Supervisors OK project on abuse

The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved spending $4.75 million on a pilot project designed to combat child abuse and neglect.

County officials said they would contract with six non-profit agencies to work with families and local community organizations to address issues such as unemployment and isolation that often underlie such abuse.

The project, which is designed to last one year, is part of the county’s initiative to help families keep their children safely at home whenever possible rather than placing them in foster care.

“We know the government was never intended to raise children,” Sandra Rudnick, a member of the county’s Commission for Children and Families, told the board. “These plans will help those families who are struggling to hold onto their children and raise them in a responsible manner.”

-- Jack Leonard