By Ayanna Pressley and Carolyn B. Maloney, STAT, October 21, 2020

Like many nations across the globe, the U.S. continues to combat the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. The Trump administration’s deficient response has elevated the emotional, physical, and economic harm suffered by families in America. As we move through this moment of collective trauma, we must adopt focused, evidence-based approaches to make our country whole again and ensure that these approaches prioritize a precious responsibility — our children’s future.

Structural inequities that existed long before the pandemic emerged have caused disproportionate harm to vulnerable Americans, from families of color and frontline workers to teachers and their students. These longstanding inequities led the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, under the leadership of its late chairman, Elijah Cummings, to convene hearings on childhood trauma in 2019. These first-ever congressional hearings focused exclusively on this important topic demonstrated that to end generations of trauma, we must acknowledge and treat childhood trauma as the public health crisis it is.

According to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than two-thirds of children experience at least one seriously traumatic event by age 16. These range from experiencing psychological, physical, or sexual abuse to witnessing domestic violence, losing a loved one to violence, or experiencing neglect. The American Psychological Association states that the lasting consequences of trauma can vary from unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, and strained relationships to physical symptoms such as headaches and nausea. A study by the Center for American Progress reported that even as young as infancy, children of color are twice as likely to experience adverse childhood events as white children.

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