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Caring for 2 Million Refugee Children

By U.S. News & World Report

Following the most recent terrorist attacks carried out under the banner of radical Islamic theology, the issue of how the United States should respond to the Syrian refugee crisis became hotly debated among those seeking to be president. Some have supported that a religious test should be used, allowing Christian refugees to come to the U.S. while barring those who are Muslims. And some have said we should welcome refugees into our borders, as immigration has consistently been an engine of productivity for our nation.

Regardless of what course of action is adopted, it’s important that the mental well-being of the approximately 2 million refugee children caught up in this crisis be weighed. I limit my discussion to children because there is no cogent argument that could blame children for their geopolitical circumstances. Furthermore, there is consensus among mental health professionals that childhood events, especially traumatic events like immigration, impact people for their entire lives.

Even Before Becoming Refugees

Families that become refugees are defined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees as those individuals who have fled their nations because of a well-founded fear that they will lose their lives or their freedom if they remain. In the ongoing Syrian crisis, children may have spent the majority of their lives amid rockets, bombs and gunfire. That means that prior to becoming refugees, children are exposed to the well-founded fears that their parents might suddenly die or be separated from them. Many children will witness scenes of violence and torture in the very neighborhoods where they once played. Although possible for both genders, girls more than boys are at a high risk of being sexually assaulted or trafficked.

Mental Health Outcomes

Conditions that drive families to become refugees have dramatic and negative effects on the mental health of children. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition where sufferers experience a life-threatening event and emotionally re-experience the trauma through nightmares or flashbacks. People with PTSD also cannot relax and are constantly scanning their environment for possible threats. As one of my patients with PTSD once shared, “Every time someone opens a soda can, it sounds like a bullet being fired.” A person’s ability to function is further deteriorated as they avoid situations that remind them of their previous trauma. For example, a child who experienced a massacre in his or her school may avoid all schools even after being relocated to an environment where such an event would be extremely unlikely.

Refugee Children May Have Rates of PTSD as High as 54 Percent

At least 400,000 Syrian refugee children will develop this serious and debilitating mental illness.

PTSD is not the only outcome that can be expected to plague many children from this ongoing conflict. Approximately 20 percent of these children will develop major depressive disorder. This is a disorder involving changes in energy, appetite, sleep, concentration, irritability or depressed mood, excessive guilt, loss of interest in activities and even recurrent thoughts of death and suicide. At least 400,00 Syrian refugee children will become depressed.

While these estimates cover just two of the most common mental illnesses, it does not take into account the high degree of suffering experienced by children who do not go on to develop a diagnosable mental illness.

A Solution

Many of these children will require ongoing specific treatment of their mental illnesses that will include psychotherapy and medications. There is a common sense solution to prevent these expensive and individualized treatments from overrunning the mental health systems of wherever they are ultimately resettled. Every day that we leave families as unsettled refugees in horrific conditions with unsettled futures, more and more children will develop mental illness.

The sooner that these asylum claims are heard and resolved, the less the cumulative toll of suffering and the less development of mental illness.

More from U.S. News

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11 Simple, Proven Ways to Optimize Your Mental Health

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Caring for 2 Million Refugee Children originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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