Standing together for Child Abuse Prevention Month

Cass County marked Child Abuse Prevention Month with a meaningful gathering on the courthouse steps, where community leaders, advocates, and citizens came together to raise awareness and reaffirm a shared commitment to protecting our most vulnerable.

County Judge Travis Ransom read an official proclamation recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, joined by volunteers from Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), staff and volunteers from Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), members of local law enforcement, the District Attorney’s Office, all four Cass County Commissioners, and other elected officials and community members.

The event served as both a solemn reminder and a call to action. Nationally, at least one in seven children experienced abuse or neglect in the past year, a number experts believe is likely underreported. These statistics underscore the importance of continued awareness, education, and prevention efforts at the local level.

“Today’s children represent tomorrow’s leaders,” Judge Ransom shared. “Cass County remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our children, families, and communities.”

Preventing child abuse requires a unified effort. Successful prevention programs depend on strong partnerships among families, the Texarkana Children’s Advocacy Center, social service agencies, schools, faith-based organizations, civic groups, law enforcement, and the business community. By working together, communities can identify risks early, support families in need, and create safer environments for children to grow and thrive.

One of the most impactful ways individuals can make a difference is by volunteering with CASA. CASA volunteers are appointed by the court to advocate for children in foster care, ensuring their best interests are represented and their voices are heard. These volunteers often become a consistent and trusted presence in a child’s life during times of uncertainty.

However, the need remains significant. In Cass County, approximately 144 children currently in care do not have a CASA volunteer assigned to them.

Every child deserves someone in their corner.

Child Abuse Prevention Month is about both awareness and action. All citizens share a responsibility to help prevent abuse through education, vigilance, and reporting suspected cases. It is also an opportunity to step forward and serve.

Those interested in becoming a CASA volunteer are encouraged to learn more about how they can help change the course of a child’s life. A single voice can make a lasting difference.

As a community, Cass County continues to demonstrate that when we stand together, we can build a safer, stronger future for every child.

Spring Cleaning Cass County Style This spring, as many families across Cass County take time to clean out closets and garages, your county government has been doing a little “spring cleaning” of its own, on a much larger scale.

Recently, the County loaded up a van full of outdated and unused electronic equipment and delivered it to E-Tech Recycling for responsible disposal. Over the years, items like old telephones, printers, computers, keyboards, and other obsolete devices had accumulated in storage areas across multiple departments. While these items had long outlived their useful life, they were still taking up valuable space.

Rather than allowing that equipment to con-tinue collecting dust, we made the decision to handle it the right way, through certified electronic recycling. This ensures that sensitive components are handled properly, materials are reused where possible, and environmental impacts are minimized.

This effort reflects our commitment to being good stewards of county resources. It’s not just about cleaning out space, it’s about operating more efficiently, responsibly, and transparently for the people we serve.

A special thank you goes to our Maintenance Supervisor, Tommy Hooper, who took the lead on this project. Tommy did an outstanding job coordinating the effort, organizing the equipment, and seeing the project through from start to finish. His work is a great example of what it means to live out our mission of making Cass County the example rural Texas county for innovation, transparency, and accessibility.

Cass County has a rich heritage and a bright future, and sometimes that future starts with clearing out the past.