Lake County proclaims April 2026 Child Abuse Prevention Month; officials cite 1,500 reports in 2025

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on April 7, 2026 adopted a proclamation designating April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and encouraged residents and local organizations to participate in prevention activities across the county.

Brock Fulenberg, Lake County superintendent of schools, introduced partner speakers and thanked the board for the annual proclamation. Jamie White, who addressed the board after Fulenberg, said child abuse prevention “is not the responsibility of one agency or one system” and invited county child welfare staff to present current data.

“My name is Kim Costa. I am a program manager with Lake County Child Protective Services,” Costa said. “In 2025, Lake County Child Welfare Services received over 1,500 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. Of those, almost 600 met criteria for investigation and potential intervention. Currently, there are about 110 children placed outside of their parents' care with intensive services and supports in place.”

Costa emphasized that while child welfare responds when children are unsafe, “true prevention happens before a report is ever made” and requires community supports and coordinated services.

Kevin Lewis, chief deputy probation officer, highlighted countywide outreach and events tied to prevention, including a tribal-hosted volleyball tournament, a children’s festival on April 11, another on April 25 at Austin Park, and a series of partnerships that informed a Comprehensive Prevention Plan prioritizing parenting education and supports.

Samantha Bond, executive director of First Five Lake, described new outreach efforts such as a positive community norms campaign, a countywide adult survey, trainings on the HOPE framework (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences), and promotional events including a Pinwheel Garden Challenge and an art contest whose selected artwork will appear on placemats distributed by local businesses. Bond urged broader public participation, saying she hopes “every house and every business has blue pinwheels out” during April.

Organizers also asked the board to fly the Children’s Memorial Flag during April; a final flag-raising event was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. April 24 at the sheriff’s office. Kimberly Gara, program manager with Redwood Community Services, urged residents to learn the signs of child abuse, speak up when they suspect harm, and consider becoming resource or foster parents; she provided Redwood Community Services’ website as a referral source.

The proclamation text, read during the meeting, cites research on adverse childhood experiences and affirms the county’s commitment to strengthening families through community-based strategies. The Board’s adopted proclamation states it “does hereby designate the month of April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Lake County” and encourages residents, organizations and public agencies to join prevention efforts.

The ceremony concluded with additional comments from a child welfare professional reiterating the importance of prevention and a brief public comment from a parent who described their 21-year-old as a survivor of adverse childhood experiences and thanked the county partners for their work. A group photograph followed the remarks.

The board adopted the proclamation (vote tally not specified). Community events and awareness activities tied to the designation are planned throughout April, including the Pinwheel Garden Challenge, two children’s festivals, and the April 24 flag-raising at the sheriff’s office.