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| Promoting Responsible Fatherhood | Federal Resource Site |
[Current Around the Regions]
[Links were valid as of 6/2005]
HHS and its Regional Offices are working to coordinate fatherhood activities throughout the states and have sponsored a variety of forums to bring together local public and private organizations and individuals to support fathers' involvement in their families and communities.
Additionally a growing number of states have state-wide fatherhood initiatives. Information on some of the private and public sector state-wide activities are provided for each region. Note that the designation “State of” or “Commonwealth of” means that the fatherhood initiative is a function of a State office or agency. State-wide initiatives without that designation have been initiated and implemented by the private sector. Such private initiatives are primarily funded through the private sector, but may also receive some state funding.
To find out what’s happening in the area of fatherhood, as it relates to HHS programs, initiatives, and responsibilities and other activities in each region, please contact the designated regional HHS staff. You can click on the map below or the list of HHS Regions to jump to a particular Region.
[ Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 | Region 4 | Region 5 | Region 6 | Region 7 | Region 8 | Region 9 | Region 10 ]
Regional web pages: Click on the Region name below to go to the Region’s web page.
Regional Directors: http://www.hhs.gov/iga/regions.html
State Child Support Offices: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/extinf.htm#exta
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)
Hugh Galligan
Regional Administrator
Administration for Children and Families
John F. Kennedy Federal Building, Rm 2000
Government Center
Boston, MA 02203
Phone: 617-565-1020
Fax: 617-565-2493
As part of building an effective fatherhood strategy, Region I has developed strong partnerships with local, state and national fatherhood programs and organizations. Working with these partners, the Regional Office produces an annual Fathering Conference that is attended by Head Start staff, early childhood educators, state child support and child welfare staff, family service providers, parent educators, social workers, fatherhood program providers, advocates, and over 50 Dads from throughout New England. The conference features inspiring keynotes, workshops addressing important fathering issues, cutting edge and best practice models in fatherhood programming and service delivery, inspiring fatherhood moments, and networking opportunities. This year's conference, our seventh, was entitled “Fathers Count …Everywhere!” It featured keynote speakers and workshops in four arenas — dads and family & community, dads and the legal system, dads and education, and dads and health. Workshops included Head Start Father Involvement Building Blocks, working with incarcerated dads and their families, integrating marriage support systems into fatherhood programs, fathers and the child welfare system, how local faith communities support dads, becoming a father through adoption, shaken baby syndrome, men's health and mental health issues, understanding oral health, effective partnerships that support fathers, leading fatherhood groups, child support 101, and working with dads of children with disabilities.
The Regional Office also plays a key leadership role in producing a major Father's Day celebration for fathers and families called Dads Make A Difference. The free public event, now in its 8th year, takes place on the Boston Common, and draws a crowd of over 10,000 participants. The day's activities include onstage entertainment featuring magicians, comedy acts, and multi-cultural music and dance performances, as well as hands-on educational exhibits and activities, and over 30 information tables about local organizations and resources to help families and especially dads. This year's event will have two new tents — an infant-toddler tent with special activities, quiet corners, and changing tables, all sponsored by the Bright Horizons Foundation, and a "planning for success" tent that will provide information on financial literacy services, financial aid for college, and other financial services. The event also honors approximately 75 Super Dads. These fathers and father figures are nominated by children who write a 200-word essay explaining why their dad or other significant male is a Super Dad. The event has several local media sponsors, including radio, TV and print, as well as corporate supporters. For the last three years the event has been coordinated with a prostate cancer awareness walk. This idea for a celebratory Father's Day event is now replicated in several other New England communities in NH, CT and MA.
Region I continues to provide leadership and support for father and male involvement projects both nationally and Regionally. The Regional Administrator for Region I served as the co-chair for the immensely successful The Father Factor: National Head Start Institute on Father Involvement held in Dallas. He also produced the fatherhood segment of the Head Start Hispanic Institute in Albuquerque. Virtually all of Region I's Head Start and Early Head Start programs applied for the special HS funding to expand their parent involvement component and now provide a specific focus on involving fathers in their child's Head Start experience. The Regionally developed Head Start Self-Assessment Guide which includes a subset of questions relating to father involvement activities is now being used nationally. Programs report that the assessment helps grantees prepare for PRISM reviews and also helps to keep the importance of father involvement in full view for staff, parents and the local community.
Finally, all of the Region I states continue to provide a wide range of access and visitation services to address access and parenting needs of unwed, divorced, and separated parents. MA is implementing an 1115 demonstration project to provide a wide range of services, including healthy marriage education, to new dads and their families. The Regional Office remains engaged with state fatherhood initiatives, including serving on state task forces and participating in state fatherhood networks, as well as sharing information about available resources for fatherhood programs.
Access and Visitation. Massachusetts provides unwed parents with courses in parenting education and on how to proceed through the court system. The expected outcome is that parenting plans will be developed by and for noncustodial and custodial parents.
Access and Visitation. Rhode Island continues to provide court-based mediation programs and supervised visitation services that are scheduled to accommodate parents with traditional working hours. The Rhode Island Family Court developed a brochure and educational video for children of divorced or separated parents that specifically address the realities of parental separation and offers suggestions for coping with a change in family structure.
RIPIN, Rhode Island Parents and Information Network, has developed a statewide network of fatherhood program providers and advocates similar to the Fathers and Families Network developed by the Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund. The state DV Coalition is working with the statewide fatherhood network around cross training.
The NH Commission on the Status of Men was formed in October 2003. The first of its kind in the nation, the Commission holds monthly meetings to review and discuss issues that have an impact upon all men. Fatherhood was one of the first topics identified for review and discussion by the Commission.
Connecticut has developed a fatherhood program certification process and has certified five programs throughout the state. These programs, which include community as well as faith based organizations, provide a broad range of services to fathers and their families. Fathers who want to participate in CT's child support arrearage management program must participate in one of the certified fatherhood programs as a condition of eligibility.
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(New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands)
Mary Ann
Higgins
Regional Administrator
Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
26 Federal Plaza, Room 4114
New York, NY 10278
Phone: 212-264-2890, ext. 103
Fax: 212-264-4881
As part of the Region II community education efforts the Region has continued to conduct extensive outreach efforts to educate communities and organizations about the programs, services and special initiatives sponsored by ACF.
The Office of Child
Support Enforcement has
developed an extensive collection of training materials for use during
training
and community activities. They include: a video tape for use in
training
community organizations that is extremely interactive and includes the
following vignettes: Child Support case hearing, group discussion of
Head Start
fathers and their experience with Child Support, and
a Presentation by the Director of the New
York City Child Support Court System. A Power Point Presentation
(English and
Spanish) about the Child Support Enforcement and its services and its
relationship to Fatherhood Initiatives has been developed for use
during
presentations in community organizations. A workshop titled "Why Should
Child Support be Part of Your Fatherhood Initiative" continues to be
presented
widely throughout Head Start Centers throughout
In partnership with
the City of
As part of our
special efforts to work with the
incarcerated community we have developed two workshops and established
solid
relationships with national organizations working with incarcerated
men. During
the last two years we have competed and have been selected to present
at the
National American Correctional Association and American Parole and
Probation
Association on the importance of child support arrears in the process
of
re-integration. We
have also conducted
major outreach efforts with major organizations working with the
incarcerated
population in the
In the area of Head Start we have been providing consultant services to about 57 Head Start programs in the Region. Expert consultants in the area of father involvement provided technical assistance to Early Head Start and Head Start grantees in the form of one-on-one technical assistance and cluster sessions. One-on-one technical assistance was provided to those grantees that were not able to participate in the cluster sessions. During the one-on-one meetings, a grantee had the opportunity to assess their existing father involvement efforts and to develop a strategic plan of action for father involvement. The fatherhood cluster session focused on the following: promoting the National Head Start Initiative for Father Involvement and providing Early Head Start and Head Start grantees with the Building Blocks for Father Involvement resources. The cluster sessions also explored grantees successes and challenges to promote father involvement and supported grantees as they develop plan of actions to support father involvement.
Head Start
Fatherhood Training: Numerous programs in
TANF. The
following are several Work First
WFNJ Step Parent Provision. In WFNJ, individuals who marry cash assistance recipients are not held financially responsible for the recipient's children. This promotes marriage and stabilizes families.
Develop/strengthen connections between children and incarcerated parent(s);
Provide a solid foundation for parents to assume emotional and financial responsibility /accountability for their children (through the provision of parenting skills training, supportive services, education and assistance with child support and paternity issues, and employment training and job placement assistance) and
Reduce recidivism
The Responsible Parenting Program was formally established through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services. The MOA allows for the disposition of funds under the TANF Program for operational costs including contracts to service providers. Eligibility for the Responsible Parenting Program includes being:
The Responsible Parenting Program is designed to:
The Responsible Parenting Program services include:
Supporting
Two-Parent Families:
Access and
Visitation.
The federal grant for access and visitation is flexible
funding for programs to support and facilitate non-custodial parents'
access to
and visitation with their children through counseling, mediation,
education,
development of parenting plans and visitation enforcement through
supervised
visitation, therapeutic supervised visitation, monitored child exchange
and
monitored visitation.
Catholic
Charities of Buffalo
1581 Bailey Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14212
Access and Visitation Program
Contacts: Department Director, Ms. Tish Brady, 716-856-4494, or Program
Contact, Ms. Kathy Marsh, 716-896-6390
Serving: Erie County
Services: Counseling, Therapeutic Supervised Parent/Child Access,
Monitored
Child Exchange, Co-Parenting Group Education, Custody and Access
Mediation
Child
Care Coordinating Council of the North Country, Inc.
194 US Oval - P.O. Box 2640
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Family Connections Supervised Visitation Project
Contact: Executive Director, Ms. Jamie Basiliere - 518-561-4999 or
Program
Contact, Ms. Dawn Gushlaw - 518-561-4999
Serving: Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties
Services: Education, Development of Parenting Plans, Supervised
Visitation,
Monitored Child Exchange and Monitored Visitation
Dispute
Resolution Center of Orange & Putnam Counties
14 Scotchtown Avenue
Goshen, NY 10924
Effective Parenting Apart Project
Contact: Executive Director, Ms. Roz Magidson - 845-294-8082 or Program
Contact, Ms. Nancy Kanan - 845-294-8082
Serving: Orange County
Services: Counseling, Mediation, Education, Development of Parenting
Plans,
Supervised Visitation and Monitored Child Exchange
Jewish
Board of Family and Children's Services
120 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
Supervised Visitation Program
Contact: Program Coordinator, Ms. Sheila Sawyer - 212-632-4601 or
Program
Contact, Ms. Carrie Edwards - 212-632-4616
Serving: Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens
Services: Counseling, Education, Development of Parenting Plans and
Supervised
Visitation
New
York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
161 William Street, 9th fl
New York, NY 10038
Supervised Visitation Program
Contact: Executive Director, Ms. Mary Pulido - 212-233-5500 ext. 225 or
Program
Contacts, Ms. Danielle Weiss - 212-233-5500 ext. 227
Serving: All NYC boroughs
Services: Mediation, Counseling, Education, Supervised Visitation and
Monitored
Exchange
Osborne
Association
36-31 38th Street
Long Island City, NY 11101
Access and Visitation Program for Prison Families
Contact: Executive Director, Ms. Elizabeth Gaynes - 718-707-2649 or
Program
Contact, Ms. Jennafer Tryck - 718-707-2600
Serving: Facilities include Sing Sing, Woodbourne, Shawangunk,
EMTC/Rikers
Island and Queensboro
Services: Mediation, Counseling, Education, Development of Parenting
Plans and
Supervised Visitation
St.
Catherine's Center for Children
40 North Main Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
Comprehensive Access and Visitation
Contact: Executive Director, Ms. Helen Hayes - 518-453-6700 or Program
Contact,
Ms. Bonnie Stoliker - 518-453-6735
Serving: Albany County
Services: Counseling, Education, Mediation, Development of Parenting
Plans and
Supervised Visitation
Society
for the Protection and Care of Children
148 South Fitzhugh Street
Rochester, NY 14608
SPCC's Supervised Visitation Program
Contact: Executive Director, Ms. Kelly Reed - 585-325-6101 or Program
Contact,
Ms. Laurie Valentine - 585-325-6101 ext 218
Serving: Monroe County
Services: Mediation, Counseling, Education, Development of Parenting
Plans,
Supervised Visitation, Monitored Visitation and Monitored Child
Exchange.
YWCA
of Dutchess County
50 Market Street, 2nd fl
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
YWCA Supervised Visitation Program
Contact: Executive Director, Ms. Ethel Paxton - 845-454-6770 or Program
Contact, Ms. Dianne Witter - 845-486-2540
Serving: Dutchess County
Services: Mediation, Counseling Education, Development of Parenting
Plans,
Supervised Visitation and Monitored Visitation
CSE
Employment Project:
In
STEP was implemented
in February 2002 as a pilot
project in
The success of STEP depends on the cooperation of Family Court and the active participation of the organizations providing services. Since the implementation of STEP, 5702 NCPs have been referred for interviews. Of that number, 4470 have participated. The income hourly rate earned in employment ranges from is $6.00 to $35.54. There are currently 22 programs providing job training and placement. Participation in this program has led to Increase in Compliance, Increase in Employment and Increase in collections.
Early Head
Start/Head Start:
Several fatherhood
cluster sessions were offered to Early Head Start and Head Start
programs in
For example, in the
Following the Fatherhood Initiative the Head Start Program of the Munipality of Isabela, has made an effort to involve the fathers in parenting their children. This initiative has taken place in the classroom, workshops and sports activities. The effort has had a positive impact in the classroom because more fathers have been participating as volunteers, with activities such as helping the teachers as storytellers as well as distributing to other fathers informational materials during basketball, softball and volleyball tournaments about what activities they can share with their children and how to become more effective fathers.
The
Family and Community Partnership Early Head
Start/Head Start cluster in
CSE. Asume Al Dia is a professional theatre group funded by IV-D that performs in prisons to reinforce responsible fatherhood. Audience consists of inmates with child support obligations (but open to anyone with interest.). The project is co-sponsored by IV-D and Dept. of Corrections.
The presentation uses props, backdrops, and music. Various scenes reinforce responsible fatherhood and explain the IV-D process. The presentation mixes information with light comedy. In addition to use of audience-appropriate language, wardrobe is based on inmate uniforms accessorized with wigs, hats, ties, glasses, etc, to establish bond between actors and audience. At the conclusion of each presentation, IV-D staff with laptops connected to the IV-D automated system is available to provide appropriate IV-D services to the audience. While the majority of service requests relate to modifications, all types of requests, including order establishment, have been provided. Hundreds of service requests have been received to date.
The goal is to reach inmates in all prisons. The presentation has also been conducted in an institution housing female inmates. Plans are to expand the outreach program by establishing an agreement with the Dept. of Corrections to provide basic IV-D information to all inmates at time of intake.
The
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(Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia)
Patrick J. Patterson, Region III Fatherhood
Lead
Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
150 S. Independence Mall West, Suite 864
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3499
Phone: 215-861-4019; ppatterson1 @ acf.hhs.gov
Fax: 215-861-4070
The Regional Program Manager for CSE served on a Fatherhood Panel at a conference sponsored by Philadelphia Fatherhood Practitioners Network at Community College during Spring 2004. Participation on the panel was in concert with the agency's support of activities relevant to sustaining healthy families and the significance of fathers' involvement in the developmental processes of their children. While there were several questions about the appropriate mechanisms for assuring that arrears are negotiated and bench warrants are not executed for ex-offenders with reentry plans for their communities and families, there was demonstrative expressions of emotions which suggested that many issues about familial relationships remain unresolved and require a private professionally staffed arena for exploration.
Access and Visitation. Delaware established five family visitation centers that serve the State's three counties. These centers are available for supervised visits between parents and children six days a week, including holidays. Family visitation centers facilitate opportunities for children to have safe and conflict-free access to both parents. They help to address custody and visitation issues in families with a history of domestic violence, child abuse, high conflict, etc. The centers offer a neutral drop-off and pick-up for off-site visitation with a non-custodial parent when the relationship between parents is too acrimonious for a cooperative pick-up/drop-off. Contact Jane Rattenni at (302) 255-9687; e-mail: jane.rattenni @ state.de.us.
Access and Visitation. The Child Support Services Division of the D.C. Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (CSSD) uses Access and Visitation funding to support a Supervised Visitation Center that the D.C. Superior Court operates. This Center provides supervised visitation services to families in cases involving domestic violence. In conjunction with this project, CSSD also provides funding to the Children's Rights Council to supply similar services in the community to divorced, separated, and unwed parents, and to operate a hotline for parents with access and visitation problems. The hotline provides parents with information and service referrals to help them overcome obstacles to successful parenting.
CSE: Services to Incarcerated Parents — The Child Support Services Division of the D.C. Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia ("CSSD") is working to establish a program for noncustodial parents to request a suspension of their child support obligations after being sentenced to a period of incarceration. The arrears that incarcerated parents accumulate are often significant and difficult to collect. In addition, the debt accumulated during a period of incarceration can impede the parent's ability to re-enter society and gain lawful employment after being released. However, if the noncustodial parent does not request a reduction at the time of incarceration, there is no retroactive modification. By working with the D.C. Superior Court and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), the probation agency for the District, CSSD has developed a process by which parents subject to child support obligations who are sentenced to more than 30 days in jail are informed of the need to file a motion to suspend the support order and provided with the tools to do so.
