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Pulse Survey.
Thanks
Nick
Nick Spanos, Branch Chief ,Data Products Development Branch,
American Community Survey Office, U.S. Census Bureau
O: 301‐763‐6841 | M: 202‐573‐2454
census.gov | @uscensusbureau | 2020census.gov
From: Yiyu Chen
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2021 2:39 PM
To: Dana Thomson ; Nicholas M Spanos (CENSUS/ACSO FED)
Cc: Zakia Redd ; Renee Ryberg
Subject: RE: Census Bureau Weekly Household Pulse Survey Child Care March 2 2021
Hi Nick,
Thank you for sharing with us the comment on the Household Pulse Survey! Child Trends has published a few
research and data briefs using Pulse and has considered including state‐level Pulse data in our child poverty
data tool as well. We later found out about the need to showcase the Pulse data for geographies smaller than
states and MSAs (such as coun es). Would the Bureau accept requests of such data? Has any organiza on
done this before?
Although we missed the requests for comments on the Pulse data that were opened last year and briefly early
this year, we do hope that two topics covered in the survey can be improved: Incomes and Demographics.
First, regarding incomes, the most cri cal issue to us is the lack of data on current income. Only household
income prior to the pandemic is asked towards the end of the survey. Having informa on on current income
not only helps us understand current economic wellbeing but also approximate eligibility for government
programs. On a related note, we are es ma ng models for receipt of unemployment insurance (UI) and
Economic Impact Payment (s mulus payment). The reference periods for household and individual
(respondent) unemployment are different, and the reference period for individual unemployment is different
from the reference period for UI receipt. There is very limited informa on on occupa ons, too (very few
categories and only among those who recently worked). We have found difficul es in using these data to
approximate eligibility for unemployment insurance and assessing gaps in access to UI. In addi on, many
Americans will soon receive around round of direct payments and the EITC; the la er has been the most
important cash assistance to families with children. We hope these income supports will be captured in the
Pulse data in the near future.
Second, we would appreciate if the survey can add na vity status, parental status, and age of children to the
demographics sec on. The ques onnaire does include a ques on on na vity status, but we are not sure if that
has been asked since public use data on na vity status is not available. We understand concerns around
disclosure of na vity and ci zenship, but we hope to evaluate access to income supports among children of
immigrants, who are largely excluded from the safety net unless they become ci zens. We also think some
informa on on age of children will benefit our work, as parents’ labor supply is very much affected by age of
their children (especially ages 0‐5).
6/14/2021, 9:42 AM
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We would appreciate that you pass our sugges ons to the staff that manage the Household Pulse Survey and
let them know our contact informa on. We would be delighted to par cipate in the conversa ons related to
the survey and would appreciate that you let us know shall opportuni es arise. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Yiyu & team
From: Dana Thomson
Sent: Monday, March 8, 2021 8:25 AM
To: Nicholas M Spanos (CENSUS/ACSO FED) ; Zakia Redd
; Yiyu Chen
Subject: RE: Census Bureau Weekly Household Pulse Survey Child Care March 2 2021
Thank you! Much appreciated, Nick.
From: Nicholas M Spanos (CENSUS/ACSO FED)
Sent: Friday, March 5, 2021 11:35 PM
To: Dana Thomson ; Zakia Redd ; Yiyu Chen
Subject: Census Bureau Weekly Household Pulse Survey Child Care March 2 2021
Please see the a ached document. I thought that you may find it interes ng, so I thought that I
would pass it along to you.
Thanks
Nick
Nick Spanos, Branch Chief ,Data Products Development Branch,
American Community Survey Office, U.S. Census Bureau
O: 301‐763‐6841 | M: 202‐573‐2454
census.gov | @uscensusbureau | 2020census.gov gpolicygroup.com
6/14/2021, 9:42 AM
Attention: Request for Public Comment
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Census Bureau
Household Pulse Survey
Request for Revision of a Currently Approved Collection
March 2, 2021
RE: OMB Control Number: 0607-1013
We are pleased to have the opportunity to share our thoughts related to the request for public
comment concerning the U.S. Census Bureau’s intent to revise questions contained in the Household
Pulse Survey.
For more than 30 years, Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies have worked to strengthen
access to and use of high-quality child care by:
•
•
•
•
providing consumer education, child care and community service referrals, and child
development information to families;
delivering a broad spectrum of professional development services (including training,
consultation, coaching, and mentoring) for classroom practitioners and program
administrators/owners;
collecting, analyzing and reporting data about child care supply and consumer demand in order
to effectively address needs as well as identify system strengths and weaknesses to inform and
implement policy, planning and strategic investment; and
working collaboratively with public and private sector stakeholders to address and fulfill child
care needs.
At local, regional, state and federal levels, CCR&R agencies have long advocated for access to highquality child care both as a work support for parents and also a safe setting for children that will
promote their healthy development. In addition, we have long advocated for and sought strategies to
address supply shortages and ways to ensure that the needs of working parents and their children are
met. It is through this lens that we offer comments.
We strongly agree that the Census Bureau Household Pulse survey should be revised to ask questions
related to child care. How these questions are structured is extremely important so that responses can
be understood within the correct context.
To us, there are two different areas for which it would be helpful to gain a better understanding about
current parent preferences and challenges: use and need for paid child care by parents with children
under age five and use and need for paid child care for school-age children (typically children enrolled in
elementary school, ages 6-12). Parents could make different decisions based on the age of children.
Parents could have new challenges in affording child care for school-age children as school districts vary
in whether they are operating remotely, in some form of hybrid operation, or open for onsite instruction
as they were before the current public health pandemic. Many parents depend on child care to work or
return to work. Therefore, understanding the challenges faced by parents during the pandemic would
be helpful to develop strategies that can best meet the needs of working parents and their children.
Children Under Age 5
In thinking about the universe of parents with children under age 5, it would be helpful to understand if
those parents who were paying for child care before the pandemic are still relying on the use of paid
child care during the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, about 32.2% of children birth to age four were in
some type of paid child care. It would also be good to understand whether paying for child care is
TO:
Sheleen Dumas
Department PRA Clearance Officer
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Department of Commerce
FROM:
Corinna Turbes, Policy Manager
[email protected]
202-573-7975
July 20th, 2020
RE: Continuation of the Household Pulse Survey
The Data Coalition is America’s premier voice on data policy. As a membership-based
business association, the Data Coalition advocates for responsible policies to make
government data high-quality, accessible, and usable. Our work unites data
communities that focus on data science, management, evaluation, statistics, and
technology in companies, nonprofit organizations, and academia.
The Data Coalition supports the continuation of the Household Pulse Survey because of
the tremendous utility of the information collected. As decision-makers consider
interventions to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, clear information on
what these effects are is crucial to making evidence-based policies. This survey will help
develop a clearer picture of the experiences of households in a timely manner and help
policymakers to develop more responsive interventions.
Research into the social well-being and mental health is already being conducted with
the support of private sector organizations, such as the COVID Impact Survey. These
projects help to fill the information gaps while our official government data sources
worked to expand their products to cover new questions brought up by the pandemic.
However, the Census Bureau’s technical expertise and extensive reach mean it has a
unique ability to collect large amounts of information for statistical purposes, creating
official data that can be complemented by private sector efforts. The Household Pulse
Survey helped to demonstrate the Census Bureau’s ability to produce near real-time
currently difficult (or not), and if parents are not using paid child care for their children under age 5 for a
specific reason (the cost is too high, concern about COVID-19 exposure, parents are home with a child,
etc.)., and whether the availability of affordable child care is necessary for them to work or return to
work. Last, it would be helpful to understand what families believe they can afford to pay weekly for
child care.
We suggest the following questions for parents with children under age 5.
Prior to March 2020, were you paying for child care for a child or children under age 5? Yes or No
If yes, are you paying for child care currently for a child under age 5? Yes or No
If yes, how easy or difficult has it been for you to pay for child care within your budget?
•
•
•
•
Very easy
Somewhat easy
Somewhat difficult
Very difficult
If no, what is the reason you are not using paid child care at this time?
•
•
•
•
•
•
The cost is too much
Concern about COVID-19 exposure
I am home with my child/children at this time
My child/children are being cared for by my spouse
My child/children are being cared for by my family (non-spouse, but a relative)
My child/children are being cared for by a friend or neighbor
Is the availability of affordable child care necessary for you to work or return to work? Yes or No
How much can you afford to pay weekly for child care for your child under age five?
•
•
•
•
•
Zero
$50-$99 per week
$100-$149 per week
$150-$200 per week
$200 or more per week
School-age Children (Age 6-12)
In thinking about the universe of parents with school-age children (age 6-12, generally elementary
school), it is not relevant whether they used paid care prior to the pandemic. Before the onset of COVID19, about 21% of children between the ages of 5-14 were in some type of paid child care (generally
“before & after” school care). However, parents today face new challenges related to care during the
out-of-school time for elementary school-age children given the large number of school districts that
remain operating either remotely or in some type of hybrid schedule where students are not onsite in
their elementary school five days per week. For many parents, finding and affording full-day child care
for their school-age children is a new challenge.
We suggest the following questions for parents with elementary school-age children (age 6-12).
2
Do you currently have school-age children age 6-12? Yes or No
If yes, are you paying for child care currently for a school-age child? Yes or No
If yes, how easy or difficult has it been for you to pay for child care within your budget?
•
•
•
•
Very easy
Somewhat easy
Somewhat difficult
Very difficult
If no, what is the reason you are not using paid child care at this time?
•
•
•
•
•
•
The cost is too much
Concern about COVID-19 exposure
I am home with my child/children at this time
My child/children are being cared for by my spouse
My child/children are being cared for by my family (non-spouse, but a relative)
My child/children are being cared for by a friend or neighbor
Is the availability of affordable child care necessary for you to work or return to work? Yes or No
How much can you afford to pay weekly for child care for your school-age child?
•
•
•
•
•
Zero
$50-$99 per week
$100-$149 per week
$150-$200 per week
$200 or more per week
We have been following the Household Pulse survey for nearly a year. The information available by state
related to the percentage of families who have lost income since March 2020, the percentage behind on
rent or mortgage, the percentage struggling to afford the purchase of food, and other questions have
been helpful in understanding the impact of COVID-19 and the challenges families face. Because access
to and the use of child care has also been impacted by the pandemic and raised new challenges for
families and communities, we are interested in better understanding the nature of these challenges so
that our work and the work of policymakers can be informed by real-time data in developing child care
strategies.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments. Should you wish to discuss in further detail, please
contact Grace Reef, President, Early Learning Policy Group, to arrange a zoom meeting for us to share
our on-the-ground experiences with families and child care providers if that is helpful to you in making
revisions to the Household Pulse Survey.
With best regards,
Child Care Resources Inc. (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Oklahoma Child Care Resource & Referral Association, Inc. (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
3
Quality Care for Children (Atlanta, Georgia)
Southwestern Child Development Commission Inc. (Sylva, North Carolina)
4C for Children (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Child Care Aware of Virginia (Richmond, Virginia)
Child Care Council of Nassau, Inc. (Long Island, New York)
Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc. (Long Island, New York)
4
data in times of need. It also showed how well the federal statistical system can work in
cooperation to help create a holistic picture of what households are experiencing in
these unprecedented times.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments on this important issue. If you or
your staff have any questions about the Data Coalition’s comments, please contact
Corinna Turbes at [email protected].
Respectfully,
Corinna Turbes
Data Coalition
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OMB Control Number 0607-1013
JoVon Sotak
Fri 6/5/2020 4:18 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Cc: Grant Office
Hello, Ms. Logan:
Thank you for the opportunity to provide commend re: on the poten al for extending data collec on for the
Household Pulse Survey During COVID‐19 Epidemic (OMB Control Number 0607‐1013). On behalf of the State
of Nevada Office of Grant Procurement, Coordina on, and Management, we’d like to request that this survey
be extended.
With a current unemployment rate of 28%, Nevada’s households will con nue to feel the effects of COVID‐19
long a er July 30. As it is highly likely that the pandemic will con nue and our country will experience one or
more waves of emergency response and recovery, the impact to our ci zens over a longer period of me may
shi during these waves, as well as in response to federal relief dollars (such as Coronavirus Relief Funds) that
haven’t yet been distributed to local governments throughout Nevada. We believe that grant professionals
throughout Nevada may benefit from using this data for future grant proposals related to workforce
development, economic diversifica on, food security, homelessness, emergency prepara on and resilience,
and more. To conclude the survey prematurely would limit the value of the data set as we will not yet know if
we are actually through the crisis un l we’re well into recovery.
Best regards,
JoVon Sotak, Administrator
Office of Grant Procurement, Coordina on, and Management
Department of Administra on
406 E. Second St.
Carson City, NV 89701
(w) 775.684.0252| (f) 775.684.0246
[email protected] | [email protected] | www.Grant.nv.gov
This communica on (including any a achments) is for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain
informa on that is confiden al, privileged or otherwise legally protected. Any unauthorized use or
dissemina on of this communica on is prohibited. If you have received this communica on in error, please
immediately no fy the sender by return e‐mail message and delete all copies of the original communica on.
Thank you for your coopera on.
