UHF Report Finds 4,200 Children in NYS Have Lost a Parent to COVID-19

Original article written by the United Hospital Fund

A new analysis conducted by the United Hospital Fund (UHF) and Boston Consulting Group estimates that COVID-19 has led to long-lasting and racially disparate repercussions on children under age 18 in New York State. The report, COVID-19 Ripple Effect: The Impact of COVID-19 on Children in New York State, states that between March and July 2020, 4,200 children experienced a parental death; and 325,000 children have been pushed into or near poverty as a result of the pandemic’s economic downturn. “This pandemic is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The closest comparison in the state would be 9/11, when more than 3,000 children lost a parent,”said Suzanne Brundage, Director of UHF’s Children’s Health Initiative and a co-author of the report. The consequences of losing a parent or caregiver to COVID-19 are likely to be severe, with 23 percent at risk of entering the foster care system or the care of a relative, and 50 percent at risk of falling into poverty. In order to support the growing needs of children impacted by the pandemic, an estimated $800 million will be needed over the next year in housing, food, health insurance, and remote learning investments for children. This is especially needed for Black and Hispanic children, who experienced the death of a parent or caregiver at twice the rate of Asian and white children. The report released by UHF is in two parts: Part 1 estimates the number of children in New York who lost a parent due to COVID-19, and the racial, ethnic, and geographic disparities, while Part 2 looks at the broader economic impact, including parental job loss and teen unemployment. Tables and charts in both reports showed the impact of the pandemic on children in every county.

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