RestoringRestoring FathersFathers toto FamiliesFamilies andand CommunitiesCommunities SIX STEPS for Policymakers

Kathleen Sylvester Kathy Reich SOCIAL POLICY ACTION NETWORK and and Kathy Reich Kathy Families Families STEPS STEPS Fathers Fathers Kathleen Sylvester Kathleen SIX SIX for Policymakers for Policymakers Restoring Restoring SOCIAL POLICY ACTION NETWORK SOCIAL POLICY ACTION to to Communities Communities

...... A number of experts reviewed this A number of experts Thanks also go to the staff members to thank we’d like Most importantly, Copyright 2000 by the Social Policy Action Network. Action Copyright 2000 by the Social Policy Acknowledgments © This guide was published with the generous support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. free copies of the report may Additional be ordered from: The Annie E. Casey Foundation Street St. Paul 701 Baltimore, MD 21202 547-6600 (410) 547-6624 fax (410) www.aecf.org Designed by Sharon R. Ogburn Dozens of people contributed their Dozens of report, experience to this insights and Without it possible. to make and helped of the Annie E. the generous support Ralph Casey Foundation, particularly have embarked Smith, we could not on this effort. to thank them for guide, and we’d like Michael Pagliaro, their suggestions. Ellen Maurice Moore of the Annie and Laracy, offered thoughtful E. Casey Foundation draft. Eric suggestions on the initial Wade Levine, and Dr. James Brenner, refinements. And Horn offered further Galit researchers Angela Young, SPAN Lipa, and Michael Umpierre helped immensely with all phases of the project — from initial research to final editing. of programs that we profiled in this for being are grateful to them report. We so frank about the successes they’ve experienced and the challenges they still to Ron are particularly grateful face. We Heidelberg, J. Clark, Dadisi Elliott, Tene Joyce Hoelting, Joe Jones, Henry, Tom Geraldo Rodriguez, Dwaine Greg Patton, Simms, and Zack Tift. the dozens of fathers we met while we were writing this guide for sharing their experiences — no matter how personal or painful. All rights reserved.

...... 2 ...... 3 38 16 25 29 34 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE fathers’ programs ...... 27 Doing Things Right: The Virginia Fatherhood Campaign ...... Virginia Department of Health Defying the Odds: Father’s StoryA Teen ...... Doing Things Right: Fair ShareParents’ ...... Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services Funds for FathersUsing TANF ...... Struggling to Stay on Track: One Father’s Story ...... with their children’s mothers ...... 17 low-income fathers ...... 21 work for families ...... 31 that “fathers matter" ...... 35 Endnotes ...... 40 Step Four: Use federal funds to fund Acknowledgments ...... 2 SummaryExecutive ...... 5 Introduction ...... 9 Seven Core Learnings About Fathers ...... 11 Step One: men to be good parents Teach ...... 13 Step Two: Help fathers improve relationships Step Three: Remove barriers to work for Step Five: the child support system Make Step Six: Campaign to reinforce the message .

cross the country, states and communities are mobilizing to increase Restoring fathers’ involvement in the lives of their children. The strategies they are choosing vary widely, reflecting the philosophical differences about the definition of “responsible fatherhood." Some efforts focus on teaching Fathers Amen the skills they need to be good fathers; others concentrate on child support to enforcement; still others promote marriage and two-parent family formation. Families But other states are still doing less than they could to promote father involve- and ment. Map and Track, a 1999 survey of state responsible fatherhood efforts, report- ed that few states had begun new efforts to help fathers in the previous two years. Communities One reason: There isn’t enough specific information available for state and local officials about what they can do, legislatively or administratively, to help fathers help their children. SIX This guide tries to fill that gap. It lays out a detailed six-step strategy for STEPS promoting father involvement, especially among low-income, unwed men. for Policymakers The guide will be most useful for state legislators, governors, and agency officials looking for ways to better serve fathers. But local government officials, businesses, community-based organizations, and the faith community will find Executive ideas they can use as well. Each of the six steps includes a menu of policy options from which policymakers Summary can choose. Each step also includes detailed examples of what states, communities, and non-profits nationwide are doing to promote responsible fatherhood, along with contacts and resources for policymakers who want to learn more. The six steps are: 5 Step Step ...... Step ...... 1 Children whose fathers are actively Children in single-parent families 2 Help Teach Men involved in their lives do better in are more likely than children in Fathers to be school than children whose fathers two-parent families to grow up Improve aren’t around. They are less prone poor, fall behind in school, Relationships Good to depression. They have better experience emotional problems, with social skills. And they are more and end up in trouble with the Their Parents likely to become good parents law. By promoting marriage and Children’s themselves. If states want to ensure two-parent family formation, the best outcomes for their children, they will help men learn states can save a fortune in social Mothers to be better fathers. services and correctional expenses Teaching men about the responsibilities of fatherhood later on. That’s why Tennessee granted the Institute for can’t start too early. The Fatherhood Project of the Families Responsible Fatherhood and Family Revitalization $300,000 and Work Institute emphasizes that preparation for parenthood to send married couples to counsel low-income men and should begin in boyhood, with programs that teach boys to women about parenting, relationship, and employment issues behave responsibly, set high expectations, offer hope for the in several tough Nashville neighborhoods. future, and ensure that all boys are connected to adult role Not all parents marry, or stay married. In cases where models. parents can’t get along, states can first offer conflict resolution If these programs are effective, boys will learn the services to help parents resolve their differences; if those importance of good fathering—and take steps to ensure that efforts fail, states they don’t become fathers before they are ready. The Texas can support efforts attorney general’s office uses this approach with its PAPA to help parents program. Founded in 1995, PAPA’s goal is to discourage develop “co-parent- teen pregnancy and reduce the need for future child support ing" skills. These enforcement by teaching middle and high school students efforts can help about the financial costs of raising a child. More than 30,000 non-custodial, students have participated in PAPA programs, and anecdotal divorced, or never- evidence suggests the program has helped lower teen married parents pregnancy rates. stay involved in States should look beyond prevention to helping men their children’s lives. The Parents’ Fair Share program in Los who are already fathers improve their parenting skills. Public Angeles, part of a state-funded demonstration project serving support for programs such as the multi-city Boot Camp for non-custodial fathers, has developed a special curriculum to New Dads can help new and expectant fathers learn about help parents improve their communications and conflict . child development, supporting resolution skills. their babies’ mothers, and However, states also must recognize that some parents caring for their infants. pose a danger to their children and partners. Any state-funded program that promotes marriage or co-parenting should have Action Steps staff members who are knowledgeable about recognizing signs for State Officials: of physical and emotional abuse—and they should act quickly ❑ Revise sex education to protect children and others from danger. curricula to include com- ponents on fathering and the Action Steps for State Officials: responsibilities of fatherhood. ❑ Encourage or require pre-marital counseling before couples ❑ Require teens to study child can get marriage licenses. health and child development ❑ Fund organizations that focus on culturally sensitive in school. relationship counseling and/or model marriage. ❑ Organize and fund fatherhood education and support ❑ Require fatherhood programs that receive state funds to groups that are linked to programs serving new mothers, train their staff members to spot domestic violence, report such as the federal Women Infants and Children nutrition suspected abuse, and provide referrals to domestic violence program (WIC) and Healthy Start. services. ❑ Link paternity establishment programs to parenting programs for new fathers. ❑ Support programs that work with incarcerated fathers to help them learn to stay connected with their children while in prison and be better parents when they are released.

