Board proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month, highlights county child‑welfare work

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on April 1 recognized April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard from county casework staff and the Child Abuse Prevention Council about prevention programs and a recent family reunification success.

A representative from the county Employment and Human Services Department said Child Protective Services coordinated services for hundreds of children and cited 19,719 reports of suspected child abuse to the county hotline during the most recently reported fiscal period. The speaker said the county’s Child Protective Services completed timely investigations at a rate higher than the state average and coordinated services for children in need.

Carol Carrillo, executive director of the Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC), described CAPC programs that provide parenting support, youth partnerships, nurturing parenting curricula and school‑based child safety programs. CAPC staff were wearing blue and carrying pinwheels as part of the state OCAP (Office of Child Abuse Prevention) “Pinwheels for Prevention” campaign, Carrillo said.

Lorena Tabar, a parent‑partner supervisor with CAPC, shared a case example: she described helping a single father meet court requirements during reunification by providing gas cards for travel, hotel stays for weekend overnight visitation and gift cards to set up an apartment. Tabar said the father’s case was “vacated and dismissed” and that both he and his son were doing well; she relayed the family’s gratitude to CAPC and county children and family services.

Supervisors praised the prevention work, emphasized the long‑term community benefits of early intervention, and accepted a proclamation. CAPC staff and supervisors posed for a photo at the end of the presentation; staff distributed pinwheels and lapel pins to attendees.