Social Workers Fear Self-Isolation Directives Could Be Fatal For Vulnerable Americans, Domestic Abuse Victims
Being shut away in their homes carries extra risk for Americans who are disabled or abused by family members. “We’re going to be seeing some deaths in our caseloads,” said one Florida social worker. “We might not even know about it until they’ve been dead for several days.”
ProPublica:
Domestic Violence And Child Abuse Will Rise During Quarantines. So Will Neglect Of At-Risk People, Social Workers Say.
While most Americans huddle inside their homes watching and worrying as the coronavirus pandemic stalks the country, desperate emails have poured into ProPublica, some almost shouting their fears for the unseen victims of the vast and unprecedented national shutdown. A Florida social worker wrote of her panic for her developmentally disabled clients, who are shut in their homes, unable to even use the bathroom without help. What will happen to them if she and her colleagues fall ill? (Sapien, Thompson, Raghavendran and Rose, 3/21)
WBUR:
Coronavirus Is Isolating Some Kids In Protective Care From Parents And Services
Her daughter, who is a toddler, is in foster care and Jessica is part of a mother-and-child program that provides a home and mental health and drug treatment services for moms who either live with their kids, or who have children in foster care. Jessica asked that NPR only use her first name because of pending legal cases related to the custody of her daughter, which she is working to regain.But now she doesn't know when she'll see her child again. (Fadel, 3/21)
