The Lassen County Office of Emergency Services is reminding residents that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and that since many children are home and isolated from friends and school resources because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this can be a time of increased stress and concern for child well-being.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there may be added stress from fear and anxiety during the crisis pandemic. The reactions to stressful situations may differ from person to person, but the CDC says stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include:
- Fear and worry about your own health and health of your loved ones
- Changes in sleep or eating patterns
- Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
- Worsening of chronic health problems
- Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs
During these times of stress, people may feel overwhelmed with emotions such as sadness, depression or anxiety. If you, or someone you care about, are feeling like you want to harm yourself or others call 911.
If you need someone to talk to about your feelings, call the Disaster Distress Helpline at (800) 985-5990 and TTY (800) 846-8517 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 and TTY (800) 787-3224.
Lassen Family Services is a local nonprofit agency that provides domestic violence counseling and a 24 Hour Crisis Line (530) 257-5004 or Toll Free (888) 289-5004. For more information regarding domestic violence from LFS go to https://lassenfamilyservices.org/domestic-violence/.
If you have a suspicion of child abuse contact Lassen County Child and Family Services during normal business hours at (530) 251-8277 or the after-hours emergency line at (530) 260-8131.