7/21/2020, 10:46 AM
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Fw: public comment on federal register
Jean Public
Sun 6/7/2020 7:50 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
----- Forwarded Message ----From: Jean Public
To: [email protected] ; [email protected]
; [email protected] ; [email protected] ;
[email protected] ; [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, June 7, 2020, 07:40:35 PM EDT
Subject: public comment on federal register
the problem with the govt collecting information is that whatever is collected can be so easily changed for politicial
reasons. the corruption in washington dc is enormous and everythign is reported to favor whoever wants to look
good. so that the us public is getting more and more misinformation and downright lies from our federal govt. the
cdc for example has been misleading the us public on flu information for years now with fake data. i have severe
concerns about this extra collection and do not think it will improve one iota the correct accurate information that
the us upblic needs so that i tthink we should just say goodbye tto this lates spending debacle.
this commetn is for the oublic record. jean publiee jean [email protected]
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34178-34179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11966]
[[Page 34178]]
----------------------------------------------------------------------DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Household Pulse Survey
AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the
potential for extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey
During COVID-19 Epidemic. The Household Pulse Survey was launched on
April 23, 2020 with approval from the Office of Management and Budget
to continue data collection through July 31, 2020 (OMB No. 0607-1013).
The Department of Commerce may determine it prudent to continue the
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Household Pulse Survey after July 31, 2020. This notice serves to
inform the public about this possible continuance.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding the continued
Household Pulse Survey information collection must be received on or
before August 3, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Cassandra Logan, Survey Director, U.S. Census Bureau, by email to
[email protected] or [email protected]. Please reference OMB
Control Number 0607-1013 in the subject line of your comments. Do not
submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Cassandra Logan, Survey Director, U.S. Census Bureau, 4600 Silver
Hill Road, HQ-7H157, Washington, DC 20233, (301) 763-1087, and
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Census Bureau has developed the Household Pulse Survey as an
experimental endeavor in cooperation with five other federal agencies.
The survey is designed to produce near real-time data in a time of
urgent and acute need. Changes in the measures over time will provide
insight into individuals' experiences on social and economic dimensions
during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. This survey, conducted
under the auspices of the Census Bureau's Experimental Data Series
(https://www.census.gov/data/experimental-data-products.html), is
designed to supplement the federal statistical system's traditional
benchmark data products with a new data source that provides relevant
and timely information based on a high quality sample frame, data
integration, and cooperative expertise.
Question domains contributed by the Census Bureau (Census),
Economic Research Service (ERS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES), and the Department of Housing (HUD) seek
to measure employment status, spending, food security, housing, health,
and education disruptions. Many of the questions that will be asked on
this survey have been fielded on other surveys in the past. However,
some of the questions are new, designed to explore potential impacts
associated with the COVID-19 pandemic response.
II. Method of Collection
The Census Bureau will conduct this information collection online
using Qualtrics as the data collection platform. Qualtrics currently is
used at the Census Bureau for research and development surveys and
provides the necessary agility to deploy the Household Pulse Survey
quickly and securely. It operates in the Gov Cloud, is FedRAMP
authorized at the moderate level, and has an Authority to Operate from
the Census Bureau to collect personally identifiable and Titleprotected data.
The Census Bureau will sample approximately 2,159,000 housing
units, with an additional approximately 1,100,000 housing units each
subsequent week of data collection. The survey will be administered
over the course of 24 weeks starting April 23, 2020. Households will be
contacted via email and asked to complete approximately 50 questions
focused on employment, spending, food security, housing, health and
educational disruption. Prior to production the survey was estimated to
take 20 minutes; the actual time for survey participants to complete
the survey now that it is in production is approximately 11 minutes.
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Weekly survey estimates will be produced by weighting the results
to various demographic controls from auxiliary sources like the Census
Bureau official population estimates and the American Community Survey.
Weekly source and accuracy documentation will provide details about the
methods and quality of the survey estimates.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0607-1013.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Individuals and households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total number of respondents is
estimated at 93,400 per week (a reduction in the initial estimate of
108,000) for 24 weeks (an extension from the 12 weeks initially
planned) for a total estimate of 2,241,600 respondents.
Estimated Time per Response: 11 minutes (actual time in production;
initial estimate was 20 minutes).
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 410,960.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 8(b), 182
and 196.
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we
[[Page 34179]]
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-11966 Filed 6-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
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To: Cassandra Logan, Survey Director, U.S. Census Bureau, [email protected]
From: Alana Vega, KIDS COUNT Coordinator, Advocates for Children of New Jersey
Date: July 31, 2020
Re: OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) urges the Census Bureau:
1. to extend the Household Pulse Survey at least until the end of 2020, if not well into 2021;
2. to update questions on the number of children by age range in each home;
3. to include new questions on the availability and type of child care used by household
members, as well as preferred child care settings;
4. to include more detailed questions on school reopening models.
The data from the Pulse Survey have been invaluable for communicating to policymakers,
elected officials, service providers, advocates and families about the impact of COVID-19 on
households across New Jersey. In addition, the ability to split out data for households with
children has provided critical information about the unique challenges they face.
Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is the state’s largest multi-issue nonprofit focused
on children’s issues, ranging from child welfare and juvenile justice to early childhood education
and infant-toddler care. ACNJ is also the KIDS COUNT grantee for New Jersey, funded by the
Annie E. Casey Foundation, producing data reports and publications on child well-being for
policymakers and community members.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many traditional sources of data have lagged substantially,
with little up-to-date information about how families are doing. Even data available on a monthly
basis, such as Medicaid enrollment or SNAP participation, failed to keep pace with the speed of
the pandemic and its impacts on families. Housing data, which have almost always lagged by a
year or more, were particularly lacking.
1. Extend the Household Pulse Survey until the end of 2020.
In light of the massive nationwide repercussions of COVID-19, ACNJ encourages the Bureau to
continue this effort and track the long-term impact of the pandemic. The novel data collection
model has allowed for rapid communication of key data points to policymakers, while tracking
critical trends for households with children.
Without continuation of the Household Pulse Survey, federal, state and local policymakers and
elected officials risk flying blind, developing policy solutions and adapting existing programs to
address issues without knowing who they affect and by how much. Already, many programs
instituted to protect families from the damage caused by COVID-19 have begun expiring,
although the people experiencing this damage continue to face substantial harms.
The current spikes in COVID-19 across the country suggest that this will not be a quickly
resolved crisis, but rather a longer-term natural disaster with long-running consequences for
households across the nation, especially access to medical care, health insurance status,
education, housing, employment and nutrition.
Already these data have helped spur initiatives in New Jersey around affordable housing and
eviction protection, vaccination campaigns to catch up children who missed
vaccinations/immunizations due to delayed medical visits, additional data requests from the
state Medicaid agency on Medicaid enrollments, and inquiries into the administrative burdens of
applying for SNAP benefits.
Household Pulse Survey data provide critical guidance for how to protect families, and
community members and advocates need more, rather than less, data.
2. Update questions on the age of children.
More fine-grained data on the ages of children in the home may help to further highlight the
issues facing households with very young children as opposed to households with older children
and adolescents. In particular, young children (ages 0-5) are more likely to use child care
providers and family caregiving, while older children are more likely to attend school or
participate in extracurricular school-based activities.
ACNJ urges the Bureau to update the presence-of-children questions to include the age ranges
of the children.
3. Add questions on child care services and preferred settings for children.
Anecdotal and limited polling data suggest that child care remains a difficult choice for many
working families, but child-care-specific polling and surveys have been few and far between.
With school and child care closures or reductions in capacity, families are creating makeshift
arrangements, often cobbling together a combination of center-based care, family- or neighborbased home care, or informal child care arrangements. Some of these informal arrangements
have even been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to fears surrounding transmission
between households with high risk members.
These arrangements are not currently captured by data and will inform how to rebuild the child
care system as the pandemic continues.
ACNJ encourages the Bureau to ask what kind of child care services they are using (child care
centers/preschool; before/after care; paid day care in someone else’s home; paid or no-cost
care by friends and family; parental/guardian care at home; taking the child to work; child left
unattended at home). In addition to asking about what child care setting families have chosen,
there should also be a question asking what their preferred child care setting would be, and if it
is different than the one they are using, whether they have been unable to find such a program,
unable to afford it, or the hours do not match their needs.
These data will help inform the development of policy solutions to meet the child care needs of
households, especially those with young children.
4. Modify education questions to capture a variety of educational reopening models.
Current debates on school reopenings focus on a few key questions for policy implementation:
● Should schools reopen fully in-person, a hybrid of in-person and virtual/remote learning,
or all-remote learning?
● Which students should be prioritized in reopening (younger students, special education,
etc.)?
● Should parents have the choice to opt out of in-person schooling for health concerns?
● How will working parents with school-age children manage to care for remote-learning
and go to work?
Anecdotally, there are also reports of small neighborhood “pods” of parents who will conduct
child care one day a week for small groups of children. These informal childcare arrangements
are difficult to see in generic polling data, but a longer list of potential options for parent child
care arrangements in response to school closure may yield more helpful data about this
phenomenon.
As a result, ACNJ encourages the Bureau to develop finer-grained questions on school
reopening models and the impact on households with children, both in terms of child care and
the impact on work, particularly for female respondents.
-ACNJ thanks the Bureau for the opportunity to comment on the Household Pulse Survey.
Please feel free to reach out to me for further questions at [email protected]
Sincerely,
Alana Vega
July 31, 2020
United States Census Bureau,
Data collected through the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic has been invaluable
for policymakers and for advocates. The Census Bureau is providing Americans with a clear picture of how
people are faring during a difficult and turbulent period. We applaud the Bureau’s efforts to gather this
important information under these circumstances, developing the survey with unprecedented speed,
using innovative approaches to reach families, and releasing data in days rather than months. This work
must continue. We submit this comment in favor of extending data collection for the Household Pulse
Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also propose that current questions be updated and important
new questions be added to better capture the effect of the pandemic on children and families.
The Partnership for America’s Children supports a network of 52 state and community multi-issue
advocacy organizations in 41 states. Collectively, they represent over 90 percent of the nation’s children.
Our member organizations advocate to improve policies for children at the state, local and federal level.
Partnership members work on a myriad of interconnected issues affecting children and families, including
advancing racial and ethnic equity and reducing trauma for children. The Partnership connects its
members to peer expertise and national resources and facilitates interstate collaborations to deepen the
level of impact of child advocacy within and across states. It fosters policy expertise, advocacy skills, and
strong organizations.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19
pandemic for at least another 14 weeks. While early hotspots like New York and Seattle have seen major
reductions in cases of the disease since March, the number of cases of COVID-19 have increased in places
like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California. State and local policymakers will continue to need to
determine, week by week, whether schools and businesses can open and whether people who have lost
jobs continue to need help. The information in this survey is essential to helping them decide which policy
interventions are most needed to protect the physical and financial health of American families.
For example, responses to the question about expected loss of income reveal how this pandemic has
affected different parts of the country in disparate ways over time. During survey Week 2 (May 7-12), 46
percent of respondents in New York state — but 37 percent of Texans — expected to lose employment
income soon. By Week 10 (July 2-10), 40 percent of New Yorkers but 43 percent of respondents in Texas
expected a loss of employment income. Without Household Pulse Survey data, these trends could not be
seen, making it impossible for policymakers to respond to the needs of American families in real time.
The data collected through the Household Pulse Survey has been especially important to the child
advocacy community in our fight for better policy solutions for children and families. In particular,
questions about access to medical care, health insurance status, education, housing, employment, and
nutrition are critical to understanding the impacts of this pandemic on children. This survey is essential
because it provides statistically significant data for each state that reflects the rapid changes week by
week. Thus we strongly support the continuation of this survey for at least 14 more weeks, and preferably
through at least the beginning of 2021, or until widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and
allowed these critical indicators to stabilize.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can be doing
more to better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families. We therefore also
recommend that the following questions be updated and/or added to improve upon the survey.
How many children in the household are under 5? How many are 5 to 12? How many are 13-17?
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s household,
but it does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of children vary drastically
by age, which has consequences for families’ finances as well as school systems and plays a large role in
how both families and school administrators are thinking about education and child care decisions. We
suggest that the current question be updated to ask how many children in the household are under 5,
how many are 5 to 12, and how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight into families’
needs for full time child care and part-time child care and whether education programs are working well
for elementary and secondary students.
What kind of child care services are being utilized by members of the household? What would be your
preferred setting for children in the household?
Many families with young children are facing difficult choices about whether to send their children to
child care settings. During the pandemic, child care centers experience many of the same operational
challenges as schools (e.g. smaller class sizes, requiring children to be six feet apart, increased need for
additional supplies in order to reduce sharing among children, etc.). However, financing and oversight for
child care centers is far different from schools. This means that policy solutions that aim to protect
children attending schools are much more difficult to extend to younger children who are in child care
settings. In addition, parents of school-aged children may need more hours of child care if schools offer
reduced hours of in-person instruction, perhaps needing three days a week, or only afternoons. Existing
programs are not currently designed to offer these hours.
