The Child Welfare System's Response to the National Mental Health Crisis

The nation's child welfare system serves the most vulnerable youth and families and so has been impacted dramatically by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic with decreases of abuse reporting, delayed toward permanency, and increased disproportionality. Youth in foster care have increased likelihood of boarding in hospital emergency rooms or nontraditional placements. These issues are magnified in exceptional vulnerable populations such as American Indian and Alaska Native children. The child welfare response to the national mental health crisis offers opportunities to redress chronic gaps and vulnerabilities within the systems of care serving these youth.