117 HRES 967 IH: Raising awareness of the impact of COVID–19 on bereaved children. U.S. House of Representatives 2022-03-07 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV117th CONGRESS2d SessionH. RES. 967IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMarch 7, 2022Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself and Ms. Stevens) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceRESOLUTIONRaising awareness of the impact of COVID–19 on bereaved children.

Whereas COVID–19 has taken the lives of more than 950,000 people in the United States, leading to more than 200,000 children experiencing caregiver loss;Whereas 1 in every 360 children under 18 have lost a coresiding caregiver to COVID–19, and 70 percent of caregiver loss affects children 13 and younger;Whereas 65 percent of caregiver loss to COVID–19 is experienced by children of color;Whereas an estimated 4,400,000 children will experience the loss of a parent before the age of 18 in the United States;Whereas child bereavement disproportionately impacts minority communities;Whereas children losing primary caregivers have a higher risk of experiencing substance abuse and mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder;Whereas bereaved children are at higher risk of reduced employment and housing instability, and experience lower rates of academic attainment and higher dropout rates;Whereas parental bereavement is associated with a higher likelihood of risky behaviors that threaten the health and safety of bereaved children;Whereas the impacts of caregiver loss on children are amplified during COVID–19 due to a lack of stable social support systems commonly provided with consistent school or community; andWhereas the long-term consequences of caregiver loss during the COVID–19 pandemic are still unknown: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives—(1)recognizes the impact of COVID–19 on bereaved children and the unknown long-term consequences of caregiver loss during the COVID–19 pandemic;(2)acknowledges that the loss of a primary caregiver disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities; and(3)calls upon the Federal Government to prioritize the needs of bereaved children through identifying services and resources that can be used to assist them.