Now more than ever, your response to the 2020 Census matters! The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of census data. Emergencies like this one illustrate just how important it is for healthcare facilities in our communities to have the funding and resources they need to effectively support the populations they serve. Complete and accurate census data helps to make that possible.

Together with data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), census data also allows scientists and health care experts to model the potential impact of an emerging health threat. These data and models are powerful tools for anticipating needs and advising the nation’s policymakers on the expected demand for resources. All of this data—made possible when we complete the census—is critical to helping your Summit County, Colorado, and the nation as a whole get ahead of our biggest challenges. By participating in the US Census you are ensuring that this community reflects you; meeting your needs today and in the future.

Did you know?

• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline to complete the 2020 Census was extended past April 1st, so if you haven’t already, take it today.
• Most Summit County residents will not receive a Census ID, because there is no residential mail delivery in the County. Instead, go directly to my2020census.gov, start the census, and select the option for not having a Census ID.
• Taking the census is perfectly safe and easy; you do not even need a permanent home, address, or social security number. You will not be asked if you are US citizen.
• Census results inform planning and funding decisions for communities for critical public services. A sampling of these services include the following:
  • Hospitals, health clinics, and health care services:
    • Where hospitals and clinics are needed.
    • Block grant funding for the construction of hospitals and health care clinics.
    • Resources for health care facilities so they can effectively support the populations they serve.
    • Support for Medicaid insurance for low-income populations and Medicare Part B insurance for people 65 and older.
    • Maternal and child health services, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
    • Funding for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
    • HIV emergency relief programs.

• Emergency and disaster response, fire, and public safety services:
  • Mapping out where to distribute supplies and where vulnerable members of the public live. 
  • Funding for federal programs to prevent and manage wildfires on grasslands and in forests.
  • Disaster preparedness, including evacuation planning.
  • Disaster recovery grant funding, such as after a major wildfire
  • Creating population maps for local public safety uses.
  • Funding for local firefighters.
  • Funding for federal grants for local law enforcement and assistance for crime victims.
  • Funding for juvenile justice programs.

• Schools, education programs, grants, and more:
  • Where to build new schools or expand existing schools.
  • Federal funding for Pell Grants for college students.
  • Head Start programs for young children.
  • Training programs for public school teachers.
  • Funding for school lunches, after-school programs, and English as a Second Language instruction.
  • Determining the boundaries of local school districts.
  • Federal funding for local libraries.
  • Direct federal funds for Title 1, special education grants, and teacher training.
    • All of these programs are now more important than ever as they play a key role in helping schools provide students and teachers access to technology and training.
    • Schools use these federally funded education programs to increase access to high-quality digital content and resources for students, including providing devices for educators and students.

• Roads, bridges, and other public transit and infrastructure projects:
  • Where to build new roads, highways, and bridges
  • Community block grants that support the construction and repair of roads and bridges in local communities
  • Funding for highway maintenance and construction
  • Funding for public transit systems—including buses, subways, commuter rail, and bicycle/pedestrian programs—in both urban and rural areas

• Businesses and economic development:
  • Assistance for owners of small businesses through the Small Business Administration
  • Rural business development grants
  • Job training programs, including vocational rehabilitation and jobs services for people with disabilities
  • Locating skilled workers
  • Where to open new locations and offer services, build factories, and hire new employees
  • To help identify the number and demographics of potential customers and determine what products and services to offer
  • Determining which languages businesses need to support in their stores, advertising, and customer service

• Housing services and programs for special populations:
  • Funding to modernize public housing
  • Support for the rehabilitation and renovation of privately owned housing
  • Housing financing for low-income elderly populations
  • Assistance for renters in rural areas
  • Heating and weatherization assistance for low-income individuals

• Family and social services:
  • Funding for adoption assistance.
  • Funding to support programs for survivors of abuse
  • Programs supporting the transition from homelessness
  • The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Water and waste management:
  • Funding for waste disposal and pollution control systems
  • Funding for water monitoring and control systems