us with Census 2000. The majority of jobs are in the field, checking addresses and conducting interviews, but some office positions are available. Call toll-free (1-888-325-7733) for more information about Census 2000 jobs or if you need special accommodations for the interview or testing-or call one of the TDD numbers listed on this page. Answering the Census Is Important, Easy and Safe. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share your answers with others, including welfare agencies, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Internal Revenue Service, courts, police and the military. Anyone who breaks this law can receive up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines. The law works-millions of questionnaires were processed during the 1990s without any breach of trust. For additional information about Census 2000, visit the Census Bureau's Internet site at http://www.census.gov or call one of our Regional Census Centers across the country: Atlanta 404-331-0573 TDD 404-331-2371 Boston 617-424-4977 TDD 617-424-0565 Charlotte 704-344-6624 TDD 704-344-6548 Chicago 312-353-9759 TDD 312-353-9059 Dallas 214-655-3060 TDD 214-640-4434 Denver 303-231-5029 TDD 303-231-5087 Detroit 248-967-9524 TDD 313-259-5169 Kansas City 816-801-2020 TDD 913-551-5839 Los Angeles 818-904-6522 TDD 818-904-6249 New York City 212-620-7702 or 212-620-7703 TDD 212-264-3863 Philadelphia 215-597-8312 TDD 215-597-4099 Seattle 206-553-5882 TDD 206-553-5859 U.S. Department of Commerce An Equal Opportunity Employer Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau BUREAU OF THE CENSUS D-3262 (6-99)