Census undercount threatens federal food and health programs on reservations

Posted on May 15, 2022 at 16:06

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Kaiser Health News

The 2020 census overlooked nearly one in 17 Native Americans living on a reservation basis. This can lead to a lack of federal funding for essential health, nutrition and social programs in remote communities with high poverty rates and low access to services.

The census counted 9.7 million people identified as Native Americans or Alaska Natives in 2020, alone or in combination with other races and ethnic groups, compared to 5.2 million in 2010. 6% according to demographic analysis of census accuracy. Analysis shows that indigenous people making reservations have a history of being underestimated. Nearly 5% were overlooked in 2010.

According to previous census data, at least one in five Native Americans lives on a reservation basis. More detailed Native American population data from the 2020 census will be released later next year.

Census figures help determine how much money will be allocated to various programs related to bookings such as medical, social welfare, education, and infrastructure. For example, in Blackfoot bookings in northwestern Montana, the Co-Chair of the Food Pantry, whose funding is partially dependent on the number of censuses, will be accessible to all families who need a free meal from this year onwards. I am worried that it will be difficult. they.

The food pantry, run by an organization called FAST Blackfeet, which stands for Food Access and Sustainability Team, serves about 400 households a week, Daniel Antelope said. According to the 2020 census, the population of Blackfoot bookings is 9,900, and Antelope “does not really reflect our number.”

Regular American Community Survey estimates that 37% of people on Blackfoot bookings lived below the poverty line from 2014 to 2018, compared to an average of 13% across the state.

“I think the issue of census underestimation is related to the expression of needs,” said Antelope.

Antelope said he saw first-hand what it meant when the people living in the reservation slipped through the gap. Her mom was a bus driver and made a lot of money to qualify for a federal food aid program based on her income, but she wasn’t enough to feed her children. The family relied on processed foods in the frozen aisles.

Cheap packaged meals are often the only option when produce is expensive or difficult to find. “As we now know, those cheap foods are related to health inequalities,” said Antelope. “And those health inequalities are high in the color and tribal communities.”

Census miscalculations are not limited to Native American bookings. Blacks (3%) and Hispanics (5%) living in the United States were also underestimated. Whites, on the other hand, were overrated (2%).

Among the states of the United States, Montana accounts for the fourth largest proportion of indigenous peoples at 6%, and Native Americans are the second largest racial or ethnic group in the state after those identified as white. This percentage can be up to 9%, including those who identify “American Indians and Alaska Natives alone or in combination with other races and ethnic groups.” Most indigenous people live in one of Montana’s seven bookings, or in a nearby town or county.

India’s health services are a federal agency that is obliged to provide health care to most indigenous peoples of the country and is partially funded by the census. Nationally, IHS spent $ 4,078 per person in 2019, the most recent year in which data is available, according to agency data. By comparison, Medicaid, a federal health insurance program for people with low incomes and certain disabilities, spent more than double that amount at $ 8,436. A memo by the US Government Accountability Office states that the usefulness of per capita comparisons is limited due to the vast differences in federal programs.

There was a health inequalities during the pandemic. In Montana, COVID was the leading cause of death for indigenous peoples in 2020. This was mainly due to other symptoms such as respiratory illness, obesity and diabetes. Heart disease was the second leading cause of death.

Leonard Smith, CEO of Billings-based Native American Development Corp., says it is a non-profit organization that provides technical assistance and financial services to small businesses. .. “It’s a higher priority because I think it makes people aware that there is a much larger native population than reported,” Smith said.

More accurate counts may also help improve infrastructure and housing at the time of booking.

Many households in the tribal settlement remain inaccessible to federal housing assistance. Studies point out that there is a strong link between housing and better health outcomes. According to a 2020 survey published in the journal BMC Public Health, nearly 70% of people who acquired a safe and stable home “significantly improved” after 9-12 months compared to when they experienced housing insecurity. I reported my health.

According to a 2017 report from the National Congress of American Indians, more than 15% of homes in or near Native American bookings were considered overcrowded. That is, living room, kitchen, bedroom, enclosed porch — compared to 2% of homes in other populations.

According to the report, about a quarter of households earned less than 50% of the federal poverty line, but only about 12% received federal housing support. Census data is used to determine funding for housing and community development grants.

“If the census underestimates the native community, it has a direct and long-term impact on the resources the community receives (schools, parks, medical facilities, roads, etc.),” ​​said Michael, Deputy Director of Native Americans. Campbell says. Boulder, Colorado Rights Fund.

The impact of undercounting on funding goes beyond budgets and social programs. Among indigenous peoples, their presence in this country is less important than others, creating a sense that it leads to both deprivation of political rights and personal harm, tribal members said. rice field.

“For years, we’ve become accustomed to being innumerable, so we don’t now have the government’s desire to create space for us,” Antelope said. “Once we have accurate numbers that reflect our community, we can hear our voice and get services and funding that better reflect our community.”