TANF: The DC Fatherhood Initiative (DCFI) is currently in its third year of operation. The first year was used as a planning year, garnering support for the Initiative by bringing together the relevant District programs and agencies that offer supports and programs for male (fathers) residents. Program implementation commenced the second year and resulted in over 800 fathers receiving services from one (1) of the seven (7) non-profit, community-based agencies receiving D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) sub-grants in TANF dollars. Service areas included job readiness training and placement assistance, life- and parenting-skills development, substance abuse intervention and treatment, housing assistance referrals, return offender guidance, and educational enhancements.
Outreach
The DCFI program implements a three-part strategy to meet the needs of
limited/non-English proficient clients. First, through bilingual staff
working
at one (1) of our seven (7) DCFI service provider sub grantees; second,
through
a partnership with bilingual case management staff working at the DHS
Strong
Families Program; and third, externally, through access to the DC
Language
Line, which has speakers available to serve residents in over 200
languages.
Additionally, District residents can access fatherhood/parenting services through contacting 'Answers, Please!,' the Department of Human Services' information and referral hotline that features user-friendly searches by name, location, address, operating hours, telephone numbers and/or eligibility criteria for over 1800 social service programs. This service can be accessed via the internet or by phone and operates seven (7) days a week, 24 hours a day.
Current Fiscal Year
So far in this third year of operation, 140 fathers have reconnected
with
their children; 134 previously incarcerated fathers have received
employment,
housing, health and educational assistance, and over 50 fathers have
obtained
sustainable employment. Additionally, twenty-five (25)
limited/non-English
speaking clients have been served to date (Twenty-four (24)
Spanish-speakers
and one (1) Amharic-speaker).
Future Plans
Fiscal Year 2006 activities include the placement of the $1.3 million
yearly
operating costs into the Agency's base-line budget and the release of a
new
round of sub-grantee awards to continue and expand upon current
successes
in fatherhood service delivery.
DCFI Contacts:
Ms. Joi Yeldell, Grants Administrator, DHS Office of Grants Management;
(202)
671-4402
Mr. David Ross, DCFI Program Manager, DHS Office of Grants Management;
(202)
671-4394
Access and Visitation Program: This program provides a mix of services through community-based organizations such as mediation, counseling, design of alternative custody arrangements, as well, as supervised and neutral drop-off and pickup sites. In some cases, these programs are used in conjunction with job services to provide comprehensive responsible fatherhood projects.
TANF/Child Welfare: Maryland's Young Fathers Responsible Fathers Programs (YFRF) is one of three father-focused initiatives in the State. The YFRP program provides services to custodial and noncustodial fathers such as parenting, education, family planning, GED instruction, job training, employment-search assistance, and self-esteem building. The program has five sites in five jurisdictions that serve young fathers, age 16 and up, who have one or more children and are at risk of becoming involved with the social service system. YFRF programs also encourage co-parenting for noncustodial fathers.
The target number of participants per year is 60. This number also includes some mothers.
The following are the outcomes of the program:
The data for FY 2005 will be forthcoming. They have requested assistance from DHR in obtaining the outcome data.
Frederick, Maryland
The fatherhood initiative includes a 2-hour weekly community-based
group
and the fathers having access to the services at the Family Support
Center.
Examples of discussion topics for the group include:
The goal is to serve 25 fathers per year. The outcomes of the program are as follows: 85% of participants will remain free of Child Protective Services (CPS) reports while receiving services; and 90% of participants will self-report enhanced family well-being on their Family Partnership Questionnaire. In the first two quarters of FFY 2005, 83% have reported enhanced family well-being. In the first quarter of FFY 2005, 100% of the participants remained free of CPS reports while receiving services.
Absent Parent Employment Program:
This program provides workforce development services to non-custodial
parents.
Studies support a strong link between father absence and juvenile delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, violent crime, teenage pregnancy, and failure in school.
Maryland's Initiative for Fathers and Families acts as an advocate for fathers on behalf of children and families because children have a right to both the emotional and economical support of both parents. Likewise, Maryland's Initiative for Fathers and Families provides services to fathers complimentary to the State of Maryland's goal of welfare reform that promotes self-sufficiency, responsibility and accountability for all of Maryland's citizens. The programs offer fathers services in personal development, life skills, health and wellness, building relationships and employment development, all of which encourage fathers to be caregivers and nurturers to their children. This YFRF program, which is a national model for fatherhood intervention and education, has served more than 1400 men with case management and aftercare service referrals. Participants of this program have become actively involved in child rearing, have become employed, have paid child support on a regular basis, have increased their educational level and have become mentors to younger males.
Another program associated with Maryland's Initiative for Fathers and Families is the Access and Visitation Program. This program encourages non-custodial parents to have greater access to their children through programmed activities and services. The key operating philosophy in each of these programs is the greater the access a non-custodial parent has to his child, the more likely he is to support his children financially, emotionally and socially.
Services to Ex-Offenders. The Maryland Child Support Enforcement Administration (CSEA) is working with the Department of Corrections on a computer interface, which will identify non-custodial parents in state prisons, their expected release dates and specific locations, etc. This will enable CSEA to partner with competitive grantees providing services to ex-offenders coming back into the community. The plan is to identify which of these parents qualify for WtW funding due to a connection with a TANF child so that services can be offered both pre-release and post release. CSEA and the community partners will be seeking a federal grant to help set up a special unit within CSEA to provide case management services to these parents in order to handle their cases. The goal is to contribute to their success during transition into the community and not impede it by certain enforcement activities during reintegration.
(State of) Maryland Fatherhood Initiative
Keith Snipes is Deputy Director for Programs and can
be reached at
410-767-8477.
http://www.FatherhoodMD.org
(Commonwealth of) Pennsylvania Fatherhood Initiative:
The Department of Public Welfare's (DPW) Single Point of
Contact/Pregnant
and Parenting Youth program provides services to teen
fathers. Non-custodial
dads, ages 18-22, whose children are on welfare, can receive job
training,
parenting skills and help earn their GED. DPW is developing fatherhood
programs
at eight to 10 Family Centers around the State to provide non-custodial
fathers
with education and employment services, peer counseling, parenting and
life
skills training. The DPW uses its Access and Visitation grants to
enhance
the opportunity for personal contact between non-custodial fathers and
their
children. The Domestic Relations Section of the Courts administers the
funds
and awards funds through competitive bids to local organizations. The
goals
are to strengthen the relationship between non-custodial parents and
their
children, to increase child support payments, and to unify families.
Services
include mediation, counseling, education, development of parenting
plans,
and visitation services. Twenty-eight Private Industry Councils across
the
State use a portion of their Welfare-to-Work grants to offer
employment,
retention, advancement and training services for non-custodial parents.
The Department of Public Welfare also provides services to low-income custodial fathers in selected areas of the state. These individuals can receive job training, parenting skills and help earning their GED. Twenty-three Workforce Investment Areas across the State can opt to use a portion of their SPOC money for this purpose.
The Department of Public Welfare has established a pilot program in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to provide job training and placement services for unemployed and under-employed noncustodial parents. The program is a collaborative effort between the Department's Bureau of Employment and Training, Bureau of Child Support Enforcement, local Title IV-D agencies, and a private contractor. The goal is to enhance the employability and earning potential of the noncustodial parents so they can fulfill their child support obligations.
The Department of Public Welfare has established a pilot program in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to provide job training and placement services for unemployed and under-employed non-custodial parents. The program is a collaborative effort between the Department's Bureau of Employment and Training, Bureau of Child Support Enforcement, local Title IV-D agencies, and a private contractor. The goal is to enhance the employability and earning potential of the noncustodial parents so they can fulfill their child support obligations.
TANF: Pennsylvania has been providing intensive case management services, repeat pregnancy prevention, parenting and child development education, homework and tutoring assistance, and other supports that have enabled tens of thousands of expectant and parenting children to stay in school and receive their high school diploma or GED. These and other services have been offered through the Education Leading to Employment and Training (ELECT) Program.
The ELECT Program has been in existence for fifteen years. In that time, it was expanded to include:
EFI began in January 2000 as part of the Governor's Fatherhood Initiatives. It provides services to expectant, custodial and non-custodial fathers. In addition to all services provided through the ELECT Program, this initiative provides young fathers with the opportunity to be mentored by positive male role models who assist them in becoming responsible parents and contributing members of their communities. EFI also provides services such fatherhood support groups, anger management sessions, assistance with child support and custody issues, denial skills training and support in strengthening the bond between fathers and their children. In fiscal year 2003-04, it provided services to 633 fathers.
The EFW Initiative began in April 2000. This initiative extended ELECT services to expectant, custodial and non-custodial parents whose income was under 235 % FPIG and who were not receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families cash assistance benefits. In Fiscal year 2003-04, ELECT and EFW provided services to 2041 young parents. Approximately 78.1% of the seniors, participating in these initiatives, graduated or returned to school to complete their education.
In January 2001, the ELECT Program was again expanded to provide after school programming for at risk students in grades 4 through 12. This initiative, called ESW, is being piloted in four Local Education Agencies across the state. It provides after school programming, which assists children in reducing and eliminating risky behaviors, and in improving their school attendance and performance. It also provides homework assistance, recreation and sports activities, and age appropriate pregnancy prevention and denial skills training
In addition to helping young parents to remain in school and obtain their high school diploma, the ELECT Initiatives have been instrumental in assisting Pennsylvania in reducing out of wedlock pregnancies, strengthening the parent/child bond and promoting the formation of two-parent families.
CSE: Philadelphia County. The Networking for Jobs Program (NJP) is a Family Court initiative designed to provide access to job training and employment opportunities for those least able to obtain these services on their own. The main focus of NJP is to link unemployed, noncustodial parents (NCPs) with at least one child with an active TANF case with the resources they need to enable the NCP to become self-sufficient and better able to pay their support obligations. Although primarily aimed at NCPs with children on welfare, NJP also has limited resources available to non-welfare custodial and non-custodial parents. The Networking for Jobs Program provides parents with: coordinated, comprehensive job training; identification of jobs resources; job banks and information referral systems; assistance in job application and resume preparation; mentoring and support services; alternatives to criminal and delinquent behavior.
The objectives of the Networking for Jobs Program: Change Attitudes; Develop Marketable Jobs Skills; Enable Employment; Increase Amount and Regularity of Child Support Payments.
Pennsylvania Parenting Program Grant: The Pennsylvania Fatherhood Initiative is part of Pennsylvania's project of community building, which includes a number of initiatives aimed at empowering individuals and building communities at the grassroots level. The Pennsylvania Parenting Program (PPP) is a key component of the Pennsylvania Fatherhood Initiative. The goal of the PPP grant is threefold: 1) to strengthen the relationship between noncustodial parents and their children; 2) to increase child support payments; and 3) to unify families. The PPP Grant solicits organizations and agencies to propose projects designed to foster responsible parenting by developing and administering community-based parenting projects to support noncustodial parents. In the search for these types of organizations, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania focuses on programs that will be administered at the local level where there is a wealth of knowledge regarding the community and those that reside in or in close proximity of it. Eligible activities under the PPP Grant include, but are not limited to: visitation services (both monitored, supervised, therapeutic, and neutral drop-off and pickup); mediation (both voluntary and mandatory); counseling; education; enhancement of employment opportunities; development of parenting plans; life-skills training; peer mentoring; and development of guidelines for visitation and alternative custody arrangements.
| COUNTY/AGENCY | SERVICES OFFERED |
|---|---|
| Allegheny
County: Community Building Services |
Parenting education, job resources, service referrals, support groups, visitation services, mediation, and peer mentoring. |
| Allegheny
County: The Hill House Association |
Education, parenting services, mentoring, peer support, parent-child activities, counseling, and child support arrears subsidy. |
| Butler County: Family Pathways |
Assessments, mediation, anger management groups, supervised visitation, therapeutic reunification, parenting plan development, monitored exchanges, counseling, co-parenting education, and community awareness training. |
| Carbon County: Catholic Social Agency |
Therapeutic supervised visitation, counseling, and psycho-educational components. |
| Fayette County: Crime Victim Center of Fayette County, Fayette Community Action Agency |
Supervised visitation, counseling, parent education programs, Roller Coaster programs for children, neutral drop-off and pick-up, and support groups. |
| Huntingdon
County: Parents' Fair Share |
Parenting services, family relations services, employment and income support services. |
| Lawrence County: Family Pathways |
Assessments, mediation, support groups, counseling, therapeutic reunification, parenting plan development, and parenting education. |
| Lehigh County: Catholic Social Agency |
Therapeutic supervised visitation, counseling, and psycho-educational components. |
| Northampton
County: Catholic Social Agency |
Therapeutic supervised visitation, counseling, and psycho-educational components. |
| Schuylkill
County: Catholic Social Agency |
Therapeutic supervised visitation, counseling, and psycho-educational components. |
| York County: The Fathers Workshop of York County/Kids Now |
York County: The Fathers Workshop of York County/Kids Now Mediation, counseling, parenting education, employment assistance, legal assistance, and monthly activities to encourage access and visitation. |
The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) has participated in the Federal Access and Visitation Grant Program since the program's inception in September of 1997. The focus and administration of the Pennsylvania Access and Visitation Grant Program will continue unchanged for the distribution of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2003 funding. The grant funds are available through county Domestic Relations Sections (DRSs) to courts, local public agencies, or nonprofit private entities. The local Title IV-D agencies (county Domestic Relations Sections) are encouraged to sponsor a joint initiative with the Access and Visitation Service providers.
The Access and Visitation Grant Program, with projects currently operating throughout the State, offers services to support, counsel, educate, and challenge noncustodial parents to assist them to become a strong and positive force in the lives of their children. Rather than focusing solely on the fact that children are dependent on their parents for financial and medical support, the programs acknowledge the important contributions that parents make to the emotional and psychological health of their children. Eligible activities include: mediation (both voluntary and mandatory), counseling, education, development of parenting plans, visitation enforcement (including monitoring, supervision, and neutral drop-off and pickup), and development of guidelines for visitation and alternative custody arrangements.
In September 2004, the DPW, Office of Income Maintenance, Bureau of Child Support Enforcement, renewed access and visitation grants to seven community-based initiatives. The renewal funding of $333,852 was the FFY 2003 award to Pennsylvania. The seven projects were selected in September 2003 through a competitive request for proposal process. The following agencies will provide services through September 30, 2005:
| COUNTY/AGENCY | SERVICES OFFERED |
|---|---|
| Allegheny County: Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh |
Support groups, parenting education, parenting plan development, individual and group counseling, mediation services, and incentives. |
| Butler County: Butler County Family Pathways |
Assessments, conflict resolution, supervised visitation, therapeutic reunification, neutral or monitored exchanges, Court Report/Summary, and communications and co-parenting counseling. |
| Dauphin County: YWCA of Greater Harrisburg |
Supervised and monitored visitation, legal services, and therapeutic sessions. |
| Erie County: Erie Family Center |
Support groups, parenting classes and parenting plan development, assessments, SKIT Program, specialized counseling, and social activities for parent and child. Supervised, monitored, neutral drop-off/pickup visitation. |
| Fayette County: Crime Victims Center of Fayette County |
Education, counseling, legal aid. Supervised, monitored, and neutral drop-off/pickup, visitation. |
| Lackawanna County: Lackawanna County Department of Human Services/Scranton Area Family Center/EOTC |
Supervised and monitored visitation, parenting education and parenting plan development, counseling, and mediation. |
| Philadelphia County: Impact Services Corporation |
Videoconferencing between children and incarcerated fathers, and parenting education. |
PA Head/Fatherhood Activities:
Scranton-Lackawanna Human Development Agency
200 Adams Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
Head Director: Sam Ceccacci
Telephone Number: 570-963-6633
E-mail: sceccacci @ headstartslhada.org
The grantee is implementing a three step system for involving families.
Community Action Southwest
150 West Beau Street, Suite 304
Washington, PA 15301
Head Start Director: Douglas Kovach
Telephone Number: (724) 222-9100 x-451
E-mail: dkovach @ caswg.org
The grantee will be using federal funds to supplement three specific fatherhood activities:
Danville Area School District
600 Walnut Street
Danville, PA 17821
Head Start Director: Susan Blake
Telephone Number: (570) 271-3268
E-mail: sblake @ danville.k12.pa.us
The grantee will provide training for HS staff in communicating, working with, and relating to fathers on a more mutually comfortable level; provide informational workshops for all HS parents; provide a workshop for fathers on reading, storytelling, and oral family history, using a professional storyteller; print new brochures geared to males; purchase books, magazine subscription, and training materials to be used for the activities stated; develop a lending library for fathers; and promote healthy relationships by providing for opportunities for couples to spend quality time together.
The grantee will ensure that all activities will educate, enhance, and empower fathers to have healthy relationships with their HS children and families. The HS and staff training will assist and enable staff and parents to further the program's commitment to father involvement.
Community Services for Children, Inc.
1520 Hanover Avenue, Allentown, PA 18109
Head Start Director/Executive Director: Ms. Patricia Levin
Telephone Number: (610) 437-6000
E-mail: Plevin @ cscinc.org
This grantee was one of the Early Head Start National Fatherhood Demonstration projects from 2000-2004. Over the three+ years of the Project, the program changed the orientation of the program to be fully inclusive of all fathers and as a result father participation in the program has significantly increased. All communications and record keeping systems were redesigned to include fathers. Policy Council implemented a Male Involvement Task Group. They created Father-Child Literacy building activities in the Family Library and also implemented them in the home.
The program currently works with their outreach and recruitment efforts to reach all fathers. A description of Head Start/Early Head Start on flyers, door hangers and posters includes language about fathers specifically. They are also doing Father-Friendly Environmental Assessments in each of the 28 classrooms, to assure that the materials, activities, and linguistic landscape in the classrooms is father friendly. Staff are receiving training in skills needed to allow them to comfortably reach out and communicate with men.
