What Separation From Parents Does to Children and What You Can Do to Help
The Boston Globe just shared an article: What Separation from Parents Does to Children: “The results are catastrophic.” While I have been posting on social media about this, this week, I spoke with attorneys in Texas on how we can do more.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and the American Psychiatric Association have all issued statements against what is happening at our borders—representing more than 250,000 doctors in the United States.
“If you take the moral, spiritual, even political aspect out of it, from a strictly medical and scientific point of view, what we as a country are doing to these children at the border is unconscionable.’
‘‘To pretend that separated children do not grow up with the shrapnel of this traumatic experience embedded in their minds is to disregard everything we know about child development, the brain, and trauma,’’ the doctors wrote
The United Methodist Church also issued a statement today, calling what is happening at our borders immoral and child abuse. They follow the Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church and others doing the same.
For those who follow my work because they care about the health of children, know this: my work is to better the health of all children. And if you do not agree with the statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics here, please leave this page.
Our mental health is our physical health, not just for the Kate Spades and Anthony Bourdains of the world, but for all children around the world.
If you need an action step, I’ve spoken with attorneys in Texas working on behalf of these children and families.
Here are some suggestions for non-lawyers on how we can help with the border immigration issue:
There have been calls for Spanish Speakers and Therapists/Counselors—we will try to connect you, if you fall into that category, when we have more information.
If not, please consider a financial donation to any of the organizations below, or RAICES, who has a bond fund, which will help people pay their bond and get out of detention (to be able to be reunited with their child).
LINKS:
https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/donate
http://www.americangateways.org/donate/
https://catholiccharities.org/…/donate-online-now-and-help…/
https://supportkind.org/donate/