Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 I spoke to a woman just last week about this. She works for the Census. She said they wouldn’t ask about autism, because if they did that- then they would have to do every disease and disorder- which they won’t do. On 5/17/07 1:59 AM, " Kendra Pettengill " <achsel@...> wrote: Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , though no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely anything with that method! It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be doing this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next census. I no longer have such disilusions. So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? Kendra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 That's a shame. We have the country's " Nielsen " families to tell us how a television show is rating... But nothing comparable for this. > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , though > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely anything > > with that method! > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be doing > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > Kendra > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Trust me , The Nielson ratings are not valid. There are a million things wrong with the system- but it’s all they have- so they use it. I was a television major in college and learned about the system. Then about 8 years ago I was a “Nielson family”. I won’t bore everyone with the details- but it’s easy to mess with the numbers. Plus, now with Tivo & DVR’s- I don’t think they have ANY real idea what people are watching or not watching (like FF thru commercials). On 5/17/07 8:45 AM, " Nanstiel " <erik@...> wrote: That's a shame. We have the country's " Nielsen " families to tell us how a television show is rating... But nothing comparable for this. > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , though > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely anything > > with that method! > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be doing > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > Kendra > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 This is not true. Questions in the census are mandated by certain requirements and/or legislated to be asked. There are historical questions regarding disability, used federally to distribute funds and develop programs for people with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act. Used to ensure public transportation services, and used to award Federal grants based on numbers of those with physical and mental disabilities. The numbers can be used to award money to mass transit systems, Housing and Urban Development, employment and job training programs, and health care and other services to the disabled. Also estimating numbers eligible for medicare and medicaid programs. Data about disabilities has been shared with DOT, EDUCATION, EPA, HHS, HUD, and LABOR. Just like legislation you can lobby your senators to legislate certain questions onto the census. Autism is lacking in all of the above services and it could be argued if they don't get the numbers correct or at least close, many of these agencies are in for a huge shock, education is already dealing with it. Health questions have been on the census before as well as disability questions. If our lawmakers legislate it, they have to ask it. We just want to have a say in how those questions are worded. Kendra > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , though > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely anything > > with that method! > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be doing > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > Kendra > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 This is not true. Questions in the census are mandated by certain requirements and/or legislated to be asked. There are historical questions regarding disability, used federally to distribute funds and develop programs for people with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act. Used to ensure public transportation services, and used to award Federal grants based on numbers of those with physical and mental disabilities. The numbers can be used to award money to mass transit systems, Housing and Urban Development, employment and job training programs, and health care and other services to the disabled. Also estimating numbers eligible for medicare and medicaid programs. Data about disabilities has been shared with DOT, EDUCATION, EPA, HHS, HUD, and LABOR. Just like legislation you can lobby your senators to legislate certain questions onto the census. Autism is lacking in all of the above services and it could be argued if they don't get the numbers correct or at least close, many of these agencies are in for a huge shock, education is already dealing with it. Health questions have been on the census before as well as disability questions. If our lawmakers legislate it, they have to ask it. We just want to have a say in how those questions are worded. Kendra > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , though > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely anything > > with that method! > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be doing > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > Kendra > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 The actual conduct of the census for 2000 in my town left many questions in my mind. I have been a census enumenator and or a clerk on the 1970, 1980 and the 2000 census. It is temp. gov employment for most of the employees. In 1970 as an enumerator I handeled the Census forms for a certain area of a city from the time the form was mailed until the group of forms were cnsidered completely filled out. I checked out vacant lots & moves ect. I checked each form to see if the core questions were answered. In 1970 the question that caused laughter was: do you have a bathroom? Each succeeding 10 years the handling of the checking of the census forms became more peice-meal. I doubt if anyone can even be able to do a proper sample for accuracy. While searching( dot Gov.) recently for something unrelated I saw a section regarding the preperation for the census. Seems as if there was a mini? Census in the year 2005. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , > though > > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely > anything > > > with that method! > > > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be > doing > > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > > Kendra > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 The actual conduct of the census for 2000 in my town left many questions in my mind. I have been a census enumenator and or a clerk on the 1970, 1980 and the 2000 census. It is temp. gov employment for most of the employees. In 1970 as an enumerator I handeled the Census forms for a certain area of a city from the time the form was mailed until the group of forms were cnsidered completely filled out. I checked out vacant lots & moves ect. I checked each form to see if the core questions were answered. In 1970 the question that caused laughter was: do you have a bathroom? Each succeeding 10 years the handling of the checking of the census forms became more peice-meal. I doubt if anyone can even be able to do a proper sample for accuracy. While searching( dot Gov.) recently for something unrelated I saw a section regarding the preperation for the census. Seems as if there was a mini? Census in the year 2005. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , > though > > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely > anything > > > with that method! > > > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be > doing > > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > > Kendra > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 A census survey would be completely unreliable. If the government required proof of diagnosis, then people would be hesitant to provide medical information to the US government or may not have a professionally qualified diagnosis. If no diagnosis criteria are needed, then people could self-diagnose as autistic, when they are not. They may not feel comfortable providing that information and not answer that question or lie. Would it be like the census question for race? If so, some may check autism, MR, ADHD… Would that qualify as a complete or fraction of a person for each bubble filled? A census question is just as bad as every other technique to accurately count the ASD community. It will probably be decades at the least before an accurate census of ASD individuals can be made. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , > though > > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely > anything > > > with that method! > > > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be > doing > > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > > Kendra > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 A census survey would be completely unreliable. If the government required proof of diagnosis, then people would be hesitant to provide medical information to the US government or may not have a professionally qualified diagnosis. If no diagnosis criteria are needed, then people could self-diagnose as autistic, when they are not. They may not feel comfortable providing that information and not answer that question or lie. Would it be like the census question for race? If so, some may check autism, MR, ADHD… Would that qualify as a complete or fraction of a person for each bubble filled? A census question is just as bad as every other technique to accurately count the ASD community. It will probably be decades at the least before an accurate census of ASD individuals can be made. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , > though > > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely > anything > > > with that method! > > > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be > doing > > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > > Kendra > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 This census idea sounds very interesting and important and sane to me. I'd like to talk about it on my Autismone.org radio show Maverick Mama, or in a Huffington Post essay eventually and/or other places and try to drum up support. So please let me know more. Either, here, I check all the time. Or at fischkinB@.... Many thanks! Barbara > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , though > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely anything > with that method! > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should be doing > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but I > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the next > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > Kendra > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Just another thought on this as I read and digest all further comments pro and con: Does anyone know specifics about how and if data was gathered in the past for other health epidemics (such as polio?). How were diagnoses and self-reporting of diagnoses handled? Just curious. Thanks. Barbara > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Why are we not lobbying to get Autism questions on the next U.S. > > > > Census. Could possibly shut up those idiots Grinker and , > > though > > > > no guarantees there, they have started making claims followed > > > > by, " this can never be proven " . Wow, you can say absolutely > > anything > > > > with that method! > > > > > > > > It can take years to get census questions added, so we should > be > > doing > > > > this already. I brought this up to Mark Blaxill years ago, but > I > > > > believe both of us thought the truth would be out before the > next > > > > census. I no longer have such disilusions. > > > > > > > > So, where do we start? What do we have to do to get specific > > > > questions about Autism on the U.S. Census forms? > > > > Kendra > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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