Families Benefit From: First 5 Siskiyou Children and Families Commission

Coauthored by Shareen Strauss & First 5 Siskiyou

The month of April was about awareness and prevention including Week of the Young Child and Child Abuse Prevention Awareness. The blue pinwheels and red signs seen around buildings in Siskiyou County are to get people’s attention to remind everyone that we CAN prevent child abuse.  There are many forms of abuse that can be harmful to children.  First 5 Siskiyou Children and Families Commission, Siskiyou County’s designated Child Abuse Prevention Council remains steadfast in its mission to prevent child abuse and neglect in Siskiyou County. 

Through strong partnerships and high-quality programming, First 5 Commission focuses on family engagement, education and support as well as community fun events to get families together for social connections. Working throughout the county in partnership with other organizations, childcare and early education providers, schools, community programs and families, they offer educational classes, high quality playgroups, early literacy programs to name a few. Some in our county may have attended the family dance party at Willow Creek School, or the family music and fun night at the Karuk Tribe or the Glow Night at Montague Elementary School.  The Vision for the Child Abuse Prevention Council is to encourage everyone to help and support our next generation of children with improving family well-being and child health, along with enhancing early learning and development. Basically, strengthening families’ protective factors. Together, in partnerships with community members, local schools, child care and education providers, libraries, service clubs, Community Schools, community center, Siskiyou County Health and Human Services, Probation and other willing organizations and groups quality family friendly programs are offered to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect by increasing social connections, education and support. Seen around town along with the pinwheels are yard signs to bring more awareness in Siskiyou County communities and to help support in child abuse prevention and sexual assault awareness, To help support these serious issues, anyone can reach out to First 5 Siskiyou Executive Director Karen Pautz at [email protected] or by calling (530) 918-7222 to get involved. Each person can make a difference in a child’s life.

The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors and the Siskiyou County Office of Education adopted this proclamation.

Other well-being programs for the enhancement of children’s health and growth include:  The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in partnership with Delta Kappa Gamma-to provide monthly books for children mailed directly to their homes. Reach Out and Read program through the health care providers-encourages families to read together daily. Read Across Siskiyou-starts at birth: partnering with Delta Kappa Gamma and Fairchild Medical Center Auxiliary promotes reading by providing books and resources to new parents to start or enhance a home library.  Anytime Storytime-in partnership with Siskiyou County Library to bring families and children an ANYTIME call-in-story time which is available in both English and Spanish. 

First 5 Siskiyou also has free comprehensive resource kits for parents, playgroups, nutrition education for health child development which includes CalFresh, and support services, and much more. Building protective factors in families is the number one way to prevent child abuse and neglect says Karen Pautz, Executive Director of First 5 / CAPC. Encouraging families to participate in wonderful no cost programs such as home visitation support, attend playgroups, parenting learning sessions and asking for help are key to growing healthy children. The faith communities, and other places where families congregate can have an important role in supporting families by listening, caring and being there for each other. It only takes one caring adult to prevent isolation and child abuse and neglect. You can be that person. It’s good for you, for the family and our local communities.

The cumulative financial impact to Siskiyou County for the 120 verified cases of abuse and neglect in 2023 was $36,800,000 according to The Economics of Abuse Report: A Study of Siskiyou County created in partnership with BerkeleyHaas and Safe Sound. Though these costs are accrued over the course of the victim’s life, the ripple effect of costs to the community and society will continue until we begin to make the necessary preventive investments in child and family well-being to reduce and ultimately end child abuse and neglect. 

Anyone can have a part in any of the programs offered by First 5 Siskiyou. All families can benefit from social connections and all families deserve a healthy village that is mutually beneficial.  First 5 Siskiyou can also be found on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or go to www.first5siskiyou.org.

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