JWB Interim CEO Michael G. Mikurak and Joshua Adams, Chief Creative Officer of Parent ProTech, discuss JWB’s new digital safety initiative with Allison Godlove of Great Day Live.

When JWB was created 80 years ago, the threat was a person in a van trying to lure children away with candy. Today, there are 500,000 predators active online at any given time. 

There are 800,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S. and nearly 2,000 in Pinellas County alone. Local law enforcement and legislators are working to stop online crimes against children, but prevention is key.

Children and teens spend an average of 8 to 11 hours on devices each day, which is negatively impacting their mental health!

Plus, there’s a growing gap between what parents know about technology and how their children use it.

We must educate and engage parents in keeping their kids safe online.

Accessing online safety should be simple and barrier free. So, JWB is absorbing the cost of annual Parent ProTech subscriptions for Pinellas parents, so parents can focus on gaining wisdom over worry.

Sign up today to keep your children safe online at app.parentprotech.com/jwb.

View the segment as originally published at https://www.wtsp.com/video/features/great-day-live/juvenile-welfare-board-of-pinellas-county-launches-initiative/67-9c7298a1-b7b7-41e1-b0e1-3ee26c21014a

My responsibility as JWB’s Interim CEO is two-fold: To spend Pinellas County tax dollars wisely while ensuring children are safe, healthy, and equipped to reach their full potential and grow up to become whatever they want to be.

Today’s children are immersed in a digital world where devices drive their learning, play, and social lives, fundamentally reshaping their reality and drastically shifting how they experience childhood. However, this environment also presents significant challenges and evolving dangers.

When the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) was created 80 years ago, “stranger danger” meant someone in a van offering candy to lure children away. Today, cyberbullies, human traffickers, and online predators can enter homes 24/7 through a child’s phone, computer, or gaming device. Left unchecked, it’s as risky as leaving a child’s bedroom window open or your front door unlocked.

“Stranger Danger” Has Moved Online

Every day on every device, online dangers threaten to harm our children:

• 500,000 predators are active online daily, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
• 800,000 sex offenders are known and registered in the U.S. – 1,800 in Pinellas County alone – per the FBI’s National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR).
• 1,000 counts of child pornography were investigated by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office last year, according to Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.
• A child’s first exposure to pornography online starts as young as 5, per recent studies in the U.S., England, and Australia.

The threat is no longer a van in your neighborhood: It’s 500,000 predators online daily at any given time. These bad actors spread child sexual abuse material, threaten children’s mental health through cyberbullying and online harassment, and groom, sextort, and commit other sexual harms against children.

With children averaging 8 to 11 hours on devices daily—even higher during school breaks—studies show that spending just three hours online doubles their risk of depression and anxiety. This pervasive exposure prompted the U.S. Surgeon General to declare a national youth mental health crisis, all while suicide rates for minors have nearly doubled since 2000, making it the second leading cause of death for children and teens.

Law enforcement, legislators, and the legal community are working diligently to stop online crimes against children. But with 500,000 predators active online daily, prevention is key. To protect the next generation, we must arm parents and caregivers with knowledge and empower them to safeguard their children while online.

Bridging the Digital Divide | A Powerful Tool to Keep Kids Safe Online

Children are often more digitally proficient than the adults raising them. Case in point: an 11-year-old recently resolved an issue with my mobile phone that stumped my own service provider. This illustrates the growing gap between what parents know about technology and how their children actually use it.

To help bridge this digital divide, JWB discovered Parent ProTech, an expert-backed platform that equips families with practical tools to keep children safe and thriving in a digital-first world.

Their vast online library includes how-to guides, conversation starters, and safety recommendations on topics like parental controls, social media, AI, and more. Parent ProTech experts tirelessly scan the digital horizon, delivering timely and dynamic videos that move as fast as technology does. Families can also subscribe to the ProTech Playbook, an online newsletter that serves as a targeted alert system, unmasking emerging threats before they reach a child’s device.

Protecting Pinellas County’s next generation requires a united front. In a historic first for the nation, JWB is leading the way by removing all barriers and providing free Parent ProTech subscriptions to every Pinellas County household, ensuring universal access to critical online safety resources. This is your tax investment at work – equipping every family with the tools to navigate the digital world safely and protect children online, neighborhood by neighborhood.

This New Year, move beyond awareness to action. Pinellas County Residents: Access your free Parent ProTech subscription today for expert-led video guides and resources. Turn your resolution into protection for children and secure the digital future for our next generation at https://app.parentprotech.com/jwb.

The Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) has strengthened our community by investing in children for 80 years. JWB was created by Pinellas citizens—the first in the nation to tax themselves to secure brighter futures for children. JWB prevention and early intervention services support kids from their birth through adolescence – for the life of the child.

Michael G. Mikurak, JWB Interim CEO, leverages 30 years of global business expertise and 12 years of leadership on the JWB Board to champion children’s futures. Managing a $156M budget, Mikurak drives strategic partnerships and rigorous accountability to strengthen the lives of 80,000 children and families annually.

Read the article as originally published at https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2026/01/05/free-tool-protect-online-dangers.html

Devices are central to a child’s learning and social lives, but they also pose real risks. Children’s devices contain online threats like cyberbullies, predators, and traffickers. Plus, increased screentime can harm a child’s mental health.

80 years ago, when JWB was created, the threat was a person in a van trying to lure children away with candy. Today, there are 500,000 predators active online at any given time. There are 800,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S. and nearly 2,000 in Pinellas County alone. The average age a child is first exposed to pornography online is 8!

Children spend an average of 8 to 11 hours on devices each day. There’s a growing gap between what parents know about technology and how their children use it – and we must educate and engage parents in keeping their kids safe online.

We understand that knowledge is power, and we don’t want cost to be a factor. JWB wants all families to arm themselves with powerful information to protect their children online. Especially this time of the year when children are spending more time on devices because they aren’t in school – AND many will be receiving devices as gifts under the tree. Our gift to Pinellas parents is a free online account to Parent ProTech.

Sign Up Today to Protect Your Children Online: Visit app.parentprotech.com/jwb

View the segment and read the article as originally published at https://www.tampabay28.com/morning-blend/juvenile-welfare-board-of-pinellas-county-jwb

Watch JWB Interim CEO Michael Mikurak discuss JWB’s new digital safety initiative with WFLA Daytime anchor Maggie Rodriguez, sharing this call-to-action for all Pinellas parents, caregivers, and concerned citizens: Sign up today to protect your children online. Scan the QR Code on your screen or visit app.parentprotech.com/jwb.

View the entire segment as originally published at https://www.wfla.com/daytime/keeping-kids-safe-online-jwbs-gift-to-parents-2/

We’re asking thought leaders, business people and creatives to talk about the upcoming new year and give us catalyzing ideas for making St. Pete a better place to live. What should our city look like? What are their hopes, their plans, their problem-solving ideas? This is Catalyze 2026.

Michael Mikurak believes that modern technology can have a profound influence on young people. 

Since being named the interim CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County in June, he has prioritized strategies that can help local youth thrive and stay safe. 

The organization, which was established by a special act of the Florida legislature, creates and invests in initiatives that benefit Pinellas County children and adolescents. 

“One of the major goals I’m really hoping to achieve is to help parents, grandparents and caregivers get the experience and knowledge,” Mikurak explained, “to help save their children from online predators.” 

He provided some alarming statistics to show the impact of cybercrimes nationally and regionally. 

Currently, over 500,000 predators are active online every day. Additionally, there are approximately 800,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S. Nearly 2,000 of them are in Pinellas. 

“The most discouraging thing at this point is that the gap between what parents know about technology and how their children use it is growing and expanding,” Mikurak said. “So, we really need to educate and engage parents and help them keep their kids safe online.” 

Earlier this month, he announced a partnership with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to help protect children from these types of crimes. 

Parents, guardians and concerned citizens are now able to get a free annual subscription to Parent ProTech, which provides tools to help adults and their children navigate technologies such as social media and artificial intelligence.   

“We wanted to take the cost issue out of this,” Mikurak explained. “We didn’t want parents to have to worry about how much it was going to cost or how to access it.” 

The JWB team plans to actively keep track of progress. 

“We’re monitoring it every step of the way. So, we’ll get reports from Parent ProTech on how many people are actually accessing it.” 

He said that “getting the word out” is key. JWB is working with partners and funded providers to reach as many caregivers as possible. 

JWB offers programs and initiatives for people between the ages of 0 and 17. Mikurak explained that the organization has been focusing heavily on preventative programs for young children and infants in the past few years. 

“We need to refocus in a number of ways and that’s what we are doing in our strategic sessions as we speak,” he said. “From 10 to 17, we need to ensure that we’re continuing to provide programs and value for those children as well. That means we really need to think about what their future is going to be.” 

