Houston County proclaims April as Child Abuse Prevention Month 

PERRY – Houston County has now proclaimed the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month with a signing at the Perry Courthouse on April 12. 

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Rainbow House Children’s Resource Center presented the proclamation.

In attendance was Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick, Houston County School District Superintendent Dr. Mark Scott and Houston County Juvenile Judge Monica Wilburn. 

After the invocation by Rainbow House CRC Board Chair Antonio Watkins, Wilburn then read the proclamation. 

“On behalf of Houston County city, county, and federal governmental agencies, the proclamation is as follows: April as Child Abuse Prevention Month,” she said. “Whereas, National Child Abuse Prevention Month will be recognized throughout the United States during the month of April 2024.”

The proclamation says according to the United States Census, Houston County has approximately 42,917 children under the age of 18, with 10,348 of those children under the age of five. 

“Children have the right to be safe and to be provided an opportunity to thrive, learn and grow in an environment that fosters their healthy growth and development,” Wilburn said. 

The proclamation then said Houston County’s families can prevent child abuse and neglect by social support, knowledge of parenting and child development, and concrete resources needed to nurture children and cope with stress, preventing the far reaching effects of maltreatment. 

Rainbow House CRC and CASA were also mentioned in the proclamation. 

“Rainbow House Children’s Resource Center is a non-profit agency committed to preventing child maltreatment, promoting positive parenting and strengthening Houston County’s families,” Wilburn said. “CASA is central to fulfilling society’s most fundamental obligation by making sure a qualified compassionate adult will fight for and protect a child’s right to be safe, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to learn and grow in the safe embrace of a loving family.”

After the proclamation was read, Mayor Patrick and Dr. Scott both signed the proclamation as the two dignitaries present. 

Vilicia Y. Lowe of CASA then went on to speak about who they are. 

“We are Court Appointed Special Advocates,” she said. “Our goal is to have an advocate for every child that’s in foster care.”

Lowe said that there are currently 148 children in Houston County right now in the custody of the Department of Family and Children’s Services. 

“We ask that you continue to support our organization and continue to share the information about CASA,” she said. 

Rainbow House CRC Healthy Families Program manager Shamanda Charles spoke about their organization. 

“The prevention services we offer is to reduce child abuse and neglect,” she said. 

Charles then mentioned the various programs the Rainbow House CRC offers, including FERST Readers. 

“This is a literacy program designed to strengthen communities by providing quality age-appropriate and literacy resources monthly for children under five and their families,” she said. “The next time you see the word ‘prevent’ or hear the word ‘prevention’, think about how you participated in this event today to witness the signing of this proclamation and supported Rainbow House CRC and CASA in preventing child abuse and neglect in your community.”

Mayor Patrick then gave her thoughts on the proclamation signing. 

“I just want to thank all the members and leadership of CASA for what you guys do every single day, and I also want to thank Rainbow House for the things that you all do,” she said. “My charge representing the city of Warner Robins is for us to connect with these agencies and see if there is something more that we can do.”