Statement from Madeline Bell, President and CEO of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), On 6/20 Executive Order that Temporarily Ends Family Separation:

PHILADELPHIA, June 20, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Today's executive order appears to have suspended parent and child separation at our southern borders, and it is important that families are reunited quickly.  This situation continues to result in unnecessary trauma being inflicted on children. As CEO of CHOP ? the nation's first children's hospital ? I interact daily with experts in their field who have long treated and studied the impact of family separation on refugee and immigrant children. The science is indisputable ? family preservation is a critical component to ensuring childhood resilience.

The truth is that sudden, unexpected or traumatic loss or separation from parents can have devastating, long-term effects on the physical and psychological health of children. Prolonged placement in detention centers or institutional environments only compounds the lasting impact. From post-traumatic stress disorder, to toxic stress, to permanent physiological changes that can alter brain development, immune health and a host of other vital functions ? the science is quite clear.

At a time when innocent children ? many of whom have already fled from dangerous living conditions, often marked by violence and instability ? would benefit from the presence of safe, loving and consistent caretakers, forcibly separating families only stands to do harm to their physical and mental health beyond measure.

As health care providers, it is our responsibility to advocate for those who do not have a voice. Quickly reuniting these families will help ensure these children can lead healthy and fulfilling lives."

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia