One hundred thousand Ukrainian refugees from the invasion in their country are headed to the United States. Among the many adults will be children who are infants, school-age kids, or teens and all of them will bear the mental scars of a war zone. How could they not carry such mental anguish with them? Appearing somewhat normal, they will nevertheless suffer from their horrific experiences, and we must prepare now to help them. In fact, we are unprepared.

UNICEF has estimated that every minute 55 children have fled Ukraine and every second another becomes a refugee. To date, they believe that the numbers of orphaned children in need worldwide may number in the millions. Some have been taken for refuge in European countries, but more will be coming to the US. Welcoming them is one thing, properly caring for their needs is another.

The word is out about those who would use this tragedy as a means for human trafficking or enrich themselves in some way. Not all charities are truly charitable. Rigid oversight is mandated.

The mental health system in the US has, by all accounts, not been up to the task of helping American kids who have had their lives turned upside down by the pandemic and wrecking of the daily normalcy they counted on. Entire families have been affected by job loss, food insecurity, home foreclosures, the loss of loved ones to the pandemic, and more. Teachers, doctors, and nurses are leaving their fields because of impossible tasks placed on them or burnout. What can we do to address this to retain them?

We know that the US educational system was unprepared to handle the normal workload for children in need of mental health services and now we face the task of helping kids who come from a different culture and may not speak English. Where will we find qualified therapists for them and what therapy will be most productive? How many schools have eliminated the school nurse and what happens in those schools?

Task forces are needed. They should have been in place when the specter of the invasion first reared its ugly head. School resources must be marshaled and places for these children and, possibly, their mothers must be made available.

I don't think anything like camps will leave a lasting, favorable impression on the mothers or the kids. Too often we are reminded of the camps for American Japanese in the deserts of the West. We must be more accommodating.

Therapists not simply trained in helping children, but conversant in the culture and the language are needed in great numbers. How do we weed the incompetent out in our wish to employ those who meet the two requirements: culture and language? It is no easy task and here, too, some will pass through the system and not provide adequate services. In fact, some will cause damage.

The tasks are formidable, but we have no choice; we must not fail.