Tarrant County opens COVID-19 survey to assess needs of residents, businesses
How have you been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? Tarrant County officials want to know.
In an effort to figure out how to spend its $409 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for pandemic relief, the county has opened up a needs assessment survey to local businesses, nonprofits and residents.
Kristen Camareno, assistant county administrator, said Wednesday the county’s been working on a COVID-19 needs assessment for a few months that includes feedback from stakeholders and focus groups.
“This survey is really the last step in that assessment to try to get some more granular detail at an individual level,” Camareno said.
The survey asks residents how they were directly impacted during the pandemic with answer options like income loss, decreased mental health and increased cost of childcare. It also asks questions about the efficiency of Tarrant County Public Health services, as well as what residents would like to see the county put money toward.
Businesses are asked questions about revenue loss, business status, challenges, concerns and ability to keep their doors open. Nonprofits are asked similar questions.
Camareno said county officials hope the results give them more direction as to what the community needs the most.
Top needs identified by the county through the assessment effort so far have been staff recruitment and retention, childcare, mental health services and efforts to address homelessness and housing, Camareno said. As of Thursday, Camareno said via email the survey had gotten 647 responses.
The survey can be taken in Spanish, English and Vietnamese. The last day to take the survey is Jan. 14, Camareno said.
The county will receive the final report in January and present results to the county commissioners in February.
This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 2:11 PM.