We are proposing that the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about the
decisions families are making around child care. It should ask what kind of child care services they are
using (child care centers/preschool; before/after care; paid day care in someone else’s home; paid or nocost care by friends and family; parental/guardian care at home; taking the child to work; child left
unattended at home.) In addition to asking about what child care setting families have chosen, there
should also be a question asking what their preferred child care setting would be, and if it’s different than
the one they are using, whether they have been unable to find such a program , unable to afford it, or the
hours do not match their needs. Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing
parents and caretakers who work outside the home. Child care programs have incurred significantly
increased costs and reduced income in order to meet COVID safety requirements, including reduced class
size, new equipment, and increased cleaning costs. Many programs have closed temporarily or
permanently and others may be raising their fees. For these working families, the economic fallout of the
COVID-19 pandemic could be exacerbated by challenges in securing child care. Without data on this
matter, policymakers are unable to consider targeted solutions for families with young children.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, you can reach me at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Deborah Stein
July 20, 2020
Ms. Cassandra A. Logan
Survey Director, Household Pulse Survey
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233
Re: DOC Docket No. USBC-2020-0013 – Comments on Household Pulse Survey
Dear Ms. Logan:
On behalf of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
(NALEO) Educational Fund, I am writing to comment on the U.S. Census Bureau’s
Household Pulse Survey During COVID-19 Epidemic (the “Household Pulse
Survey”), in response to the Notice published at 85 Fed. Reg. 29922 on May 19,
2020. We are concerned that the response mode and the contact strategy for the
Household Pulse Survey will not adequately capture responses from the Latino
population, and we offer recommendations to address our concerns.
NALEO Educational Fund is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization that
facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from
citizenship to public service. Our Board members and constituency encompass
the nation’s more than 6,800 Latino elected and appointed official, and include
Republicans, Democrats and Independents. NALEO Educational Fund is a national
leader in Census outreach, community education and policy development. Since
the 1990 Census, our organization has conducted outreach campaigns to promote
the full and accurate count of the Latino community. Together with media and
community-based organizational partners, we have launched ¡HAGASE CONTAR!
(“Make Yourself Count!”) and ¡HAZME CONTAR! (“Make Me Count!) campaigns to
drive response to the 2020 Census through dissemination of community
education materials; promotion of a toll-free Census information hotline staffed by
bilingual operators; technical assistance for community groups; and direct
assistance to Latino residents with completing Census forms. NALEO Educational
Fund also conducted comprehensive research to inform its campaigns and
determine the best messages and messengers to reach the Latino community.
The research included a survey of a nationally-representative sample of Latino
adults, which allowed the organization to compare the perspectives of both
documented and undocumented residents. We also conducted focus groups with
diverse segments of the Latino population.
NALEO Educational Fund also has decades of experience working closely with its
Latino elected official constituency, other government officials and partner
organizations to promote public policies to achieve the most accurate count
possible of the nation’s population. NALEO Educational Fund served as a member
of the U.S. Census Bureau’s national advisory committees between 2000 and
August 2019, and continues to share its expertise with top Census Bureau officials.
Ms. Cassandra Logan
July 20, 2020
Page 2
NALEO Educational Fund is also the co-chair of the Leadership Conference on Civil and
Human Rights’ Census Task Force, and of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda’s
Census Task Force.
NALEO Educational Fund commends the Census Bureau for its effort to collect near realtime data about the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a time of
urgent and unprecedented need. We also applaud the Bureau’s work in assessing
whether collaborative data collection between federal agencies can produce high quality
information to guide our nation during this crisis. However, NALEO Educational Fund
believes that the response mode and the contact strategies for the Household Pulse
Survey will not result in the survey including a representative sample of the Latino
population or other population groups.
Our first concern is regarding the response mode, the Qualtrics online data collection
platform. According to August 2019 research published by the Pew Research Center,
while the “digital divide” is narrowing, Latino adults are less likely than White adults to
own a computer or tablet, or have access to high speed internet at home. For example,
57% of Hispanic adults own a computer compared to 82% of White adults; 43% of
Hispanic adults own a tablet device compared to 53% of White adults; and 61% of
Hispanic adults have broadband access compared to 53% of White adults. Moreover,
while many Latinos have access to smartphones, there are disparities between
smartphone access between native-born and foreign-born Latinos, with 87% of nativeborn Latinos owning smartphones compared to 69% of foreign-born Latinos. Pew
research has also indicated that older adults, those with lower incomes, and those in rural
areas generally have less access to computers or broadband technology. Thus, the use
of an online response platform for the Household Pulse Survey will not capture a
representative sample of Latinos or other population groups – and it is unclear whether
weighting the sample will overcome this problem.
In addition, the Household Pulse Survey will contact potential respondents through
e-mail or SMS text. However, as noted above, there are disparities within and between
different population groups with respect to computer, broadband and smartphone
access. Moreover, e-mail and SMS text contact strategies are less effective in reaching
households where there is high mobility, or residential instability. Even before the
pandemic, according to Census Current Population Survey data, Latinos were a more
mobile population than non-Hispanic Whites. Data which examined mobility between
2018 and 2019 revealed that 10.6% of Latinos were “movers” compared to 8.6% of nonHispanic Whites. Within the Latino population and the population as whole, young
persons, persons living in poverty, renters, and non-citizens were among the groups with
the highest mobility rates. All of these groups would be harder to reach and capture with
the Household Pulse Survey’s contact strategies, because of the likelihood that they
would not have stable e-mail addresses or cellphone numbers.
After the advent of the pandemic, the mobility of the Latino population has likely
increased even more because of a variety of factors, including economic instability and
job losses, family care arrangements and responsibilities, and evictions or changes in
renter housing. Data analyses by Latino Decisions, UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics
Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control and other entities suggest that COVID-19 is
Ms. Cassandra Logan
July 20, 2020
Page 3
disproportionately affecting Latinos, and Pew Research Survey data indicate that Latinos
are more likely than Americans overall to see coronavirus as a major threat to their health
and finances. The pandemic is also likely to disproportionately affect other population
groups with high mobility, such as youth, persons living in poverty, renters and noncitizens.
Thus, the contact strategies for the Household Pulse Strategy could result in a sample
which does not accurately represent Latinos and other groups who are experiencing
higher mobility and residential instability than the population as a whole. We
recommend that the Bureau consider the following to address possible sample bias in the
survey:
Conduct an evaluation of the Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey design and
methodology, including its weighting methodology, to better assess how
representative the Survey’s sample is, and the quality of the data produced.
Augment the collection of data and contact strategies by adopting approaches that
would better capture populations who lack access to online response platforms or are
experiencing residential instability. This should involve conducting interviews with
respondents using live telephone interviews.
We greatly appreciate the Bureau’s work to provide a new data source with timely and
relevant information about the impact of the pandemic on our nation’s households. We
believe our recommendations will enhance the Bureau’s ability to achieve this goal, and
we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Bureau as it proceeds with the
Household Pulse Survey and other data collection efforts.
Sincerely,
Arturo Vargas
Chief Executive Officer
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OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Schwinberg Jean
Wed 7/29/2020 6:32 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Dear Ms. Logan,
This is a comment in support of the Household Pulse Survey. Given the difficulties in getting
an accurate count this program will help to do that.
Sincerely,
Jean M. Schwinberg
7/31/2020, 2:36 PM
July 29, 2020
United States Census Bureau,
We submit this comment in favor of extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the
COVID-19 pandemic. We also propose updating current questions and adding important new questions
to better capture the effect of the pandemic on children and families.
New Mexico Voices for Children is a nonpartisan, statewide advocacy organization that works to make
systems-level changes to improve child well-being. We provide numerous grassroots and organizing
partners, state agencies, and lawmakers with data on New Mexico's children to help inform policy
positions and decisions. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have received many requests for data
regarding how children and families are faring. Data collected through the Household Pulse Survey
during the COVID-19 pandemic has been invaluable for our state's policymakers and advocates.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID19 pandemic for at least another 14 weeks. State and local policymakers will continue to need to
determine, week by week, whether schools and businesses can open and whether people who have lost
jobs continue to need help. The information in this survey is essential in helping leaders decide which
policy interventions are most needed to protect the physical and financial health of American families.
The data collected through the Household Pulse Survey has been especially important to the child
advocacy community in our fight for better policy solutions for children and families. In particular,
questions about access to medical care, health insurance status, education, housing, employment, and
nutrition are critical to understanding the impacts of this pandemic on children. This survey is essential
because it provides statistically significant data for each state that reflects the rapid changes week by
week. We strongly support the continuation of this survey for at least 14 more weeks, and preferably
through at least the beginning of 2021, or until widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and
allowed these critical indicators to stabilize.
We also recommend that the following questions be updated and/or added to improve upon the
survey.
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s household,
but it does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of children vary
drastically by age, which has consequences for families’ finances as well as school systems and plays a
large role in how both families and school administrators are thinking about education and child care
decisions. We suggest that the current question be updated to ask how many children in the household
are under 5, how many are 5 to 12, and how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight
into families’ needs for full-time child care and part-time child care and whether education programs are
working well for elementary and secondary students.
We are also proposing that the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about the
decisions families are making around child care. It should ask what kind of child care services they are
using (child care centers/preschool; before/after care; paid care in someone else’s home; paid or nocost care by friends and family; parental/guardian care at home; taking the child to work; child left
unattended at home.)In addition to asking about what child care setting families have chosen, there
should also be a question asking what their preferred child care setting would be, and if it’s different
than the one they are using, whether they have been unable to find such a program, unable to afford it,
or the hours do not match their needs.
Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing parents and caretakers who work
outside the home. Child care programs have incurred significantly increased costs and reduced income
in order to meet COVID safety requirements, including reduced class size, new equipment, and
increased cleaning costs. Many programs have closed temporarily or permanently and others may be
raising their fees. For these working families, the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic could be
exacerbated by challenges in securing child care. Without data on this matter, policymakers are unable
to consider targeted solutions for families with young children.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, you can reach me
at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Emily Wildau
(she, her, & why this matters)
Research & Policy Analyst/KIDS COUNT Coordinator
New Mexico Voices for Children
625 Silver Ave SW, Suite 195
Albuquerque, NM 87102
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Statement Supporting the Household Pulse Survey
Elizabeth Archambault
Tue 7/28/2020 8:57 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Good Evening Cassandra and PRAcomments,
I am emailing you in support of keeping the Household Pulse Survey. Since this survey was
launched on April 23rd 2020, it has produced near real-time data that provides much needed
information for assessing services for those who need COVID19 assistance; such as Tenant Eviction
Protections on the Federal level.
The new data sources that the Household Pulse Survey is designed to produce supplement the
federal statistical system's traditional benchmark data and give new data sources that are vital and
pertinent and timely that is based on high quality sample frames, integration of data and
professional expertise based on changes over time of individuals' experiences both on social as well
as economic dimensions during this period.
The Household Pulse Survey is a new tool that is needed. We need to retain it for the insights and
current data critical to the creation of Federal Eviction protections to protect small business owners
as well as tenants.
Thank you for your consideration.
Elizabeth Archambault
Seattle WA 98109
7/31/2020, 2:42 PM
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Please extend Pulse Survey
Beth
Thu 7/30/2020 1:21 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED) ; [email protected]
I am writing to express support for continuing the Household Pulse Survey beyond July 31, 2020. This survey
serves two important purposes:
1 - The survey provides valuable, timely data on the effects of the pandemic on U.S. social, economic, health, and
other conditions. There is no substitute for this data. As such it is an invaluable resource for state and local
governments, nonprofits, community groups, businesses, and other in responding to the pandemic.
2 - The survey serves as an incredible model for agile, responsive, cross-departmental data collection and
dissemination. The lessons learned from this effort will inform and improve the federal statistical system for years
to come.
Thank you.
Beth Jarosz
Demographer
7/31/2020, 2:46 PM
July 31, 2020
Cassandra Logan
Survey Director
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Rd.
Suitland-Silver Hill, MD 20746
Re: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Household Pulse Survey, OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Dear Director Logan:
I write to you on behalf of First Focus on Children and as an advocate for children, in response to the Office
of Management and Budget’s (OMB) request for comment the continuation of the Household Pulse Survey.
First Focus on Children is a bipartisan advocacy organization that is dedicated to making children and
families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. Due to the hardships that children continue to
face in the wake of COVID-19, we submit this comment in favor of extending data collection for the
Household Pulse Survey during the pandemic. We also propose that current questions be updated, and
important new questions be added to better capture the effect of the pandemic on children and families.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the United States and the rest of the world with a once-in-a-generation
event creating uncertainty, instability, and harm that will hold for years to come. Many researchers and
policymakers have focused on the economic impacts of the crisis, but more emphasis is needed on how the
crisis is impacting our most vulnerable population - our nation’s children. Millions of children have seen a
disruption in their education, lost access to nutritious meals, face housing insecurity, or are at risk of slipping
into poverty because of the economic crisis. To make matters even worse, the long-term implications of this
crisis will likely last well beyond the coronavirus itself, impacting the health and development of children for
years to come. It is incredibly important that we continue to monitor the havoc caused by the situation and
put forward solutions in real-time to these problems.
Our organization has found the survey data to be helpful in developing our policy and budget analyses during
the pandemic, and we are appreciative that the Census Household Pulse Survey has put a necessary spotlight
on one aspect that traditional survey measures neglect: how children are faring. While the Current Population
Survey (CPS) provides a vital resource for researchers and advocates to understand Americans’ situations, the
CPS lags at too slow of a pace for it to be helpful in the middle of an unprecedented crisis like the one we
face now and often focuses too much on the broadest view of the population as a whole.