Huntingdon County Head Start
Head Start Director/Executive Director: Louise Ketner
Phone Number: 814.643.6800 x111.
E-mail: lketner @ hccadc.org
Huntingdon County Head Start Men's Group: Also known as M.U.S.C.L.E. (Men United in Support of Children's Lives and Education) the name was chosen by the men during the 02-03 program year. "Dads" refers to dads, step dads, grand dads, uncles or any male role model in a child's life. During the 2004-2005 program year, the agency held nine events and had a total attendance of 296 fathers with their children. The agency serves 242 families through Head Start and Early Head Start.
Columbia Sullivan Development Head Start Program
215 East 5th Street, P.O. Box 412
Head Start Director: Gail Menapace
Phone Number: (570) 784-8618
E-mail: ccdp @ epix.net
In an effort to involve more fathers and "father figures" in the lives of young children, the Columbia Sullivan Head Start program conducted and/or will be implementing the following activities:
Lycoming/Clinton Head Start Program
2138 Boyd Street
Williamsport, PA 177901
Head Start Director: Anne Doerr
Phone Number: (570) 326-0587
E-mail: amdoerr @ stepcorp.org
School District of Philadelphia Prekindergarten Head Start
Program
2120 Winter Street, Room 402
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Head Start Director: Jennifer Plumer-Davis
Phone Number: (215) 351-7060
E-mail: pludavis @ phila.k12.pa.us
The School District of Philadelphia Prekindergarten Head Start (PKHS) Program long recognized the importance of involving fathers and other male caregivers in the educational and emotional development of children and has worked aggressively to foster the active and meaningful participation of adult males in all aspects of program planning, design, implementation and management.
In 1992 the PKHS established the Fathers Advocating male Involvement in Lives of Youth (FAMILY) which encourages fathers and other male figures to participate in a broad array of program activities on a regular basis. PKHS FAMILY is lined with regional chapters of major youth development organizations, (e.g. Bid Brothers/Sisters, boys Scouts of America) and local institutions of higher learning within the city of Philadelphia. Recently, national fraternities have played an active role with PKHS in developing and conducting activities that have helped and will continue to enhance the role of fathers in their child's education and their family's prosperity and self-sufficiency.
Access and Visitation: Using a competitive process, Virginia awards sub-grants to non-profit and governmental organizations which provide services including mediation, parent education, development of parenting plans, neutral drop-off and pick up centers, and monitored/supervised visitation. These organizations serve never-married, separated and divorced parents in nearly all geographical areas of the state. Contact Bob Owen at 804-726-7434 or email: bob.owen @ dss.virginia.gov.
CSE: Virginia's Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) promotes the fatherhood movement through its 21 district offices largely as an information clearinghouse and referral source, and occasionally through community partnerships and cooperative agreements. DCSE staff make referrals to community resources, provide workshops at local fatherhood conferences and speak to targeted groups (e.g., incarcerated men, young fathers and fragile families). DCSE provides technical support and materials to fatherhood groups and service providers through joint projects that might include community campaigns and training.
For the latest information concerning Virginia DCSE's fatherhood initiatives, please visit: http://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/dcse/fatherhood.html
Virginia DCSE Contact: Peter Berinato, Fatherhood Coordinator, Management Services Unit. Phone: 804-726-7426 E-mail: peter.berinato @ dss.virginia.gov
Access and Visitation. West Virginia commissioned a statewide survey of noncustodial parents as a way to ascertain the barriers to child access and visitation. Summary results of the survey indicated that visitation might be easier to expedite if there were more educational resources available to noncustodial and custodial parents regarding visitation rights, in addition, to the opportunity for voluntarily negotiating a parenting agreement as an alternative to court. The need for supervised visitation and neutral drop-off and pick-up sites were also reported. Contact Susan Perry at (304) 558-0909.
Child Support and TANF: The West Virginia Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE), WV Bureau for Children and Families (TANF), WV Bureau for Employment Programs (BEP), the Human Resource Development Foundation, and the Domestic Violence Coalition have formed a partnership to fund and support an initiative called Parents Work/Families Win. Parents Work/Families Win Program is operated by Human Resource Development Foundation and is designed to assist unemployed and/or under-employed individuals to obtain employment that will enable them to meet their child support obligations and develop strong, positive relationships with their children.
In September 2000, the West Virginia Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) entered into a cooperative agreement with BEP and HRDF. This agreement allows the BCSE to provide a list of non-custodial parents who may be eligible for the program. Non-custodial parents must have a child who is eligible for TANF, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Social Security or Children's Health Insurance Program, and owe $500.00 or more in arrears to be eligible for the program. Eligible participants are offered assistance with employment, transportation, special needs, car repairs and insurance, professional licenses, counseling and relocation services if necessary. Parents Work/ Families Win actually kicked off in January 2001 and is now Statewide.
The initial goal was to serve fifty non-custodial parents. As of March 8, 2002, fifty-seven non-custodial parents were actually served. Ten of the fifty-seven exited (refused to participate) the program, one requested an extension due to extenuating circumstances, twenty-six are in training/seeking employment, twenty have obtained employment, and twenty-one paid child support averaging $129.92.
In addition to PWFW, BSCE is also working with New Connections, a local non-profit group, to provide paternity and child support education to young fathers in a friendly, non-threatening environment. These consultations are provided upon request. West Virginia has conducted sessions with young fathers, approximately once a quarter.
The WV Bureau for Child Support Enforcement signed a cooperative agreement with Northern Panhandle Workforce Investment Board, Inc. for Welfare to Work for non-custodial parents. This agreement covers Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Tyler Counties. Right now, there are very limited restrictions on the non-custodial parents to be eligible for this program. BSCE is the referral agency, much in the same way that WV Works is the referral agency for TANF Welfare to Work candidates.
For more information regarding West Virginia's Fatherhood Initiatives, please contact Sue Buster, TANF Program Manger, at (304) 558-3796, or Elizabeth Jordon, Outreach Coordinator, at (304) 558-3780.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention: The West Virginia Bureau for Child Support Enforcement recently developed a video and curriculum "Get More", which was funded by an 1115 Demonstration Grant from the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement. The video and curriculum is targeted for students in grades 7 -12 to reduce the number of adolescents who become parents before they are physically, emotionally and financially ready. The overall goal of the project is to join forces with numerous public and private entities to reduce the number of out of wedlock births to teens by 1/3 by 2010. Other goals of the project are: (l) provide education about paternity, child support, adolescent pregnancy prevention and other realities of teen parenting; and (2) to expose 1,000 adolescents to paternity establishment and adolescent pregnancy prevention education annually. The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) collaborated with teen parents, Kanawha and Cabell County high schools, the State Department of Education's Office of Healthy Schools, and the Bureau for Public Health's Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative and Abstinence Only Education Programs in an attempt to produce a well-rounded program. Educators were able to implement the curricula in the 2003-2004 school year. The videos were also distributed to more than fifty health education and physical education teachers at their annual convention in July 2004. As part of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement's Hospital Paternity Affidavit Program, Get More was given to each of the 33 birthing centers in West Virginia. In addition, BSCE participated with Get More in the interdepartmental Conference on Healthy Marriages, led by the West Virginia IV-A agency, the Bureau for Families and Children and the WV University and WV State University extension services. Contact Elizabeth Jordon, Outreach Coordinator, Bureau for Child Support Enforcement at (304) 558-3780, for further information.
Fatherhood Day: A proclamation was signed by the Governor designating June 16, 2004 as Fatherhood Day in West Virginia. Each Bureau of Child Support Office around the State made banners to be displayed in Department of Health and Human Services offices during that week. Child support staff also set up booths at various locations in the community during the week to answer questions concerning establishment of paternity and support obligations. Notaries also were present at these sites to facilitate the signing of paternity affidavits. Contact Elizabeth Jordon, Outreach Coordinator, Bureau for Child Support Enforcement at (304) 558-3780.
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(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee)
Robert Richie
Program Manager
Child Support and Developmental Disabilities
Administration for Children and Families
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 4M60
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8909
Phone: 404-562-2958
Fax: 404-562-2985
Juan Gordon
Financial Operations Specialist
Head Start Branch
Administration for Children and Families
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 4M60
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8909
Phone: 404-562-2869
Fax: 404-562-2984
May 10-12, 2005, ACF Region IV hosted Framing the Future: A Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Forum at the Winshape Retreat Center in Rome, Georgia. This discussion exploreed the challenges and opportunities in building a strong Fatherhood-Healthy Marriage partnership that can result in building stronger children, families and communities. Both the Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Initiatives view improving child well-being as a mutual goal, and identifying efforts for collaboration may make a significant positive impact on the status of at-risk children throughout the nation and serve to educate and inform a wide spectrum of audiences.
Access and Visitation. The grant, administered by the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts (AOC), has provided divorce mediation and child issues and parenting plan mediation training for Judicial Volunteer Program coordinators in four judicial circuits in Alabama. This enables coordinators to train citizen volunteers to mediate visitation issues and to assist with development of visitation parenting plans with parents before they go to court. In an effort to work with the Alabama Fatherhood Initiative, the AOC has developed two workbooks, one for parents and one for children. Both workbooks are designed to encourage divorced or never-married parents and their children to work together to facilitate communication between them and to explain good ways to handle living apart. Contact David Williams of the AOC at (334) 242-0333.
TANF. The Alabama Fatherhood Initiative (AFI) is a statewide network of many agencies and organizations working together to provide programs and services to help non-custodial parents financially support their children and have greater and more constructive involvement in the lives of their children. A statewide Fatherhood Coordinator, funded with TANF dollars, is housed in the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Family Assistance Division.
The Children's Trust Fund of Alabama, in partnership with the State Department of Human Resources, has funded 32 fatherhood programs throughout the State of Alabama. DHR funding comes from TANF. Programs continue to target several areas:
Upon seeing the need to provide more employment related and other supportive services to non-custodial parents (NCPs), DHR partnered with the Alabama College System to add short-term skills training to the existing Alabama Fatherhood Initiative. The goal of the AFI Skills Training Pilot Project is to help non-custodial fathers develop and maintain positive relationships with their children and to enhance their ability to support their children by providing counseling, education, training, and employment opportunities. The project is particularly interested in assisting underemployed and unemployed non-custodial fathers receive education and short-term skills training to obtain dependable jobs and to meet their child support obligations. The Chancellor of the Department of Postsecondary Education (DPE) selected several Alabama College System institutions to participate in the pilot program, currently operating at six sites. The DHR Fatherhood Coordinator and state staff in Child Support Enforcement, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), the AOC, Children's Trust Fund and the DPE worked together to develop the short-term skills training model.
The Alabama Fatherhood Resource Directory was first published to pull together information on all of the fatherhood programs across the State so that non-custodial parents can find the services they need in their local communities. http://www.dhr.state.al.us/large_docs/Fatherhood%20Directory.pdf.
Partnering with the Alabama Fatherhood Initiative and faith and community organizations, the National Initiative for Human Development was instrumental in convening the first Alabama Fatherhood Conference in June 2004. A state fatherhood conference is now an annual event in Alabama with the next conference scheduled for June 8 - 10, 2005. State Contact: Martha Cantrell at (256) 340-5996.
Child Support Enforcement: The Orlando, Florida, Child Support Enforcement office, working with the Orange County Corrections Department, the judiciary of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orange County Workforce Development, Orange County Probation, Orange County Legal Aid, Headstart, Healthy Families, DCF, and several community partners, implemented an educational and outreach project that targets incarcerated and formerly incarcerated non- custodial parents. The program is entitled Low-Income Non-custodial Parent Outreach Service (LINOS). The Orlando CSE Service Center has three designated staff members that meet weekly with the inmates. CSE staff had to gain the inmates trust to change the NCP's perception that CSE was interested only in putting them in jail. The Orlando CSE staff was very successful in making it clear to inmates that CSE was there to educate them about CS issues so they could make informed decisions when they left the jail environment. Only 20 inmates attended CSE's first session; currently more than 500 inmates have been provided general CS and LINOS information.
The LINOS brochure contains information on all the service providers and telephone numbers. The brochure and large LINOS posters are displayed in CSE service center lobbies, the courthouse, the jail, and many other community partners distribute the LINOS brochure and display the poster. CSE tracks enrollees in the LINOS program on payment history, scheduled appointments with community partners and job referral information. There is a designated DOR CSE LINOS liaison for NCPs to contact once released from jail. The LINOS program is a good example that improving relationships with NCPs, establishing strong community partner networks, and innovative actions result in a winning combination for all, especially for children and families.
Contact:
David Gillen
Revenue Service Center Manager
Florida Department of Revenue
Child Support Enforcement
400 West Robinson Street
Hurston South Tower, Suite S609
Orlando, FL 32801-1782
407-245-0103
The Florida Fatherhood Coalition will be sponsoring a conference (dates as yet undetermined) under Governor Bush's Fatherhood Initiative.
(State of) Georgia Fatherhood Initiative
Scott Stapleton, Manager
P.O. Box 1427
360 Bay Street, Suite 300
Augusta, Georgia 30903
Phone: 706-721-7139
Fax: 706-721-7151
Email: scottstapleton @ dhr.state.ga.us
Head Start and Child Support — In the last of four Parent-Mentor events in Region IV, NCFL and Head Start parents met in Atlanta for a great weekend of training and discussion of fatherhood ideas.
During the closing session on Sunday, remarks by several participants attested to the positive, effective efforts made. One father said, "A lot of times men don't feel like they can really talk or express themselves in groups like this. But I think we all opened up and connected this weekend. Our trainers made us feel like it was okay to be ourselves and they showed me how important I really am to my kids. I think we all realized we are in this together...we got to help each other out."
Another Dad said, "I am a changed man. I am going to be a better Dad now. You got to tell somebody up there who makes the decisions that we need more of this kind of stuff for parents. I am so glad I took this chance and gave it a try." Many similar comments assured that wonderful things happened and the hard work putting it together was worth the effort.
Sunflower Humphrey's Counties Progress, Inc. Fatherhood Initiative: Activities include Dad's Day with Kids; Boys to Men Fatherhood Conference; Character Building: What I Think About Me; Sporting Events; Breakfast with Dad; Art in a Suitcase (dad's and kids participate in art, music, poetry, dancing and other activities)
Yazoo City Community Action Agency Head Start:
Washingon County Head Start:
Western Carolina Head Start: A music teacher from Mexico has led a fatherhood group teaching fathers how to make instruments and has a singing group which performs informally. Other projects include nutrition and sessions on child abuse and sexual abuse of children by relatives, spousal abuse, death, depression, and homelessness.
Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina Fatherhood Initiative. The Sisters of Charity Foundation provides grant funds, technical assistance and other resources for community and faith-based groups, organizations and other non-profits whose efforts address the fundamental causes of poverty in South Carolina. The Foundation has embarked on a statewide Fatherhood Initiative to strengthen the role of fathers and fragile families in the state. They have information and resources available to the community on the importance of fathers in families, the impact of absent fathers, and other fatherhood programs.
The Sisters of Charity Foundation and SC Center for Fathers and Families currently fund 10 fatherhood programs at 12 sites in the state including community based, alternatives to incarceration, and prison based programs. A large proportion of funding for the fatherhood programs comes from the SC Department of Social Services (DSS), primarily TANF money. The SC Center for Fathers and Families was founded in 2002 by the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. Its mission is to develop and support a statewide infrastructure to strengthen relationships between fathers and families. The Center provides resources, leadership and education to fatherhood programs associated with the Fatherhood Initiative. The South Carolina Fatherhood Practitioners Network, Inc. was founded to foster communication, professional development, education, and collaboration among service providers. The Network has conducted several practitioner conferences in the State. For more information, contact Patricia Littlejohn at (803) 254-0230
Access and Visitation. The Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) has initiated a pilot project called Visitation Involvement Parenting (VIP), in which the CSED provides mediation services for the parents to establish a plan for access and visitation so that the child will have the benefit of both parents taking an active role in their life. The VIP Program also provides employment and training services for the non-custodial parent so that he/she can adequately provide financial support for the child and the VIP Program will provide instruction to both parents on how to request help from the Family Court to enforce the visitation order. This program is available in four counties. In order for the VIP Program to be available, both parents must live in one of the counties or the non-custodial parent must live in one of these counties and the custodial parent must agree to travel to the county where the non-custodial parent lives for any classes or mediation sessions. For more information contact Linda Cook at (803) 898-9350.
