Laredo committee to coordinate disability needs surveys with health department to avoid duplication

LAREDO, March 18, 2026 — The City Committee for People with Disabilities voted on March 18 to coordinate a planned community needs assessment with existing public-health work rather than launch a separate survey campaign.

Committee members reviewed a proposed needs assessment from the University of Delaware Center for Research and Education and Social Policy and heard that the city health department recently led a broad community health needs assessment (conducted around 2020–23) and an autism-specific survey. Erica, a health-department reviewer, told the committee that the health department’s reports could complement the committee’s goals and help avoid duplicating outreach efforts.

Members said they want one consolidated survey the public can complete, rather than multiple 15–20 minute questionnaires. Carmen agreed to share a draft of the committee’s survey with staff and members before the next meeting so members can provide feedback; staff said they aim for a June–July release window with results available for an August 2026 presentation.

The committee also asked staff to confirm whether police fingerprinting and other school-based ID efforts are already active on every campus; if so, the committee will not pursue a separate citywide rollout. The group emphasized sharing finalized questionnaires across partner agencies, and tying deliverables to existing grant reporting requirements so the data can be used for state and funding reports.

The committee deferred action-item approvals until members have had a chance to compare the draft survey questions with the health department’s materials. The group closed the item by asking members to help distribute the survey once it is finalized so the committee can collect robust, representative data.