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Denton County proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month; local agencies report rising caseloads
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Summary
Denton County Commissioners Court on April 14, 2026, proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard local child-welfare organizations report higher caseloads, calls for volunteers and gratitude for county support.
Denton County Commissioners Court on April 14 adopted a proclamation recognizing April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard representatives from local child-welfare organizations describe rising demand and volunteer needs.
The proclamation cited Denton County figures for 2025: the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services received 8,362 reports of child abuse in the county, of which 5,879 were assigned to caseworkers. County and nonprofit leaders who spoke at the meeting urged more volunteer advocates and continued interagency cooperation to protect children.
Why it matters: County officials said the numbers underline a continuing need for foster-care capacity, casework and community supports. Speakers representing CASA of Denton County, Community Partners of Denton County, Our Community Kids, the Children's Advocacy Center for North Texas and DFPS described direct services and recruitment needs that affect local children and families.
Bridget, president of the Child Protective Services (CPS) Board, said the county’s child-welfare caseloads are “heartbreaking” and thanked partner agencies for their work. John Perry, president of Community Partners of Denton County, said donations are up and the organization has fulfilled about 125 requests since September and moved over 2,500 items between Denton and Lewisville to support families. Lauren Romero of CASA of Denton County said CASA provided advocacy to 642 children in 2025, an 11% increase from the prior year and urged citizens to volunteer as guardians ad litem.
Ruthie Cherry, representing Our Community Kids, said about 563 children were provided care from Denton County in 2025 and the program is currently serving roughly 320 children in the county, with 84% of exiting children able to reunify with family or kinship caregivers. DFPS and local Child Protective Investigations leadership described ongoing recruitment and training efforts to staff casework teams.
The court moved and seconded the proclamation and the motion carried. Commissioners thanked the boards, volunteers and agency staff and invited the group forward for a photo.
The court took no additional formal action on child-welfare policy at the meeting; the proclamation is a formal recognition and a call for continued community engagement.