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(Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota,
Ohio, and Wisconsin)
Suzanne Krohn
HHS Acting Regional Director, Region V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-5132
Fax: (312) 353-4144
Joyce A. Thomas
Regional Administrator, Administration for Children and Families,
Region
V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-4237
Fax: (312) 353-2204
Kay Willmoth
Director, Office of Family and Child Development
Administration for Children and Families, Region V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-4237
Fax: (312) 353-2204
Kathleen Penak
Team Liaison
Office of Family and Child Development
Administration for Children and Families, Region V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-3270
Fax: (312) 353-2629
E-mail: kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov
Office of Community Services
Elizabeth Hailey-Smith (ehailey-smith @ acf.hhs.gov)
Child Care, Developmental Disabilities, and
Collaboration
Hich Yamagata (hyamagata @ acf.hhs.gov)
Head Start
Terry Davis (tdavis @ acf.hhs.gov)
Child Support
Geneva Bishop (gbishop @ acf.hhs.gov)
Child Welfare
Constance Helene Miller (CHFMiller @ acf.hhs.gov)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Gene Niewoehner (gneiwoehner @ acf.hhs.gov)
Runaway and Homeless Youth
Jenny Gardner (jgardner @ acf.hhs.gov)
Tribal
William Clair (wclair @ acf.hhs.gov)
Region five has a program-wide commitment to Father involvement. The Fatherhood Initiative is one of the top priorities for the Region V Administration for Children and Families (ACF). For this reason, Region V ACF has designed its fatherhood efforts to carry out identified objectives. The objectives include:
ACF Region V's commitment to the fatherhood initiative is illustrated by the following activities:
To help you Navigate the Following Region V Fatherhood Materials: the following list of links will take you right to these major topics. These topics illustrate Region V's on-going commitment to Fatherhood/Male Involvement:
Region V's funding for fatherhood has contributed to the development and enhancement of many Early Head Start and Head Start fatherhood/male involvement programs. One hundred grantees responded to the April 2002 Region V announcement of the Fatherhood Special Initiative (FSI). They applied for funds to develop projects to enhance the involvement of fathers/males in early literacy and language development of their children. The forty-nine awardees received a combined total of $1,684,764 to implement these projects in a one-year project period. In addition, five Region V grantees were among the 21 Federal Early Head Start programs that received three-year Fatherhood Demonstration grants. These programs concluded their demonstration projects on January 31, 2004, but many of the practices developed are still being replicated (see Fatherhood Review Section).
The Head Start Bureau announced new fatherhood funding opportunities on October 8, 2004. All Head Start grantees were eligible to apply for one-time funding to support efforts to institutionalize father involvement in Head Start programs and make father involvement an on-going commitment at all levels of program planning, design, and implementation. Funding allocations were based on each grantee's funded enrollment level. Grants were awarded to 191 of the 232 Head Start grantees in the region. Grantees' funding applications described the grantee's efforts in father involvement and explained how these funds will enhance and sustain father involvement.
Approaches in developing and enhancing fatherhood/male involvement programs have varied a great deal. Many of the FSI awardees utilized the "Father-Friendly Assessment Tool" and followed through to act on the results of the assessment. The agencies made a variety of efforts to make their sites friendlier. Some agencies used father-child photographs and appropriate posters and flyers, while other agencies provided reading materials that were geared towards the interests of fathers. Additionally, agencies implemented many father-child programs that included hands-on activities and carried literacy themes. Because these special initiatives focused on emergent literacy, agencies formed new partnerships with libraries, state extension offices, and literacy councils. New ideas, such as in-class reading by fathers, father home-reading suggestions, and the creation of incentives (book bags, activity lists) to increase reading, have become part of the programming in these agencies.
To capture "lessons learned" and recommendations for the future from the grantees that received FSI and EHS Demonstration funding, Region V initiated a review of the many fatherhood support activities developed and implemented under these grants. The review is entitled "Programs that Promote Father Involvement and Children's Early Literacy and Language Development." The report presents the best practices identified by the grantees, and identifies the advice that grantees would give to other Head Start agencies starting a fatherhood program. The report also summarizes recommendations, and lessons learned from the grantees. A brief listing of some of the unique best practices identified by grantees for building father-friendly sites include:
The Fatherhood Review contains many recommendations made by Early Head Start and Head Start FSI staff. Selected advice relevant to developing and sustaining a successful fatherhood program include:
Region V distributed the Fatherhood Review widely, beginning with dissemination of the report on the Region V Fatherhood Listserv, which has over 300 participants. As of May 1, 2005, ACF distributed more than 350 CD-ROMs and documents to over 250 grantees, Child Care Agencies, State Collaboration Offices, state and community partners and interested parties who requested copies. For more information and a copy of the review, please contact Kathleen Penak from ACF Region V at kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov.
The Region V Fatherhood Workgroup supports Region V's Fatherhood Initiative. Workgroup members from each ACF program area meet as a group quarterly and represent Region V at diverse fatherhood and family conferences, training events, and meetings. The members contribute information to the national Fatherhood Website, help the region promote father/male involvement and encourage the creation of father-friendly environments. Region V staff shares information on recent fatherhood conferences and new resources.
The Fatherhood Workgroup plays an important role in selecting capacity development workshop topics to enable Region V staff to keep abreast of current research and innovative programming. The workgroup wants to plan workshops that can inform their work, and that give participants information to disseminate to grantees and program partners.
On March 24, 2004, Region V launched the Region V ACF Fatherhood Listserv. Listserv participants share a commitment to fatherhood and male involvement efforts for the sake of the children and their families. The initial participants were Early Head Start and Head Start grantees including grantees that received the FSI grant, the Region V Early Head Start Demonstration grantees and ACF program partners who expressed interest in fatherhood topics. The listserv expanded within its first year to include more than 300 interested partners from Child Welfare, Runaway and Homeless Youth Services and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, state agencies, and many community-based organizations. Listserv members receive grant information, recent research, new training materials, and announcements of upcoming events. They also exchange information and answer questions to help each other in the development or enhancement of fatherhood/male involvement efforts. They have assisted each other in searches for trainers on topics such as parenting classes for ex-felons, speakers for conference agendas and pertinent website sources.
To join the Fatherhood Listserv, send an e-mail to join-fatherhood @ lyris.acf.hhs.gov. By becoming a participant, you will obtain new information quickly, receive invitations to take part in Collaboration Network Conference Calls (more information on these calls follows), be able to provide your input on areas of interest, and ask for assistance from peers.
An important initiative for all ACF Region V staff involved the implementation of the Region V Fatherhood Strategic Plan for calendar year 2004, and the development of the Region V Fatherhood Strategic Plan for calendar year 2005. Region V Fatherhood Workgroup members solicited input from their colleagues and worked together to develop and implement the Region V Fatherhood Strategic Plans. Region V staff uses the strategic plans as guides to encourage father-friendly practices in all areas of program responsibilities and to promote and integrate father and male role model acceptance. Included in the strategic plans are the steps Region V staff members are taking to develop partnerships to enhance fatherhood and male involvement through outreach, dissemination of information, and implementation. The following are examples of implementation activities by program:
For more information on the Fatherhood Strategic Plan activities, please contact Kathleen Penak at kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov.
Region V Participation in Father-Focused Community Events
For information about the Alpha Phi Alpha/Head Start Pilot Partnership projects, please contact Kathleen Penak at kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov. For more information about Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, please go to www.alphaphialpha.net.
The Illinois Head Start Association held a spring annual training conference, "Opening the Door to Opportunity," March 2-4, 2005, at the Renaissance Hotel, Springfield. Jennifer Lynn Pecot, from the National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families (NPCL) presented an intensive training session on the Building Blocks Materials that were introduced at the Dallas Fatherhood Institute in June 2004. This event was supported under the partnership agreement between the National Head Start Association and NPCL to provide this fatherhood training in collaboration with State Head Start Associations. For more information about the Illinois Head Start Association and future conferences, please view the association's website at www.ILHeadStart.org.
The City of Chicago Department of Children and Youth Services organized a fatherhood event in partnership with the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. On February 26, 2005, the partners presented a special program for fathers at Columbia College, Chicago. The agenda included the showing of a movie about fatherhood entitled, "Missing in Action." Following the movie, participants took part in a panel discussion. For more information, please contact Denise Jordan at djordan @ cityofchicago.org
The Community and Economic Development Association, Inc. of Cook County (CEDA) presented its annual fatherhood/male involvement conference, February 25, 2005, at the Oak Lawn Hilton. The theme, "Daddy's Love: The Rebirth of the Family," was carried throughout the conference with a musical presentation, special T-shirts and many workshops. CEDA staff wrote and produced a "Daddy's Love" CD with songs and raps about fatherhood. For more information on this CEDA event, the Daddy's Love T-shirts, and the Daddy's Love CD, please contact Chris Frederick at cfredrick @ cedaorg.net.
Rockford MELD, in Rockford, encourages "independent families by providing access to resources, life skills, parenting information, program-based housing, and prevention education." The organization serves a population of expectant and parenting teens and at-risk youth and their families and offers a number of key programs. For example, the Career Corps Program provides pre-employment training and job placement services for fathers between the ages of 21 to 25 who are or were offenders and are on probation or parole. Program participants receive training in work readiness skills and job preparedness, including but not limited to resume writing, interviewing, career development, social skills, and work ethics. Participants also receive support group services through the Responsible Fatherhood Program, which provides services for fathers or fathers-to-be between the ages of 21 to 25. The program's focus is on support groups, case management, and access to employment leads. Through its Employment Assistance and Workforce Development Programs, MELD partners with local employers by providing job opportunities for young fathers. For more information on Rockford MELD, please view the website at http://www.rockfordmeld.org/index.htm. You may also e-mail Rockford MELD at Meld @ RockfordMeld.org or call 815-965-8336.
Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale Head Start has integrated its year round male involvement program as part of the regular program. The initiative is approached as another part of parenting and parent involvement. SIU Carbondale's program makes a special effort to gather information about fathers not in the home by having parents sign a release to allow the agency to pursue this information. Its newsletter, "Community Connections," includes articles on activities such as "A Book in Every Home" campaign and recognition of parents and volunteers. The partnership with the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity alumni group and undergraduate chapter has involved Alpha Phi Alpha members in the MUSCLES program (Men Understanding Small Children's Learning Experiences). This program focuses on father/father figures reading at centers or on-board "FLOW" (Family Learning on Wheels). The "FLOW" vehicle is filled with parent/child learning materials including books, videos, activity kits, and an on-board computer and TV/VCR. For more information please go to www.siu.edu/~headstart/.
The Illinois Council on Responsible Fatherhood held its first meeting in Chicago on June 18, 2004, and many strategic planning meetings have taken place since that time. The passage of Public Act 93-0437 provided Illinois with the legislative authorization for a fatherhood initiative and for the formation of the Illinois Council on Responsible Fatherhood. A Fatherhood Empowerment Conference will be held June 4, 2005, in Chicago. For more information, please contact Jeffery Leving at mail @ dadsrights.com or visit the website at www.responsiblefatherhood.com.
The Illinois Fatherhood Initiative (IFI) states that its mission is "connecting children and fathers by promoting responsible fathering and helping equip men to become better fathers and father figures." To carry out this mission, one of IFI's major initiatives is the IFI/Chicago White Sox Illinois Fatherhood Essay Contest, which is held annually. Approximately 30,000 children wrote essays to the theme, "What My Father Means to Me" as part of the 2005 contest. IFI launched the 2005 essay contest, its 9th annual competition, in partnership with the National Center for Fathering, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois State Board of Education, and the Office of Catholic Education. Region V staff has taken part annually as essay readers. For more information on IFI activities, please call 312-920-9590, visit www.4fathers.org or send an e-mail to info @ 4fathers.org.
The Child Abuse Council, in the Quad-Cities/Rock Island area, has organized a Boot Camp for New Dads program. The program takes place five to six times a year at Trinity Medical Center, Moline. Volunteer "coaches," who are experienced fathers, teach the three hour workshop, promoting consistent caring relationships between fathers and their children. The Child Abuse Council partners with Trinity Medical Center's Child Birth Education Program in presenting this program. For more information about the Council's work please visit www.childabuseqc.org.
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) awarded Access and Visitation Child Support Enforcement grants for the State of Indiana for 2004-2005. The following programs received grants:
The announcement of funding opportunities for 2005-2006 is expected in May 2005. For more information, please contact Thelzeda Moore at 317-232-4874 or e-mail her at thelzeda.moore @ fssa.in.gov. You may also view the Indiana Fathers and Families website at www.in.gov/fssa/fathers.
The Central Indiana Fatherhood Network (CIFN) comprises five core agencies/organizations in Indianapolis with an interest in promoting father involvement and advocacy. Some of the agencies are direct service providers, such as Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc. Working in partnership, the Network has sponsored community events, such as "Fathers' Night Out at the Children's Museum" and "Doctor Dad" training. The Network has recently formed new partnerships in the Indianapolis community. Of note is the partnership with Family Development Services, where CIFN will be providing fatherhood training to the entire Head Start/Early Head Start staff, visiting each Head Start school every month to provide outreach and service information to Head Start fathers, and working with Early Head Start's Teen Parenting programs at two local high schools. For more information, please contact Bob Ripperger at 317-921-5951 or write to Robert.Ripperger @ wishard.edu.
Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc, offers job readiness training, job placement, GED preparation, parenting education, and other educational support. The Center's mission is to "build a noble legacy of fatherhood — improving the life chances of children by assisting young fathers in achieving self-sufficiency and in strengthening parental involvement." For more information, please refer to the Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center website at www.fatherresource.org.
Carey Services, Inc., in Marion, has developed and widely disseminated an inviting postcard illustrated with photos of a baby and father and a young child attentively exploring the environment. Carey Services, Inc.'s Early Head Start fatherhood program purpose is to create an environment that allows father figures to grow and learn "at their own unique pace." The Early Head Start fatherhood program involves a group of men getting together monthly who are interested in "learning and sharing their experiences about being a Dad." The fatherhood program puts out a monthly newsletter entitled, "MVP: Men are Valuable Parents." The program honors a Father of the Month who is featured in the newsletter with his child and describes "What I like most about being a father." For more information, you may call Tony Parandi at 765-668-8961, ext. 208 or e-mail tparandi @ careyservices.com.
Kokomo Center Schools Head Start, Kokomo, has a brochure for its fatherhood program entitled, "A Father is a Terrible Thing to Waste." The goals of the Fatherhood Center, located in Head Start, are stated as working to promote "responsible fatherhood within our community and provide children with emotional, social and educational strength to be successful in life." The Head Start Fatherhood Center is open to all men who are involved in the lives of children and/or families. Kokomo Center Schools Head Start has Dad's Night Out activities, parental mediation, classroom participation, and volunteer activities for fathers. The "Doctor Dad" program began this year. In this program, the school nurse provides first aid and CPR training to the fathers. For more information, please contact Kokomo Center Schools Head Start Guy Lovell at glovell @ kokomo.k12.in.us or call 765-454-7082.
The Michigan Head Start Association (MHSA) in collaboration with the Michigan Head Start State Collaboration Program, the Michigan Family Independence Agency and the Michigan Fatherhood Coalition held a conference entitled, "The Fatherhood Factor: A Conference for Engaging Men in the Lives of Children," on March 3 and 4, 2005.
The MHSA also held a Fatherhood Conference on February 25, 2005, in addition to its Annual Early Childhood Education Conference, on February 26-27, 2005. The Fatherhood Conference explored programs, strategies, and policies to improve low and moderate-income fathers' parenting skills, help fathers build healthy relationships with the mothers of their children, connect fathers with the workforce, and increase their participation in the child support system. For more information about Michigan Head Start Association conferences and activities, please check the MHSA website at www.mhsa.ws.
The Michigan Family Support Council held its 22nd Annual Child Support Training Conference, October 13-15, 2004, at Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs. Presenters gave two fatherhood sessions:
For more information please view the Michigan Family Support Council website at http://www.mifsc.org.
BHK Child Development Board's fatherhood program uses the Internet as one of the ways its fatherhood program actively recruits and engages fathers in this rural, remote three-county area of Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw (BHK) counties. When interested parties visit the BHK site at http://www.bhkresources.org/ they are asked, "Are you a father? Why not try one of our father's groups?" Then a simple click brings the reader to a description of the fatherhood program's activities. BHK's fatherhood program includes opportunities for discussions about increasing involvement with children and family relationships. The program offers activities such as a Mobile Toy Library that travels monthly to remote areas and the BHK Father Groups. To learn more, view the above mentioned website.
Bendle/Carman-Ainsworth, the Learning Community Fenton Lawn Education Center, in Flint, holds monthly "Father and Child Evenings." The center also offers the Men at WORK (Working on Relationships with Kids) organization, which encourages men to improve communication skills that will create stronger bonds between fathers and children. There is a "Turn the Page" weekly class offered at two different convenient times to teach fathers how to read to their children. Agendas throughout the year for "Dad's Night" feature fun hands-on activities for fathers and children. For more information, please contact Mike Kildee at mkildee @ carman.k12.mi.us.
EightCAP Community Action Agency, Inc. Head Start and Early Head Start has planned a Father's Leadership Retreat at North Higgins Lake, for June 10 and11, 2005 at the MacMullan Conference Center. This two day retreat for fathers of Head Start children will give instruction and inspiration regarding the importance of fathers providing leadership in their families, schools, and communities. Partners in this retreat are Head Start Male Involvement Advisory Council, Dieology, Inc. and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The agency's Male Involvement Coordination Program takes place in Gratiot, Ionia, Isabella, and Montcalm Counties. Staff invited fathers or father figures to visit their child's Head Start center and participate in activities during a two week period. During the fall session, 94 fathers/father fiqures attended their children's classes and the fathers reported a high level of satisfaction with the event. In addition, the program has a Head Start male involvement brochure and a monthly newsletter, Dads' Schmooze N'News, that gives information on the importance of reading to a child as early as possible, and includes tips about reading with babies. EightCAP also has a Fatherhood Advisory Council, offers "Father's Night Out" events, held a "Father's Nature Walk," and presented a Nurturing Father's class in Sidney that ran from January 27, 2005 to April 28, 2005, at Montcalm Community College (MCC). For more information, please contact Brian DeKraker at briand @ 8cap.org.
The Michigan Fatherhood Coalition is a resource network for approximately 40 practitioners who work with fathers in Michigan. The mission of the Michigan Fatherhood Coalition is to:
For more information, visit http://www.michiganfatherhood.org or e-mail the coalition at: info @ michiganfatherhood.org
The federal Access and Visitation Grant, administered by the Office of Child Support Enforcement, will make over $120,000 available to Minnesota-based programs. Further details are available on the Minnesota State Register at www.comm.media.state.mn.us/bookstore/stateregister/29_15.pdf.
