The last time the results of this survey were published — for 1996 through 1999 — they showed that 36 million people, or 13 percent of the nation’s residents, took part in one or more major means-tested, government assistance programs during each month, on average, in 1999. The programs included Medicaid, food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or General Assistance (formerly known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children), Supplemental Security Income and Housing assistance.

      “It is important that those selected for the SIPP participate because the results from this survey will enable policy-makers to address a multitude of critical issues,” said James Holmes, director of the Census Bureau’s Atlanta regional office. “Among these are the prevalence of people with lapses in health-insurance coverage; the characteristics of people with disabilities; the presence of provisions for health-care costs in child support agreements; and whether more people enter or exit poverty during a given year.”

      The survey also tracks changes in the type of work people perform, their educational level and whether they are actively looking for work. Respondents also may be asked about other topics such as how they finance their own or their children’s college education, retirement and pension plan coverage, child-care arrangements, payments made for adults living in another household or an institution (such as an elderly parent in a nursing home), visits to a medical doctor, the cost of work-related expenses and fertility history. Since SIPP is designed to measure change over time, selected households will remain in the survey through 2008.

      By law, the Census Bureau keeps all information about survey respondents and their households confidential. Households selected for the survey will receive a letter from Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon. The field representatives who conduct the interviews carry official photo identification cards. Most of the follow-up interviews will be conducted by personal visit.

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February 2004