On the other hand, the Household Pulse Survey provides a nearly real-time update on the American
experience from multiple points of view, which is especially important while we’re in the midst of the
coronavirus pandemic. The specific questions on educational attainment, food security, health insurance
coverage, housing status, and employment characteristics provide us with a deeper look at how households
with children are faring. These weekly updates inform policymakers and the public about the stakes,
consequences, and effects of the current situation, and they often inform us weeks in advance of what the
CPS will tell us the following month.
We strongly support the continuation of this survey for at least 14 more weeks, but preferably through at least
the beginning of 2021 or until widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and allowed these critical
indicators to stabilize. The Household Pulse Survey will be an invaluable tool for lawmakers and the public
seeking to address our most pressing needs, and it will continue to highlight the oft-ignored challenges that
households with children face. The Census Bureau should consider making the real-time nature of the
Household Pulse Survey a long-term reality; providing weekly updates on the ongoing reality for U.S. children
and adults serves an important purpose even outside of a global pandemic.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can be doing more
to better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families. We therefore also
recommend that the following questions be updated and/or added to improve upon the survey.
How many children in the household are under 5? How many are 5 to 12? How many are 13-17?
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s household, but
it does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of children vary drastically by age,
which has consequences for families’ finances as well as school systems and plays a large role in how both
families and school administrators are thinking about education and child care decisions. We suggest that the
current question be updated to ask how many children in the household are under 5, how many are 5 to 12,
and how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight into families’ needs for full time child care
and part-time child care and whether education programs are working well for elementary and secondary
students.
What kind of child care services are being utilized by members of the household? What would be
your preferred setting for children in the household?
Many families with young children are facing difficult choices about how to access child care and whether to
send their children to child care settings. During the pandemic, child care providers experience many of the
same operational challenges as schools (e.g. smaller class sizes, requiring children to be six feet apart,
increased need for additional supplies in order to reduce sharing among children, etc.), but these are
exacerbated by the lack of public financing for child care and the needs and necessary requirements for
younger children in those settings. This means that policy solutions that aim to protect children attending
schools are much more difficult to extend to younger children who are in child care settings.
We are proposing that the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about the decision’s
families are making around child care. It should ask what kind of child care services they are using (child care
centers/preschool; before/after care; paid care in someone else’s home; paid care in their own homes; paid or
no-cost care by friends and family; parental/guardian care at home; taking the child to work; child left
unattended at home.) In addition to asking about what child care settings families have chosen, the survey
should also ask what their preferred child care setting would be, and, if it’s different than the one they are
using, whether they have been unable to find such a program, unable to afford it, or the hours do not match
their needs. Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing parents and caretakers who
work outside the home under normal circumstances. Child care is now in crisis due to the COVID-19
pandemic. Child care programs have incurred significantly increased costs and reduced income in order to
meet COVID safety requirements, including reduced class size, new equipment, and increased cleaning costs,
and many programs have closed temporarily or permanently. For these working families, the economic fallout
of the COVID-19 pandemic could be exacerbated by challenges in securing child care, and without a stable
2
and safe child care sector, our economy cannot begin to restart. Without data on this matter, policymakers are
unable to consider targeted solutions for families with young children.
Week by week we have seen how the pandemic has directly increased food insecurity, job losses, educational
and child care challenges, and housing insecurity nationwide. Without such data, we would not know the full
extent of this crisis and what policies are needed most to ensure Americans, especially children, are getting the
help they need.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, please contact me at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Bruce Lesley
President
3
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[OMB Control Number 0607-1013] Support to extend the Household Pulse Survey
MacDonald, Graham
Fri 7/31/2020 9:03 AM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Hi,
I’m wri ng in response to the Federal Register request for comment to extend the Household Pulse Survey
(h ps://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/06/03/2020‐11966/agency‐informa on‐collec on‐
ac vi es‐submission‐to‐the‐office‐of‐management‐and‐budget‐omb‐for#addresses).
I want to commend the hard working people at the Census Bureau for producing such a cri cal data resource
for understanding the current moment and enabling organiza ons like the Urban Ins tute and my Data
Science team to produce tools that can help policymakers respond effec vely to help people most in need. I
strongly endorse con nuing this effort for as long as the current economic and health crises con nue. Keep up
the great work.
-Graham MacDonald
Chief Data Scientist
202-261-5466
@grahamimac
U R B A N
I N S T I T U T E
Technology & Data Science
www.urban.org
7/31/2020, 2:33 PM
August 3, 2020
Cassandra Logan
Survey Director
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road
HQ–7H157
Washington, DC 20233
Submitted electronically via [email protected]
RE: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Household Pulse Survey
(OMB Control Number 0607– 1013)
Dear Ms. Logan:
On behalf of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the Blue Cross Blue Shield
Association (BCBSA), we are writing in response to the request for comments regarding
extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey During COVID-19 Epidemic
(“Household Pulse Survey”).
We applaud the Census Bureau and the five other coordinating agencies—the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Center for Health
Statistics, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the USDA Economic Research
Service—on their quick development and launch of Household Pulse Survey to assess the impact
of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting American households. The survey provides
critical, near real-time insights into the social and economic effects of the pandemic and is a
critical tool for identifying and addressing the impact for employment, economic security, and
access to health care. These data are crucial in guiding federal policy and actions of employers in
the private sector as they craft responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHIP and BCBSA strongly recommend the Household Pulse Survey be extended for the
duration of the Public Health Emergency (PHE). The Survey is singular in its frequency,
timeliness, and breadth of covered topics, ranging from employment status to food and housing
security to physical and mental health to health care access. While the Census Bureau is seeking
an extension for an additional 12 weeks, we believe continuing this data collection throughout
PHE will allow Federal policymakers, employers, and the private sector to better understand the
unfolding impact of the pandemic on all aspects of American life and continue to develop and
implement solutions to serve the American people during this unprecedented pandemic.
After reviewing results from the initial 12-week survey period, available through the Household
Pulse Survey public use files (PUFs), we are concerned that Question 36 may be generating
inaccurate or misleading data related to enrollment in employer-sponsored insurance and
coverage offered through the individual market. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss
with you further.
Page 2
August 3, 2020
Based on our calculations using the weekly PUFs for the data collection period May 5 – July 21,
those data indicate enrollment in employer-sponsored insurance ranging from approximately
112-119 million and enrollment in the individual market, including through Marketplace
coverage, over 30 million.1 Both estimates deviate significantly from broadly accepted coverage
estimates. Prior to COVID, approximately 160 million individuals under age 65 were enrolled in
employer sponsored insurance. Early estimates project 25-43 million could lose employersponsored coverage due to COVID.2 As of early 2019, about a year before the COVID
pandemic, about 13.7 million people were enrolled in coverage through the individual market,
including coverage offered on- and off-marketplace.3 The PUFs indicate enrollment in employer
sponsored coverage that is about 30 percent of commonly accepted coverage estimates, and more
than double individual market enrollment. While COVID-related unemployment is impacting
coverage through both employer sponsored coverage and the individual market, we have not
seen evidence yet that indicates enrollment levels have shifted as dramatically as the PUF data
would suggest.
Accurate data collection will be critical to tracking the impact of COVID-19 on Americans’
access to health care over the course of the PHE and, as a result, policies implemented by
lawmakers, employers, and the private sector. We urge the Census Bureau to review Question
36 to ensure it is generating reliable data on trends in health insurance coverage as a result of
COVID.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the proposed data collection. We
appreciate the efforts of the Census Bureau and other federal agencies in prioritizing this critical
data collection and sharing the results in a timely manner. If you have any questions on our
comments, please contact Jeanette Thornton at [email protected] or Stuart Hagen at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Jeanette Thornton
America’s Health Insurance Plans
1
Kris Haltmeyer
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Household Pulse Survey Public Use File. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/household-pulsesurvey/datasets.html
2
Garrett B, and Gangopadhyaya A. How the COVID-19 Recession Could Affect Health Insurance Coverage. Urban
Institute. May 2020. https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2020/05/how-the-covid-19-recession-could-affecthealth-insurance-coverage.html
3
Fehr R, Cox C, and Levitt L. Data Note: Changes in Enrollment in the Individual Health Insurance Market through
Early 2019. Kaiser Family Foundation. August 21, 2019. https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/datanote-changes-in-enrollment-in-the-individual-health-insurance-market-through-early-2019/
Page 3
August 3, 2020
Appendix
Household Pulse Survey
Section Q36 (insurance)
Are you currently covered by any of the following types of health insurance or health
coverage plans? Mark Yes or No for each.
1) Insurance through a current or former employer or union (through yourself or
another family member)
2) Insurance purchased directly from an insurance company, including
marketplace coverage (through yourself or another family member)
3) Medicare, for people 65 and older, or people with certain disabilities
4) Medicaid, Medical Assistance, or any kind of government-assistance plan for
those with low incomes or a disability;
5) TRICARE or other military health care
6) VA (including those who have ever used or enrolled for VA health care)
7) Indian Health Service
8) Other
Section Q36 Spanish (insurance)
¿? Seleccione solo una respuesta.
1)
Logic:
Matrix style question with Yes/No response option for each row
Only one response permitted per row
Response to Request for Comment Regarding the Household Pulse Survey During COVID-19
OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Survey Director Logan,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on extending the data collection period for the
Household Pulse Survey During COVID-19 (OMB Control Number 0607-1013). The Bipartisan Policy
Center’s Early Childhood Initiative strongly encourages the U.S. Census Bureau to extend the data
collection period for the Household Pulse Survey During COVID-19 Epidemic past the current end date of
July 31st, 2020. The data collected by this survey provides critical and timely information about the
challenges children and families are facing during the pandemic. These data are critical for policymakers
to make informed decisions about how and where to target financial and programmatic supports. As the
COVID-19 crisis continues, it is necessary to continue collecting data to fully understand its impact, in
both the short and long-terms.
One of the biggest issues faced by families with children is child care. Many parents now
working from home are trying to balance child caregiving needs with work demands, and parents who
are on the frontlines and unable to work from home are struggling to find child care as many programs
have been forced to close or significantly reduce capacity. These issues will become more pressing as
school districts across the country make difficult decisions about whether to hold classes in person or
virtually. School-age children who would normally spend most of their days in an elementary or middle
school will no longer have that option and need another safe and enriching learning environment while
their parents work. As we move into the fall, extending the Household Pulse Survey will provide useful
insight on the changes in child care demand throughout the summer and into the fall. Specifically,
question 13 of the current survey asks if child care need is the main reason why a respondent might
have left the workforce. The continuation collection of this data point will provide longitudinal data
about how school and child care closures may increase child care needs and lead to further labor force
dropout.
While the current question about child care combined with the questions about K-12 education
are useful in understanding the impact of the pandemic on families with children, the current
questionnaire only mentions child care once, overlooking the critical role child care plays in the
economic health of our country. We strongly recommend any survey extension include additional
questions specific to child care. Child care is necessary for parents to maintain or return to work. A BPC
and Morning Consult survey conducted in October 2019 found child care affected the ability of 68% of
parents to stay in the workforce. Yet, it remains unclear what parent demand for child care will look like
as the pandemic evolves. A major change is likely to occur in the fall as K-12 schools re-open or close in
various ways, which may leave many school-age children in need of care.
The impact of child care availability and demand go far beyond individual families. It also greatly
impacts the success of businesses, and these businesses are concerned about how child care is
impacting their employees. In an April 2020 BPC/Morning Consult survey of small business owners, half
of employers said that family and child responsibilities from school closures are very or somewhat
challenging. The survey also found that 71% of business executives were very or somewhat concerned
about their employees who have children at home because of school or child care closures. Business
concerns and uncertainty will slow the economic recovery after the pandemic. The addition of new child
care questions to the Household Pulse Survey will help leaders to understand and respond to the needs
of families with children and provide data businesses need to move forward.
The Household Pulse Survey is the most capable of collecting accurate data on child care
demand because of its large, representative sample and regular updates. Such data can inform the child
care industry and the nation of the potential need for additional supports in the coming months.
In alignment with the Bureau’s goal to enhance the utility of the survey data, attached are
several additional questions we request be included in the extended Household Pulse Survey. These
questions aim to isolate the impacts of child care on the parental workforce and will help understand
the shifts in labor participation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questions focus on capturing details
about child care usage, including how many hours of care the household used and how much families
spent child care expenses. We also recommend including questions regarding care arrangements for
school-age children, those between the ages of 6 and 14, who will need a wide-range of care options as
K-12 schools open in various ways this fall.
We strongly encourage the Census Bureau to continue the Household Pulse Survey During
COVID-19 and recommend including additional questions that gather critical data about child and
school-age care. Our economy will not recover without child care. We need the best data possible to
know how to support working parents and the businesses that rely on them to succeed. Thank you for
the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Linda K. Smith
Director, Early Childhood Initiative
Request for Inclusion of New Questions:
1) “Since February 2020, has anyone in your household experienced a change in their workforce
participation due to child care needs?”
a) Yes, I am now working remotely or at home
b) Yes, someone else in my household is now working remotely or at home
c) Yes, I am working fewer hours
d) Yes, someone in my household is working fewer hours
e) Yes, I have left the workforce
f) Yes, someone else in my household has left the workforce
g) No, no one in my household has experienced a change due to child care
2) “Due to modified school schedules, how many of your school-age children need, or do you
expect will need, school-age care by a caregiver outside your family this fall?” Please enter a
number.