The Council on Crime and Justice, in Minneapolis, sponsored parenting classes for ex-felons. On March 3, 2005, the Council on Crime and Justice began hosting 12-week parenting classes at their office near downtown Minneapolis. These classes are open to any parents who are ex-felons. Participants either volunteer to take the classes or are required to attend as part of another program or sentence. For more information please contact Michael Bischoff, Manager of Projects, Council on Crime and Justice, at bischoffm @ crimeandjustice.org or at 612-596-7622.
The Minnesota Head Start Association held its annual training conference on October 20-22, 2004, at the Rutgers Sugar Lake Lodge in Cohasset. The theme of the conference was "Together We Reach Our Dreams: For Strong Children, Strong Families and Strong Communities." The conference included a fatherhood workshop, entitled, "Helping Dads Get Involved", which was part of the "Strong Parents and Families Track." For more information on the Minnesota Head Start Association activities, please e-mail Gayle L. Kelly at macnick @ cpinternet.com.
The Minnesota Fathers and Families Network is a professional development and networking organization for human services practitioners and fatherhood advocates. The Network provides a "one-stop spot" for fatherhood information and resources. For more information, please visit www.mnfathers.org/resources.html.
On February 25, 2005, the Network held a day-long roundtable meeting in Collegeville, Minnesota, on male socialization, entitled, "Why the Fathers of Tomorrow Need Our Attention Today." This meeting explored the role of colleges, universities, and research institutions in promoting healthy male socialization. For information, please visit www.csbsju.edu/mensscenter/conference/default.htm.
In August, 2004, the Network conducted a series of free public Fatherhood Regional Seminars, entitled, "The Role of Fathers in Families: Parenting, Paternity and the Adoption Registry." These seminars provided an opportunity for networking and professional development for professionals working in the fields of family services, child welfare, parenting education, public health, fatherhood advocacy, and other social services.
For more information on Network activities, please e-mail Paul Masiarchin at pmasiarchin @ mnfathers.org. Further information also can be acquired by viewing www.mnfathers.org/news2004.html.
The Minnesota Fatherhood and Family Services Summit held its 2nd annual conference to learn about the latest issues affecting family service practitioners, educators, social service workers, and fatherhood advocates. The summit took place January 19 and 20, 2005, at the St. Cloud Civic Center, St. Cloud. For more information, please view http://www.mnfathers.org/summit.html or call 612-787-4091.
Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota sponsored a videoconference, "Making Room for Dad: Involving Fathers in Prevention and Family Service Activities," on November 30, 2004. The videoconference was simulcast in Brainerd, Crookston, Rochester, St. Paul, and Willmar, Minnesota. For more information on this particular event and other activities, please visit www.familysupport.org/.
On May 24, 2005, the Minnesota Humanities Commission sponsored a Dads and Early Literacy Workshop that involves two new programs: Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED) and "Dads and Kids Book Clubs." Participants gained information on research on fathers and their role in the literacy development of their children, resources for professionals working with fathers, and information about "The Reading with Dad Book List." For more information, please contact Tom Fitzpatrick at 651-772-4255 or view the Commission's website at www.minnesotahumanities.org.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and the Center for Families and Children in Columbus sponsored a conference entitled, "Fathers Matter: Prisoners as Parents and the Challenge of Reentry," March 31 through April 2, 2004. The conference focused on initiatives that would assist offenders in the reintegration process with their families and communities. For more information, please visit www.drc.state.oh.us.
To learn more about the Ohio Practitioner's Network for Fathers and Families' (OPNFF) programs and training events, please visit http://www.opnff.net/. This website can help those interested in fatherhood initiatives stay in touch with the training and event offerings for fatherhood practitioners throughout the state of Ohio. Individuals wanting to share information about training events in Ohio have an opportunity to post events on this site.
The Center for Families and Children, Columbus, sponsored the conference "Fathers Matter: Child Support, It's More than Money," on May 25 and 26, 2005, at the Westin Great Southern Hotel in Columbus. For additional information, please e-mail Steve Killpack at communityendeavors @ earthlink.net.
A training event for "Building Father-Friendly Programs" was held Friday, October 22, 2004, at the University of Cincinnati Clermont College Auditorium. This training event included workshops such as the Santa Maria Community Services Fatherhood Initiative, Domestic Violence and Its Effects on Families, Important Roles of Fathers in Children's Lives, and Developing Healthy Relationships. For more information about this training event, please e-mail Pat Pack at patp @ child-focus.org.
On April 8, 2005, Bellflower Center's Power of Prevention Child Abuse Awareness Day included morning workshops for human services professionals and other interested individuals with a keynote address on fatherhood. The keynote speaker, Dr. Kyle Pruett, author of "The Nurturing Father" spoke at the luncheon on "When the Abused Become Abusive: The Impact of Child Maltreatment upon the Parenting Experiences of Fathers."
For more information on Ohio fatherhood activities or to be placed on the Ohio Practitioner's Network for Fathers and Families' (OPNFF) mailing list, call 216-432-7200 x322 or e-mail Steve Killpack at communityendeavors @ earthlink.net. Please also view The Healthy Fathering Collaborative website, which covers Greater Cleveland at http://www.opnff.net/. For information on Ohio Head Start Association Fatherhood and Parent Involvement activities, please e-mail Jeanette Taylor at Jtaynyc @ aol.com.
Clermont County Child Focus, Inc., Early Childhood Division in Cincinnati has published Men In the Kitchen: Our Cookbook for several years, and Head Start "Cook Offs" have been held at each Head Start center of Child Focus for three years. The cookbook, with fathers' recipes and father/child photos, sells for $10, and purchases of the book help Child Focus fund other fatherhood activities such as the "Fish-a-thon" and "Career Exploration" days. Child Focus is very proud that "a suggestion that was given by a group of Early Head Start fathers is now a yearly event." For more information, contact Pat Pack at 513-528-7224 or by e-mail at patp @ child-focus.org.
On April 21, 2004, Cuyahoga County Department of Job and Family Services staff met with Region V Child Care staff and discussed the involvement of county child care staff with local Fatherhood programs. Cuyahoga County staff work with the "Fathers and Families Together" program of the Cleveland Center for Families and Children. For more information, you may contact the Cleveland Center for Families and Children at info @ c4fc.org.
The 2005 Wisconsin Head Start Association conference theme was "Celebrating the Spirit of Head Start." The 2005 conference was held February 15-17, in Wisconsin Dells. The conference offered a Father Involvement Track of workshops, including sessions entitled, "Region V Fatherhood Special Initiative Lessons Learned," and "A Working Fatherhood Program." For more information, please contact the Wisconsin Head Start Association at 608-442-6879 or visit their website at www.whsaonline.org.
The Milwaukee Fatherhood Collaborative sponsored the Wisconsin Fatherhood Conference, a statewide conference for family service professionals, fathers and families. The conference took place March 10-12, 2005, at the Four Points-By- Sheraton-Milwaukee Airport, Milwaukee. The conference tracks included:
The conference was co-sponsored by the Milwaukee Fatherhood Collaborative, Children's Hospital and Health System, Social Development Commission, and the UW-Stevens Point Extension. For more information, please call the Milwaukee Fatherhood Collaborative at 414-874-7843.
The Northwest Connection Family Resources sponsored its second annual conference on "Tribal Community Connections" on October 22 and 23, 2004, in Hayward. The conference offered a workshop on "Strengthening Fatherhood." Rob Goslin, Fatherhood Program Coordinator, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, served as the session's speaker. For more information, please contact Mr. Goslin at redcliff_fatherhood @ yahoo.com.
[ Go to Map ]
(Arkansas, Louisiana,
New
Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas)
Tomasia Pinter
Administration for Children and Families
Department of Health and Human Services
1301 Young Street, ACF-3
Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: 214-767-2972
Fax: 214-767-8890
Scott Harper, M.P.A.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Department of Health and Human Services
1301 Young Street
Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: 214-767-6564
Fax: 214-767-0322
Evelyn Glass
Office of Family Planning
Department of Health and Human Services
1301 Young Street
Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: 214-767-3088
Fax: 214-767-3425
Margarita Figueroa-Gonzalez, M.D.
Health Resources and Services Administration
Dallas Field Office
Department of Health and Human Services
1301 Young Street
Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: 214-767-8068
Fax: 214-767-0404
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Region VI promotes and supports Fatherhood projects and initiatives in Region VI with agencies within States, Tribal, and Local government in urban and rural jurisdictions with private and non-profit/faith-based/community organizations. This includes showcasing model programs and best practices, disseminating information and research on the benefits of fathering and male involvement, and facilitating collaboration and cooperation across various agencies that will strengthen the role of fathers for the well-being of children. The Region VI Office has worked to ensure the fatherhood component of the ACF Key Priorities is addressed: Healthy Marriage, Faith-Based/Community, Positive Youth Development, Next Phase of Welfare Reform, Enhancing the Literacy of Children, Rural Initiative, and Prevention.
The following section highlights some of the activities going on in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. For additional information, contact ACF Region VI Fatherhood Contact listed above or the specific project contact listed.
Head Start.
Child Development, Inc. (CDI)
P.O. Box 2110
Russellville, AR 72811-2110
Phone: 479-968-6493
CDI believes fathers and positive male role models, such as stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, older brothers and other male family and/or community members are important to a child's healthy development emotionally, socially and educationally. Fathers are sought out and encouraged to participate in Head Start by serving on the local Parent Committee and Policy Council. CDI's Initiatives highlights some of the methods used to help men become responsible, committed, and involved fathers:
Head Start
Jefferson Comprehensive Care System, Inc.
P.O. Box 1285
Pine Bluff, AR 71613
Phone: 870-553-2380
Current Efforts in Father Involvement
Activities Planned for 2005
Support Enforcement Services (SES) — Access
and
Visitation
SES Fatherhood Contact: Robbie Endris, SES Executive Director
Phone: 225.342.4780 and E-mail: robbie.endris @ dhs.state.gov
Louisiana has two providers funded through the Access & Visitation (A&V) grant provided through ACF's Office of Child Support Enforcement. The A&V project is a demonstration project in its second year with the 14th Judicial District Court in Lake Charles, LA. This project gives non-custodial and custodial parents the skills and tools necessary to effectively co-parent their children, which in turn has proven to improve the parents' support of their children, both emotionally and financially. SES has contracted for a study of this project and to create a best practices document. The report and document will be utilized in educating other Louisiana Judicial Districts about this project. This document will be completed by June 30, 2005.
The second project, through Louisiana Family Council (LFC), is to positively impact children in the area of parental involvement, and to improve the quantity and quality of emotional, physical and financial participation of fathers in their children's lives. Services will include mediation referrals, co-parenting plans, visitation order assistance, legal service referrals and employment and educational referrals. LFC has partnered with several agencies providing these various services and access and visitation success resulting from the different services is monitored on a regular basis. This is the second contract year with LFC. The current service areas are Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Orleans, Caddo, Bossier, Ouachita, and St. Bernard parishes. Their coordinator reports that they had 139 active cases during 2003-04, and 186 thus far in FFY 2005.
Louisiana Family Council (LFC) —
Mentoring Children of
Prisoners
LFC Fatherhood Contact: Dan Tate
Dan and Gail Tate, President and Executive Director of the Louisiana Family Council, conducted a meeting with local ministers and the president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. The focus of the meeting was mentoring children of prisoners. Reverend Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., provided information and training on the Amachi Program, a faith-based national mentoring model for children of incarcerated parents.
Head Start.
Caddo Parish Commission Head Start
4055 St. Vincent Ave.
Shreveport, LA 71133-3446
Phone: 318-868-6360
Caddo Head Start sponsors activities that involve Head Start families and the surrounding community to encourage male participation in the lives of children. Some of the activities involved the entire family while others were for fathers and children only. The overall goal of the "Father Initiative Project" is to assist and encourage custodial and non-custodial fathers to take share responsibilities with the other parent(s) (mother, step dad or others) in building strong and healthy families.
Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED)
New Mexico Human Services Department
CSE Fatherhood Contact: Jacqueline M. Baca
Phone: 800-288-7207 - Toll Free in New Mexico
800-585-7631 - Toll Free Out-of-State
GRADS (Graduation, Reality and Duel-Role Skills) is a federally funded program at schools which enables teenage parents to complete their high school education while on-site day care is provided. In 1996, the CSED partnered with the 30 GRADS programs in the State, and continues to provide information and educational materials and to conduct presentations at each site.
In 1999, CSED and the Children Youth and Families Department, the New Mexico Head Start Program, and the Administration for Children and Families, Region VI, entered into a partnership to provide Head Start personnel and families information on voluntary establishment of paternity and child support services. Through direct presentations and distribution of informational materials, CSED reaches approximately 7,700 head start families statewide. This partnership is continuing.
In recent years, CSED has become more involved in promoting responsible fatherhood and addressing fatherhood concerns. Through fatherhood support groups, CSED provides information regarding a father's rights and responsibilities and services available. CSED works with fathers groups such as the NM Young Fathers Project, GRADS & DADS, La Vida Institute Circulo de Hombres, Ayudantes, Adolescent Family Life Program, as well as Head Start programs, and the Department of Corrections.
The CSED Voluntary Paternity Unit continues to render presentations to various groups, i.e., faith based organizations, county health offices, WIC, Native American tribal census offices, family service organizations, male involvement groups, and correctional facilities.
New Mexico Young Fathers Project (YFP)
Carl W. Dellinger, Project Director
PO Box 35997
Albuquerque NM 87176-5997
Telephone: (505) 266-6334
Telephone Toll Free: 1-800-265-1403
The New Mexico YFP is a non-profit collaborative committed to providing support to young fathers. This is done through helping them to improve their parenting skills, increase their educational levels, and expand employment capabilities. The project was created in recognition of the need for outreach to young fathers in New Mexico. The YFP also realizes the importance of acknowledging young fathers for taking on the responsibilities of providing a better life for themselves and their children. YFP sites are located in Albuquerque, Las Cruces/Anthony Areas, Santa Fe, and Taos. Funders include the US DHHS/Office of Population Affairs/Office of Family Planning, New Mexico State Departments of Health, Income Security, and Children, Youth & Families, foundations and community based organizations and agencies. For more information contact:
Head Start.
YDI Head Start/Early Head Start
6301 Central NW
Albuquerque, NM 87105
Phone: 505-831-6038
The YDI Fatherhood Initiative Program convenes fathers on a regular basis for presentations and discussions on relevant fatherhood issues, which stress the importance of the father in the life and development of children. The YDI Early/Head Start Male Valued Partnership (MVP) Program is designed to teach parenting skills to all males who help raise children. There is a special emphasis on attracting male participants and involving them in the learning process.
The skills learned at MVP strengthen the family and the home environment. The program focuses on teaching leadership, teamwork, parenting and role model skills. It provides opportunities to learn about many parenting challenges, such as the complications of being a single parent, positive discipline, communication, child-rearing and the roles and responsibilities of all fathers whether they live in the family home or not. The fatherhood initiative explores the numerous challenges fathers face in blended families as well as maintaining relationships with their children while separated or divorced. Men learn skills which make it easier for them to interact with their children in a nurturing manner and feel comfortable taking a greater responsibility in child rearing.
Presbyterian Medical Services (PMS) Head Start/Early
Head Start
1422 Paseo do Peralta
Building 3
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: 505-982-5565
Presbyterian Medical Services (PMS) Head Start/Early Head Start is committed to involving fathers in a child's life. The program has made an effort in each of the four counties where they provide Head Start/Early Head Start services not only to engage the fathers but also other significant males in the child's life. The belief is that male involvement must not be restricted to the traditional idea that only a child's father can make an impact on their life. PMS has involved the Policy Council in the Fatherhood Initiative and about 30% of the policy council membership comes from fathers in the program. The last three years the Policy Council has been chaired by a father. Fathers, grandfathers, uncles, older male siblings and even neighbors in some cases have participated in some of the male involvement activities:
Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED)
Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Child Support Division Director: Gary Dart
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
(405) 522-2273
Fatherhood Partnership. The partnership between the CSED and the Maternal and Child Health Service, State Health Department has continued to promote public awareness on Fatherhood issues and to educate teens on parental responsibility (Dads Make a Difference Program). Numerous pairs of teen peer educators and adult advisors have been certified. Millwood School District has provided the program to 150 middle school students. Two other school districts taught the Dads Make a Difference Program during the 2002-2003 school years. Dads Make a Difference is endorsed by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement.
The Child Support Enforcement Division has partnered with Oklahoma Head Start centers, day care centers, hospitals, libraries, primary schools and other organizations to promote the benefits of establishing paternity, the importance of fathers in the lives of their children, and providing presentations and child support resource information.
Oklahoma Fatherhood and Marriage Initiatives Compliment Each Other. The Oklahoma State Head Start Collaboration Officer recently provided information on how the state's local programs are busy undertaking fatherhood activities and complementing the Marriage Initiative effort. Activities range from having a day for dads to come to school with the children for a portion of the day to providing training in fatherhood issues as part of parent training. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies has offered training sessions on fatherhood, one of which included a two-part training session offered on the Marriage Initiative. All of these training opportunities for Head Start are being offered as a result of requests from the Oklahoma Head Start Association and the CAA Executive Directors.
Additionally, a number of Head Start and CAA staff have been trained by the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative as "train the trainers". In turn, the Oklahoma Head Start Association now has a representative on the committee that coordinates state activities of the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, which includes the state-level fatherhood initiative activities.
