America talks a good game when it comes to children and families. However, our policy choices and acceptance of an inequitable status quo tell another story. The reality of widespread suffering and millions of people hanging on by a thread doesn't match our often lofty rhetoric.
To wit, one of the wealthiest nations on the planet allows tens of millions of people—more than the populations of Florida and New York combined—to live in poverty;
Black, Latino, and Indigenous children and families suffer with the highest rates. Parents and caregivers strive to provide what's best for their kids, but in today's America, skin color, income level, and zip code have an outsized influence on health and wellbeing. Families are forced to make impossible choices between putting food on the table, paying the rent, and getting quality health care.
The above is an excerpt of a piece originally published in American Pediatrics.
Media Resources & News
Visit our press room to find out who our key points of contact are, including supporting research, expertise, and multimedia assets needed for publication.