Budget cuts could slash “baby bond” funds for COVID orphans
A first-in-the-nation program to create financial support for California children who lost parents to COVID may be trimmed under budget proposals put forward by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Michele's Latest Articles
Opioid Orphans: Grandparents Struggle to Raise Children Left Behind
From 2011 to 2021, more than 300,000 children lost a parent to fatal drug overdoses. Despite billions set aside in opioid settlement funds, grandparents who have stepped up to raise those children get very little support.
COVID Stole a Parent from Over 200,000 Children. Indian Country Lost the Most
COVID was not an equal-opportunity destroyer. American Indian and Alaska Native children were orphaned at three times the rate of white children, and Black children at double the rate. Without support, children who lose a parent or caregiver are at risk of developing lasting problems with depression, lower academic achievement, and behavioral issues.
Forgotten Children
Forgotten Children is a four-part series on the tragic and underreported problem of childhood grief – and the efforts to address it. Parental death has been rising in the U.S. due to COVID-19, the overdose epidemic and gun violence.
‘Bereavement Deserts’: Amid a Rise in Parental Deaths, Grief in Children Is Often Overlooked
Children who experienced the death of a parent due to Covid, gun violence and opioid overdoses often fail to get counted or served.
Forgotten Children: The Unseen Victims of Gun Violence Are the Children Left Behind
Parental death has been rising in the U.S. due to COVID-19, the overdose epidemic and gun violence. In this first part of Forgotten Children, we look at efforts to help children grieving from the loss of parents to gun violence.
Beyond Thoughts and Prayers: Counselors Step Up to Help a Georgia Community After Deadly School Shooting
A grim ritual is playing out in Winder, Georgia, in the aftermath of another school shooting. The state has set up a recovery center, churches and health providers are offering therapy and emotional support dogs offer solace.
Shootings, Lockdowns, Anxiety: Kids Are Not Alright – But They’re Working On It
America's children are living in a time of anxiety, climate change, lockdown drills and school shootings. Yet some kids are fighting off the worries by spreading kindness, taking action and talking about their feelings.