Safety is just one aspect. 

The JWB team is actively working on how to help these adolescents thrive in trade careers. Specific industries like construction, carpentry and automobile services will not be eliminated even in an age of advanced technology, Mikurak added. 

“That’s economic development. That’s clearly a way of focusing on how we can grow our community and Pinellas County,” he said. “Our board is going to have to make those decisions on what strategic changes are made in any programs we have.” 

Mikurak explained that JWB is currently collaborating with a consulting group to assist with direction. 

“We’ve been focusing on what the future looks like and how we adapt that to today,” he said. “But, clearly, what’s most important is that we are planning on a two-year strategy. We’re not thinking about five or 10 years from now, because technology and other things are changing so dramatically.” 

Read the article as originally published at https://stpetecatalyst.com/catalyze-2026-michael-mikurak-jwb/

Gayle Guyardo, host of Bloom, sat down with the Interim Chief Executive Officer for the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, Michael Mikurak, to discuss Parent ProTech, the most practical, expert-backed guidance, tools and resources to keep kids safe and thriving in a digital-first world.

View the interview as originally published at https://www.wfla.com/video/keeping-kids-safe-online-jwbs-gift-to-parents-bloom/11366255/

JWB Training Specialist Jaime Cole chatted with the 93.3 FLZ’s Joe Show about JWB’s new digital safety initiative, a free subscription to Parent ProTech for the latest information to help keep kids safe online.

Parent ProTech experts advise parents of dangers lurking on their children’s devices and equip them with tools to navigate technology safely. Their vast online library includes videos and guides on topics like parental controls, social media, AI, and more.

We urge every parent, grandparent, and concerned adult to take five minutes to create a free online account and start accessing digital safety resources today! Learn more at https://www.jwbpinellas.org/parent-protech/

Listen to the interview in its entirety at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/psa-to-keep-kids-safe/id1588810079?i=1000742013165

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County has announced an initiative to safeguard children online and equip families with vital support by making available subscriptions to Parent ProTech, a powerful education platform.

Subscriptions are available at no cost for all Pinellas County parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens.

Parent ProTech’s vast online library includes expert-backed guides, videos, conversation starters, and safety recommendations on topics like parental controls, social media, AI, and more. Plus, their experts keep pace with developing digital trends, alerting families to new emerging dangers on their child’s devices — all in ways that are easy-to-understand, digest, and use.

“There’s a growing gap between what parents know about technology and how their children actually use it,” stated Michael Mikurak, JWB interim CEO. “When JWB was created 80 years ago, ‘stranger danger’ meant someone in a van offering candy to lure children away. Today, cyberbullies, human traffickers, and online predators can enter homes 24/7 through a child’s phone, computer, or gaming system, putting them in imminent danger.”

Parent ProTech is part of JWB’s Children’s Mental Health Initiative aimed at protecting children, reducing stigmas, and instilling a sense of well-being and belonging.

Read the article as originally published at https://www.tbnweekly.com/clearwater_beacon/article_e7041035-e30e-4aa7-9312-48ad7caf50de.html

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas (JWB) and its Fatherhood Collaborative and Turbo Babies Campaign hosted a free car-themed family event geared towards dads and their babies on Nov 8 that included the first-ever Babytona 500 Races, where babies crawled to the finish line.

Nearly 600 families, also known as their Turbo Babies Pit Crews, enjoyed free admission, food, prizes, entertainment, and more at the Collection at Palmetto in Clearwater. Family-friendly activities were offered both indoors and outdoors, including free admission to the car museum and train rides.

See the photos and captions as originally published at https://www.tbnweekly.com/clearwater_beacon/article_43e326ec-b92d-4e01-aefd-37b86d8a9c1c.html

Pinellas County, Florida, is launching a new initiative to safeguard children online.

The Juvenile Welfare Board is providing free subscriptions to Parent Pro-Tech, a platform offering resources on digital safety. Parents can learn about parental controls, social media trends, and AI implications. The platform helps parents understand practical steps to protect their kids from online dangers, including AI chatbots. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri emphasizes the urgency, with more than 100 child pornography cases expected this year.

Parents can access the free annual subscriptions in English and Spanish on the Juvenile Welfare Board’s website.

Listen to this episode at https://shows.acast.com/the-tampa-daily-news-now/episodes/69375bdbfe31b2ca09f57395