Virtual Event: Measuring Disability in the Census Bureau: Policy Implications and Opportunities – Feb 22

Posted by Urban Institute on February 20, 2024

The US Census Bureau is proposing a major change to the way it measures disability that would reduce the official disabled population count and potentially affect federal funding for critical safety net programs. The bureau currently estimates that 14 percent of people residing in the United States (44 million people) have a disability. According to the bureau’s testing, the new measure would cut the existing estimate to 8 percent, or 26 million people. The proposed change raises important questions about how to measure disability more inclusively. Both the current and proposed measure rely on functional definitions of disability (e.g., the ability to see, hear, or walk) and exclude millions of Americans, including those with chronic illnesses, psychiatric disabilities, or conditions that affect them intermittently.

The Urban Institute’s Disability Equity Policy Initiative and the Disability & Philanthropy Forum invite you to join a discussion on the need for an accurate count of disabled people in the US and the policy implications of proposed changes. The event will feature remarks from Richard E. Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and co-chair of the Presidents’ Council of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, followed by a panel of disability experts.

This event will take place Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 1:00-2:00 PM.

Learn more and register.