Reimagining a System of Care to Promote the Well-Being of Children and Families

The economic and physical and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were disproportionately borne by Black, Hispanic, and Native Americans. The true impacts on children and families may not be fully known until after the pandemic ends, but many agree that a new system of care is needed to promote the well-being of children and families in the pandemic’s aftermath. On September 14-15, 2020, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Forum for Children’s Well-Being organized a workshop focused on building systems to support children and families in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workshop speakers and organizers paid particular attention to how economic, behavioral, and public health systems that can combat racism and promote the well-being of children and families. Participants engaged in discussionsabout a broad range of existing tools and resources that could be used to further promote family well-being and health equity in the United States.