1. Robert Scardamalia
RLS Demographics, Inc.
RLS Demographics, Inc. December 13, 2010
2. Research Task
Survey Respondents
How are Group Quarters Data
Used
Legal and Regulatory Use in
New York
Observations
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
3. Assess the overall importance
of group quarters data in the
ACS.
Who uses GQ data from the
ACS?
What is it used for?
Are there legal/regulatory
requirements for the data?
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
4. Assess use of population components
GQ Pop, HH Pop, Total
How are the data used?
Allocate funds, provide data, program admin &
development, research
Geographic levels needed
National down to tract
89 Survey recipients (25% response)
62 Federal agency (9 – 15%)
11 State agency (7 – 64%)
6 Local/County/Regional (4 – 67%)
8 Academic (2 – 25%)
2 Not-for-Profit
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
5. Household Data Only Frequently Sometimes Never
Allocation of Funds 2
Provide Data 8 3
Policy or Program Admin 7 2
Policy or Program Devel 9 3
Scientific Research 7 5
Group Quarters Data Only Frequently Sometimes Never
Allocation of Funds 1
Provide Data 5
Policy or Program Admin 1 4
Policy or Program Devel 1 7
Scientific Research 2 6
Total Population Universe Frequently Sometimes Never
Allocation of Funds 2 1
Provide Data 7 3
Policy or Program Admin 6 3
Policy or Program Devel 8 4
Scientific Research 5 4
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
6. Group Quarters Type Yes No
Correctional Facilities for Adults 7 5
Juvenile Facilities 5 6
Nursing Facilities 8 3
Other Health Care Facilities 6 4
College/University Student Housing 7 2
Military Group Quarters 5 4
Other Non-Institutional Facilities 5 4
Geography Yes No
Nation 8 1
State 11 1
Cong. Dist. 4 3
Metro Area 10 1
County 9 2
Place/Subcounty 8 3
Tract 5 4
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
7. Local State Federal
Group Quarters Type Govt Govt Govt Academic
Correctional Facilities for Adults 1 2 3 1
Juvenile Facilities 2 3
Nursing Facilities 1 3 3 1
Other Health Care Facilities 2 3 1
College/University Student Housing 1 5 1
Military Group Quarters 4 1
Other Non-Institutional Facilities 2 3
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
8. Do you use ACS group quarters characteristics data?
Yes - 10 No - 2
Age (young and old) Geographic location
Frailty/disability Family and marital status
Developmental disability Country of birth
Race/ethnicity Educational attainment
Income Occupation
Important to note that these characteristics are not
reported for the GQ population at all geographic levels –
only as a component of the total population
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
9. Future Use Yes No
Do you expect to use in the future? 19 1
Need GQ characteristics in the future? 13 5
Need GQ type in the future? 17 2
Pop estimates and projections
Distinction between institutional vs non-institutional
GQ type
Commuting
Local redistricting (prison issue)
Program development/need (school, social service)
Housing market analysis (nursing homes, colleges)
Will only use if ACS data are reliable
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
10. American FactFinder decennial tables
State and federal administrative records
Calls to specific facilities
Dept. of Corrections
Dept. of Justice surveys
Various – DOD, BJS, GED testing service,
IDEA database (?)
Field work for population estimates program
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
11. Allocation Provide Program Program Scientific
FactFinder Subject Table of Funds Data Admin Devel Research
Aging (total population) 2 9 5 6 4
Commuting (workers 16+) 1 7 3 3 3
Education (total population) 1 6 3 4 4
Poverty (PFWPSD) 3 9 4 7 5
Disability (civ. Non-inst) 1 6 4 5 5
Veterans (civ. Pop 18+) 1 6 3 5 5
Employment (working age 16+) 2 7 4 4 4
GQ Characteristics (GQ pop) 1 7 3 3 4
Health Insurance (civ. Non-Inst) 2 7 4 4 3
Note: population universe for characteristics may include different components of the
group quarters population
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
12. Search New York State Laws for “census”
keyword
Eligibility thresholds
Defining poverty populations
Defining distressed areas
NYS Catalog of State and Federal Programs
Aiding Local Governments
Program eligibility
Funding allocations
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
13. 210 Citations
General Municipal Education
Executive Town and County
Environmental Elections
State Finance Labor
Tax Real Property
Public Health
181 (86%) Use ONLY Population Count from the Census
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
14. 29 Citations Require Population Characteristics
to determine eligibility or define distress
Age Language Spoken at
Household or Family Home
Income Poverty Rate
Ability to Speak Unemployment Rate
English
9 Laws require data at the TRACT level using income,
poverty, and/or unemployment
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
15. 20 Programs Identified that Require Census
Data for Eligibility or Funding – State and
Federal (pass through) Funding
Dept. of Education Dept. of Labor
Housing and Office of Mental Health
Community Renewal Office of Temp. and
Office for the Aging Disability Assistance
Dept. of Health
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
16. Academic Achievement
Special Education
Reading First
Housing Vouchers
Weatherization
Senior Support Services
Nutritional Services
Older Americans Health Services
Family Caregiver Support
Immunization
Lead Poisoning Prevention
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
17. Flow of Funds Federal State
Federal to State
Federal to State to Local $2.4 billion
State to Local $13.0 million $37.7 million
State to Not-for-Profit $62.9 million
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
18. Universes
Total Population
Population by Age (under 6, 55+, 60+, 75+)
Children in Poverty
Total Poverty Population
Disabled Population
Characteristics
Ratio of income to poverty
Family income
Overcrowding
Race
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
19. Would prohibit providing relevant data to
clients
Cannot accurately measure where older
adults are living, impact on caregivers,
population needs
Impacts development of survey sampling
frame
Distortion of socio-economic characteristics
for communities with large facilities
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
20. If idea is to do away with GQ, need explore
other options to get college students
If not collected, we would need to use old
data, less reliable data sources, or simply
guess – none of which are good options
Will not use GQ data by itself, only as part of
the total population
Most important program service issues: aging,
disability, physical/mental health, substance
abuse, correctional issues
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
21. Reliabilityis questionable – MOE’s are often
larger than the estimates
The current strategy for collecting GQ data is
woefully inadequate. We would not
recommend use to others
Unless sampling and weighting methods are
improved we will recommend using only 2010
Census
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
22. Are the Group Quarters data used?
Yes, though not often by itself. More often as a
component of the total population universe.
Are the Group Quarters data important?
Yes, particularly where impacts are localized and
for program planning and development
Are there legal and regulatory requirements?
Yes, though few relate specifically to the group
quarters population
Can ACS Group Quarters data be replaced?
Counts – yes; Characteristics - no
Are the Group Quarters data accurate?
Not in its current form.
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.
23. P.O. Box 160
Rensselaerville, NY 12147
(518) 703-0724 (cell)
(518) 797-3163 (home)
bob@rlsdemographics.com
December 13, 2010 RLS Demographics, Inc.