In July 2003, the first-ever Oklahoma Fatherhood Summit took place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma sponsored by COPE, Inc., the National Fatherhood Initiative and the Department of Human Services. Approximately 150 individuals attended. Leon R. McCowan, Regional Administrator, Administration for Children and Families, rendered the luncheon address focusing on the Federal Fatherhood Initiative, the importance of children and families, and the importance of marriage. The ACF Region VI office showcased a colorful display focusing on fathers and children. The Summit will continue in the summer of 2005.
Head Start.
Delta Community Action Head Start
2800 NW 36th, Suite 221
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Phone: 405-949-1495
Delta Head Start believes very strongly in the positive influences of male role models in the growth and development of preschool students. They are striving to increase positive male role model participation in their Head Start program by providing opportunities for fathers/significant males to interact with their children. In the two years preceding the current program year, the number of children whose father/significant-male-role-model participated in specific fatherhood activities increased 156%. During this same time, the number of fathers serving in leadership roles on parent committees and Policy Council also increased by 36%.
Future Planned Fatherhood Activities include:
Head Start
Little Dixie Community Action Agency Head Start
502 West Duke
Hugo, OK 74743
Phone: 508-326-2305
The fatherhood initiative program for the Little Dixie Community Action Agency Head Start goes by the title, M. I. A. (Men In Action) Fatherhood Initiative Program. The overall objective of the Little Dixie Head Start M.I.A. Fatherhood Initiative Program to help fathers who are "Missing In Action" become "Men In Action." Goals of the M.I.A. Fatherhood Initiative Program are: Create an awareness pertaining to the need for involved father figures; Increase father figure participation in the Head Start centers; Increase father figure involvement in the lives of their children; and Improve the needs and situations in the lives of their fathers. M.I.A. involves individual members of the communities and organizations on a local, state, and federal level, and includes collaborations with various local, religious and community organizations.
The M. I. A. Program Tools for Father Involvement
Child Support Enforcement Division
Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG)
CSE Fatherhood Contact: Michael Hayes
Phone: 512-460-6218
P.O. Box 12548
Austin, Texas 78701
National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI)
Southwest Region Office
11940 Jollyville Road, Suite 125-S
Austin, TX 78759
Phone: (512) 453-5056
Fax: (512) 453-5063
The Southwest Region of the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) seeks to improve the health and well-being of children by reducing father absence and promoting responsible fatherhood. The NFI defines father absence as a lack of physical, emotional, or spiritual connection between fathers and their children. The primary message of the NFI is that fathers play a unique and irreplaceable role in children's development. NFI conducts the following activities: 1) coordinates a multi-media, public awareness and education campaign on the consequences of father absence and the need to promote responsible fatherhood; 2) organizes Community Fatherhood Forums across the region; and 3) operates the Texas Fatherhood Resource Center (TFRC), which provides individuals and community-based organizations with fatherhood-related resource materials.
This spiritually-based organization helps fathers understand and develop their role. They specialize in community events such as fatherhood seminars, essay contests and father-to-father small groups designed to encourage and support men in their role as dads.
Central Texas Fatherhood Initiative (CTFI)
Steven Durand, Executive Director
PO Box 23385
Waco, TX 76702
(254) 495-2002
info @
centraltexasfatherhood.org
www.centraltexasfatherhood.org
The Central Texas Fatherhood Initiative (CTFI) is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to motivating, supporting, and training fathers to take a more active role in their children’s lives. Through collaborative relationships with various sectors of the community, CTFI focuses upon five key areas: (1) educating the general public about the importance of positive father involvement in the lives of children; (2) increasing the knowledge levels of fathers regarding the negative outcomes of father absence and the positive benefits of father involvement; (3) mentoring and supporting at-risk adolescent males before they become fathers; (4) increasing the knowledge levels of fathers regarding the skill sets necessary for the development of healthy marriages; and (5) providing support for noncustodial fathers in order to help them remain emotionally connected to their children. While headquartered in Waco, Texas, CTFI provides services to organizations and families throughout Central Texas.
Center for Successful Fathering, Inc.
Eric Whitfield, Interim Executive Director
13740 Research Boulevard, Suite L-2
Austin, TX 78750
(512) 335.8106
800.537.0853
eric @ fathering.org
www.fathering.org
Founded on the belief that children need the balance of a mom and a dad. Its mission is to educate and equip both men and women for the essential role fathers play in raising their children.
Strong Fathers-Strong Families
J. Michael Hall, M.Ed.
Executive Director
P.O. Box 136188
Fort Worth, Texas 76136
(817) 301-4086
mikehall @ strongfathers.com
www.strongfathers.com
Strong Fathers-Strong Families is a training, technical assistance, and facilitation organization that is focused on strengthening children by strengthening fathers and families. Through staff training, consultation, and event facilitation, Strong Fathers-Strong Families works with Head Starts, Public Schools, and Churches as well as other organizations. Our goal is to improve the educational environment in order that men may become more involved in the lives of their children. Strong Fathers-Strong Families plans and facilitates events at the campus, organizational, and community level to bring men together with their children in the presence of other men to discover their true strength as fathers. Strong Fathers-Strong Families facilitates events such as Bring Your Dad to Head Start Days, Bring Your Dad to School Day, Saturday Workshops for schools, churches, and communities, Dad & Kid Reading Night/Day, Head Start Father Forums, Head Start Dad and Kid Reading Days, staff awareness trainings, and Father Involvement Staff Training.
Tarrant County Fatherhood Coalition
(a.k.a. Tarrant County Fatherhood Initiative)
Charles Scoma, Chair
Phone: 817.808.3933
Post Office Box 820010
Fort Worth, TX 76182
Mission Statement: A collaboration to strengthen the role of fathers, men and families in the lives of children in Tarrant County.
The Tarrant County Fatherhood Coalition holds meetings and special events focusing on young dads and all fathers. In the past year, their meetings have included training on the PAPA curriculum developed by the Office of the Attorney General's Child Support Division, and Male Involvement/Male Health issues, job training and job referrals. Annually, they hold a community-wide, collaborative effort to raise awareness about the importance of father's involvement in the lives of children. The event, "Celebrate Fatherhood," is held in June to celebrate responsible fatherhood in Tarrant County. Several committees work together for this event to take place.
Head Start
Region 19 Educational Services Center Head Start/Early Head
Start
6611 Boeing Drive
El Paso, TX 79925
(915) 780-1919
Region 19 Educational Services Center administers Head Start and Early Head Start in 35 urban and rural communities along the portion of the Rio Grande that separates Texas from Chihuahua, Mexico. There are approximately 211,000 households in the counties served, and Spanish is spoken in 73% of them. More than 95% of the families participating are Hispanic or Latino, and more than half use Spanish as their primary language. Most employees-65%-are the parents of formerly enrolled children.
At four sites, staff develop activities for fathers and reach out to them in settings that are comfortable to them. Support groups cover manhood, values, communication, nutrition, self-exploration, and cultural forces affecting men's behavior and roles. The group format promotes sharing information and feelings. Materials and instructions for home projects, including literacy activities, are distributed monthly to encourage men's connections with their families at home. A monthly fathers' night out allows dads to become comfortable interacting with their children without their mothers present. A Male of the Month award is given at each of the four sites.
The Fatherhood Initiative has had many positive effects. It has enabled the largely female staff to gain experience working as partners with fathers. Fathers have become regular volunteers in classrooms and accompany children on field trips. Fathers who have participated in the initiative are taking leadership roles in the community as well as in the children's programs. The younger generation of men in the community have more positive attitudes toward children and fatherhood, which has changed the focus of the initiative over time.
Head Start
Neighborhood Centers Inc. Early Head Start/Head Start
Houston, TX 77277-1389
Phone: (713) 667-9400
Neighborhood Centers Inc. Early Head Start/Head Start first initiated a formal 'Fatherhood' program in February of 2004. Small group trainings utilizing resources and materials from the NCPL 'Fatherhood Development Curriculum' were offered at selected Head Start sites for fathers and other interested males. The group members created an action plan to improve the program for the next school year. Of the nine suggestions or strategies stated in the original action plan, four have already been successfully implemented or are in the process of implementation. Among the ideas originally put forward by the group were: create a section of the monthly newsletter specifically to focus on dads and the fatherhood program; organize at least one group activity per month; and implement the 'Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED), program-wide.
Building on the ideas and energy created by this core group of parents and staff members representing diverse areas of the program, education, family-community partnerships and operations came together to form a 'Father/Significant Male Involvement Committee'. The group sought community input in its efforts to re-name and re-energize the program with the result being the S.M.I.L.E. program — Significant Males Impacting Lives Everyday.
The S.M.I.L.E. Mission Statement
"To provide education and training to fathers and other male role models in order to enhance the relationships with their children and families. The program will support fathers as educators and advocates for their children through positive parenting to encourage parent-child bonding."
The S.M.I.L.E. Vision Statement
"Create awareness that fathers and other male role models make a unique and invaluable contribution to the well being of children and their interaction with their children promotes healthy physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual development."
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(Iowa, Kansas,
Missouri, and Nebraska)
Dan Houlahan
Administration for Children and Families
Department of Health and Human Services
601 East 12th Street, Room 276
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-426-2271
FAX: 816-426-2888
dan.houlahan @ acf.hhs.gov
Carolyn Sherlak
Administration for Children and Families
Department of Health and Human Services
601 East 12th Street, Room 276
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-426-2285
FAX: 816-426-2888
carolyn.sherlak @ acf.hhs.gov
The following lists each of Region VII’s State Fatherhood Project Websites & Basic Facts.
http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/fatherhood/iaprojects.htm
http://www.fathers.com/
The National Center for Fathering is located in Kansas
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/cyf/CSITN10.htm
Note: Description located under “State Watch”
Section as Kansas
Shawnee County Fatherhood Court Project
Dodge City, Kansas Father-Child Night (See pictures above)
The Head Start program in Dodge City, Kansas successfully implemented its Father-Child Night for the school year. This activity provided additional impetus and reinforcement for the beginning of a fatherhood initiative in Dodge City. All fathers and other related males in Head Start families were invited through notices that were sent to homes and posted in classrooms, at the Family Center building, and on the public marquis outside the public school district facility.
As a result fathers and other males attended the activity and participated in any of three activities with their children, using materials provided by the Head Start program. The event also produced another significant parent involvement activity in that those mothers and other children of program families met in a separate room and interacted in a number of different ways.
While participating in the Father-Child Night, fathers and other males were introduced to activities that could easily be replicated in their homes. The activity also taught involved males that their time could be shared with their children easily and inexpensively and that their verbal interactions with their children could be considered "quality time," which contributes to the children's feelings of personal security and stability. In addition, the children benefited from the time spent interacting with their fathers because fathers' demonstrated interest provides considerable emotional support for children, which enhances children's self-esteem.
Finally, the mothers of the families involved benefited from the opportunity to meet with other mothers and share parenting experiences and from the knowledge that their husbands/significant others were seizing an opportunity to learn more about their children and about themselves, which might foster a better understanding of male parental responsibilities and thereby encourage them to become more supportive and more willing to share in child raising activities.
Child Care Association of Wichita/Sedgwick County:
Early Head Start Fatherhood Program
Seeing the importance of having fathers involved in the lives of their
children,
three men associated with the Wichita Early Head Start Program formed a
Fatherhood Committee in April 2001. In the beginning fathers were
encouraged
to bring their kids one Saturday a month to a cookout, where usually a
speaker
or a lesson plan was presented. In November 2002, two of the original
"founders"
of the program traveled to Washington DC for in-depth Fatherhood
Training.
From this Training a Fatherhood Curriculum for their Program was developed. The curriculum includes sessions on:
Beginning in January 2003 this curriculum was and continues to be used fulltime. This group now meets every Monday evening. About 5-7 fathers attend regularly. Quarterly all the fathers attend a big socialization. This socialization usually consists of a speaker or a special event.
Contact Information: Glenda Wilcox,
Director
Andrew Bierig, Training Secretary, Fatherhood Committee [RBierig @
ccaehs.org]
Early Head Start
200 W. Douglas, Suite 200
Wichita, KS 67202
316-263-0669
http://www.childcareassociation.org
Southeast Kansas Community Action Program
Annual Fatherhood Summits
The local Head Start has held annual Regional Fatherhood Summits over the past two years. The Conferences have featured workshops highlighting:
Door prizes were awarded, not only to adults, but to children in our on-site childcare, which was provided by a local Faith Based Organization at no cost to the program or the participants. The Grand Prize was a drawing for a trip for 1 father to attend the National Fatherhood Summit and for 2 others to attend the Kansas Fatherhood Summit. Other prizes included activities for families, such as games, fishing poles, cookbooks and tools.
The Fatherhood Taskforce is fully aware of the critical role male figures play in the lives of children and their families. Outcomes based plans have been developed for men to be more responsible, committed and involved in their child's life. Our measures include: male involvement in classrooms as volunteers or employees, involved males in home visits and Parent Teacher conferences and involving more men on Policy Council.
Some of the planned activities:
Contact Information: Sharla Hopper
Email: sharlah @ sek-cap.com
Phone: 316-725-8204
In September of 1997, the YWCA St. Louis Head Start program instituted its Male Involvement program with the goal of increasing the involvement of fathers in the lives of pre-school aged children. The Danforth Foundation funded the initial project for two years, at which time it was fully integrated into the YWCA Head Start/Early Head Start program. In 1999, the male involvement initiative adopted the moniker Ma. G. I. C., or Male Guiding and Involving Children to describe the YWCA Head Start/Early Head Start program.
The Ma.G.I.C. program is a local strategy that aimed at improving the quality of life for children. It is also aimed at reinforcing the family structure of the people we serve. To improve the quality of life for our families is to encourage the involvement of the female, as well as the male parent.
The program also recognizes that men in society have been displaced from their families for a variety of circumstances, such as incarceration, poverty, substance abuse, lack of communication skills within the realm of the family structure and faulty expectations and norms. The YWCA's male involvement initiative (Ma.G.I.C.), represents a comprehensive approach of reaching out to the local communities, families, fathers' and male mentors, for the purpose of inspiring men to become more involved in the early childhood development in the lives of their children. Participation in Ma.G.I.C. is open to the biological parent as well as family members, such as grandfathers, uncles, cousins, and other positive male figures that influence the child's life.
Since the inception of the Ma.G.I.C. Initiative, the YWCA Head Start/Early Head Start program has made systemic modifications, which includes the hiring practices of staff, as well as the recruitment of potential families. In addition, there have been strategic plans developed by each of the16 centers, which include activities focused on increasing the male presence. Moreover, there have been self-development presentations and programs for staff. The training includes methods for alleviating staff biases, procedures for staff to recruit men, and training for male and female parents regarding parenting practices, relationships building, domestic violence, etc. The Male Involvement program also provides technical assistance to other social service organizations seeking to increase their male involvement
Self-sustaining activities have been developed, focused on the retention of the male mentors. One of the activities developed is Donuts for Dads done on a quarterly basis to welcome fathers and give a brief informational on what's happening in their center and for them to spend some quality time with their children at breakfast. Monthly Ma.G.I.C. meetings are held and ran by the fathers and significant males in the centers, who discuss improvements of male involvement for the center and activities to provide a positive male presence in the centers. There is also The YWCA Head Start/Early Head Start Male Leadership Summit (this year marks, the 6th annual commitment to fatherhood and male involvement). Other programs include: the Literacy is Liberating program, Baby FAST, Ma.G.I.C. mentoring program, parent involvement awards, appreciation banquets, and the sponsoring of this year's 8th Annual Fatherhood Walk and Rally.
Ma.G.I.C. has established links throughout the community by the development of the Ma.G.I.C. Advisory Committee to provide training and educational opportunities for males through the partnership efforts with Consumer Credit counseling, Employment Connection, WIGGS Construction, Cross Janitorial, United States Army, Foresters Finical Group, Met Life and a host of others who sit on the committee. Future plans for male involvement include the continual improvement of our training manual and curriculum in order to develop the strategic methods necessary to achieve higher levels of male involvement.
Contact Information: Thomas J. Johnson,
BSW
Male Involvement Specialist
Phone: 314-427-4940, ext. 237
http://www.nebraskachildren.org/about_us/programs/fatherhood/index.html
The Fatherhood Initiative at the Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska — Head Start is striving to increase the involvement of men in the lives of their children in the south central portion of Nebraska. This Initiative promotes fatherhood to families of Head Start children through education, support and advocacy.
Initiatives include:
For further information — http://www.mnca.net/ (Scroll down to the "Fatherhood Initiative" tab)
Central Nebraska Community Services
Schuyler Head Start/Fatherhood Initiatives
With Schuyler, Nebraska having had a large growth in Hispanic families over the past few years, the local Head Start Center developed a Fatherhood Initiative respecting the language and culture of these families. A bilingual Fatherhood Specialist was hired to develop the Fatherhood programs. These programs include:
Contact: Schuyler Head Start/Early Head Start
101 East 12th/107 West 12th
P.O. Box 6
Schuyler, NE 68661
Email: shstart @ gilligan.esu7.k12.ne.us
Phone: (402) 352-5084
WISNER HEAD START DAD'S NIGHT
Excitement was in the air!! The center was filled with voices both
young
and old. Each child was busy trying to show its special guest all there
was
to see and experience at Head Start. Circle time was precious as each
child
took his or her turn introducing themselves and Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Bob
or
whomever they had invited. He's Dad — just
Dad — or
Jim — or Paul — or
Grandpa — or maybe my dad
Chris — the introductions were wonderful.
Several other activities followed and the interaction was non-stop. Every dad was one-on-one during free choice time… playing a game, building, drawing, cooking in the kitchen or playing a computer game. Soon it was time to pick up. The "clean up" song was not familiar to the dads, but it didn't take more than a few seconds for them to catch on. It was fun!!!
