BELLEFONTE — The Centre County Commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, joining local child welfare advocates in emphasizing early intervention, community awareness and coordinated support for families.

The county is marking the month with a flag display and blue lighting at the Community Services Building in Bellefonte.

Representatives from the Better 2gether Collab group — composed of Centre County’s Children and Youth Services (CYS) department, the Youth Service Bureau, the YMCA of Centre County and Mount Nittany Medical Center’s Children Advocacy Center — joined the commissioners for the proclamation.

Representatives said that when families, schools, social service agencies and the broader community work in tandem, they can proactively ensure local children grow up in safe and nurturing environments and reduce the long-term effects of childhood trauma associated with abuse.

Stephanie Smith, a CYS caseworker, reported that in 2024, Centre County CYS investigated 272 reports of child abuse. Of those investigations, 51 reports were substantiated, meaning there were 51 cases that indicated child abuse.

In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Community Services Building on E. Howard Street in Bellefonte will be lit up blue. CYS is also participating in a statewide Child Abuse Prevention Month visual display in which flags are placed to represent substantiated child abuse cases. Each blue flag represents one substantiated case, and each black flag represents a child death attributed to abuse.

Centre County CYS has placed 51 blue flags outside the Community Services Building in Bellefonte to represent substantiated cases. Thankfully, no black flags are on display, according to the county.

Smith said reporting suspected abuse is a life-saving precaution and noted that community members do not need proof of abuse to file a report, as determining evidence is the responsibility of CYS.

Community members who suspect a child may be experiencing abuse can report through the following methods:

— Call Centre County CYS at 814-355-6755

— Call ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313

— PA Child Welfare Information Solution website www.compass.dhs.pa.gov/cwis

The commissioners said preventing child abuse requires community-wide involvement and recognized the work of the county’s CYS department, service providers, educators and advocates.

The commissioners reiterated that these proclamations are more than simple acknowledgments–they are reminders of our shared responsibility in ensuring public safety, health and well-being.

Pencek offered a remark about sexual violence that offers valuable insights to the community about both sexual violence and abuse: “It is a devastating abuse of power… we do not just need changes to policy but also changes to culture” that perpetuate harm.

Pencek further urged the attendees and listeners to “authentically show up for survivors.”

Community members can learn more about programming related to Sexual Assault Awareness Month at www.centresafe.org/saam/ and more related to Child Abuse Prevention Month at www.ccysb.com/better-2gether-collab/.