April: Ntl Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Child abuse tends to spike in times of crisis. Calls to Marin County’s child abuse and neglect hotlines have plunged since the start of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, raising concerns of specialists with the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to HHS’ Children and Family Services Division, calls to the Marin hotline (415-473-7153) averaged 23 per week in 2019, but the numbers have decreased sharply the past two months during the COVID-19 emergency. There were 12 phone referrals the week of March 23 and eight the week of March 30. Statewide, calls to similar hotlines are down 40% to 60%, according to the California Office of Child Abuse Prevention
HHS Child Welfare Director Bree Marchman said family members and friends need to be especially wary of tempers and tension flaring within sheltered households.
Ntl Child Abuse Prevention Month: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/
Calif Office of Child Abuse Prevention: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ocap
Marin Children & Family Services: https://www.marinhhs.org/children-family-services
Online Forums
Commons Connect Forums provide a virtual gathering place to those who live and work in the West Marin Community. (Access to this local online forum is limited to those who work and live in the geographical area outlined here.)
A single registration allows community members to post local events on the Community Calendar, to post items of immediate importance on Alerts, and to access all of the forums including:
- West Marin Soapbox: Campaigns, Causes, and Discussions
- Over-the-Hill-Gang: Rides and Errands
- West Marin Share: Reuse materials; share information and services - a money free zone
- West Marin Marketplace: rentals; things and services for sale
- Tending the Wild Collaborative: An Ethnobiology Project
- Local Food System Initiative: Food and garden related shares and information
- Think Local West Marin: Appreciation and applause for our neighbors
- Commons Connect Tech Support: Help with our Web site features
- Volunteering Opportunities in West Marin: Help our local non-profits