6 Step Step ...... Step ...... Remove3 One of the best ways to reduce Because of federal welfare Use Federal4 childhood poverty and promote reform, states have addition- Federal Barriers stable, healthy two-parent al funding to serve fathers Funds to to Work families is helping low-income as well as mothers — and for Work men find work. Many fathers more flexibility in choosing Fund Low-income who don’t pay child support how to spend it. They may Fathers’ Fathers are not “deadbeat." They are use Temporary Assistance to Programs Fathers simply “dead-broke." Needy Families (TANF) block States should do more grant funds for any activity to help low-income men find steady, well-paid employment. that meets the four broad purposes of welfare reform: ending Any father who needs it should be able to access job-search welfare dependence, promoting employment, encouraging assistance, education and job training programs, and support two-parent families, and reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies. in keeping his job. In Marion County, Illinois, for example, Nearly $3 billion in TANF funds remain unspent; states any parent with problems paying can afford to devote some of this surplus to fathers. Many child support can find a job through states are already doing so, but in most cases the efforts the district attorney’s Fathers That are minimal compared to the amount of funding available. Work program, which has relation- Other sources of federal funding exist as well: the Social ships with 29 area employers. Services Block Grant, child support enforcement funds, In 1999 more than 1,700 people the Welfare-to-Work block grant (which Congress amended participated in Fathers That Work, to make it easier for states to serve fathers) and a largely and 64 percent of participants who untapped resource, the Workforce Investment Act. In Long got jobs through the program were Beach, CA, for example, the Workforce Investment Board is still employed six months later. using $150,000 in WIA funds to support the Responsible States also need to address the Teen Fathers Program, which helps young fathers overcome tremendous barriers to employment barriers to employment through intensive, one-on-one case that many men face. Low-income management and weekly peer support groups. non-custodial fathers frequently struggle with low educational Action Steps for State Officials: attainment, lack of work experience, ❑ Set aside a percentage of TANF and Welfare-to-Work funds and chronic unemployment. for programs serving low-income non-custodial parents. Nearly 50 percent of low-income non-custodial fathers ❑ Apply to the U.S. Department of Labor to launch a have criminal records. Many more have suspended driver’s non-custodial parents demonstration project under the licenses or pending criminal charges stemming from failure Workforce Investment Act. . to pay child support. ❑ Reserve any bonuses That’s why the FATHER Project in Minneapolis, a joint that the state receives under venture of the state child support office, city employment TANF or the Title IV-D and training agency, and area non-profits, offers clients a federal child support enforce- wide range of services. Men receive case management services, ment program to serve counseling, job training, placement assistance, retention non-custodial parents. services, and help in resolving child support-related legal problems. ❑ Revise and simplify eligibility requirements for Action Steps for State Officials: non-custodial parents ❑ Link parenting programs for fathers to programs that focus to participate in TANF-funded on employment and training. programs. ❑ Require state and local courts to refer men with child support arrearages to employment programs. ❑ Require child-support enforcement offices to pursue modification orders for low-income fathers who are trying in good faith to find and keep a job. ❑ Fund legal services for low-income men and women to help them overcome barriers to employment such as suspend- ed driver’s licenses.

7 ...... Step . . . Step ...... 5 . . . Most children need financial Public awareness campaigns ...... 6 ...... Make the support from two parents, — reinforcing the message Campaign to ChildSupport not just one. That is why that children need their Reinforce System Congress and the states stepped fathers for emotional as theMessage for up child support efforts in the well as financial support — that Work for 1990s, streamlining collection can play a major role in Families procedures and instituting changing society’s attitudes “Fathers tough new penalties for parents toward fatherhood. More Matter” who don’t pay. importantly, these efforts To some extent, these tougher laws are working. But the can change the attitudes new laws have done little to address the complaints of many of fathers themselves. fathers that existing approaches to custody and visitation National groups such as the National Fatherhood Initiative unfairly discriminate against dads. They also make life harder and the National Center for Fathering have been helping raise for parents who can’t afford to pay. public awareness for years through media campaigns, essay The average low-income father has accumulated thousands contests, and grassroots organizing. Some states now have of dollars in child support debt. Paradoxically, in many cases their own public awareness campaigns. The Virginia campaign, low-income fathers don’t for example, was launched in collaboration with the National even owe this money to their Fatherhood Initiative. families; they owe it to states But states must do more. They must train agency as reimbursement for welfare employees to be sensitive to fatherhood issues, assess their payments to their children. own laws and policies for father-friendliness, and support States can change the community-based fatherhood programs. The Virginia culture of the child support Fatherhood Campaign and the system from a punitive one Florida Commission on to one that gives fathers positive incentives to support their Responsible Fatherhood make children. States can enact more generous child support seed grants to grassroots pass-throughs, which allow all child support collected to be programs in their states. And paid to children. Wisconsin’s policy is the most generous in Wisconsin, the governor in the nation. The state passes through all money it collects required every state agency to custodial families and disregards these collections when to audit its policies for calculating a family’s welfare eligibility. father-friendliness. States also can forgive or reduce the child support debt