This year at Wisner Head Start, Dad's Night was also our second Reading is Fundamental (RIF) distribution. Each pair found a cozy spot so dad/(special guest) could read the book that the child had personally selected the day before. The air hummed with conversation as much reading and communication carried on. Many questions were asked and answered. I heard several requests to "read it again!" Each child took their book home that evening, in hopes that many more evenings would be spent reading together.
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(Colorado, Montana,
North
Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming)
Thomas F. Sullivan
Regional Administrator
Byron G. Rogers Federal Office Building
1961 Stout Street, Suite 926
Denver, CO 80294
Phone: 303-844-1129
Fax: 303-844-2624
The Fourth Annual Dakota Fatherhood Summit was held October 26-29, 2004. Part of this educational conference was formal recognition of outstanding individuals and organizations in the following categories:
A Father's Day Fair was held at the Denver Department of Human Services (DDHS) on June 17, 2004. The Fair was co-sponsored by the Fatherhood Coalition of Metro Denver, in which ACF Region 8 staff participated. This event offered approximately 20 vendors with information on programs and issues affecting fathers and families. Mayor John Hickenlooper attended and read a Father's Day Proclamation declaring June 20, 2004 "Responsible Fathers' Day." ACF Region 8 staffed an information booth and distributed 225 packets of information about the healthy marriage initiative, responsible fatherhood and relationship skills. There were more than 300 attendees, not including small children. The Director of DDHS personally greeted all vendors, welcomed the Mayor, and visited with many fair attendees.
Region 8 Head Start and Early Head Start programs are making great strides to promote the Fatherhood Initiative. The programs provided detailed reports about the many activities they developed to support this initiative. Key activities of programs' efforts to increase the participation of fathers in Head Start centers are highlighted in the individual state reports.
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(Arizona, California,
Hawaii, Nevada,
Guam,
Trust Territory of Pacific Islands,
and
American Samoa)
Ronald Banks
Regional Health Administrator
Federal Office Building
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94012
Phone: 415-556-5810
Fax: 415-437-8004
John Kersey
Associate Director
Administration for Children and Families
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-437-8415
Fax: 415-437-8436
JP Soden
Program Specialist
Administration for Children and Families
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-437-8421
Fax: 415-437-8437
Access and Visitation. Arizona provides pilot grants to a number of counties. Maricopa County, for example, provides a wide range of access and visitation services for cases in the courts following or during divorce or paternity establishment including mediation, negotiation of compliance with court-ordered access, and visitation enforcement through a parental conflict resolution class. Drug testing, supervised visitation, and related services are also provided. The program has also developed two videos for parents who are court-ordered to participate in the Parental Conflict Resolution class, a course designed specifically for parents in persistent high-conflict after separation or divorce or parents who are non-compliant with Court-ordered parenting time (visitation). The two videos are available for a nominal cost to cover expenses for reproduction, shipping and handling:
In addition, the program also developed a video specifically for judicial officers called Family Ties and Knots: Children of Divorce — A View for the Bench. The video will be used specifically to inform Family Court judges about mild, moderate and severe forms of parental alienation. For further information, please contact Kat Cooper at 602-506-5714 or visit the website at: http://www.familysupportcenter.maricopa.gov.
Fatherhood. The goal of the Arizona Division of Child Support Enforcement's (DCSE) Fatherhood Program is to assist low-income, non-custodial parents attain self-sufficiency and become financially and emotionally responsible parents.
DCSE began its partnership with the collaboration of agencies known as the Arizona Fatherhood Network (AFN) in July 1998. AFN is committed to providing a service delivery system that empowers men and strengthens families to ensure a transformational and sustainable quality of life. AFN's vision is accomplished through collaborations, mentorships, education, and employment.
The organizations that DCSE partners with are dedicated to improving the lives and futures of low-income, fragile families and their children. DCSE can be instrumental to each of the organizations by assisting non-custodial parents with paternity establishment, establishment of an order to pay child support and modification of existing child support orders.
Parenting Academy. In October 2002, DCSE was awarded funding by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement to implement the proposed Arizona Fatherhood Parenting Academy (Academy).
Academy curriculum is designed to help fathers increase their employment opportunities and earning potential, and to improve their relationships with their children and the mother of their children. The six-month classroom instruction is facilitated by: AZ Division of Child Support Enforcement, First Institutional Baptist Church of Phoenix, Child & Family Resources, Inc., Maximus AZ Works, Valley Christian Center, and Women and Youth for Self-Reliance (WYSR) Academy.
The customized curriculum focuses on the benefits of paternity, life skills, relationship building and the benefits of marriage, financial literacy and computer literacy. Forty-two individual classes are offered each week, two hours per week, in six distinct sections: 1) Child Support Overview, 2) Life Skills Development, 3) Relationship Building and the Benefits of Marriage, 4) Workforce Development, 5) Financial Literacy, and 6) Computer Literacy. Case Management services are provided by Child & Family Resources, Inc.
The Academy opened its doors on July 10, 2003. Since its inception, 70 fathers have enrolled in Academy classes. Forty-four (44) fathers successfully completed the Academy's first 3 semesters, and received Certificates of Completion. Contact is Tommy Epps at 602-274-1482, ext 4977.
Adelante Responsible Parent Program. The Adelante Program is a division of Catholic Community Services operating in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. It works to help low-income fathers with child support obligations gain meaningful employment, providing services such as teaching job search, resume and application writing, and interviewing techniques. In addition, each participant is assigned a case manager who works with the client on a one-on-one basis to develop employment and training opportunities. Needs assessments are done for each client and supportive services are provided as needed.
The program collaborates with Superior Court judges, Adult Probation, Pima and Santa Cruz County One-Stop agencies, the State Attorney General's Office, and the Child Support Enforcement Agency. Together, they comprise the Responsible Parent Program. Participants are referred by Superior Court judges in an effort to gain meaningful employment and to increase child support payments. The goal is to help fathers who are willing but unable to make support payments gain the tools necessary for increased earning potential.
The Program also assists clients with child support and visitation issues, completing child support modification packets, visitation enforcement requests, and other related documents to be filed at the courts. In the future, the Program also hopes to assist clients with arrears reductions and/ or forgiveness. Contact Liz Thomey at 520-388-9153, ext. 122.
Merced County Fatherhood Project: Merced County developed a "Watch Dogs" program where Dads volunteer to be a "Safety Net" by volunteering one day at their children's school. The result is that Fathers are seen by the students and community as being present and actively engaged as role models in their children's lives.
In addition, there is a Boot Camp for Dads every Saturday morning at the local hospital. The program focuses on assisting Dads who are expecting their first child. The effort is coordinated with the Merced County Community Action Partnership. The contact is Bill Ruth at 209-383-4859.
Fathers Inside: Several years ago, the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) implemented a pilot project at San Quentin State Prison, California. The pilot project (Incarcerated Parent Project) provided inmates with forms, an information package about available child support services and contact information. The goal of the project was to reduce child support arrears, by stopping child support debt from accruing during periods when a parent had no ability to earn, and to increase the likelihood that incarcerated parents would be able to meet their child support obligations upon release from prison.
Based on the experience with the pilot project, it was found that in order to improve program effectiveness, there was a need to establish child support program credibility through regular visits and face-to-face interviews with inmates. Further, the inability of many inmates to read and understand the letters and documents provided created a tremendous barrier to program participation.
Subsequently, Fathers Inside was established to conduct outreach directly to the inmate population. The project has been a collaborative effort between the Solano County Department of Child Support Services (DCSS), Marin County DCSS, Marin County Family Law Facilitator, a non-profit, faith-based organization located at the prison, and several other Local Child Support Agencies (LCSAs). The California Department of Corrections supports the project by accommodating the program inside San Quentin.
The collaboration has included monthly workshops with groups of inmates permanently housed at the prison. The workshops include an overview of child support services and information about specific legal processes. Inmates are informed their rights to request a modification of their current child support due to their change in circumstances, and given the opportunity to complete forms that are forwarded to the appropriate LCSA.
The Solano County DCSS is pursuing opportunities to enhance these services to include inmates being processed through the Reception Center at San Quentin. This group of inmates is an important target as it would allow for the earliest opportunity to educate and inform inmates of their right to seek a modification of their child support order. Efforts in this area would also focus on tracking the progression of their requests, measuring the outcome of this intervention, and produce a Best Practices Procedures Manual for use in Reception Centers throughout the California prison system.
Contact is Cheryl Stewart, California Department of Child Support Services Regional Administrator, at (916) 464-5223.
Compromise of Arrears Program (COAP). In December 2003, California implemented an Interim Compromise of Arrears Program (I-COAP). The program allows the acceptance of a non-custodial parent's (NCP) offer to compromise a portion of their permanently assigned arrears in exchange for partial payment of a delinquent child support debt. The program has been implemented statewide and is successfully resolving arrears debt for NCPs. In order to qualify for participation in I-COAP, the NCP must have an arrears only case and be able to make a lump sum repayment. Only arrears owed to the government are available for compromise through I-CAOP; any areas owed to the custodial parties are addressed through negotiations with those parties. Cases involving current support are excluded from I-CAOP.
California is also piloting a more comprehensive Compromise of Arrears program (COAP) in six local child support agencies (LCSAs), including Amador, Orange, San Diego, Santa Cruz/San Benito, Solano and Sonoma. COAP will be available for cases with current child support orders and repayment will be allowed. Also, the COAP program will be a fully automated program at both the State and local levels. It is expected that COAP will be implemented statewide in July 2005.
The contact is Laura Choate, California Department of Child Support Services, COAP Manager, at 916-464-4885.
Access and Visitation. California provides a regional approach featuring parental education during the time of family disruption in an effort to increase parenting skills as a means for minimizing conflict and encouraging the development of parenting plans. Group counseling is provided to both parents and children on how to solve parenting problems. Other services, such as supervised visitation and neutral drop-off and child exchange services are provided to families during the litigation of a divorce or custody dispute. Contact Shelly Glapion at (415) 865-7565.
Memorandum of Understanding: The Guam Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Program negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with its sister Agency for Human Resources Development (HRD). The purpose of the MOU is to have the CSE Agency refer low-income non-custodial parents to the HRD for evaluation for assistance under the Workforce Investment Act for enhanced educational and vocational skills.
Access and Visitation: The current provider is Inafa Maolek Conciliation. Inafa Maolek is a mediation center that provides families with conflict resolutions involving visitation and custody. Inafa Maolek provides these resolutions through mediated agreements with divorced or separated parents. The children benefit from this mediated visitation through continued relationship with their Fathers and increased child support collections. Inafa Maolek monitors each case and makes monthly and quarterly reports for Office of the Attorney General, Child Support Enforcement Division. Contact is Frank Honorario at 671-475-3360, ext 201.
Fatherhood: The Hawai`i Coalition for Dads (HCD), launched in 1998 under the umbrella of Parents And Children Together (PACT), is a group of individuals and organizations (including ALU LIKE, Good Beginnings Alliance, Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies, Kamehameha Schools' Extension Education Division, PARENTS, and Pearl Harbor Fleet and Family Support Center) that shares information about services to fathers and promotes involved, nurturing, responsible fatherhood.
Grants from the Hawai`i Children's Trust Fund for 2003, 2004, and 2005 have enabled HCD to employ a Fatherhood Network Coordinator to help implement a pilot Nurturing Fathers/Play and Learn project for father-inmates (three, 13-week series have been carried out at the Waiawa Correctional Facility by The Institute For Family Enrichment with Play+Learn groups by the Good Beginnings Alliance), a media and special events campaign, collaborations with Aloha United Way's 211 and The Parent Line referral lines, consultations with agencies to implement more father-inclusive policies and programs, and the expansion of the Hawai`i Coalition for Dads throughout Hawai`i.
In the past 7 years, Hawai`i Coalition for Dads activities have included: sponsoring community education events like Dads' Day at the Capitol (April) and CELEBRATE FATHERS Day at Windward Mall and Pearlridge Center (June); having the Governor and Mayor proclaim June as Fathers' Month; participating in the New Baby Expo (May) and Children and Youth Day (October); and sponsoring the Champions for Children and Youth Inspirational Clinic at the University of Hawai`i's Stan Sheriff Center and Appreciating Fathers Conference at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus.
Hawai`i Coalition for Dads successful public policy initiatives include establishing a State Commission on Fatherhood in the Lt. Governor's office (Act 156-2003), requiring State employers to provide at least four hours per year paid leave for employees for parent-teacher conferences (Act 108-2003), establishing a Hawai`i Legislature awards program to recognize businesses with parent-friendly policies (SCR 130-2003), and State legislation that prohibits the preference of one parent above another in the State's programs, services, and contracts (Act 301-2001 and Act 162-2002). These laws are designed to insure that fathers are included, not forgotten, in public and private services that government provides to children and families.
For more Hawai`i Coalition for Dads information, contact Greg Farstrup, Coordinator, at 841-2245 and at HawaiiDads @ pacthawaii.org
Employment and Training (E & T). The E & T programs are operating in both Clark County (Las Vegas) and Washoe County (Reno). Low income non-custodial parents (NCPs) are referred by the Courts to work enhancement programs to assist the NCPs in improving their employment skills, with the goal of enhancing/increasing their ability to pay child support. Contact is Leslee Arnold at 775-684-0690.
Access and Visitation
The $100,000 Access and Visitation Grant, funded by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, is divided by two vendors. The Second Judicial District Court, Family Mediation Program serves the Reno area and the Eighth Judicial District Court, Family Mediation Center serves the Las Vegas area. Most referrals are made from child support hearing masters during court hearings for child support and paternity issues. Typically both parents voluntarily agree to explore family mediation services. The program appears to be successful to those parents who choose to participate. Survey results suggest that parent communication is enhanced through the mediation process. Additionally, most parents believe that the parenting plans and agreements developed have been adhered to over time by the other parent. A majority of the custodial parents indicate that child support payments were paid regularly after mediation. Contact is Rose Ramos at (775) 684-0695.
[ Go to Map ]
(Alaska, Idaho,
Oregon,
and Washington)
Elizabeth G. Healy
Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist
Department of Health and Human Services
2201 6th Avenue, RX-01
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: 206-615-2013
Fax: 206-615-2087
Karen Matsuda
Regional Health Administrator, OPHS
2201 6th Avenue, Suite 20
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: 206-615-2469
Fax: 206-615-2481
Vince Herberholt
Associate Regional Administrator
Administration for Children and Families
2201 6th Avenue, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: 206-615-3662
Fax: 206-615-2574
Levi Fisher
Administration for Children and Families
2201 6th Avenue, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: 206-615-2565
Email: lsfisher @ acf.dhhs.gov
Rural Alaska Community Action Program — Rural CAP is a Community Action Program serving rural communities in the state of Alaska. Rural Cap has had a fathers group in place for the last three years called Work of Loving Father Figures (WOLF2). As part of the Fatherhood Grant, 25-30 fathers from WOLF2 attended a Parent Conference in October. This was the first time the program was able to include father representatives from all of their Head Start sites at the Parent Conference. During the two day conference there was a special training for fathers that focused on: Head Start roles and responsibilities, parents as the first teachers, literacy workshops, reading development, and father/child activities. They also discussed the new opportunities made available through the Fatherhood Grant. All of the fathers who attended the conference have children in Early Head Start or Head Start program. Contact: Pam Gingue, Director.
Chugachmiut's Fatherhood and Family Program. The goal of the Chugachmiut's fatherhood and family program is to help fathers, mothers and families become the best they can be, through education, coaching and supportive resources. We hope that families and individuals will make informed choices through the information presented, also by reflecting on traditional Native values. We aspire to cultivate local, community based leadership from interested individuals, tribes and family service provider organizations, including Head Start. Our educational and technical assistance topic capabilities include parenting, character development, healthy relationships, communication, financial skills and critical thinking/ decision making. The program also values collaborating with other community organizations to maximize resources for the benefit of families. In addition to empowering strong fathers and mothers, the program serves in helping couples develop the skills to strengthen their relationships, achieving a healthy marriage if that is the path they choose. Contact: Matthew R Sena, Fatherhood Program Manager, Alaska Native Fathers Matter, 907-562-4155, matthew @ chugachmiut.org
Enhanced Work Services for NCP Project. EWS is funded under the Work Incentives Act and provides a comprehensive set of services that assist adults in finding employment, maintaining employment, and improving their employment situation. Services provided include job search skills, family counseling, budgeting, time management training, short-term skills training, vocational rehabilitation, GED/English as a second language, remedial education, work skills, parenting training, mediation services, post-employment services and assistance in obtaining and retaining child care and transportation. The program involves a collaborative effort between individuals, families, and communities. The goal of the EWS for NCP Project is to increase the number of non-custodial parents who access Enhanced Work Services and, as a direct result, gain employment and start to pay child support for their children. This project is a joint effort between Child Support Management, the SR EWS Contractors and the External Resources Management Team (CERM). Contact Kandee Yearsley (208) 334-0620, yearsley @ idhw.state.id.us
Friends of Children and Families, Inc. Friends of Children and Families is a single purpose Head Start agency in suburban Boise, Idaho. The primary goal of the grant was to encourage fathers to read to their children. In an effort to do this, they added a design element that was not mentioned in the grant. This has lead to the implementation of father/child events that take place every other Saturday. When children arrive at the events, they receive book bags filled with books that relate to the event to take home. The books distributed at the events will also be placed in the classrooms so teachers can familiarize the children with the topics. This helps to create better home-school collaboration.
