Census Bureau to Engage Disability Stakeholders in Upcoming Data Access Meeting

The U.S. Census Bureau has announced an upcoming meeting with disability community stakeholders scheduled for September 30, 2024 in the Washington, D.C. metro area. This meeting aims to address challenges related to data availability and access within the disability community, a need that was highlighted by public feedback earlier this year. 

The decision to convene this meeting follows the Census Bureau’s receipt of over 12,000 comments in response to a Federal Register notice proposing changes to the American Community Survey (ACS). A recurring theme in the feedback was the call for more comprehensive engagement with the disability community. Consequently, Census Bureau Director Robert Santos announced that no changes would be made to the disability-related questions in the 2025 ACS, allowing more time to engage with stakeholders. 

The event is co-hosted by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the National Center for Health Statistics, the National Council on Disability, The Leadership Conference Education Fund, and the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities’ Health Task Force. The meeting will gather federal agency staff, disability advocates, community representatives, and data users to discuss how to improve the collection and accessibility of disability-related data. 

For more information, stakeholders can contact the Census Bureau via [email protected], and members of the media can reach out to the Public Information Office at [email protected].