Addressing Differential Impacts of Covid-19 in NYS: The Ecological Impact of COVID on the Mental Health of Black Children

Abstract

COVID-19 has widely exasperated existing issues within societal areas, including educational and mental health systems. These systems, which are guided by socioeconomics, are in no way isolated, connecting and spilling into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Especially magnified and significant are the disproportionate perception and treatment of Black children with mental health concerns. Consequential undesirable behavior is often not connected with cognition issues, especially anxiety and depression. Instead, due to assumptions of normative “culture” or irreparable internal flaws, they are often diverted away from therapeutic environments. Relatedly, similar system behavior is also seen in the criminal justice system, which is a possible consequence of this disproportionality.

This work considers the dearth of emotional and connectivity resources in areas that couple with low socioeconomic status. These challenges, which were present pre-pandemic, regard technological resources, demographically framed workforce burdens, and community mental health resources. The posed issue focuses on workplace culture and system functioning, rather than teacher, parent, or child shortcomings. Noted also are policy and system suggestions that hope to alleviate pressure and change the disproportionate impact of system behavior on Black children, even with the changing bearing of COVID. These recommendations include educational and community services, policy changes, professional development, increased funding sources, and parental empowerment, along with changing of stigmatizing perceptions and responses on the part of societal systems.