. that low-income fathers owe to states. And states with Earned Action Steps for Income Tax Credits can revise policies to ensure that non- State Officials: custodial parents receive some credit for the child support ❑ Create fatherhood commis- they pay if custodial parents don’t qualify for the credit. sions to advise the governor Finally, states can invest money in access and visitation and legislature on how state programs that help fathers see their children. The more agencies can better serve connected fathers are to their children, the more likely they fathers and families. are to pay child support. ❑ Initiate public awareness campaigns that promote Action Steps for State Officials: responsible fatherhood. ❑ Reinstate state child support pass-throughs or strengthen ❑ Develop father resource centers to serve as local clearing- existing pass-throughs to allow at least some of the child houses for training and advice to fathers and social service support paid by low-income fathers to be paid directly to agencies. their families. ❑ Conduct agency audits for father-friendliness. ❑ Forgive or decrease TANF-related child support debt owed to the state for fathers who participate in programs designed ❑ Include a component on fathers in any diversity training to increase their earnings and improve their parenting skills. that public employees are required to attend. ❑ Rewrite state child support guidelines to allow self-support ❑ Convene fatherhood hearings or town hall meetings and reserves for non-custodial working parents. invite fathers, including low-income non-custodial fathers, to speak. ❑ Amend state Earned Income Tax Credits to give fathers credit for the child support they pay. ❑ Suspend or forgive child support debt owed to the state when parents reunite or marry. 8 ...... 9 The National Fatherhood Initiative, Work Institute is helping businesses Work for example, has launched a major public awareness campaign to educate about the public and policymakers the importance of fathers, while the Institute for Responsible Fatherhood’s success in reconnecting alienated low-income fathers with their children has helped break down stereotypes. The Fatherhood Project of the Families & adopt family-friendly policies that support fathers as well as mothers. are critical for restoring fathers to their families and communities. many fathers were becoming more emotionally connected and actively involved in nurturing their children, another group of men simply walked away from their families — failing to provide even basic financial support. Field Fatherhood A Burgeoning A growing number of national father- hood organizations, as well as hundreds of local efforts rooted in community nd religious institutions, are working to encourage the first trend and to reverse the second. While their all of these efforts approaches vary, Map 1

, published by the National

or far too long, fathers have been the missing piece in the family policy agenda. Now that’s starting to change. As

Introduction and and

Families Families

STEPS STEPS

Fathers Fathers It’s quite simple: Fathers matter. For It’s quite simple: Fathers matter. And not for financial support alone. As David Cohen notes in his SIX SIX About 22 million children in this for Policymakers for Policymakers

Restoring Restoring to to

Communities Communities Center for Children in Poverty, the Center for Children in Poverty, nation witnessed two contradictory fatherhood trends in the 1990s. While and Track children, two parents are better than one. As more mothers have moved into the work force and fewer fathers have faced the burden of being sole providers for their families, traditional roles have begun to shift and society has begun to realize the enormous non-financial to contributions that fathers make the lives of their children. They are nurturers, teachers, disciplinarians, role models, and pals. Fathers are not just a paycheck; they are dads. introduction to the 1999 edition of These children are more likely than These children are more likely children in two-parent homes to poor to suffer from experience poverty, health, to fall behind in school, to have emotional and disciplinary problems, and to end up involved in the criminal justice system. F communities struggle to remedy social problems from poverty to school failure to crime, they have discovered a single problem that plays a role in all of them— the physical or emotional absence of fathers in the lives of their children. country live in single-parent homes. Megan Lombard Megan parenting For families 5 Map and Track With $2.85 billion in TANF 6 Working with fathers is the next Working The enormous flexibility of the States now have funds available Four factors make it critical for states Four factors make to act now: ❑ logical step in our nation’s efforts to reform welfare. States have experienced remarkable success in moving welfare recipients into jobs, but for too many families, the path from welfare to work The has not led them out of poverty. average wage for women leaving welfare an hour. is only $6.61 Gary Brown, a protégé of the Institute for Responsible Fatherhood and Family Revitali- zation's Cleveland program, is studying to become a robotics engineer for NASA. the Time Is Why Now surpluses to spend, the states have resources to help both mothers and fathers of children on welfare move toward self-sufficiency. ❑ block grant means states can TANF use it to support two-parent family formation and reduce unwed births. These services — including struggling to leave welfare dependency behind, fathers who pay child support can help move their families from poverty to self-sufficiency. ❑ to invest in helping fathers, but many still aren’t doing so. notes that only 29 states are using Assistance to Needy either Temporary or Welfare-to-Work Families (TANF) (WtW) block grant funds to help low- income non-custodial fathers get jobs that enable them to support their children. help their children. positioned breaking point, breaking point, that we it’s critical new develop bold approaches to recon- necting absentee fathers with their children." State legislators can develop policy Some of the most effective ideas This report also highlights promising How More More How Can Be Done With flexible federal funding available, and given their tradition of inno- vation in social services, state governments are uniquely to help fathers Governors can use their public influence, as well as their authority over state promot- agencies and budgets, to make ing responsible fatherhood a priority in social services programs. proposals of their own and draw atten- tion to the importance of fatherhood through hearings and public events. And state agency officials can coordinate their services with community and faith-based organizations to ensure that fathers receive the support they need to nurture their children, both financially and emotionally. highlighted in the report include these: Georgia offers non-custodial fathers whose children are on welfare a chance to enroll in job training programs at one of the state’s 36 colleges and technical institutions. Wisconsin allows families all of the child on welfare to keep support collected on their behalf, providing an enormous incentive for fathers to pay child support because the money. their families get to keep And Virginia’s Fatherhood Campaign helps communities across the state launch their own fatherhood programs. community-based models that govern- ment can support — from the free legal clinics for parents who need advice on custody and visitation issues in Minneapolis, to the job-training program that the Indianapolis county prosecutor runs for fathers who can’t pay child support, to a highly successful support group for young men in Philadelphia. 2 3 4 The National Center for Fathers and for Fathers Center The National can’t do But groups such as these In 1996, only 30 percent of low- A survey of over 20,000 parents The poverty rate for children in Some states have already launched fatherhood initiatives because they see strategy for father involvement as a key addressing the plight of children growing up in low-income, single-parent families. “This initiative is really about children," North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt said when he launched his state’s fatherhood know that initiative in April 1999. “We to succeed in life, kids need a smart start, a good education and a nurturing household. With so many of our children now growing up in single-parent homes where resources are stretched to the ❑ income children who lived apart from their fathers received child support. ❑ by the National Center for Education Statistics found that children perform better in school, both academically when their fathers are and emotionally, involved with their schooling, including attending school meetings and volunteering at school. Quite simply, fatherlessness costs states fatherlessness costs Quite simply, their When fathers don’t support money. children financially or emotionally, government frequently ends up support- ing families in the form of increased costs for everything from welfare to health care to education: ❑ two-parent families is 8.4 percent, but for children in divorced families, it’s percent, and for children whose 31.3 parents never married, it’s 64.1 percent. Why States Must Get Involved Why States Must Families connects state policymakers connects Families in academic research with the latest as well as insights about fathering, work organizations that from service The National every day. with fathers and Network for Fathers Practitioners who the professionals Families helps their jobs better. work with fathers do for Fathering And the National Center movement of has fostered a grassroots fathers who are more than 170,000 be nurturers, eager to learn how to and mentors to teachers, role models, their children. — especially those it alone. Policymakers action to take at the state level — must efforts. support and expand the