The first event was called "Community Helpers and Firemen." The Boise City Fire Department brought a fire truck, the Police came, and paramedics brought an ambulance. For outreach, they developed a flyer that reads; "An event for men, and the Head Start children in their lives; Dads, grandfathers, uncles, brothers and more; Everyone is welcome". Sixty percent of the children in the Head Start program are from two parent families, but they wanted the flyer to be inclusive of all family constellations.
To sustain the Saturday events after the grant is over and to keep the costs low, they are developing a "parent share back model". They will offer a workshop for interested parents that would teach them how to implement the Saturday events in four simple steps on their own. They plan to offer an honorarium to compensate the dads for their planning efforts and implementation of the event. Although it is intended to be a father/child activity, they are offering child care in case the children want to do something else and give fathers a chance to come together and talk. Contact: Lou Landry, Executive Director
Lewis-Clark Early Childhood. Lewis-Clark Early Childhood is a single-purpose organization serving the rural communities of Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce counties in Idaho. They are planning on hosting daylong parent conference, developing literacy kits for fathers, and updating the agency's promotional and programmatic materials to encourage father involvement. Also addressed is an outreach program for alternative and high school parents.
The objectives in the proposal build upon existing collaboration with local school district literacy and responsible parenting programs. The program's current Parent Involvement Coordinator and Children and Family Services Coordinator would coordinate activities and partnerships. Contact: Darwin Bleth, Parent Involvement Coordinator.
Klamath Family Head Start. Klamath Family Head Start is a single purpose agency located in rural Klamath Falls, Oregon. Planning efforts for the grant began in September 2002. One goal was to have a fun activity that would immediately engage the men and get them involved. At the beginning of the program, a male involvement survey was sent to all dads to gather their ideas of how they want to be involved in their child's life, their interests, and the activities they like to do with their child. A copy of the survey results was given to the teachers so they would know what the fathers were willing to do in terms of volunteering in the classroom and also to help the teachers plan the parent meetings. A flyer was sent out asking if they wanted to be involved in the Fatherhood Program. For those who said yes, another flyer was sent informing them of an upcoming event followed by a personal phone call.
A father/child bowling night took place where fathers, grandfathers or the primary male in the child's life were invited. Seventy-seven men attended with their children and many of them were grandfathers. A room was reserved at the event to hold a meeting to discuss what the fathers would like to do as part of the grant. The event was so successful that so many men showed up they couldn't fit in the meeting room.
Contact: Melinda Gomez, Parent Involvement Content Area Expert
Mt. Hood Community College. Mt. Hood Community College Child Development and Family Support Programs is a school district agency located in suburban Portland, Oregon. A part-time Fatherhood Specialist was hired with the grant. He is a past parent who really knows how to speak and relate to the dads. The Fatherhood Specialist plans and facilitates the meetings. Monthly meetings have been implemented on Wednesday evenings for fathers and their children. During the first half of the meeting childcare is provided so the men have an opportunity to discuss parenting issues. The second half of the meeting is spent doing a parent-child activity such as color bingo and literacy activities. There is a lending library for the meeting with children's books, and activities parents can check out to use at home.
To help recruit fathers, the Fatherhood Specialist made a beautiful display board for each Head Start site which is used during the pre-service, and at the monthly parent meetings. It includes a narrative explaining why fathers should be involved, lists the many activities and ways they could be involved, and displays photo's from a father's support group that was implemented last year. The Fatherhood Specialist tries to attend all of the parent meetings to interact with the fathers.
In Spring of last year the Fatherhood Specialist started a father's group primarily to talk about their involvement in Policy Council, and recruit them to help fix and maintain the Head Start sites. As a result, the group were able to build upon the Fatherhood Grant. In addition, the Early Head Start (EHS) program Family Specialist is recruiting dads from EHS to go to the monthly father meetings. This was not part of the original grant proposal because the EHS program was not implemented until last summer. Contact: Site Coordinator
Southern Oregon Child and Family Council, Inc. Southern Oregon Child & Family Council, Inc. is a single purpose Head Start agency located in suburban Central Point, Oregon.
In August 2003, three staff attended the 21st Century Parenting Curriculum Fatherhood conference. In the fall the staff developed a training plan, wrote job descriptions, hired a part-time Fatherhood Advocate, and contacted trainers. They also began to develop a system that tracked male participation. The goal was to increase and maintain a high level of male participation on the Policy Council and committees. In 2003, 17 men participated in the Policy Council and in 2004, there are 19 male representatives out of 73 members.
Another goal was to increase male classroom volunteer presence by 10% program-wide between October and May and to develop an incentive program. Last year, there were a total of 252 male volunteers. This year there were 236 male volunteers from September to December. These numbers represent men who volunteer in any way and not just in the classroom. The numbers have not been broken down to determine how many of these men volunteer in the classroom. As an incentive, the program is buying T-shirts, bumper stickers and pins to reward top volunteers.
The program implemented an activity called Male Involvement days wherein each center will plan and provide activities once during the program year. Six activities have taken place to date and five more are in progress. There was a "Read Me a Story" project, which was a literacy based male involvement project. They had a "Read Me a Story" tub that contained a disposable camera, paper, markers, log-in sheet, and crayons so fathers could get comfortable and enjoy reading to the child. With the materials, the child drew a story about reading. The father and child had their picture taken together and the program developed the photos.
Other Male Involvement Day activities included: a bowling night for the family, a fishing day for dads, a box car derby, and a family day for dads. There was also a father friendly family fun fair that was organized in collaboration with several community agencies. There were pony rides, face painting, barbecue lunch, dunk tank, jumping castle, fishing booth, snacks and more. All of the agencies had representatives to offer information on different services.
Another goal was to promote the role of fathers in the area of literacy. The objective was to increase male knowledge of normal child development through distribution of child development handouts to fathers, and the six-week ongoing support group that talk about child development. Contact: Nancey Nordyke, Family and Community Partnerships Manager
Umatilla Morrow Head Start is a single purpose agency located in rural Hemiston, Oregon. It is one of four Grantees in Oregon recommended for funding. The Male Involvement Coordinator works with the Blue Mountain Community College to develop the 'English as a second language' class for fathers of Head Start children. The curriculum focused on reading to children. The grant pays for a teacher who taught the fathers using the books ordered for preschool aged children. Eighteen people (5 men, and 12 women) who are enrolled and attend class twice a week are Hispanic and have children in the Head Start program. Childcare is provided, and there are snacks and activities for the children. Currently, they are developing a support group for fathers around a sport night, like volleyball or basketball. They are also working on a soccer tournament that will involve all of the Head Start sites this spring. Contact: Jesus Rome, Family Advocate/Youth & Male Involvement Coordinator
Divine Alternatives for Dads Services (http://www.aboutdads.org) collaborates with the Washington State Division of Child Support to assist fathers with problems related to child support. DCS will do the research and offer realistic remedies to the child support problems. Some of the issues that the fathers receive assistance with are paternity establishment, negotiating lower child support arrearages and modification of orders. Founded in 1999, DADS is a community based organization that has served approximately 600 fathers thoughout the King and Pierce County area. DADS offers weekly support groups to help fathers deal with family court issues, develop parenting plans, provides referral services, mentoring and assistance with completion and filing of child support documents. DADS is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to helping fathers recognize the importance and the value of being involved in the lives of their children. Contact Marvin Charles, 206-722-3137 marvinpastor @ msn.com
The Conscious Fathering Program (http://www.consciousfathering.org) is designed to provide infant care skills while stressing the benefits of responsible fatherhood. A hospital based program that empowers new fathers to build a partnership in caring for and nurturing their children from the very first day. With currently over 3500 attendees, the Program has now grown to be the largest of its kind in the State of Washington, available in 9 major hospitals throughout the Puget Sound area. Over 35,000 of Bernie Dorsey's "Conscious Fathering Guide for Expectant Fathers" have been distributed throughout Washington, in partnership with Children's Hospital, in English and Spanish.
Bernie Dorsey, the Program founder, has also worked with agencies and organizations within Region X to develop parental balance in their own efforts toward greater levels of male involvement and continues to be the volunteer coordinator for the Washington State Fathering Coalition. Contact Bernie Dorsey, 206-824-8388, bernie @ consciousfathering.org
Washington State Fathers Network and National Fathers Network. The Washington State/National Fathers Network advocates for men as crucially important participants in the lives of their families and children. The Network provides support and resources to fathers and families of children with developmental disabilities and chronic illness, and to the professionals who serve them. For example, the Network has training materials for health providers about how to work with men of color who are caring for their special needs children. Contact: Chris Morris, Program Director, Phone: 425-747-4004, www.fathersnetwork.org.
Enterprise for Progress in the Community. Enterprise for Progress in the Community (EPIC) is both a rural and suburban, single purpose Head Start agency located in Yakima County, Washington. The program first conducted a needs assessment on the entire agency to see where they were in terms of being father friendly. All of the top management, supervisory staff, direct service staff, and some Policy Council members were brought together to learn about fatherhood involvement. They shared information and helped develop a fatherhood program that was applicable to the program's population of fathers who are primarily Latino. They decided to implement a pilot fatherhood program at two Head Start centers using the "Face to Heart" curriculum. There are two facilitators per group and the groups are conducted in Spanish. One center began the program in November and the other center began in January. This is a twelve-session curriculum and the fathers meet two times a month.
The twelve curriculum topics are:
Contact: Leo Lopez, Fatherhood Coordinator
First A.M.E. Child and Family Center. First A.M.E. Child and Family Center is a faith-based program serving the urban community of Seattle, Washington. FAME is planning to implement a series of training and community forums held over one year to educate fathers and staff on the importance of father involvement in the program and in children's lives. The proposal highlights outreach to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated fathers, which is a specific need in the community the program serves. Other proposed objectives including sponsoring male involvement through weekly literacy activities, increased father participation on the Policy Council, and hosting a two-day community forum in conjunction with other faith-based organizations.
This program proposes the hiring of a full-time, yearlong position to coordinate forums and provide training. The program will provide services that are not currently available in the community, which would make this program a community resource on the topic of fatherhood. FAME is well established in the community, and has obtained letters of support from a variety of community organizations agreeing to provide assistance, particularly in the literacy component of the objectives. Contact: Paula Jones
Kitsap Community Resources. Kitsap Community Resources is a single purpose, community action agency located in the suburban area of Bremerton, Washington.
The program began by recruiting male Kiwanis Club members since there were many single moms in the Head Start program, but not many fathers. The Parent Involvement Coordinator spoke to the Directors of the Kiwanis Club at their meetings and explained the need for volunteers in the Head Start program. Kiwanis Club members were asked to be a male presence in the classroom, serve as role models, and read to the children. In October, Kiwanis Club members began to volunteer in the Head Start classrooms. They read to children once a month during circle time in fourteen Head Start classrooms. The full-day program has volunteers read ten times a year and the part-day program has a volunteers read eight times a year. Every child gets to keep a copy of the book that the volunteer reads to them. The books that are purchased for the program have themes that relate to fathers and their children. Contact: Michelle Dougherty, Parent Involvement Coordinator.
Neighborhood House. Neighborhood House is a single-purpose organization that serves the urban community of Seattle, Washington. Almost 90% of the families served by Neighborhood House are recent refugees and immigrants. Many of this program's families come from cultures where fathers have not historically been engaged in teaching and rearing their children. This program proposes a series of father-child and father-only activities held in collaboration with local organizations to introduce fathers to their role in their child's development and provide a supportive environment for learning.
The program plans to identify several partnerships with existing community resources to facilitate meetings and activities in a culturally sensitive and relevant manner, including music and storytelling. The program also identifies partnerships for translation and mentoring services. The activities will be held at the Grantee's sites in the community, and the program's existing systems and space will support the proposed activities. Contact: Kathee Richter.
Skagit Valley College. Skagit Valley College is a community college-based program serving rural and suburban communities in Skagit, San Juan, and Island counties in Northwest Washington state. The Program plans to use the Motheread/Fatheread parenting and literacy program to increase male participation and literacy outcomes. Creation of a part-time Fatherhood Involvement Coordinator position is proposed to develop systems, train staff, and monitor and measure outcomes. There objectives are to: Increase staff awareness and skills in increasing father involvement in the program, and increase father involvement in family partnership, parenting and literacy activities. The program would utilize existing collaborations with community literacy programs and early childhood education to implement the program, and collaborate with service clubs and local businesses to purchase books. This proposal fills gaps in services of the specific community it serves, but its focus on staff development and the scalable and customizable Motheread/Fatheread program suggests replication in other communities. Contact: Terri Dickson, Program Manager.
Washington State Community College of Spokane Head Start. Washington State Community College of Spokane is a school district agency located in urban Spokane, Washington. One goal of the grant is to train staff to provide father friendly services. Two program-wide training sessions on the provision of father friendly services was completed in September and October. All staff who had contact with fathers were strongly encouraged to attend the training. Preliminary assessments of the staff showed a bias in viewing the family as the mom and the child. The Grantee felt it was important to change the culture of the entire organization, so that staff saw men with an integral role in the family, and in the child's education. Staff gave very positive feedback about the training and two more sessions are scheduled in March and April.
Another goal was to build a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team and train them how to conduct ongoing activities for fathers. In October, NPCL came to Spokane and provided a site-based, customized training in the Fatherhood Development Curriculum. Rather taking ten staff to NPCL as mentioned in the grant, they had the speaker travel to their site resulting in 25 staff that participated in the train the trainers program instead of just ten staff. The curriculum is designed to train staff to implement programs specifically targeted for young, unmarried fathers. After the training, 25 staff from Head Start and various community organizations were equipped to implement a 26-week fatherhood curriculum. By successfully involving many community organizations in the training (YWCA, ECAP, Casey Family Partners, Support Enforcement, etc), they met their goals to have a community-wide team address fatherhood issues. An agreement was made that Head Start would provide the training to community organizations with the understanding that each year they would take turns facilitating the support group. Head Start is responsible for implementing the program this year.
The third goal of the grant was to conduct a Nurturing Fathers Training. Rather than offering two 13-week sessions, they are just offering one. The Grantee contracted with a staff person from SCAN (Spokane Child Abuse and Neglect Program) to implement the training. He is a certified trainer in the Nurturing Fathers curriculum who works with Head Start one-day week and coordinates community efforts. This is a positive discipline curriculum for fathers in intact relationships or a single parent. In March, a training is being offered to staff and some Head Start parents. The Nurturing Fathers curriculum will be co-facilitated by two Head Start dads during the day and will begin in the Spring.
A new partnership was established with the local Support Enforcement Agency. Staff from Local Support Enforcement Agencies was invited to attend one day of the training to discuss local laws and regulations regarding paternity establishment and the collection of child support. The supervisors from the division of child support as well as an officer from the court attended the customized portion of the training. After attending the training, they were so excited to learn what the Head Start program was doing and proposed a collaboration with Head Start to assist fathers in getting them back on track if they were delinquent with child support.
An Inter-local agreement with the Department of Child Support (DCS) is in process right now. Ten Head Start family service coordinators underwent training to learn about the paper work involved and better understand the processes of the child support system in Spokane. An agreement with DCS was established that: if a father who is in arrears in his child support is interested in getting back on track, and is working with a Head Start family service coordinator and willing to make a good faith effort, then the FSC is connecting the father with the Supervisor of Support Enforcement in Spokane. He is doing an immediate case review of the fathers case to determine if the amount of child support ordered was reasonable, if not, what kind of amendments can be made to the order to establish a graduated payment plan. If at the end of six months, dad has made all of his payments and is making contact with the agency, the agency is granting waivers of arrears of the child support so the father can start at square one. The father needs to be involved in the Head Start program in some way. Contact: Sandy Turner, Social Services Specialist for EHS/HS.
Separated Parenting Access & Resource Center (SPARC). SPARC's goal is to ensure that children of divorce continue to have meaningful relationships with both parents, regardless of marital status. The Center advocates on behalf all non-custodial parents (especially fathers) to ensure they get equitable treatment in court and continued access to their children. In addition, the Center works to promote gender equality in Divorce and Custody issues.
SPARC recognizes the value of fatherhood and supports the concept of true joint custody, where parents work together for the best interests of their children. The Center support parents who have the best interests of their children in mind, and who understand the importance of participation by both parents in their children's lives.
SPARC has a number of tools and resources for parents, including:
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/ Contact Walter Boelter: walter @ deltabravo.net
Washington State Fathering Coalition. The mission of the WSFC is to improve the lives of children by promoting healthy father-child relationships and increasing positive male involvement. On July 15, 2002 a group of twenty-four statewide representatives from both the public and private sector met. Representatives of the Washington Council for Prevention of Child abuse and Neglect (WCPCAN), Governor's Head Start — State Collaboration Project, Divine Alternatives for Dads, and Conscious Fathering worked together to coordinate this event in recognition of the increasing number of individuals and organizations currently advocating and promoting the crucial role of father's and male involvement in the healthy development of our children.
Ideals
Legitimize Fathering
Strategies
Vision: The Washington State Fathering Coalition is undertaken with the needs of children as paramount to our efforts and will be based upon principles and guidelines that reflect our values of equal respect for the role of mothers and women in the lives of children. http://www.fatheringthefuture.org Contact: Bernie Dorsey, (206) 824-8388 or bernie @ consciousfathering.org
“Around the Regions” from 2005.
“Around the Regions” from 2004.
“Around the Regions” from 2003.
“Around the Regions” from 2002.
Additional information on grants and projects supporting fatherhood activities are profiled in the federal guidance developed by six federal departments, Meeting the Challenge: What the Federal Government Can Do to Support Responsible Fatherhood Efforts. (See especially State Websites and Statewide Initiatives) from 2001.
Last Revised: June 8, 2006
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