We serve communities with care and access based on knowing where people live and work. An accurate complete count is a critical mechanism for funding as well as access and care. Rural and urban counties are at risk for reduced funding and access; we need to know where people are and what they need. Here’s a snapshot of how Census data leads to crucial funding in Texas counties.

Start by telling them why a complete count is urgent for health care in Texas. Then invite them to become Census Champions — this is a great resource to share with them. Encourage your colleagues to join your local or regional Complete County Committee and to be involved in helping others complete their Census questionnaires.

For years, the Census Bureau’s American Factfinder site has been a crucial resource for learning about needs in our communities. It is being replaced in 2020 by data.census.gov.  Go to data.census.gov, look up Texas, and discover more about how Census data can help us understand our state better, and what our people need. For example, census data can tell us how many people have jobs and health insurance, and which cities and counties are growing.