Recording of Virtual Town Hall: The (Not So) Great Equalizer: The Disparate Impact Of COVID-19 On Marginalized Communities

Learn about the economic fallout created by the pandemic and its impact on the health of low income children and families, particularly in immigrant families and communities of color, and the unique role Children’s HealthWatch is playing in creating equitable responses to the crisis. This is part of our year long series on equity, why it matters, and what a truly equitable society would look like.

Key points to take away from the discussion

1. Pre-COVID, low-income families and children, immigrants and communities of color were already struggling with higher rates of food insecurity, housing instability, worse access to health care and child care, employment with volatile hours, work schedules and limited worker benefits;
2.  The massive impact this crisis is having on families’ ability to afford food, housing, utilities, and health care due to loss of income needs more than temporary solutions
3. We must reckon with and redress the harmful impacts of inequity and discrimination with sound and evidence-based policies
4. The time for bold action is now – there is a great deal of discussion  about the “new normal”.  We can make systemic change to ensure that “new normal” creates a world that eliminates racial and other inequities, allowing all families to meet their basic needs and thrive.

Children’s HealthWatch urges immediate action on long-term federal solutions to address these inequities. These include:

1. Issuing direct, monthly cash payments, which are inclusive of immigrant families, until the economy recovers and expanding refundable tax credits for low and moderate income working families
2. Increasing SNAP benefit amounts and reducing barriers to access
3. Investing in emergency rental assistance and eviction prevention
4. Expanding access to affordable, adequate health care, regardless of immigration status
5. Providing adequate funding for child care.

For a complete, detailed list of our policy priorities and to read more about why these solutions matter, please read our recent policy brief on the emergency COVID-19 policy responses.

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Read More to Take Informed Action

Children’s HealthWatch Publications:
States COVID-19 Family Policy Prescriptions
National COVID-19 Family Policy Prescriptions
From Disparities to Discrimination: Getting at the Roots of Food Insecurity in America
Access to High-Quality, Affordable Child Care: Strategies to Improve Health

Other Resources:
COVID-19 and Health Equity — Serving the Underserved, Poorly Served, and Never Served:
COVID-19 and Health Equity—A New Kind of “Herd Immunity