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Clear Lake Council proclaims April 2025 Child Abuse Prevention Month, local agencies outline county needs
Summary
At its April 3 meeting the Clear Lake City Council proclaimed April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard county officials describe rising reports of neglect and drug-impacted infants and ask cities to support prevention and treatment efforts.
The Clear Lake City Council proclaimed April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month during its April 3 meeting and heard local child-welfare leaders urge continued municipal support for prevention programs and substance use treatment services.
The proclamation formalized local observances and encouraged residents, organizations and businesses to participate in countywide prevention efforts. Jamie White, event coordinator for Lake County, said the countywide campaign uses blue pinwheels as a symbol of “healthy, happy, and full childhoods” and highlighted community events including a pinwheel garden challenge and a children’s festival.
Kim Costa, identified in the meeting as mayor of Lakeport and program manager for Lake County Child Welfare Services, told the council the department receives about 1,200 reports of abuse and neglect each year from across the county, and that roughly 70% of those reports allege neglect. “Substance abuse is almost always involved,” Costa said, listing methamphetamines, opiates and fentanyl among commonly observed substances. She said 86 Lake County children were in placements outside their homes at the time of her remarks, a figure she said represented about a 23% increase from mid‑year the previous year.
The presenters asked the council to continue supporting efforts that address substance-use disorder among parents and to back programs that provide treatment and safe experiences for children. Brock Falkenberg, Lake County superintendent of schools, thanked the council for prioritizing children’s well‑being in policy decisions.
The proclamation text, read as part of the presentation, cites local prevention initiatives including the Lake County Children’s Council, “Building Resilient Lake County,” and several local services and programs; it concludes with the statement that the City of Clear Lake “does hereby proclaim April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Clear Lake” and was signed by Mayor Russ Kramer.
City staff and presenters encouraged residents and organizations to use the month for awareness activities and pointed to upcoming events and resources for families. No formal vote was recorded for the proclamation beyond the reading and mayoral signature recorded in the meeting minutes.
