Lyon County leaders highlight child-abuse prevention programs and rising reports during April observance

Lyon County Human Services outlined the county’s prevention and response services for Child Abuse Prevention Month at the April 3 Board of County Commissioners meeting, and presenters warned that state data show reported abuse and neglect cases are rising after a post-pandemic dip.

“Since its national designation, April has served as a powerful reminder that the safety and well-being of children is a responsibility we all share,” said Dr. Shaver Holmes, director of Lyon County Human Services, opening the presentation. He introduced staff who described programs ranging from WIC nutrition support to home visiting and youth behavioral-health outreach.

The presentation gave commissioners program-level detail and statistics to explain why prevention matters. Jenna Dykes, children’s services division manager, described voluntary, prevention-focused programs including WIC for pregnant women and children up to age 5 and evidence-based parenting classes. “These programs are preventative and voluntary,” Dykes said, adding that home visiting focuses on activities families can do with items already in the home and that staff conduct developmental assessments and milestone reviews.

Home visitor Misty Crank described the county’s evidence-based home visiting program, which serves pregnant women and children up to age 5 and emphasizes parent–child interaction, developmental assessment and monthly group connections. “The cornerstone belief of our program is that a parent is their child’s first and most important teacher,” Crank said.

Speakers also described Lyon County’s behavioral-health expansion. Dr. Holmes and staff said the county’s youth mobile crisis unit, C3, had a soft launch and received five calls on its first day. The services use state opioid funds for assessments and linkage to appropriate levels of care and a trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy model for youth.

Kandi Mortensen, manager for the Division of Child and Family Services in Lyon County, explained the agency’s response roles: assessments (investigations), ongoing case management to mitigate imminent danger, foster care and adoption services and licensing. “I would probably say 90% of our reports… involve some kind of substance,” Mortensen said, citing methamphetamine and alcohol as frequent factors she and colleagues see in removal cases.

Representatives of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and other partners described volunteer advocacy and coordination with schools, the sheriff’s office and the district attorney. Mary Smith, director of Lyon County CASA, said volunteers travel to meet youth, participate in educational meetings and stay with a child’s case through its conclusion; CASA volunteers logged more than 7,300 miles and 5,800 hours in 2024, the agency reported.

Why it matters: presenters emphasized that behind each data point is an affected child and argued that prevention services — from nutrition supports to behavioral-health response and local foster resources — reduce the chance of long-term harm. Dr. Holmes pointed commissioners to the Division of Child and Family Services (dcfs.nv.dev) dashboard for statewide metrics and noted the county lacks updated FY2024 figures in the materials but described an upward trend in 2025 projections.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about program ages, service reach and how services connect to school-based services and juvenile probation. Staff said WIC benefits end on children’s fifth birthdays and that Pacific Behavioral Health will be contracted to provide school-based clinicians under an interlocal memorandum already in place with local schools.

The presentation concluded with an invitation to countywide pinwheel-planting events and other public awareness activities scheduled for April in Dayton, Silver Springs, Yerington and Fernley.

The county made no formal policy changes during the presentation; commissioners thanked staff and accepted the overview as information.