The Child Abuse Prevention Month will be recognized when Clark County commissioners and representatives of Olive Crest turn the lights surrounding the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign blue in a short ceremony on Tuesday, April 8 at 3 p.m.

“During Child Abuse Prevention Month, we must move beyond awareness to action," said Commissioner Michael Naft. "Last year, our Child Protective Services staff investigated 12,087 instances of alleged abuse and neglect, and of those investigations, 3,017 were substantiated. We must strengthen community safety, ensure diligent reporting, and commit to preventing these tragedies.”

"As someone with lived experience, I am honored to lead Olive Crest in Nevada in our unwavering mission to end child abuse and neglect. Each April, we turn the lights of the iconic 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' sign blue as a beacon of hope and a call to action. Through strengthening families, providing strong, loving homes and equipping young people for life, we are not just responding to the crisis—we are preventing it. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, loving, and stable home. Together, we can make ‘Strong Families, Safe Kids’ a reality in our community,” said Jimmy Monaghan, Executive Director of Olive Crest in Nevada.

Each year more than 1,800 children in the United States die from abuse or neglect. Every 10 seconds a report of child abuse or neglect is made.

Anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect is encouraged to call the Clark County Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at (702) 399-0081. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In emergency situations, please call 911. The hotline takes reports of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental injury and neglect. A caller making a report will be asked for as much identifying information about the family as possible. When you report child abuse or neglect, your name is confidential and can never be disclosed.  Reports can also be made anonymously. A report of suspected child abuse or neglect is only a request for an investigation. The person making the report does not need to prove or provide proof that abuse has or may have occurred. Investigation is the responsibility of the Child Protective Services Agency and/or law enforcement.

Additionally, the Clark County Family Services offers free parenting classes in English and Spanish through our Parenting Project program.  The Parenting Project aims to empower families and build strong, nurturing parent-child relationships. Our programs include engaging parenting classes covering various ages and developmental stages, providing valuable tools and strategies for effective communication, positive discipline, and navigating common parenting challenges. Protective factors, like parenting education and understanding of child development, can help strengthen families and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. More information about the Parenting Project is available at https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/parenting_project.php and by calling (702) 455-5295.

The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is located on the Las Vegas Strip south of Russell Road and was created in 1959 after the Clark County Commission approved funding for the project on what was then Highway 91. Submitting the lowest qualified bid was Western Electric Display, Inc. (aka “Western Neon”), purchased by YESCO in the 1960s.  The design, characteristic of the Googie architecture movement, was created by Betty Willis. The 25-foot-tall sign was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, Clark County’s centennial year. The sign, like the rest of the Las Vegas Strip, is in unincorporated Clark County.