3) Does your household use a nonparental child care arrangement? Yes or No
4) If yes, what type of child care arrangement did you use in the last 7 days?
a) Child care center
b) Family child care home
c) Preschool/nursery school program
d) Family or friend cares for child
e) Child care in your own home
f) Pre-kindergarten/school-based program
g) Nanny or nanny-share
h) School-aged child care
i) Head Start program
j) Faith-based program
k) Other
5) During the last 7 days how much money did you or your household spend on child care? Please
enter a number.
6) During the last 7 days how many hours of child care per week does this household use? Please
enter a number.
Revisions to Previous Questions:
•
•
•
•
Q8: “How many people under 18 years-old currently live in your household?”
Request to include how many are 6-14 and how many are below 6.
Q19: “What did, or will, you and your household spend the “stimulus payment” on?
Request to include an option for “Child Care or School-age care”
Q20: “Which of the following did you use (or expect to use) to meet your spending
needs?”
Request to include the options of cash assistance, SNAP/ food stamps, and child
care subsidies to this list
Q43: “How has the coronavirus pandemic affected how the children in this household
received education?”
Request to change “received” to “will receive”
Cassandra Logan
Survey Director
U.S. Census Bureau
RE: OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Submitted via email
August 3, 2020
Dear Ms. Logan,
Data collected through the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic has been invaluable for
policymakers and advocates. The Census Bureau is providing a clear picture of how people are faring during a
difficult and turbulent period. We applaud the Bureau’s efforts to gather this important information under these
circumstances, developing the survey with unprecedented speed, using innovative approaches to reach families,
and releasing data in days rather than months. This work must continue. We submit this comment in favor of
extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also
propose that current questions be updated and important new questions be added to better capture the
effect of the pandemic on children, young adults, and families.
The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is a national, non-partisan, non-profit anti-poverty organization
that advances policy solutions for people in low-income households. Working at the federal, state, and local
levels, we develop practical yet visionary strategies for reducing poverty, promoting economic security, and
addressing barriers faced by people of color. We rely on data to inform our policy work and in particular find
accurate, up-to-date information about the lives of people in the United States to be crucial to advocating for
effective policy solutions that support the health and economic well-being of individuals and families.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID19 pandemic for at least another 14 weeks. Data indicate the pandemic and its associated impacts are far from
over. State and local policymakers will continue to need accurate data to make policy decisions to support
children and families during this unprecedented time. The information in this survey is essential to helping them
decide which policy interventions are most needed to protect the physical and financial health of American
families.
For example, responses to the question about expected loss of income reveal how this pandemic has affected
different parts of the country in disparate ways over time. During survey Week 2 (May 7-12), 46 percent of
respondents in New York state — but 37 percent of Texans — expected to lose employment income soon. By
Week 10 (July 2-10), 40 percent of New Yorkers but 43 percent of respondents in Texas expected a loss of
employment income. Without Household Pulse Survey data, these trends could not be seen, making it
impossible for policymakers to respond to the needs of American families in real time.
The data collected through the Household Pulse Survey has been especially important to the child advocacy
community in our fight for better policy solutions for children and families. In particular, questions about access
to medical care, health insurance status, education, housing, employment, and nutrition are critical to
understanding the impacts of this pandemic on children. It has also been very important to the youth and young
adult advocacy and practitioner community. For example, young adults ages 18-24 have been particularly
impacted by job losses and report experiencing greater stress, anxiety and depression during COVID-19. It is
important to understand the health, nutrition, and employment consequences on this generation of youth/young
adults as this is a critical time period in their development. This survey is essential because it provides
statistically significant data for each state that reflects the rapid changes week by week. Thus we strongly
support the continuation of this survey for at least 14 more weeks, and preferably through at least the beginning
of 2021, or until widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and allowed these critical indicators to
stabilize.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can be doing more to
better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families. We therefore also recommend
that the following questions be updated and/or added to improve upon the survey:
How many children in the household are under 5? How many are 5 to 12? How many are 13-17?
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s household, but it
does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of children vary drastically by age,
which has consequences for families’ finances as well as school systems and plays a large role in how both
families and school administrators are thinking about education and child care decisions. We suggest that the
current question be updated to ask how many children in the household are under 5, how many are 5 to 12, and
how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight into families’ needs for full time child care and
part-time child care and whether education programs are working well for elementary and secondary students.
What is the age of the respondent and their relationship to children in the household?
Similarly, we request that the Survey collect data on young adults who are parenting. As mentioned above,
young adults ages 18-24 have been particularly impacted by job losses and report experiencing greater stress,
anxiety and depression during COVID-19. Moreover, many young adults in this age group are parents and are
likely experiencing even greater levels of stress and need related to the care and wellbeing of their children. The
current survey data allows for breakdown of data by young adult but doesn’t not allow for understanding the
needs of these young parents because it only asks whether there are children in the household, not whether they
are the child’s primary guardian. This makes it impossible to sort out households which include young adults
and children (including siblings) from households led by young parenting adults.
What kind of child care services are being utilized by members of the household? What would be your
preferred setting for children in the household?
Many families with young children are facing difficult choices about whether to send their children to child care
settings. Child care programs have incurred significantly increased costs and reduced income in order to meet
COVID safety requirements, including reduced class size, new equipment, and increased cleaning costs. Many
programs have closed temporarily or permanently, and others may be raising their fees. We are proposing that
the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about the decisions families are making around
child care. It should ask what kind of child care services they are using (child care centers/preschool;
before/after care; in-home care; paid care in someone else’s home; paid or no-cost care by friends and family;
parental/guardian care at home; taking the child to work; child left unattended at home; child in care of a
sibling.) In addition to asking about what child care setting families have chosen, there should also be a
question asking what their preferred child care setting would be, and if it’s different than the one they are using,
whether they have been unable to find such a program , unable to afford it, or the hours do not match their
needs. Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing parents and caretakers who work
outside the home. For these working families, the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic could be
exacerbated by challenges in securing child care. Without data on this matter, policymakers are unable to
consider targeted solutions for families with young children.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment.
Sincerely,
Hannah Matthews
Deputy Executive Director for Policy
[email protected]
July 30th, 2020
Cassandra Logan
Survey Director, U.S. Census Bureau
[email protected]
[email protected]
OMB Control Number: 0607-1013
Dear Dr. Logan:
Data collected through the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic has been invaluable for
policymakers and advocates. The Census Bureau is providing Americans with a clear picture of how people are
faring during a difficult and turbulent period. We applaud the Bureau’s efforts to gather this important
information under these circumstances, developing the survey with unprecedented speed, using innovative
approaches to reach families, and releasing data in days rather than months. This work must continue. We submit
this comment in favor of extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19
pandemic. We also propose that current questions be updated and important new questions be added to
better capture the effect of the pandemic on children and families.
The Colorado Children’s Campaign is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization committed since 1985 to
realizing every chance for every child in Colorado. We advocate for the development and implementation of datadriven public policies that improve child well-being in health, education and early childhood. We do this by
providing Coloradans with trusted data and research on child well-being and organizing an extensive state-wide
network of dedicated child advocates. In recent weeks, the Children’s Campaign has used data from the Census
Pulse Survey to understand how issues of food and housing insecurity, lost income, and delayed access to medical
care are currently impacting our state’s families. Specifically, our work to effectively compile all current data and
research to inform K-12 school reopening decisions in Colorado used several statistics from the Household Pulse
Survey; as public schools are often primary sites of child nutrition and youth mental health and medical care,
these timely data were instrumental in illustrating the changing needs of households and the likely consequences
of extended physical school closures.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19
pandemic for at least another 14 weeks. While early hotspots like New York and Seattle have seen major
reductions in cases of the disease since March, the number of cases of COVID-19 have increased in many other
states. State and local policymakers will continue to need to determine, week by week, whether schools and
businesses can open and whether people who have lost jobs continue to need help. The information in this survey
is essential to helping them decide which policy interventions are most needed to protect the physical and
financial health of American families.
For example, responses to the question about expected loss of income reveal how this pandemic has affected
different parts of the country in disparate ways over time. During survey Week 2 (May 7-12), 46 percent of
respondents in New York state — but 37 percent of Texans — expected to lose employment income soon. By
Week 10 (July 2-10), 40 percent of New Yorkers but 43 percent of respondents in Texas expected a loss of
employment income. Without Household Pulse Survey data, these trends could not be seen, making it impossible
for policymakers to respond to the needs of American families in real time.
The data collected through the Household Pulse Survey has been especially important to the child advocacy
community in our fight for better policy solutions for children and families. In particular, questions about access
to medical care, health insurance status, education, housing, employment, and nutrition are critical to
understanding the impacts of this pandemic on children. This survey is essential because it provides statistically
1
significant data for each state that reflects the rapid changes week by week. Thus we strongly support the
continuation of this survey for at least 14 more weeks, and preferably through at least the beginning of 2021, or
until widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and allowed these critical indicators to stabilize.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can be doing more to
better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families. We therefore also recommend that
the following questions be updated and/or added to improve upon the survey.
•
How many children in the household are under 5? How many are 5 to 12? How many are 13 to 17?
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s household, but it
does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of children vary drastically by age,
which has consequences for families’ finances as well as school systems and plays a large role in how both
families and school administrators are thinking about education and child care decisions. We suggest that the
current question be updated to ask how many children in the household are under 5, how many are 5 to 12,
and how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight into families’ needs for full time child care
and part-time child care and whether education programs are working well for elementary and secondary
students.
•
What kind of child care services are being utilized by members of the household? What would be
your preferred setting for children in the household?
Many families with young children are facing difficult choices about whether to send their children to child
care settings. During the pandemic, child care centers experience many of the same operational challenges as
schools (e.g. smaller class sizes, requiring children to be six feet apart, increased need for additional supplies
in order to reduce sharing among children, etc.). However, financing and oversight for child care centers is far
different from schools. This means that policy solutions that aim to protect children attending schools are
much more difficult to extend to younger children who are in child care settings. In addition, parents of
school-aged children may need more hours of child care if schools offer reduced hours of in-person
instruction, perhaps needing three days a week, or only afternoons. Existing programs are not currently
designed to offer these hours.
We are proposing that the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about the decisions
families are making around child care. It should ask what kind of child care services they are using (child care
centers/preschool; before/after care; paid day care in someone else’s home; paid or no-cost care by friends and
family; parental/guardian care at home; taking the child to work; child left unattended at home.) In addition to
asking about what child care setting families have chosen, there should also be a question asking what their
preferred child care setting would be, and if it’s different than the one they are using, whether they have been
unable to find such a program, unable to afford it, or the hours do not match their needs.
Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing parents and caretakers who work outside the
home. Child care programs have incurred significantly increased costs and reduced income in order to meet
COVID safety requirements, including reduced class size, new equipment, and increased cleaning costs. Many
programs have closed temporarily or permanently and others may be raising their fees. For these working
families, the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic could be exacerbated by challenges in securing child
care. Without data on this matter, policymakers are unable to consider targeted solutions for families with young
children.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, you can reach me at
[email protected].
2
Sincerely,
Erica Manoatl, MPH
Research Analyst, Colorado Children’s Campaign
3
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Please Extend Household Pulse Survey – OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Debbie Weinstein
Mon 8/3/2020 11:12 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Please Extend Household Pulse Survey – OMB Control Number 0607‐1013
August 3, 2020
Ms. Cassandra Logan,
Survey Director
United States Census Bureau
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Logan:
On behalf of the Coalition on Human Needs, I would like to express our gratitude for the
tremendously helpful Household Pulse survey, and to strongly urge you to extend its collection of
weekly data throughout the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences,
or at least another 14 weeks.
The Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is an independent non-profit alliance of national organizations,
including human service providers, faith organizations, civil rights, labor, policy experts and other
advocates for meeting the needs of low-income and vulnerable people. CHN has made extensive use
of many Census Bureau products for many years. We host annual webinars reaching more than 2,000
advocates nationwide to teach how to make use of the poverty, income and health insurance data
released through the Current Population Survey and American Community Survey every year, and use
the national and state data in our analyses of the needs of low-income people. We are currently
partners with the Bureau in its work towards an accurate decennial census count, and play a leadership
role in the Count All Kids campaign, which has worked closely with the Census Bureau to improve
the count of young children.
We very much appreciate that the Household Pulse survey is a departure from other Census products,
and applaud your careful work to respond to what we believe is a genuine national emergency. We
want you to know that we are using the survey findings each week in multiple ways. One major use
for us is our weekly COVID-19 Watch, which relies heavily on the data in the Household Pulse
survey. This is an emailed and online publication delivered to a large nationwide list. Our most recent
edition, published on July 31, cited findings related to households unable to pay rent in the previous
month and children in households who did not have enough to eat in the past week. Previous editions
have also utilized that data, as well as employment data, such as households in which someone had
lost income from work since March 13. We value and make use of the breakdowns by race/ethnicity.
Most of our COVID-19 Watch issues focus on national data, but we have used your state or
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metropolitan area data at times as well.
