Santa Barbara County supes proclaimed April Child Abuse Prevention Month at their April 12 meeting. In 2010, 4,000 children were reported to the county’s Child Abuse Hotline. Katharina Zulliger of the Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) says that the county’s reporting mechanism is not oriented toward punishing parents, but “helping a family access resources, services, or treatment that will help them raise their children safely and appropriately.” Reports of child abuse in the county have trended downward since a peak in 2006/2007. Zulliger attributes this partially to successful prevention and treatment of underlying causes such as mental health issues, substance abuse, and stress.