...... 10 ...... 11 Given the need, the availability The potential payoffs to adopting of flexible funding, and the promising research findings, this report offers of options a menu policymakers for promoting responsible fatherhood — especially among low-income non-custodial fathers. these strategies are immense: fewer suffering children living in poverty, from bad health, becoming involved in crime, and becoming unwed parents themselves. More children graduating from high school, staying away from drugs, and becoming good parents themselves. It’s time for states and communities to invest in fathers. This report tells how. 9 8 And a study by the Erikson Institute Initial findings from a study by and the University of Chicago also counters popular myths about poor fathers. Although 94 percent of the couples in a public housing project in Chicago were not married, two-thirds of the fathers were providing financial support and more than half were actively in engaged in the day-to-day tasks of caring for their children. Princeton and Columbia Universities offer new support for the notion that low-income fathers care about their children. The Fragile Families study found that 78 percent of the low-income unwed fathers in Oakland and Austin had provided financial support during their partners’ pregnancies; 86 percent planned to help with their children in the future. SEVEN CORE LEARNINGS ABOUT FATHERS 7 relationship counseling, and Existing approaches to public benefits, child support enforcement, and paternity establishment create obstacles and and paternity establishment create obstacles public benefits, child support enforcement, Existing approaches to need additional support to develop the vital skills to share the A growing number of young fathers and mothers parent has significant developmental implications for young The transition from biological father to committed families of origin significantly influence the behaviors of young Intergenerational beliefs and practices within Joblessness is a major impediment to family formation and father involvement. When the paths to work are involvement. When the paths to work impediment to family formation and father Joblessness is a major Fathers care, even if that caring is not shown in conventional ways. is not shown in conventional even if that caring Fathers care, may assume different forms — Father caring support, and child development. — in terms of economic well-being, social Father presence matters http://www.ncoff.gse.upenn.edu/core.htm unavailable or inaccessible, many fathers — particularly young fathers with few skills and few years of schooling — fathers with few skills and few years of schooling many fathers — particularly young unavailable or inaccessible, income. to the underground economy to provide of supporting their children or turn either evade the responsibility ❑ young fathers, and the mothers of their children, view paternity establish- disincentives to father involvement. Many with distrust, seeing them as punitive rather than supportive of families. ment and child support enforcement activities ❑ are growing up in these “fragile families" and need access to two parents responsibility for parenting. Many children child care and support. committed to sharing the responsibilities of ❑ is often incomplete and problematic. fathers. For young fathers, this transition ❑ over young parents, yet many families often do not have the parents. Families wield a great deal of influence becoming better parents. resources or desire to assist young men in online: and Families, February 1, 2000. Available from “Core Learnings." National Center for Fathers — Adapted ❑ The National Center on Fathers and Families, a policy research center at the University of Philadelphia, consulted University of Philadelphia, research center at the and Families, a policy Center on Fathers The National fathers: assumptions about key to create a list of seven around the nation and practitioners with researchers ❑ for support in the home and responsibility to children’s development to hands-on from emotional commitment child care. ❑ Finally, an emerging body of research Finally, education, mediation — can be provided to men or women, regardless of income level. ❑ shows that a large percentage of low- income fathers are not the stereotypical “deadbeat dads" the public believes them to be. about While the public may be skeptical the efficacy of past government inter- ventions for low-income fathers, new research supports the idea that jobless- ness — not lack of commitment — is a men’s failure to pay reason behind key child support. An Urban Institute report finds that few low-income unwed fathers are able to find full-time, year-round employment and that they earn little more than minimum wage. those children whose fathers do not.13 While the primary responsibility for teaching men to be fathers rests Step with families, not all families are able to ...... Step ...... prepare their sons for fatherhood. Some 11 states and communities are developing programs to help fill in the gaps. TeachTeach Teaching young men to be respon- MenMen sible fathers involves two approaches. First, it involves teaching them to delay toto bebe parenting until they reach adulthood, are old enough to marry, and have the GoodGood education and skills to support their children financially. Second, it means Parents teaching all fathers — regardless of age, Parents education, or income level — how to relate to their children in healthy and positive ways.

