Counties are in the business of providing programs and services that are critical to the safety, health and wellbeing of their residents and it can be easy to forget to celebrate the accomplishments. That’s why 25 years ago the National Association of Counties (NACo) started celebrating National County Government Month. It provides a reason to stop, take a breath and celebrate some of the positive impacts counties have on their citizens.

This year, the theme is “Safe and Secure Counties.” You can read more about National County Government Month (NCGM) on the NACo website, including some of the ways that NACo is urging counties to participate. “Through the Safe and Secure Counties Initiative, we are exploring ways that counties are working to implement locally-driven innovative strategies to strengthen our communities and help the people we serve,” said NACO President and El Paso County, Colorado Commissioner Sallie Clark. “NACo will assist counties in identifying ways to leverage changing conditions and take advantage of new technologies and proven practices.”

CSAC will celebrate NCGM in April by highlighting county programs that received a Challenge Award last year. Challenge Awards recognize county programs that are delivering services to residents in new and effective ways. CSAC is in the process now of producing videos and blogs that tell some poignant and amazing stories of county programs that are making a real difference for people. From an innovative program that keeps vulnerable senior citizens safe and healthy, to a special court process for victims of human trafficking, to a six-county collaboration on marijuana policy, California counties are meeting the challenge and living up to the concepts that drive NCGM.

Look for the videos and blogs to come in the Month of April, and click here for more information about the 2015 Challenge Award recipients. The call for entries for this year will be distributed in late April.