# Children in Crisis ![building falling apart](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/humanitarianinitiative/files/childrenincrisis-hero.jpg?itok=FglD46hR) **Founded:** 2019 **Faculty Lead:** Michelle Niescierenko, MD, MPH **Status:** Active Program **Regions of Focus:** Liberia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Occupied Palestinian Territories, South Sudan ## Description **Background** The Children in Crisis (CiC) Program seeks to address the health needs of children in humanitarian contexts. Over 400 million, or approximately one in six, children live in conflict zones. Nearly 37 million children are displaced due to conflict, poverty, or natural disasters. These children face disproportionate risks that have significant impacts on their ability to attain the highest level of health possible. In conflict settings, they are particularly vulnerable to harm from the loss of caregivers, disruption of social systems, direct violence, and limited access to pediatric health services. Understanding and responding to the unique needs of children in these environments is crucial to supporting children’s right to health and to prevent, mitigate, and address detrimental health consequences. **Program Mission** The CiC program partners with non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, donors, governments, and academic institutions to provide technical expertise and implementation support to address pediatric health needs in humanitarian contexts. By working collaboratively with partner organizations and communities, we help to define both immediate and long-term needs of affected populations, guide program development and implementation, and strengthen national and international resilience strategies. Our focus is on delivering targeted, effective, and sustainable interventions in collaboration with communities and partners. ## Featured Projects - **Ethiopia:** To address the unseen impacts of armed conflicts on children, a team of child protection workers, social workers, nurses, and sociologists evaluated mental health and psychosocial support needs to explore how factors such as health and hygiene, food and nutrition, and education impact mental health in Tigray, Ethiopia. - **Ukraine:** A novel pediatric and nursing trauma care training program was developed and implemented across Ukraine to strengthen trauma care capacity. Training has been transitioned to locally-led programs integrated within national education systems. ## Program Streams CiC supports affected communities, partners, and governments through the following program streams: **Knowledge Production** CiC collaborates with partners to identify and address the immediate and long-term needs of children in humanitarian crises. We contribute to the creation of impactful programs by providing expertise in communitybased needs assessments, research, and monitoring and evaluation. **Technical Support** CiC provides technical guidance to a diverse range of partners, assisting with program design and implementation. Our expertise spans the health care continuum from primary to hospital care, including subspecialty services like pediatric emergency care, infectious disease, and mental health. **Education** CiC has extensive experience developing and implementing educational programs globally. Our initiatives cover clinical education, crisis response training, and continuing medical education, with content available in person and virtual formats across digital platforms. **Policy and Advocacy** Advocacy is central to CiC's mission, focusing on protecting and promoting the health and well-being of children in crisis. Our advocacy efforts aim to work with governments, UN agencies, and donor spaces. ## Team [### Michelle Niescierenko, MD, MPH ](/people/michelle-niescierenko)Grousbeck-Fazzalari Chair & Director, Global Health Program, Boston Children's Hospital Dr. Niescierenko is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Public Health physician and founding Chair of the Global Health Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. The Boston Children's Global Health Program is partnership-based, working to improve child health... ![Michelle headshot ](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-02/Niescierenko%2C%20Michelle_headshot.jpg?h=11be7672&itok=nR1pVYeO) [### Alexis Schmid, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC/AC, CPEN, CCRN ](/people/alexis-schmid-dnp-rn-cpnp-pcac-cpen-ccrn)Assistant Director, Global Health Program, Boston Children’s Hospital Co-Director, Children in Crisis Program, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Dr. Alexis Schmid s an emergency nurse, pediatric trauma and critical care nurse practitioner, and project manager with over 13 years of humanitarian and development experience in the Caribbean, Europe, Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and West... ![Alexis Shmid](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-02/Schmid%2C%20Alexis_headshot.jpg?itok=qNAH0_C9) [### David Mills MD, MPH ](/people/david-mills-md-mph)Co-Director, Children in Crisis Program, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Dr. David Mills is a pediatric emergency medicine physician and public health practitioner. He is the co-Director of the Children in Crisis Humanitarian Program at the Boston Children's Global Health Program and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Dr... ![David Mills](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-02/Mills%2C%20David_headshot.jpg?h=a8d99a93&itok=hRXbK1ig) [### Mary Mottla, MD, MPH ](/people/mary-mottla)Faculty, Global Health Program, Boston Children's Hospital After finishing her undergraduate degree in International Health at Georgetown University, Dr. Mottla completed medical school at Georgetown University School of Medicine and pediatric residency within the global health track at Children’s National... ![Mary Mottla](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-02/Mottla_Headshot.jpg?h=0ef6a12d&itok=blpp4K2m) [### Carolyn Baer, MPH ](/people/carolyn-baer-mph)Director of Partnerships and Planning, Children in Crisis Program, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Carolyn Baer is a global health specialist with over 15 years of experience in developing and leading global health programs focusing on reproductive health needs for women and girls in humanitarian settings as well as implementing infectious disease... ![Carolyn Baer ](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-02/Baer%2C%20Carolyn_headshot.jpg?h=17fe5148&itok=2fFbi-Lu) [### Rasha Srouji DNP, CPNP, CNRN ](/people/rasha-srouji-dnp-cpnp-cnrn)Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Boston Children’s Hospital Rasha Srouji DNP, CPNP, CNRN is a pediatric nurse practitioner working in the outpatient Neurology clinic at Boston Children’s hospital. She has been the main provider for the urgent access clinic for the past nine years. She also works in the Movement... ![srouji_rasha_photo.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6866/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/humanitarianinitiative/files/srouji_rasha_photo.jpg?itok=CwDOPqTv) **More Information** For more information, please visit us at the Boston Children’s Global Health [Children in Crisis Program](https://global-health.childrenshospital.org/category/humanitarian-response) page.