We do use the state data in separate fact sheets that we have been producing in partnership with
various state organizations. One recent example is a North Carolina fact sheet. This document cites
Household Pulse employment, food sufficiency, rental housing, and health insurance data. We have so
far partnered with groups in Arizona, California, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota and
Utah, always relying significantly on the Household Pulse survey data.
The questions asked, showing connections among health status, employment status, care-giving
responsibilities, income level, race, and hardships such as hunger and the threat of eviction are very
helpful in raising awareness about urgent problems brought on by the pandemic. The breakdowns by
race add dimension to the growing information about disproportionate incidence of disease among
people of color. Thank you for creating a thoughtful set of questions that make it possible to learn
more about communities especially at risk in the pandemic, either from the disease itself or its
economic dislocations.
We ask that the Household Pulse Survey be continued at least another 14 weeks because it is clear
both that COVID-19 is spreading significantly across the country and that the economic consequences
will last for a long time. Some of the federal responses to emergency shutdowns – additional
unemployment compensation and an eviction moratorium – have just expired, although Congress may
reinstate some or all of these policies. The Household Pulse will help to evaluate what happens to
families/households when they are receiving various forms of assistance – or when they are not. It
can focus attention on people most vulnerable to eviction.
One difference between the Household Pulse Survey and other Census products is that there are not
many direct questions about children. There are a number of questions about households with
children, and we make a great deal of use of that data, but there are fewer opportunities to get
information in which the child is the focal point. I noticed that in Week 12, the Food Table 5 includes
a specific line in which it is possible to say something specifically about children not having enough
to eat in the previous week, which I do not believe was in earlier weeks (I have not gone back to find
exactly when this line first appeared). This is a helpful inclusion; it would be still more helpful if
there are other kinds of questions in which it is possible to isolate the impact on children specifically.
If it is possible to add other questions to the survey that get at conditions for children, it would be of
use to many organizations.
There is another way in which the Census Bureau could be helpful: guidance in making comparisons
from one week to another, or in the confidence one can have about very small subgroups, such as
racial breakdowns in small states. We make great use of the data provided by the Census, but none of
CHN’s staff are statistical experts. We pay strict attention to advice the Census Bureau offers around
comparisons using the ACS and CPS. There is less guidance here. I have noted significant
fluctuations in data from one week to the next in certain small states, and have therefore declined to
make comparisons over time, and in some instances, I have not used those data points at all. I have
noted that one of our member organizations, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, chose to
average data over two weeks to smooth out some of that variation. The Census Bureau’s guidance
about statistical significance of comparisons, perhaps provided through a brief publication, would be
extremely helpful.
With the pandemic’s impact expected to be more long-lived than many foresaw, it will be
disappointing if the Household Pulse Survey is not continued. The data can provide extremely
important guidance in the kinds of policies that would offer the most targeted help. Many thanks for
the innovative and very constructive approach you have offered – we very much hope it can be
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continued throughout the period of this national emergency.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of assistance ([email protected]; cell:
301-873-1324).
Sincerely yours,
Deborah Weinstein,
Executive Director
Deborah Weinstein
Execu ve Director
Coali on on Human Needs
[email protected]
cell: (301) 873‐1324
CHN's street address, whenever we get back in:
1825 K Street, NW, Suite 411
Washington, DC 20006
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OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Alena Stern
Sun 8/2/2020 11:16 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Cc: [email protected]
Dear Ms. Logan,
I am writing to encourage the Department of Commerce to extend the Household Pulse Survey for
another 12 weeks. I am a data scientist at the Urban Institute and have extensively used the data
from the Household Pulse Survey for analysis. I have heard consistently from other researchers at
the Urban Institute, members of the media, and community organizations that the Household Pulse
Survey is the only data source that can enable them to understand how the impacts of COVID-19 at
the national, state, and metropolitan area level are changing over time. The provision of the raw
public use files enables the calculation of a variety of disaggregated statistics, which are critical for
understanding the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on different communities - especially as we
know that communities of color have been particularly hard hit by the virus and the economic
impacts.
This data provides a critical input to policymakers and nonprofits aiming to develop targeted
responses to COVID-19. As cases increase across most of the United States and millions of
Americans face eviction and economic hardship as the CARES act programs - including the
supplemental unemployment insurance - expired on July 31st - these data are more critical than
ever. I strongly encourage the Department of Commerce to continue the Household Pulse Survey.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to provide comment and I am happy to provide further
clarification on any of the above.
Best,
Alena Stern
8/3/2020, 8:54 AM
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OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Denice Ross
Mon 8/3/2020 2:56 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Cassandra Logan
Survey Director
U.S. Census Bureau
OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Census Household Pulse Survey
Dear Dr. Logan,
I moved to New Orleans in 2001 to organize decennial census data into neighborhoods and publish it
on the web in an easy to use format. The idea was that we could democratize data -- so that instead
of data being used by people in power to make decisions about communities behind closed doors,
that communities would have access to the data themselves to advocate for their own destinies. We
spent four years after the release of the first 2000 Census data helping to build local capacity to use
data. But on August 29, 2005, all of those numbers became instantly obsolete as 80% of the city
flooded and New Orleans residents scattered across the nation.
In the aftermath, we were flying blind as a community. The old way of making decisions, based on
precedent and who you know, didn’t work anymore. And there was no data to fill the gap. What kinds
of social services did returning residents need -- food pantries, free clinics, housing? How was their
mental health faring? What about their physical health? Did they have health insurance? How are
children doing? Do households have access to the internet (a crucial tool for recovery)? Was the
recovery equitable, or were certain populations being left behind?
A survey like the Household Pulse would have been a huge blessing after Katrina.
In the absence of such an effort at the federal level, nonprofits took it upon themselves to collect data.
Some hard-hit neighborhoods like the Lower Ninth Ward were so overwhelmed by well-meaning
survey-takers that residents stopped answering the doors. The methodology of these home-grown
surveys rendered many of the results unactionable, and most organizations weren't sharing the data,
anyway.
A few academics came in and orchestrated surveys. Though they recruited local volunteers to collect
data, some never followed through on their promises to share the data with the community. Those
data re-appeared years later in peer-reviewed journals, too late to be useful.
None of the groups conducting surveys had the resources to compile data for the long haul of the
recovery, so it was hard to benchmark over time, let alone compare across geographies. This
haphazard and low-value surveying during the recovery left us in the dark, and ultimately probably
8/3/2020, 2:59 PM
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did more harm than good.
The Census Household Pulse Survey is a tremendous asset in the pandemic recovery, with its
nationwide, weekly data on households available by state, with breakdowns by age, race/ethnicity,
and educational attainment. The Pulse Survey enables state and local governments, nonprofits,
schools, and other frontline providers to focus on improving the lives and livelihoods of their
communities rather than collecting data to figure out what’s needed. And, it gives the American public
context to see how we are faring over time, and across states.
As the patterns of this pandemic continue to change rapidly, weekly Household Pulse Surveys will be
a key part of our nation’s recovery toolkit. I encourage the Department of Commerce to continue the
Household Pulse Survey and its companion, the Small Business Pulse Survey, throughout the course
of the pandemic and our nation’s subsequent recovery.
Thank you!
Denice Ross
Former Co-Director
Greater New Orleans Community Data Center
8/3/2020, 2:59 PM
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Comment re OMB Control Number 0607-1013
[email protected]
Sun 8/2/2020 3:46 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Hello,
We urge you to reconsider the planned termination of the Household Pulse Survey as of the
end of July. The Household Pulse Survey has been a critical tool for assessing the
household needs that COVID-19 has exacerbated. As Federal Eviction protections have now
expired, it is imperative that this tool is retained!
Thank you for your attention.
Jacob and Ellen Naor
3403 NE 80th St
Seattle, WA 98115
Virus-free. www.avg.com
8/3/2020, 8:53 AM
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OMB Control Number 0607-1013
[email protected]
Sun 8/2/2020 2:06 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
re: OMB Control Number 0607- 1013
Dear Cassandra Logan,
I want to add my voice to those who support the continuation of the Household Pulse
Survey conducted by the Census Bureau. The information generated by this survey
provides valuable insight as to the trends affecting Americans during the COVID-19
pandemic. This information is not available elsewhere and so enables public knowledge
concerning the impacts. It would be a great loss to stop the Survey as the pandemic
continues to grow throughout the nation.
Thank you for your time & consideration of this important matter.
Sincerely,
James McCurley
Pittsburgh, PA
8/3/2020, 8:52 AM
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0607-1013 The need to continue the pulse survey
Jessie Moore
Sun 8/2/2020 8:14 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
Cc: [email protected]
Hi Cassandra,
OMB Control Number: 0607‐1013
I am a graduate student at the Stanford School of Medicine, studying community health and preven on
research. I have been working first‐hand on assessing the impact of COVID‐19 on families in the San Francisco
Bay Area.
The Pulse survey should without a doubt be extended. This survey has given researchers, policymakers, and
individuals working in food advocacy a be er understanding of food insecurity during this me.
Unemployment has improved, but food insecurity remains a cri cal and widespread issue for many American
families.
Similarly, I propose adding several ques ons to be er understand the effec veness and impacts of several
government measures taken during COVID‐19. We must know if P‐EBT was in fact u lized by those in need, if
there were pi alls in outreach, and should it be extended. This can both give informa on on whether or not
P‐EBT should be reinstated and how to be er engage with families in need in future crises. It may also be
beneficial to ask ques ons on families change in sedentary behavior or physical ac vity. This pandemic
dispropor onately affects black and brown individuals, as well as low‐income families. The effects of shelter‐
in‐place and business closures may very well be dispropor onately be affec ng these same individuals. We
must be er understand all of the economic, as well as health effects from COVID‐19 in order to inform
policymakers.
I have data on school district P‐EBT outreach such as only 8% of school districts in the San Francisco Bay Area
gave informa on about P‐EBT on their homepage. Similarly, I have examined the difference in site par cipa on
of the Seamless Summer Op on (SSO) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) between 2019 and 2020.
Sadly, less sites in California are par cipa ng in these programs this summer, a me when families have been
at most need for food. Lastly, I looked at the spread of meal pick‐up sites within school districts to be er
assess the equity of distribu on. There was large varia on in meal availability and method of delivery (bus
stop delivery, pick‐up only sites, etc.).
Please feel free to contact me with any ques ons that you may have.
Please do your best to fight for the extension of the Pulse Survey!
Thanks,
Jessie
OMB Control Number: 0607‐1013
8/3/2020, 8:54 AM
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Comment: OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Cline, Michael E
Fri 7/31/2020 1:58 PM
To: Cassandra Logan (CENSUS/ADDP FED)
The Household PULSE survey has been invaluable and mely for helping our budget office and our partners in
the North Carolina Dept. of Commerce evaluate and track the impacts of COVID and indicators of economic
recovery. We have also used the household survey to evaluate the impact to Medicaid spending in order to
alter our projec ons of future Medicaid spending.
Although this is not the only resource we have used, it provides an addi onal data point with which to reflect.
We ask that you con nue this survey.
Dr. Michael (Mike) Cline
State Demographer
Demographic and Economic Analysis Sec on
NC Office of State Budget and Management
Tel: 984‐236‐0686 | Fax: 984‐236‐0630
Email: [email protected]
Twi er: @NCDemographer
430 N. Salisbury St., 4th Floor | Raleigh, NC 27603
(Currently opera ng from the home office in SW Raleigh)
Mailing address:
20320 Mail Service Center | Raleigh, NC 27699‐0320
Municipal Popula on Es mates & County Popula on Es mates/Projec ons:
h ps://demography.osbm.nc.gov
Make NC Count!
h ps://census.nc.gov/
E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law (GS
132) and may be disclosed to third parties by an authorized state official.
Email correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties by an
authorized state official.
7/31/2020, 2:30 PM
July 31, 2020
United States Census Bureau,
Data collected through the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic has been
invaluable for policymakers and for advocates. The Census Bureau is providing Americans with
a clear picture of how people are faring during a difficult and turbulent period. We applaud the
Bureau’s efforts to gather this important information under these circumstances, developing the
survey with unprecedented speed, using innovative approaches to reach families, and releasing
data in days rather than months. This work must continue. We submit this comment in favor
of extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19
pandemic. We also propose that current questions be updated and important new
questions be added to better capture the effect of the pandemic on children and families.
Voices for Georgia’s Children, as the only comprehensive child-focused policy and advocacy
organization in Georgia, is a data-driven, nonpartisan organization that is focused on equitable
policy solutions for Georgia’s children. The data collected in the Household Pulse Survey has
strengthened our advocacy for: the extension of flexibilities offered in United States Department
of Agriculture food waivers – addressing families’ access to food; the federal moratorium on
evictions and mortgage foreclosures – addressing families’ housing security; increased
investment in schools and internet connectivity – addressing children’s access to education;
continued enhanced unemployment insurance compensation – addressing families’ ability to
meet their most basic needs; and caregiver mental health—addressing access to mental health
resources. In several communications with upwards of 10,000 people interested in fighting for
children’s well-being, we have used this data to highlight the dramatic impact that COVID-19
has had on millions of Georgia families and children. This data will be a critical tool going
forward, as we continue to assess needs and strategize advocacy for policy change
accordingly.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey
during the COVID-19 pandemic for at least another 14 weeks. While early hotspots like New
York and Seattle have seen major reductions in cases of the disease since March, the number
of cases of COVID-19 have increased in Georgia, as well as places like Florida, Texas, Arizona,
and California. Experts suggest they do not anticipate this increase to slow down for some time.
