Children & Families

What happens to at-risk children whose parents die prematurely, leaving them orphaned? It's a vital question, since health disparities can cause early deaths in some populations, leaving children in precarious emotional, educational and financial straits.

Mental Health

While Americans tend to think of sex trafficking as a problem that happens overseas, the United States is a major sex trafficking hub for obvious reasons—it's a rich country. An estimated 100,000 children in the U.S. are forced into the sex trade every year.

Immigrant and Migrant Health, Mental Health, Domestic Violence, Community Safety

Five of the worst schools in Florida are clustered in a 15-square-mile area in Pinellas County’s black neighborhoods. Behavior problems are rampant. Teacher turnover is constant. Michael LaForgia of the Tampa Bay Times investigates how and why these schools are failing kids.

Race and Equity, Poverty and Class, Mental Health

In Arkansas, judges make frequent use of their authority to lock up children known as "status offenders," despite the fact that they haven't broken any laws. Few people outside the juvenile justice system know how easy it is for a child to end up behind bars. Even fewer see the long-lasting impact.

Mental Health, Community Safety

The U.S. has a much higher rate of child maltreatment deaths than other rich countries, and studies are beginning to show that early child abuse can spark changes that are linked to later-in-life health issues. But how do you get poor, stressed parents to be kinder and more engaged?

Mental Health, Community Safety

Last year, more than 50,000 unaccompanied minors from Central America crossed the Mexico-U.S. border looking for their parents or better opportunities. But the journey north can entail serious trauma and suffering. What are the long-term mental health issues such children face?

Race and Equity, Immigrant and Migrant Health, Mental Health, Community Safety

Twenty-one journalists from around the nation will receive reporting grants from the new Fund for Journalism on Child Well-Being, the Dennis A. Hunt Fund for Health Journalism and the National Health Journalism Fellowship.

Race and Equity, Poverty and Class, Environmental Health, Mental Health, Women's and Maternal Health, Domestic Violence