Advocates for disabled people are objecting to proposed modifications in how the federal government defines “disabilities,” The Associated Press reported.

The Census Bureau is planning to change how it collects disability data in the American Community Survey. Advocates say the updates will negatively hurt people with disabilities by reducing the number of individuals who qualify under the new definition. If approved, the changes would be implemented in 2025. 

“It will reduce the count of people with disabilities from 14% to 8%, which would mean about 20 million disabled people would not be counted, according to Disability Rights California. 

Further, some advocates have expressed concerns that the changes don’t allow for evolving health concerns, such as long COVID, and that the proposal could unfairly penalize disabled women.  

“If the proposed definition is adopted, it could lead to a reduction of approximately 9.6 million in the counted number of disabled women and girls. This decrease could have significant implications for funding allocations and civil rights enforcement,” medical news source Medriva reported. 

The Census Bureau asserts that the changes to the series of six disability questions are being revised to capture information that help the United States better align with international standards. 

“Changes include using graded response categories to reflect the continuum of functional abilities (the current questions use a dichotomous yes or no response), reordering the questions, and modifying question text,” the Census Bureau explained. “Additionally, a new question will ask about difficulties related to psychosocial and cognitive disability in addition to problems with speech.”

According to the Associated Press, Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee has recommended that the agency hold off on further action until meeting with disability advocates and researchers.

“The outcome of this debate will not only affect the accurate counting of people with disabilities but also influence the identity of disability as a social movement,” Medriva reported. “It underscores the need for a careful and inclusive approach in defining and measuring disability to ensure that all individuals receive the necessary support and resources.

Comments on the proposed changes are due here by Dec. 19.