State and local policymakers will continue to need to determine, week by week, whether schools
and businesses can open and whether people who have lost jobs continue to need help. The
information in this survey is essential to helping them decide which policy interventions are most
needed to protect the physical and financial health of American families.
For example, responses to the question about expected loss of income reveal how this
pandemic has affected different parts of the country in disparate ways over time. During survey
Week 2 (May 7-12), 46 percent of respondents in New York state — but 37 percent of Texans
— expected to lose employment income soon. By Week 10 (July 2-10), 40 percent of New
Yorkers but 43 percent of respondents in Texas expected a loss of employment income.
Without Household Pulse Survey data, these trends could not be seen, making it impossible for
policymakers to respond to the needs of American families in real time.
The data collected through the Household Pulse Survey has been especially important to the
child advocacy community in our fight for better policy solutions for children and families. In
particular, questions about access to medical care, health insurance status, education, housing,
employment, and nutrition are critical to understanding the impacts of this pandemic on children.
This survey is essential because it provides statistically significant data for each state that
reflects the rapid changes week by week. Thus we strongly support the continuation of this
survey for at least 14 more weeks, and preferably through at least the beginning of 2021, or until
widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and allowed these critical indicators to
stabilize.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can be
doing more to better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families.
We therefore also recommend that the following questions be updated and/or added to improve
upon the survey.
How many children in the household are under 5? How many are 5 to 12? How many are
13-17?
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s
household, but it does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of
children vary drastically by age, which has consequences for families’ finances as well as
school systems and plays a large role in how both families and school administrators are
thinking about education and child care decisions. We suggest that the current question be
updated to ask how many children in the household are under 5, how many are 5 to 12, and
how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight into families’ needs for full time
child care and part-time child care and whether education programs are working well for
elementary and secondary students.
What kind of child care services are being utilized by members of the household? What
would be your preferred setting for children in the household?
Many families with young children are facing difficult choices about whether to send their
children to child care settings. During the pandemic, child care centers experience many of the
same operational challenges as schools (e.g. smaller class sizes, requiring children to be six
feet apart, increased need for additional supplies in order to reduce sharing among children,
etc.). However, financing and oversight for child care centers is far different from schools. This
means that policy solutions that aim to protect children attending schools are much more difficult
to extend to younger children who are in child care settings. In addition, parents of school-aged
children may need more hours of child care if schools offer reduced hours of in-person
instruction, perhaps needing three days a week, or only afternoons. Existing programs are not
currently designed to offer these hours.
We are proposing that the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about
the decisions families are making around child care. It should ask what kind of child care
services they are using (child care centers/preschool; before/after care; paid day care in
someone else’s home; paid or no-cost care by friends and family; parental/guardian care at
home; taking the child to work; child left unattended at home.) In addition to asking about what
child care setting families have chosen, there should also be a question asking what their
preferred child care setting would be, and if it’s different than the one they are using, whether
they have been unable to find such a program, unable to afford it, or the hours do not match
their needs. Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing parents and
caretakers who work outside the home. Child care programs have incurred significantly
increased costs and reduced income in order to meet COVID safety requirements, including
reduced class size, new equipment, and increased cleaning costs. Many programs have closed
temporarily or permanently and others may be raising their fees. For these working families, the
economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic could be exacerbated by challenges in securing
child care. Without data on this matter, policymakers are unable to consider targeted solutions
for families with young children.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, you can reach
me at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Erica Fener Sitkoff, PhD.
Executive Director
Voices for Georgia’s Children
August 3, 2020
United States Census Bureau,
The Household Pulse Survey began on April 23, 2020 to collect data on household experiences during the
COVID-19 pandemic and has been invaluable for policymakers and advocates. Through this survey, the
Census Bureau is providing Americans with a clear picture of a number of socioeconomic indicators
reflecting how people are faring during a difficult and turbulent period.
We applaud the Bureau’s efforts to gather this important information under these circumstances,
developing the survey with unprecedented speed, using innovative approaches to reach families, and
releasing data in days rather than months. This work must continue. We submit this comment in favor of
extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is America’s food and health watchdog. We are
responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by working to stop the spread of disease, support food chain
workers, and alleviate food insecurity and improve health by championing SNAP, school meals and other
government programs. In this work, the Household Pulse Survey has proved vital.
Household Pulse Survey asks questions about access to food, medical care, health insurance status,
education, housing, and employment that are critical to understanding the impacts of this pandemic on
households. The data collected through the survey have supported our work and those of others to
alleviate food insecurity and improve health for millions of families across the country. For example, we
recently drew upon data from the survey to communicate household food insecurity data in an article we
wrote for The Hill and as evidence to vouch for universal school meals.
This survey is also essential because it provides data for each state that reflect the rapid changes week by
week. As the number of cases of COVID-19 increased recently in places like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and
California, state and local policymakers will continue to need to determine, week by week, whether
schools and businesses can open and whether people who are losing their jobs continue to need help.
The information in this survey is essential to helping decide the policy interventions that are most needed
to protect the physical and financial health of families.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can do more to
better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families. The survey collects data on
the number of children living in a respondent’s household, but it does not ask about the age of any
children living in the home. We suggest that the current question be updated to ask about age of children
in the household.
The Census Bureau should also add questions assessing experiences at work during COVID-19, such as the
ability to social distance, access to protective equipment and countermeasures and the availability of paid
sick leave for COVID and other illness, as well an individual’s confidence in employers' steps to protect
their employees, and their level of concerns associated with potential exposure to COVID-19 at work.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19
pandemic through at least the beginning of 2021, and continue to collect data until widespread vaccination
has ended the pandemic and its associated economic upheaval, allowing these critical indicators to
stabilize.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, you can reach me at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Maya Sandalow, MPH
Policy Associate
Center for Science in the Public Interest
July 30, 2020
United States Census Bureau,
Data collected through the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic has been invaluable
for policymakers and for advocates. The Census Bureau is providing Americans with a clear picture of how
people are faring during a difficult and turbulent period. We applaud the Bureau’s efforts to gather this
important information under these circumstances, developing the survey with unprecedented speed,
using innovative approaches to reach families, and releasing data in days rather than months. This work
must continue. We submit this comment in favor of extending data collection for the Household Pulse
Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also propose that current questions be updated and important
new questions be added to better capture the effect of the pandemic on children and families.
Every Texan is dedicated to advancing policies that will measurably improve equity in and access to
health care, food security, education, and financial security in Texas. The Household Pulse survey’s statelevel data on how these areas have been impacted by the pandemic has thus been invaluable in guiding
our recent policy research and recommendations. Every Texan has published Household Pulse statistics to
support policy recommendations for streamlining unemployment and underemployment claims
processing, expanding access to SNAP and EBT benefits, increasing eligibility for paid sick leave,
streamlining Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, and reinstating Texas’ moratorium on evictions. Further
publications which will utilize Household Pulse survey data -- including one focusing on healthcare access
and another on economic recovery during the pandemic -- are in process. As COVID-19 cases continue to
climb in Texas, the Household Pulse survey’s ongoing translation of the pandemic’s impacts on our
communities into data is needed now more than ever.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19
pandemic for at least another 14 weeks. While early hotspots like New York and Seattle have seen major
reductions in cases of the disease since March, the number of cases of COVID-19 have increased in places
like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California. State and local policymakers will continue to need to
determine, week by week, whether schools and businesses can open and whether people who have lost
jobs continue to need help. The information in this survey is essential to helping them decide which policy
interventions are most needed to protect the physical and financial health of American families.
For example, responses to the question about expected loss of income reveal how this pandemic has
affected different parts of the country in disparate ways over time. During survey Week 2 (May 7-12), 46
percent of respondents in New York state — but 37 percent of Texans — expected to lose employment
income soon. By Week 10 (July 2-10), 40 percent of New Yorkers but 43 percent of respondents in Texas
expected a loss of employment income. Without Household Pulse Survey data, these trends could not be
seen, making it difficult for policymakers to respond to the needs of American families in real time.
The data collected through the Household Pulse Survey has been especially important to the child
advocacy community in our fight for better policy solutions for children and families. In particular,
questions about access to medical care, health insurance status, education, housing, employment, and
nutrition are critical to understanding the impacts of this pandemic on children. This survey is essential
because it provides statistically significant data for each state that reflects the rapid changes week by
week. Thus we strongly support the continuation of this survey for at least 14 more weeks, and preferably
through at least the beginning of 2021, or until widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and
allowed these critical indicators to stabilize.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can be doing
more to better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families. We therefore also
recommend that the following questions be updated and/or added to improve upon the survey.
How many children in the household are under 5? How many are 5 to 12? How many are 13-17?
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s household,
but it does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of children vary drastically
by age, which has consequences for families’ finances as well as school systems and plays a large role in
how both families and school administrators are thinking about education and child care decisions. We
suggest that the current question be updated to ask how many children in the household are under 5,
how many are 5 to 12, and how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight into families’
needs for full time child care and part-time child care and whether education programs are working well
for elementary and secondary students.
What kind of child care services are being utilized by members of the household? What would be your
preferred setting for children in the household?
Many families with young children are facing difficult choices about whether to send their children to
child care settings. During the pandemic, child care centers experience many of the same operational
challenges as schools (e.g. smaller class sizes, requiring children to be six feet apart, increased need for
additional supplies in order to reduce sharing among children, etc.). However, financing and oversight for
child care centers is far different from schools. This means that policy solutions that aim to protect
children attending schools are much more difficult to extend to younger children who are in child care
settings. In addition, parents of school-aged children may need more hours of child care if schools offer
reduced hours of in-person instruction, perhaps needing three days a week, or only afternoons. Existing
programs are not currently designed to offer these hours.
We are proposing that the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about the
decisions families are making around child care. It should ask what kind of child care services they are
using (child care centers/preschool; before/after care; paid day care in someone else’s home; paid or nocost care by friends and family; parental/guardian care at home; taking the child to work; child left
unattended at home.) In addition to asking about what child care setting families have chosen, there
should also be a question asking what their preferred child care setting would be, and if it’s different than
the one they are using, whether they have been unable to find such a program , unable to afford it, or the
hours do not match their needs. Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing
parents and caretakers who work outside the home. Child care programs have incurred significantly
increased costs and reduced income in order to meet COVID safety requirements, including reduced class
size, new equipment, and increased cleaning costs. Many programs have closed temporarily or
permanently and others may be raising their fees. For these working families, the economic fallout of the
COVID-19 pandemic could be exacerbated by challenges in securing child care. Without data on this
matter, policymakers are unable to consider targeted solutions for families with young children.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, you can reach me at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Amy Knop-Narbutis
Research and Data Director
Every Texan
August 3rd, 2020
United States Census Bureau,
Data collected through the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic has been
invaluable for policymakers and for advocates. The Census Bureau is providing Americans with
a clear picture of how people are faring during a difficult and turbulent period. We applaud the
Bureau’s efforts to gather this important information under these circumstances, developing the
survey with unprecedented speed, using innovative approaches to reach families, and releasing
data in days rather than months. This work must continue. We submit this comment in favor
of extending data collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19
pandemic. We also propose that current questions be updated and important new
questions be added to better capture the effect of the pandemic on children and families.
The Michigan League for Public Policy is a nonpartisan policy institute dedicated to economic
opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a
comprehensive way and analyzes the impact of state and federal budgets and policies on
residents with low incomes. All of the League’s work is done through a racial equity lens.
The Kids Count in Michigan project at the League is part of a broad national effort to measure
the well-being of children at the state and local levels and use that information to shape policy
and programs to improve the lives of children. Kids Count staff have used Pulse Survey data to
highlight food insecurity during the pandemic and analyze disparities in food insecurity by
income and race through an article in Michigan Advance. These data helped justify the need for
state policy intervention, such as continuing pandemic food benefits, and advocate for
approaches that are grounded in principles of racial equity, such as Governor Whitmer’s
Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities.
We ask that the Census Bureau extend data collection for the Household Pulse Survey
during the COVID-19 pandemic for at least another 14 weeks. While early hotspots like New
York and Seattle saw reductions in cases of the disease since March, the number of cases of
COVID-19 have increased in places like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California. Cases are
again on the rise across the country, including in Michigan. State and local policymakers will
continue to need to determine, week by week, whether schools and businesses can open and
whether people who have lost jobs continue to need help. The information in this survey is
essential to helping them decide which policy interventions are most needed to protect the
physical and financial health of American families.
For example, responses to the question about expected loss of income reveal how this
pandemic has affected different parts of the country in disparate ways over time. During survey
Week 2 (May 7-12), 46 percent of respondents in New York state — but 37 percent of Texans
— expected to lose employment income soon. By Week 10 (July 2-10), 40 percent of New
Yorkers but 43 percent of respondents in Texas expected a loss of employment income.
Without Household Pulse Survey data, these trends could not be seen, making it impossible for
policymakers to respond to the needs of American families in real time.