Attributes of Successful Programs The Fatherhood Project of the Families and Work Institute lists five key attri- butes of successful parenting preparation programs that encourage young men to delay parenting.14 ❑ First, the programs focus on the need for young men to act responsibly in all aspects of their lives — not just when it comes to sex. As Tom Henry of Total Commitment, a program for young men in Philadelphia, points out, many boys in low-income neighborhoods grow up without any sense that they can control their environments or that decisions they make as teenagers can affect the . rest of their lives. Successful programs for boys help them understand the benefits of acting responsibly in their relationships with girls, in school, and in the workplace. ❑ Second, programs should set high egardless of economic status, Father-child interaction has been expectations for young men. Carl Paige, education, race, or cultural shown to promote a child’s well-being, who formerly worked at the Center background, many men lack perceptual abilities, and competency for for Fathers, Families, and Workforce one important skill — the relatedness with others, even at a young Development (CFWD) in Baltimore, R 11 skill of knowing how to be a father. In age. says that while programs shouldn’t previous generations, the most critical A survey of African American men judge young men, they shouldn’t baby qualification for being a good father was revealed that men who had experienced young men either. “You need to ask the being a good provider. But children also a positive relationship with a father question, ‘Are you prepared to work?’" need fathers as nurturers, teachers, and who cared and sacrificed for them are Paige says. “They must be prepared to role models. The following excerpts come more likely to be responsible fathers do what it takes to work eight hours 12 from the third edition of Father Facts, a themselves. a day, five days a week." publication of the National Fatherhood A study using a national probability ❑ Initiative: sample of 1,250 fathers showed that Third, programs should have a Children with fathers at home tend children whose fathers share meals, separate curriculum and emphasis for to do better in school, are less prone to spend leisure time with them, or help young men. The strategies that work for depression, and are more successful in them with reading and homework do teenage girls simply may not resonate relationships.10 significantly better academically than for boys, who often have different role 13 models and cultural references. For Teaching Fathers to Be Dads This 70-site community education example, while young girls often relate States should look beyond prevention program, generally based in hospitals, to their peers by trying to fit in, boys to helping men who are already fathers pairs first-time fathers with “veteran are often more competitive. improve their parenting skills. fathers" whose babies are two to three ❑ Fourth, good pregnancy prevention The Minneapolis-based MELD for months old. The veterans help the new programs for boys give them hope for Young Dads (MYD) is perhaps the most fathers, or soon-to-be-dads, learn how the future. Dwaine Simms, who works well established young fathers program to hold, feed, change, and bathe their for MELD parenting education program, in the nation. MELD has designed a babies. New dads also learn about stages repeats a common refrain he hears from comprehensive parenting curriculum of child development and how to be young fathers: “I don’t expect to see that states, communities, and non-profits supportive of their children’s mothers. my 25th birthday. I wanted to leave use when they work with MELD to Within a few months, the new dads a legacy." Young men in low-income establish comprehensive, community- return as veterans, continuing the cycle. neighborhoods must learn about based parent education programs. The alternatives for proving their manhood. 10-book curriculum includes 27 different Recommendations topics ranging from pregnancy and ❑ Fifth, successful programs provide ❑ State education agencies should revise birth to child development and health boys a close connection to an adult role their abstinence and/or sex education to legal issues such as child support and model — preferably a man. In low-income curricula to include components on custody. It also includes practical advice communities, father absence is often fathering and the responsibilities of on employment, education, and money particularly high. Many studies show fatherhood. management. that men who become unwed fathers MELD staffers train site coordinators ❑ State education agencies should often grew up in fatherless homes to use the curriculum and start their require young men to study child health themselves. And when they grow up own programs. Site coordinators then and development in school. without fathers at home, boys are train volunteers from the community to ❑ more likely to have problems learning Governors and legislators should lead groups. In early 2000, the MELD appropriate gender roles. offer technical assistance and financial for Young Dads program was operating support to community-based organiza- To these five attributes, many experts in six U.S. cities. Most men participate tions and faith communities that in the field have suggested a sixth: Good in MELD on a voluntary basis — the organize fatherhood education and programs should prepare young men to program recruits in hospitals, schools, support groups. assume the practical responsibilities of sports leagues, and other places frequent- ❑ Governors and legislators should fund fatherhood. With home economics and ed by young fathers. Some sites also father involvement programs linked to life-skills programs disappearing from take mandatory referrals from courts programs serving new mothers, such as high school curricula, many young and probation offices. As incentives WIC and Healthy Start. men are not exposed to the realities for participants, MELD sites provide free of balancing a checkbook, let alone ❑ Child support enforcement offices

. food, transportation, and child care at changing a diaper or playing appropri- meetings. should link paternity establishment ately with a small child. Teaching these MYD has served nearly 1,000 young programs to support programs for new skills will not only help boys prepare fathers, whose average age is 18. MELD fathers. Fathers who establish paternity for fatherhood — it may convince them also has designed curricula for other should have access to parenting that they are not ready to be fathers. target groups of parents, including new education and support. parents, Hmong ❑ Support programs that work with parents, Latino incarcerated fathers to help them learn parents, deaf to stay connected with their children parents, parents while in prison and be better parents of special needs when they are released. children, African- American teen Examples from the Front Lines mothers, young mothers, and Baltimore, Maryland

