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Dallas County proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month; local agencies call for stronger prevention and system fixes
Summary
The Commissioners Court proclaimed April 2025 Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard testimony from local providers and state Child Protective Services about the scale of child abuse and neglect in Dallas County and gaps in the foster-care and child-safety systems.
The Dallas County Commissioners Court on April 1 adopted a proclamation declaring April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard extended remarks from local child protection organizations and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) regional director.
Why it matters: County- and community-run prevention and family-support programs can reduce child abuse and neglect, and speakers asked the court to sustain funding and partnerships. Presenters described high caseloads, children waiting for adoption, and systemic challenges in the foster-care system.
What speakers said: - Adrienne Cuellar (Text4Text): Discussed recent advocacy gains, including $65 million in state funding; nevertheless she said Dallas County still saw 18,604 allegations in 2024 and that “one child is one too many.” - Vincent Riles (Regional Director, Child Protective Investigations, Texas DFPS): Reported over 11,600 investigations completed in Dallas County in fiscal 2024 and described removals and the urgency to protect children. He framed child-protection as a community-wide responsibility. - Madeline Reedy (Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center): Noted that most child abuse is perpetrated by someone the child knows; emphasized the long delay many children wait before reporting abuse and the center’s training and family services. - Kathleen LaValle (Dallas CASA) and Ona Foster (Family Compass): Described system-level concerns, including a narrowing definition of neglect in state reporting (which alters comparative counts), caseworker experience gaps, and impacts from the move toward privatized child-welfare services.
Court action and follow-up: The court unanimously approved the proclamation and invited partner agencies to continue local prevention collaboration and community training. Several speakers urged more persistent legislative and local action to address staffing, casework capacity, and system-level reforms.
Ending: Commissioners thanked providers and asked county staff to stay engaged with partners; agencies committed to sustained outreach and training to detect and prevent child abuse and neglect locally.