The data collected through the Household Pulse Survey has been especially important to the
child advocacy community in our fight for better policy solutions for children and families. In
particular, questions about access to medical care, health insurance status, education, housing,
employment, and nutrition are critical to understanding the impacts of this pandemic on children.
This survey is essential because it provides statistically significant data for each state that
reflects the rapid changes week by week. Thus we strongly support the continuation of this
survey for at least 14 more weeks, and preferably through at least the beginning of 2021, or until
widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and allowed these critical indicators to
stabilize.
Though the current iteration of the Household Pulse Survey asks important questions, it can be
doing more to better capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families.
We therefore also recommend that the following questions be updated and/or added to improve
upon the survey.
How many children in the household are under 5? How many are 5 to 12? How many are
13-17?
The Household Pulse Survey collects data on the number of children living in a respondent’s
household, but it does not ask about the age of any children living in the home. The needs of
children vary drastically by age, which has consequences for families’ finances as well as
school systems and plays a large role in how both families and school administrators are
thinking about education and child care decisions. We suggest that the current question be
updated to ask how many children in the household are under 5, how many are 5 to 12, and
how many are 13 to 17. This adjustment would give us insight into families’ needs for full time
child care and part-time child care and whether education programs are working well for
elementary and secondary students.
What kind of child care services are being utilized by members of the household? What
would be your preferred setting for children in the household?
Many families with young children are facing difficult choices about whether to send their
children to child care settings. During the pandemic, child care centers experience many of the
same operational challenges as schools (e.g. smaller class sizes, requiring children to be six
feet apart, increased need for additional supplies in order to reduce sharing among children,
etc.). However, financing and oversight for child care centers is far different from schools. This
means that policy solutions that aim to protect children attending schools are much more difficult
to extend to younger children who are in child care settings. In addition, parents of school-aged
children may need more hours of child care if schools offer reduced hours of in-person
instruction, perhaps needing three days a week, or only afternoons. Existing programs are not
currently designed to offer these hours.
We are proposing that the Census Bureau add questions to the Household Pulse Survey about
the decisions families are making around child care. It should ask what kind of child care
services they are using (child care centers/preschool; before/after care; paid day care in
someone else’s home; paid or no-cost care by friends and family; parental/guardian care at
home; taking the child to work; child left unattended at home.) In addition to asking about what
child care setting families have chosen, there should also be a question asking what their
preferred child care setting would be, and if it’s different than the one they are using, whether
they have been unable to find such a program , unable to afford it, or the hours do not match
their needs. Finding affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges facing parents and
caretakers who work outside the home. Child care programs have incurred significantly
increased costs and reduced income in order to meet COVID safety requirements, including
reduced class size, new equipment, and increased cleaning costs. Many programs have closed
temporarily or permanently and others may be raising their fees. For these working families, the
economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic could be exacerbated by challenges in securing
child care. Without data on this matter, policymakers are unable to consider targeted solutions
for families with young children.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this comment. If you have any questions, you can reach
us at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Kelsey Perdue
Kids Count in Michigan Project Director
Michigan League for Public Policy
Parker James
Kids Count in Michigan Policy Analyst
Michigan League for Public Policy
August 3, 2020
Cassandra Logan
Survey Director
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road
HQ-7H157
Washington, DC 20233
RE: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Household Pulse
Survey OMB Control Number 0607-1013
Dear Ms. Logan,
The National Women’s Law Center (the “Center”) appreciates the opportunity to
comment on the Federal Register Notice (FRN) regarding the Census Household Pulse
Survey. The Center submits this comment in favor of extending the information
collection for the Household Pulse Survey during the COVID-19 pandemic and
proposes updating the questions to better capture the effect of the pandemic on women,
children, and families.
The Center fights for gender justice — in the courts, in public policy, and in society —
working across the issues that are central to the lives of women and girls. The Center
uses the law in all its forms to change culture and drive solutions to the gender inequity
that shapes society and to break down the barriers that harm everyone — especially
those who face multiple forms of discrimination. For more than 45 years, the Center has
been on the leading edge of every major legal and policy victory for women.
The Center has continuously advocated to expand opportunities for women and girls,
with particular emphasis on women with low incomes and those who face multiple and
intersecting forms of discrimination. Census data has been, and continues to be, pivotal
to the Center’s advocacy. The Center relies on census data to identify the needs of
women and their families, to highlight the various policy implications of legislation, fight
back against unfair practices and policies, illuminate the different ways women and girls
experience life in the United States, and develop evidence-based solutions for health,
education, workplace, and income security policy.
The Household Pulse Survey has been useful to the Center and other stakeholders,
providing us with data about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related
economic fallout on different demographic groups in real time rather than waiting until
annual poverty or other data is released. This has helped the Center’s advocacy on
health and economic responses to COVID-19, including food and housing assistance,
expanded unemployment assistance, cash assistance, and other income supports, as
well as health and education responses. The Center urges the Census to continue to
collect and publish this useful data past July 31, 2020 to assist with continued COVID19 response and recovery as this public health crisis has no end in sight. Because the
proposed information collection requests an extension for 24 weeks, and the recovery
will last into 2021 and possibly beyond, the Center urges an additional solicitation of
comments about the utility of a longer extension.
In addition, the Center suggests the following to enhance the quality and utility of this
survey:
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Publish tables with crosstabs for gender and race, gender and households
with children vs. without children, and any other crosstabs with gender that
are feasible. This would improve our knowledge of how women in communities
disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are faring and consequently improve
our advocacy for policy changes to improve their health and economic security
during this recession.
Editing the question asking about the number of children living in a
respondent’s household to ask how many children in the household are
under five, how many are five to 12, and how many are 13 to 17. The needs
of children vary drastically by age, which has consequences for families’ finances
as well as school systems and plays a large role in education and child care
decision making by families and school administrators. This adjustment would
give the Center and other stakeholders insight into families’ needs for full-time
child care and part-time child care and whether education programs are working
well for elementary and secondary students.
Adding questions about the decisions families are making around child
care such as “What kind of child care services are being utilized by
members of the household? What would be your preferred setting for
children in the household?” Many women and families with young children
face difficult choices about whether to send their children to child care settings.
During the pandemic, child care centers experience many of the same
operational challenges as schools (e.g. smaller class sizes, requiring physical
distancing, needing additional supplies to reduce sharing among children, etc.).
However, financing and oversight for child care centers is far different from
schools, so policy solutions aiming to protect children attending schools are more
difficult to extend to younger children in child care settings. In addition, parents of
school-aged children may need more hours of child care if schools offer reduced
hours of in-person instruction, perhaps needing three days a week, or only
afternoons. Existing programs are not currently designed to offer these hours.
The first proposed question could be multiple-choice with response options such
as child care centers/preschool, before/after care, paid day care in someone
else’s home, paid or no-cost care by friends and family, parental/guardian care at
home, taking the child to work, or child left unattended at home. The second
proposed question could utilize the same multiple-choice response options for
efficiency, but stakeholders would receive more useful information to develop
targeted solutions from a more probing question asking what their preferred child
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care setting would be, and if it’s different than the one they are using, whether
they have been unable to find such a program, unable to afford it, or the hours do
not match their needs.
Adding similar questions for care of adult disabled dependents and/or
older family members. COVID-19 has also posed challenges for caregiving of
disabled adult dependents and caregiving for older family members. The
availability of in-home caregivers, adult day programs, and other forms of care
has shifted for many families.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments on this important information
collection. If you have questions, please contact Jasmine Tucker at [email protected]
and/or Sarah Hassmer at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Melissa Boteach
Vice President for Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning
National Women’s Law Center
Jasmine Tucker
Director of Research
National Women’s Law Center
Sarah Hassmer
Senior Counsel for Income Security
National Women’s Law Center
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Attn:
Cassandra Logan
Survey Director, U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road, HQ-7H157
Washington, DC 20233
From:
Myra Jones-Taylor
Chief Policy Officer, ZERO TO THREE
1255 23rd Street NW, Suite 350,
Washington, DC 20037
Dear Cassandra Logan,
On behalf of ZERO TO THREE, I write to offer comments on the continuation of
data collection for the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. We
strongly urge the Census Bureau to continue this critical data collection through
the end of the year. This data has been invaluable in gauging and quantifying
the current health pandemic’s impact on families and will continue to be
essential in crafting responses to promote the recovery of our nation. The realtime data provided by the Bureau in this manner allows policymakers
to better tap into what households need and therefore allows for more
informed policymaking aimed at supporting families.
Founded more than 40 years ago, ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit
organization whose mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a
strong start in life. We translate the science of early childhood development into
useful knowledge and strategies for parents, practitioners, and policymakers.
We work to ensure that babies and toddlers benefit from the family and
community connections critical to their well-being and healthy development. In
this vein, we have been particularly concerned about the resounding impact
that the COVID-19 pandemic has had and will continue to have on very young
children. Research tells us that children develop and learn through their lived
experiences – both positive and negative. Now more than ever, families are
under an unprecedented amount of stress in terms of their own health and
physical well-being, but also extreme economic pressure that can be felt by the
youngest members of their households. Informed policymaking, targeted at
families most in need of support is critical should the nation fully recover from
the virus – physically, emotionally, and economically.
As the Coronavirus continues to circulate across the
nation, along the with widespread economic distress families are experiencing,
policymakers will continue to need frequent updates on the social and
economic impacts of COVID-19 on families to determine, week by week as the
Household Pulse Survey is collected and shared, how to best help, support, and
plan for the rapidly changing needs of the people in their communities. The
information compiled in this survey is essential to helping them decide which
policy interventions are most critical to protect the physical, social and
emotional, and financial health of families across the country.
For example, according to the most recent data available, the Household Pulse
Survey paints a chilling picture of how households are faring economically as it
pertains to keeping a stable roof over their head – just as federal eviction
moratoriums have reached their expiration. During the week of July 16th, 26% of
households with children were admittedly behind on last month’s rent – nearly
double that of households without children. Further, the data show that
approximately 45% of households with children have slight or no confidence
that they will make next month’s (August) rent. This sort of timely and
reliable data, broken down by state, is particularly helpful for state and local
policymakers. Without this data, these trends could not be seen, making it
nearly impossible for policymakers to respond to the needs of families in real
time.
Beyond the Household Pulse Survey being key for policymakers at the federal
and state/local level, the real-time information it provides has
been immeasurably helpful for advocacy organizations such as ZERO TO THREE
in our work to promote policies and approaches that best support families with
young children. The thoughtfulness of the survey’s composition, as
it includes questions quantifying households’ food security, housing stability,
income loss, medical care, and insurance status, has been vital in our
understanding of the impacts of this pandemic on households with children. The
survey provides statistically significant data for each state that reflects the rapid
changes felt by families each week. For these reasons, we strongly support the
continuation of this survey through at least the beginning of 2021, or until
widespread vaccination has ended the pandemic and thus the critical
indicators in this survey have stabilized.
We have two suggestions that would improve the survey’s usefulness as we
seek to gauge the pandemic’s impact on young children whose rapid
development could mean that they will carry the imprint of this disaster the rest
of their lives. We greatly appreciate and find most helpful that the survey breaks
down data tables by characteristics such as race and ethnicity, age, and how
many children under 18 live in each household. However, we urge the Census
Bureau to consider further breaking down this data to determine the age of
children in each household. The needs of children vary drastically by age, which
has reverberating consequences for families’ finances and well-being. Along
with other expert advocates in the field, we recommend that the current
question on household composition be updated and broken down more
specifically to ask: How many children in the household are under 5 years of age,
how many children are 5-12, and how many children are 13-17.
This slight adjustment would give advocates and policymakers
alike greater insight into families’ needs for child care, how children
in varying age brackets are experiencing the impacts of the pandemic
differently, and how to best serve households with children of differing ages.
Lastly, we recommend adding an additional question addressing child
care services being utilized by families with young children. The questions that
we recommend adding are: What kind of child care services are being utilized by
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members of your household? Is this your preferred setting for children in the
household? We urge these additions because anecdotal evidence and
other surveys are reporting that many families with young children are facing
difficult choices about whether to send their children to child care settings in
order to either return to work or re-enter the workforce. During the
pandemic, child care centers have experienced similar operational
challenges to those found in K-12 schools; however, policy solutions that aim to
protect children attending K-12 schools are much more difficult to extend to
younger children in child care settings – especially for infants and toddlers.
Finding quality, affordable child care is one of the greatest challenges parents
and caregivers are facing. Many programs have already closed – either
permanently or temporarily – and another 40% of programs expect to be forced
to close without significant federal investment in the system. Just as the current
indicators included in the survey can be used to better inform policy solutions
for households across the nation and in each state, data collected on
households’ child care situations will be essential to create effective targeted
solutions for households with young children.
We cannot stress enough how valuable the data put forth in this experimental
survey has been. While the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic
fallout is not yet in sight, the reliable and expert data put forth by the Census
Bureau has been and will continue to be a guiding light in informing intentional
policy decisions. We greatly appreciate the work of the Census Bureau in putting
together this survey and urge the continuation of the Household Pulse Survey
data collection.
Thank you for your time and your commitment to our nation’s babies and
toddlers.
Sincerely,
Myra Jones-Taylor, Ph.D.
Chief Policy Officer
ZERO TO THREE
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Modified | 2021-06-14 |
| File Created | 2020-09-04 |