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County proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month, highlights prevention and response statistics
Summary
Contra Costa County marked April as Child Abuse Prevention Month; county staff noted prevention programs, 19,719 hotline reports in FY 2023–24, a 98% timely completion rate for investigations, and coordination of services for 887 children.
Contra Costa County supervisors on April 1 joined county staff and the Child Abuse Prevention Council to proclaim April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and to spotlight prevention work and community supports.
Rosalind Gentry, director of Children and Family Services in the Employment and Human Services Department, told the board that child abuse and neglect affect children regardless of age, race or income and can have long-term impacts. She reported that, during fiscal year 2023–24, county hotlines received 19,719 reports of suspected child abuse and that Child Protective Services completed investigations in a timely manner 98% of the time. Gentry said the department coordinated services for 887 children in the last fiscal year.
Carol Carrillo, executive director of the Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC), described the council's prevention and family-support programs and said CAPC provides free, unduplicated services including parent partnership, youth services, nurturing parenting, community education and school-based child-safety programs. CAPC staff offered examples of supports such as transportation assistance and hotel stays that helped a single father meet court reunification requirements; that case was later vacated and dismissed, the parent partner Lorena Tabar reported.
The presenters noted that the state Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s campaign ‘‘Pinwheels for Prevention’’ will be visible across the county in April; staff distributed pinwheels and lapel pins during the board presentation. Gentry and Carrillo urged community members, educators, health-care staff, law enforcement and government partners to support prevention, early intervention and coordinated services.
No board action was required; the item was a recognition and a call for continued prevention efforts and interagency coordination.
