WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is deeply concerned with the recent reports regarding the conditions children and their families who are seeking asylum at the U.S. border are being held in, and the traumatic affects those conditions will have on their mental health. In response, the APA released this statement from APA President Bruce Schwartz, M.D.:
“Every effort should be made to mitigate the impact of long-term detainment and minimize the number of days that families spend in detention. Scientific studies and clinical experience show that stress and adversity are particularly harmful when these events happen during significant periods of emotional and brain development, such as the first few years of life and adolescence. For example, children who have been exposed to chronic or...
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