©Greg Helgeson MELD 612-332-7563 MELD Helgeson ©Greg single parents. . The Center for Fathers, Families, and Another suc- Workforce Development (CFWD) works cessful parenting with low-income pregnant women to program, Boot identify the fathers of their children Camp for New and recruit these fathers for a year-long Dads, was formed parenting support group. Men meet in 1988 to help weekly to learn about issues ranging new fathers of MELD participants Linda and Michael Sullivan from the birthing process to child all ages and with their son Mikey. development to preventing unwanted income levels. 14 ...... 15 , by Wade , by Wade Other Resources For Further Reading For More than 400 inmates have More than 400 inmates the National Fatherhood Initiative, the National Distance Dads offers the Long and training to prisons curriculum organizations through- and community out the country. Distance participated in the Long State Penn Dads program since 1996. an indepen- University is conducting program, to dent evaluation of the be completed in 2001. Father Facts, Third Edition Horn. The National Fatherhood F. Initiative, 1999. The book offers a very useful synthesis of research and statistics about fathers and fatherless- ness in the United States. Total Commitment Total King Sessing Recreation Center 50th Street and King Sessing Avenue 19143 Philadelphia, PA 898-2286 (215) Jim Levine Project Fatherhood Director, Institute Families and Work 14th Floor 330 Seventh Avenue, NY 10001 New York, 337-0934, x 210 (212) www.fatherhoodproject.org Simms Dwaine Joyce Hoelting MELD 123 North Third Street, Suite 507 Minneapolis, MN 55401 332-7563 (612) http://meld.org Bishop Greg President Boot Camp for New Dads 4605 Barranca Parkway Suite 205 Irvine, CA 92604 (949) 786-3146 www.newdads.org Randell D. Turner, Ph.D. Randell D. Turner, Vice President National Fatherhood Initiative Northeast Regional Office Atkins Street 1151 16503 Erie, Pennsylvania 871-6683 (814) [email protected] www.thefathersworkshop.org Henry Tom By 2000, the program was operating The Long Distance Dads Curriculum At each of the seven program sites, At each of the seven Long Distance Dads is a character- based educational and support program designed to assist incarcerated men in developing skills to become more involved and supportive fathers. Incarcerated fathers attend 12 peer- facilitated weekly sessions, held in a small group format. in more than 45 federal, state and coun- ty correctional institutions nationwide. The program staff found that many of the inmates were hesitant to speak frankly in front of prison staff members for fear that it would hurt their oppor- tunities for parole. So they developed an intensive one-year program to train inmates as peer facilitators. These trained inmate peer leaders then co- facilitate fatherhood support groups under the supervision of prison staff. focuses on helping fathers stay involved in their children’s lives, managing anger, improving their communication skills, developing healthy relationships, coping with frustration, and preparing for life outside the prison. The Fathers Inc., now affiliated with Workshop, Detta Hunt Project Coordinator California Department of Social Services Child Support Management Bureau 744 P Street MS 6-43 Sacramento, CA 95814 657-2564 (916) [email protected] Erie, Pennsylvania California Demonstration Parent The Non-Custodial of the million project Project, a $13.5 of Social Services state’s Department Management Bureau, Child Support child support collections aims to increase delinquent fathers increase by helping But the and earnings. their employment become more program also helps fathers of their children. involved in the lives classes participants attend parenting on parenting or peer groups that focus At the Santa and relationship issues. site, for example, Barbara demonstration parenting class fathers attend a 12-hour college. The class at a local community so that fathers in is open to the public stigmatized. the program do not feel The PAPA staff has given presenta- The PAPA The program also emphasizes “team The program more than 200 men Each year, Development (CFWD) Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division 12017 Box P.O. Austin, TX 78711-2017 460-6124 (512) Ann Costilow The state attorney general’s child sup- port enforcement office developed PAPA Program) in 1995 (Paternity/Parenting and in 1999 distributed a curriculum to every middle and high school in Texas. is not a sex education program. PAPA Instead it focuses on the rights and responsibilities of parents. Students learn about the importance of establishing such paternity and complete exercises as computing child support payments and calculating the cost of raising a child from birth until age 18. tions about fatherhood to more than 30,000 students, and anecdotal evidence suggests that the program has helped teen pregnancy rate. The to lower Texas’ attorney general’s office began revising the curriculum in early 2000 to focus more on non-financial fatherhood issues such as the importance of good parent- ing and the developmental needs of young children. Texas 3002 Druid Park Drive 3002 Druid Park Baltimore, MD 21215 367-5691 (410) Joe Jones Director Executive Center for Fathers, Families, and Workforce parenting," the need for parents to the need for parents parenting," build healthy relationships, respect and skills, improve their decision-making effectively, and communicate more CFWD is even if they are not married. developing a model team-parenting nationwide. curriculum to implement program. participate in the voluntary an employment CFWD recently added STRIVE, an component to its program: job preparation intensive three-week class. pregnancies. Because most of the most Because pregnancies. African-American, are participants giving curriculum focuses on the CFWD to cope with racism and men tools in their heritage. pride take database, maintained database, maintained Fatherlit The by the National Center on Fathers and Center on Fathers by the National includes abstracts Families (NCOFF), and 8,000 papers, books, more than can fathers. The database articles about web free from the NCOFF be accessed site at www.ncoff.gse.upenn.edu. The book includes practical advice practical includes The book program design. about , Most importantly, Winford says, participating in Most importantly, made Within a year of joining the group, Winford care for Armand a nurse, helped to Winford’s mother, reason that Winford says that his mother is a key Winford remains close to the men in Total encouraged him to stay in school, then helped him get encouraged him to stay Winford “He made me a better person,” a job in the lab. “He guided me in the right direction." says now. skills. Commitment taught him decision-making Total participants to complete an Every week, Henry requires where they analyze a decision they’ve made, exercise up and its wisdom, and its consequences. “Growing you a man," he says. having a child doesn’t make decision-making. If need to learn responsible “You grade, maybe kids learned that in eighth grade, in fifth there wouldn’t be so many teen parents." involved an important adult decision. He was no longer and he discovered that with his son Armand’s mother, the she had no stable place to live. Winford petitioned refused court for custody of his son. Initially the judge his mother joined so because Winford was still a minor, received the petition. After eight trips to court, they received visitation Though Armand’s mother custody. them. rights, she rarely exercises then began while Winford continued his education and her and his to work. Winford and his son still live with up. younger brother in the home where he grew on the honor Armand is turning out so well. The boy is he never gives us any problems. roll at school, “and it to do over He is a good kid," Winford says. “If I had again, I probably wouldn’t have had my son. But then again, if I’d known he was going to turn out the way he has, I’d have done it again in a second." Commitment. After eight years, he still attends group sessions every Monday night. It hasn’t always been pleasant; Winford says he has left many sessions angry Henry with helping him or in tears. But he credits Tom and become a become an adult, get past his mistakes, good father to his son. And he thinks that the long- to its success. term nature of his support group is key “If they’d have put me a program for six weeks, or six months," he says, “I don’t think I’d be here today, talking about my accomplishments." by Freya Sonenstein, Kellie Stewart, Laura Kellie Stewart, by Freya Sonenstein, Sean Lindberg, Marta Pernas, Duberstein Urban Institute, December Williams. The profiles Urban Institute’s book 1997. The that 20 programs nationwide more than to prevent boys and young men work with repeat pregnancies. teen pregnancies and Involving Males in Preventing Teen in Preventing Males Involving Planners for Program A Guide Pregnancy: , DEFYING THE ODDS: A TEENDEFYING THE STORY FATHER’S Tom Henry, who was a teen father himself, offers Henry, Tom a freshman Winford’s story is typical. He was 15 and his promise. Since Winford has kept Eight years later, What helped Winford avoid the rotten outcomes a career Winford heard about the group when Henry, In Henry’s program, Winford learned about parenting All too often, fatherless boys grow up to be teen fathers. All too often, fatherless off with good intentions towards And while they start are unprepared for adulthood as their children, many the encouragement and well as fatherhood. Lacking of these young men drift away support they need, many for a small group of men who from their children. But on Monday gather in a recreation center in Philadelphia nights, the stories turn out differently. frustrations young men a place to ask questions, vent about parenting, and face up to their responsibilities. Commitment, is open to any Henry’s program, Total man who wants to attend. became in high school when his girlfriend, also 15, was 16. pregnant. Their son was born when Winford I wanted her to have the but “I was pretty scared really, without a father, he remembers. “I was raised baby," to be there." and I chose to do the opposite. I was going high school, his son was born, Winford has completed full-time job attended community college, and found a as a lab technician at the University of Pennsylvania. the side He recently started a locksmith business on a bachelor’s and has hopes of returning to college for Winford degree in criminal justice. Most significantly, years. has had custody of his son Armand for seven He credits usually associated with teen parenthood? who helps him raise his son, two people: his mother, Henry. and Tom who runs employee at the University of Pennsylvania at his Commitment on a volunteer basis, spoke Total high school. Winford had been seeing his infant son but he knew he had a lot to learn almost every day, about being a father and few places to find the answers to his questions. “There’s a lot of support groups for women, for people on drugs, but nothing for men, just men," he says. and dealt with the resentment he felt about his own whom he last saw as a five year-old. Henry father, New Expectations: Community New Expectations: Fatherhood for Responsible Strategies W. Levine and Edward by James A. 1995. Institute, and Work Pitt. Families pro- highlights dozens of This book teach- that focus on grams nationwide lev- different ages, income ing men of to be background how els, and ethnic good fathers.

