The COVID-19 pandemic is deeply impacting our country and dramatically increasing exposure to adversity and trauma at the same time that people are disconnected from support networks, such as school, church, or social organizations. Already we are seeing documented spikes in serious child abuse cases, domestic violence incidents and food insecurity.
"The Kids Aren’t Alright", articulates the trauma that children are experiencing and will continue to experience. In these early days, congressional, state, and local leaders have correctly and necessarily focused on the immediate health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
Going forward, through both immediate response and long-term recovery, it is essential that there are efforts, programs, approaches, and public financing dedicated to supporting families and communities to limit adversity during the crisis and addressing the impacts of the increased trauma exposure many people and communities are experiencing now to mitigate the intergenerational negative consequences.
We must all work to ensure that our nation’s recovery from COVID-19 is one of resilience and restoration in response to grief and adversity on a scale unknown to modern times.
Policy Analysis Tool
Resources for Becoming Trauma-Informed during COVID-19
Dear Colleague Letter
National Trauma Campaign's Response to COVID-19
Directing Educational Funds to Create Trauma-Informed Classrooms and Schools
Resources and Articles Highlighting the Need for Preventing and Addressing Trauma as a Part of the Nation’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic