Arizona to distribute onesies to newborns to ensure count in census

PHOENIX — Babies are among the populations traditionally undercounted in the U.S. Census, so Arizona is taking a creative approach to make sure every baby is counted.

In partnership with Banner Health, the state’s committee tasked with ensuring all Arizonans respond to the 2020 Census will be distributing 1,000 onesies to newborns mostly at Banner hospitals over the next two weeks.

“We are calling on parents of newborns and young kids across Arizona to make sure your children get counted in the Census,” Gov. Doug Ducey said during a press conference Monday at Banner’s University Medical Center in Phoenix.

Census data determines how the federal government distributes $650 billion to states, counties and towns. Ducey said an undercount of 1% of Arizona’s population would represent a loss of $62 million in federal funds per year for a decade.

The governor made the announcement about the 1,000 onesies while standing next to several newborn babies.

Debbie Johnson, chair of the Arizona Complete Count Committee, said the onesies are meant “to remind parents to count their children in the Census” and to raise awareness of one of the most undercounted populations.

During the 2010 Census, nearly 1 million children under the age of 5 were not counted, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s nearly 5 percent of all children in that age group.

“We want to make sure that we count the essential services that babies and children need as they start from youth and as they grow up – education, Head Start, health care, school nutrition program and so many more,” Johnson said.

She added for every baby not counted, Arizona stands to lose $3,000 in federal funds per year for a decade.

Starting Thursday, Arizona residents will be getting through mail an invitation to complete the 2020 Census, which can be done online, by phone or by mail.

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