About Special Events / CSE Best Practices

Several offices have conducted special events—either one-time events or a series of meetings—to draw attention to child support. A few of these include the following:

• 2000 Fathers and Families Forum (Ill.)
  
  More than 150 fathers of children in Head Start programs attended this event, and 20 organizations sponsored exhibits. The Illinois Department of Public Aid/Division of Child Support Enforcement was a co-sponsor.

 

• Dads Make a Difference (Ill.)
  
  A variety of groups sponsored this meeting:
  
  • Hospital Opportunity for Paternity Establishment (H.O.P.E.).
    
  • Program/Paternity Establishment Program (PEP).
    
  • Voluntary acknowledgement of paternity (Catholic Charities of Chicago and WIC Food Centers).
    
  • Genetic testing and the Noncustodial Parent Services Unit.
    
  • Illinois Fatherhood Initiative focusing on “Fathers as Educators/Educating Fathers” with over 200 representatives from private, government, and community-based organizations.
    
  • Paternal Involvement Project (PIP) parenting organization with year-round courses for fathers.
• Advocate and Community-Based Partners Meetings (Calif.)
  
  These monthly meetings reflect what is happening in the communities. The advocates attending represent both mothers and fathers. This forum enables participants to share policies in development, new initiatives, and new legislation.

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