Meharry Census Information Center

The Meharry Census Information Center was established in October, 2001, as an official repository of US census data. It is one of about 58 such centers in the US. Census Information Centers (CICs) began in 1988 as cooperative partnerships between the US Census Bureau and community-level organizations some of which are free-standing while others are based in universities and colleges all over the United States. The Meharry CIC is one of the university-based CICs. The primary function of a CIC is to promote the dissemination and use of US census data in the various communities through out the country by community-level organizations, universities, colleges, and businesses. The US census database is the primary source of demographic and socioeconomic data in the United States and the hierarchical structure of reporting census data facilitates community-level research and community-level project planning.

The Benefits of Being a Census Information Center

All CICs are auxiliary census data dissemination centers with a focus on the underserved populations. The US Bureau accords all CICs priority access to its extensive datasets, including new releases. They have first access to US census data products, including embargoed datasets. In addition, the CICs receive US Census Bureau reports, news summaries, priority access to the American Community Survey (ACS), free data access tools, advanced query access to micro data files, free training in the use of the access tools, paid trips to the annual meeting in Washington, DC, and several other benefits.
In return, the CICs assume responsibility for training and providing technical assistance to community organizations, businesses, and groups in the use of US census data and respond to data requests from these organizations, sometimes for a fee, depending on the type of organization. The CIC s will have priority access to the upcoming 2010 data as they become available.

The Mission of the Meharry Census Information Center

The mission of the Meharry CIC is to promote the knowledge and use of US census data in Tennessee counties, particularly the Metro Nashville and the larger Davidson County communities with focus on minority populations. This will be accomplished through periodic training, responding to data requests and periodic newsletters and web postings.

The goals of the Meharry Census Information Center include the following:

• Promote the use of US census data in Metro-Nashville and Davidson County and all the other counties in Tennessee
• Respond to data requests from various community groups in middle, western, and eastern Tennessee
• Encourage the use of US census data in various research projects at Meharry Medical College and Fisk University
• Help community groups, particularly minority groups in the Metro-Nashville and Davidson area learn how US census data can be useful in conducting community needs assessments for their various projects
• Encourage the recognition of US  census data as an instructional resource for all kinds of civic engagement, and
• Create a neighborhood database for various community level research and development projects

Contact Information:
Meharry Census Information Center
Dept. of Family & Community Medicine
Meharry Medical College
1005 D.B. Todd Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37208
615 – 327 – 5516 (Dr. Green A. Ekadi)