...... 16 ...... 17 2 2 Their Their Fathers Fathers with with Step Step Mothers Mothers One organization, the Institute for not counselors," says Brian “We’re Improve Improve ...... Help messages, they can look at model programs that encourage marriage and/or responsible parenting by couples. Responsible Fatherhood, has pioneered the “modeling" approach to marriage promotion. Instead of preaching to young people about the need to marry, the Institute focuses on teaching by example. A married couple runs each of the Institute’s six neighborhood-based programs. The couples live in the communities they serve, running into Institute clients at schools, playgrounds, grocery stores, and on the street. They They offer invite clients home for dinner. healthy models of joint decision-making. Jenkins, who with his wife Cesalie runs DC. the Institute’s site in Washington, “This is about being a living model of do promote marriage as the change. We best model, but we don’t advocate, ‘You he says. “How great marry this person,’" would it be for two parents to love, care and nurture this child, even if for, they’re not together?" Help Relationships Relationships Children’s Children’s

The need for such education is Couples Getting there isn’t easy. As states develop pro-marriage get there." Ooms of the Resource Center on Couples DC in Washington, and Marriage Policy any other points out, marriage is like need to learn certain institution: People skills in order to navigate it effectively. Negotiation skills are particularly important, as are anger management and budgeting. especially critical among low-income non-custodial fathers, many of whom were raised in mother-only families with mature few opportunities to see healthy, relationships between women and men. “Marriage," says Ooms, “is an ideal for these men. But they don’t see how to counseling is a well-established field, but most of its models, techniques, and practitioners are geared toward middle class couples. Ooms is working with the Center on Fathers, Families, and services Development to design Workforce the specific needs into account that take and issues of low-income families.

C

favorable to sustaining two- And the circumstance most raised with two loving parents. hildren do best when they are

Indeed, two bills pending in

According to Ron J. Clark, director According

initiatives of their own. As Theodora

and Wisconsin already have marriage

and states such as Arkansas, Oklahoma,

organizations that promote marriage,

grants to states and community-based

Congress in early 2000 would establish

healthy marriage."

be happy.’ It’s not just marriage — it’s be happy.’

