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Kern supervisors proclaim February 2025 Grand Jury Awareness Month and Safely Surrendered Baby Awareness Month
Summary
The board approved proclamations recognizing February 2025 as Grand Jury Awareness Month and Safely Surrendered Baby Awareness Month and heard remarks from grand jury foreman and county human services staff about outreach and services.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday adopted two proclamations recognizing February 2025 as Grand Jury Awareness Month and as Safely Surrendered Baby Awareness Month.
The board approved the grand jury proclamation after Supervisor Jeff Flores presented it and invited members of the 2024-25 Kern County Grand Jury to the podium. Todd Lucas, foreman of the 2024-25 grand jury, thanked the board and said the designation both recognizes jurors' service and encourages citizen participation; he invited the public to an awareness event next Tuesday at noon in front of the county courthouse and a reception to follow.
Why it matters: County staff and the grand jury emphasized the grand jury's role as an independent local watchdog that issues reports intended to improve government transparency and accountability.
Safely Surrendered Baby proclamation: Supervisor Jeff Peters presented the proclamation declaring February 2025 as Safely Surrendered Baby Awareness Month. Cindy Utes, Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Human Services, told the board the state law (enacted in 2001) lets a parent surrender a newborn safely at a hospital emergency room or fire station without prosecution if the infant is unharmed and that Kern's coalition has raised awareness since 2006.
Department of Human Services staff said Kern County has recorded 103 safe surrenders since the county's program began: 5 in 2024 and the 100th celebrated last fall. The coalition includes county agencies, hospitals, clinics and nonprofit partners that conduct outreach and education to ensure caregivers know where to surrender a newborn safely. Cindy Utes said the county will hold a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 13 at Adventist Health Specialty Bakersfield Hospital with partner agencies to broaden outreach.
Board action and votes: Both proclamations were moved and seconded and approved by the board; the clerk recorded the votes as "all ayes."
Ending: Supervisors thanked the volunteers and coalition members on both proclamations and encouraged public participation in the grand jury's awareness event and the safely surrendered baby outreach activities.
