Local elected officials joined court staff, social services personnel, and community members last week at Millennial Park to kick off Child Abuse Prevention Month, complete with Hank the Special CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate dog, and the traditional blue pinwheels.
City Councilwoman Kelly Frost read a proclamation from the City of Fallon recognizing the extensive list of community partners banded together to combat child abuse. County Commission Chairman Pete Olsen also gave remarks, as well as Sheriff Richard Hickox, Superintendent Summer Stephens, and Tracy Runnels from the Churchill Coalition.
Sue Sevon introduced Shana Plount, CASA director along with Hank the therapy dog, explaining that their role is to ensure that children who are involved in the court system have moral support and comfort to lower stress levels while they are in court testifying or involved in custody or neglect abuse cases. Sevon also introduced Tiffany Josephs who will be replacing her when she retires on June 14.
Josephs said in her remarks that the Churchill County CASA is currently appointed to 14 cases and there are a total of 11 volunteer Special Advocates in the program who are assigned to 23 children. Of those cases, four cases were opened just this year, resulting in 12 children being placed into foster care in the last three months alone. In the past year, March 2021 to March 2022, the CASA volunteers have assisted stakeholders in achieving permanent outcomes for 14 children, resulting in 10 children being reunified with their parents, two children being adopted, and two children being placed under guardianship with family members.
In addition to providing advocacy for abused and neglected children in the foster care system, with the help of donations made by community partners, the Churchill County Kid’s Closet has served 95 local children in need, along with 31 children from the surrounding, rural counties.
Pinwheels for Prevention is a nationwide campaign created to promote change in how communities think about prevention and how service providers can deliver on their commitment to America's children. The pinwheel is an uplifting reminder of childhood and
the bright futures all children deserve.
Activities sponsored through the county Social Services department will continue throughout the month, including a walk on April 23 from 10 a.m. to noon at Oats Park in partnership with Parks and Recreation, Banner Community Hospital, and the Department of Child and Family Services.
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