Child Protective Services

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Background

Health and Human Services Agency Children's Services provides child protection services, along with an array of other services to children and families in Shasta County. A 24-hour hotline (530-225-5144) is available for reporting suspected abuse and neglect.

Child Protective Services (CPS) investigates reports of suspected abuse and staff provide intensive case management services to abused and neglected children, their families and alternative caregivers. All of these cases are governed by strict confidentiality laws which prevent us from commenting on any specific ongoing case.

Key Facts

• In fiscal year 2008-09, CPS received child abuse and neglect referrals for 3,186 children. 810 of them were substantiated. Of those, 48 (6%) were for physical abuse, 451 (56%) were for general or severe neglect and 195 (24%) were for emotional abuse.
• At any point in time, there are 700 children receiving services from CPS.
• As of July 1, 2009, 606 children were in out-of-home care in Shasta County.

About Our Services

Keeping children safe and well involves multiple county agencies, community service providers, families and the court. Probation, Shasta County Office of Education, Shasta Women's Refuge, law enforcement, the courts, Child Abuse Prevention Council, and other programs within the Health and Human Services Agency including eligibility, mental health, public health nursing and alcohol and drug services are also often involved in supporting the needs of the child and the family.

CPS provides out-of-home placement for children and teens who cannot safely remain with their parents. In almost all cases, the goal is to reunify the family once the court determines that a parent and/or child is stable and the child's safety, health and protection is secured. If reunification is not possible, the agency is committed to finding forever families for these children. Shasta County is licensed by the state as a full-service adoption agency.

Most importantly, CPS depends upon the eyes and ears of the community to help us keep children safe and support families. Please call the Child Protection Hotline at 530-225-5144 any time you have a concern about the safety of a child.

Our Foster Care Licensing and Adoptions programs recruit people who are interested in becoming foster or adoptive families for Shasta County children.