Council proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month; local groups call for more prevention funding

The Los Angeles City Council on March 27 recognized April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and heard from a coalition of child-welfare organizations that urged more funding for prevention, family supports and multilingual outreach.

Dr. Brown (introduced in the record as president and CEO of Alford Kids) told the council the organization serves more than 70,000 families across Los Angeles and Orange counties and described prevention as a matter of connecting parents with resources, education and community supports that reduce risk.

Speakers from local prevention councils and family-service centers outlined services including case management, community education and culturally tailored supports. They argued that early intervention and resources for caregivers reduce the likelihood of abuse and help children thrive.

Council members thanked providers for their work and accepted a written resolution recognizing the month. The presentation included requests for continued investment and for city staff to coordinate across departments to ensure prevention programs are accessible to families in multiple languages.

No vote on a new budget appropriation occurred during the recognition; speakers said they would follow up with staff and council offices to seek concrete budget commitments.