Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County Announces Major Investment to Keep Children Safe Online

The Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County (JWB) announces a groundbreaking initiative to safeguard children online and equip families with vital support. JWB is making it possible for all Pinellas County parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens to receive a free annual subscription to Parent ProTech, a powerful education platform featuring the latest tools to navigate their child’s technology safely.

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.”

“It’s like leaving your child’s bedroom window open or your doors unlocked,” added Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, a staunch proponent and committed partner with JWB’s new initiative.

Studies tell us that kids average 8 to 11 hours on their devices each day, and these numbers spike when children aren’t in school. Online crimes against children are up as well.

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. Research consistently shows a strong link between cyberbullying, online harassment, and youth suicide. The U.S. has seen a significant increase in youth suicide, with rates among children aged 10 to 14 increasing by 95% between 2000 and 2018—making suicide the second leading cause of death for youth. This spike has occurred concurrently with increased online and social media use and has been declared a “Youth Mental Health Crisis” by the U.S. Surgeon General.

“JWB has invested Pinellas County tax dollars to protect kids online and help pave a safer path for the next generation,” continued Mikurak. “Plus, we’ve amassed a powerful alliance of legislators, law enforcement, and community leaders: a united front to decisively combat cyberbullies, human traffickers, and online predators.”

JWB is protecting children and supporting families by offering free annual subscriptions to Parent ProTech, and urges all Pinellas County parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens to sign up and share this link: app.parentprotech.com/jwb

“If we can prevent even one child from being cyberbullied, trapped by screen addiction, or targeted by online predators, we’ve succeeded!”