‘Stay with the abuse so your kids can

shouldn’t be married…I’m not saying,

we need to recognize that some people

ic support for families. At the same time,

It reduces welfare and increases econom-

about how marriage is good for people.

mentioning marriage. We never talk mentioning marriage. We

marriage. There’s a subtle fear of even

promote fatherhood in the context of

“One of the things we need to do is

of the Virginia Fatherhood Campaign,

marriage. parent families is the institution of So far, the CMP has sponsored So far, The Greater Grand Rapids Commu- Senior Services nity Marriage Policy (CMP) receives nity Marriage Policy institutional support from Pine Rest, a Christian community health center. which is funded entirely by The CMP, charitable donations and has an annual strives to budget of about $100,000, be inclusive of different points of view about marriage. The steering committee, chaired by Hardiman, includes business leaders, college presidents, health care The group professionals, and clergy. has reached out to battered women’s advocates and minority leaders who work with single-parent families to emphasize that the CMP does not intend to stigmatize single-parent families or in abusive marriages. women keep marriage preparation classes and training and in 2000, the group for clergy, planned to push proposals for marriage education in schools and marriage- friendly work places. more effectively with fathers, how they with fathers, effectively more rights, and their own up for can stand Staff mediate conflicts. how they can meet with both parents members then to three mediation sessions for at least negotiate their relationships help them healthy communications and develop six may receive skills. Participants mediation services months of follow-up as needed. Rodriguez Geraldo Program Manager Programs Employment and Training/Special Community and County of Los Angeles Sixth Street, 3rd Floor West 3716 Los Angeles, CA 90020 (323) 738-3084 Michigan Rapids, Grand Greater When Mayor Bill Hardiman of Kentwood, a Grand Rapids suburb, wanted to promote marriage in his com- Savers. he contacted Marriage munity, McManus, an Founded in 1993 by Mike evangelical Christian columnist, Marriage communities Savers has helped over 100 develop “Community Marriage Policies." These policies encourage clergy to promote marriage through marriage preparation classes, pre-marital counsel- ing, marriage mentoring, and post- marriage retreats. Marriage Savers also works with local business and community leaders. Recommendations When appropriate, domestic violence When appropriate, domestic Clients attend at least six domestic at least six domestic Clients attend parenting seminars, violence and groups and receive participate in support When intensive individual counseling. provides counsel- possible, the program parents (usually ing to non-custodial as well. the accused batterers) work with both program staff members develop a non- parents to help them for raising their violent arrangement staff members also children. Conversely, action in which the identify and take presents a potential non-custodial parent danger to the family. Examples from the Front Lines the Front from Examples The staff then invites the mothers Legislators should enact laws requiring Governors and legislators should State child support, health, welfare, to participate in a six-session custodial parents’ support group, utilizing the “Co-P’ing" curriculum that focuses on the importance of fathers in children’s lives, how mothers can communicate Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, Fair Share “Responsible The CSS Parents’ Fatherhood" curriculum, developed by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, helps non-custodial parents and other work out visitation, custody, Fair Share parenting issues. CSS Parents’ staff members work with fathers to identify problems they have with the mothers of their children. ❑ or encouraging pre-marital counseling before couples get marriage licenses — sure that free counseling is and make available to couples regardless of income levels or religious preferences. ❑ provide funding and technical assistance to charitable organizations that focus on culturally sensitive couples’ counseling and/or model marriage, and provide training and start-up help to fatherhood programs that want to include compo- nents on healthy relationships. ❑ and workforce development agencies should require fatherhood programs that receive state funds to train their staff in how to spot domestic violence, report suspected abuse, and provide referrals to domestic violence services. 15 Statistics about domestic violence Some programs, such as the Maternity Some programs, Department The Los Angeles County Some programs have begun to Some women’s advocates have voiced concerns that in a rush to promote marriage, states may fail to heed the very real concerns that many women have about the fathers of their children. “Oftentimes, the father can be somebody nervous about the mother who makes leaving the children with him, either because of domestic violence, or because he’s irresponsible," points out Vicki Turetsky of the Center for Law and Social Policy. support these concerns. Up to 60 percent of women on public assistance report a history of abuse. Up to 30 percent are currently victims of domestic violence. What About Domestic Violence? Even when couples choose not to marry, choose when couples Even can do that public policy there is much they — before and after to help them — learn to develop become parents together and work healthy relationships children. to raise their focus on Care Coalition in Philadelphia, are not married teaching parents who and how to how to parent together, The program resolve their differences. says Greg Patton, is “child-centered," programs in who runs teen parenting “It’s not about the Philadelphia schools. it’s about what’s the mom or the dad, good for the child." Services (CSS) of Community and Senior Fair Share Programs unit, which Parents’ does not explicitly promote marriage, has developed an entire curriculum that covers “Co-P’ing" or co-parenting. help fathers learn a new language," “We program manager Geraldo Rodriguez says. “They learn to avoid communica- teach We tion that enrages the mother. them to approach their ex in a more home Until you bring it positive way. to them, they don’t understand what mothers go through." The Importance of Co-parenting Importance The address this concern. The Los Angeles Fair Share programs CSS-Parents’ funds from the county obtained TANF welfare department to establish a program for domestic violence victims on welfare. A local community services agency helps to recruit participants, as do several domestic violence shelters.

...... 18 ...... 19 , by For Further Reading For , by Wade F. Horn and Andrew F. , by Wade Fathers, Marriage and Welfare and Marriage Policy Theodora Ooms Theodora Center on Couples Resource Director, P Street, NW 1616 Suite 150 DC 20036 Washington, (202) 328-5163 Unions: Putting More Perfect Toward Marriage on the Public Agenda Theodora Ooms. Family Impact Seminar, July 1998. Ooms encourages states to focus on promoting marriage and preventing the causes of marital decline through policies such as removing financial disincentives for marriage, investing in marriage education, and creating marriage-friendly work places. Reform and Bush, Bush. Hudson Institute. Wade in collaboration with the Hudson Institute, focus on the importance of states implementing welfare reforms that not only focus on job placement, but also bring fathers back to their families. Other Resources

and Family Revitalization Family Revitalization Megan Lombard Megan 19th Street, NW Suite 800 1146 DC 20036-3703 Washington, (202) 293-4420 www.responsiblefatherhood.org Patton Greg Family Support Coordinator School District of Philadelphia Street, South of the Parkway 21st Room 509 19103 Philadelphia, PA 299-7327 (215) Anderson Susan Project Manager MOMobile Elect Program Maternity Care Coalition Ridge Avenue 3133 19121 Philadelphia, PA 684-5204 (215) [email protected] Charles Ballard Officer Founder and Chief Executive The Institute for Responsible Fatherhood Eric Hall Managing Partner Institute for Responsible Fatherhood and North 2324 26th Avenue Nashville, TN 37208 726-1549 (615)

Unmarried teen father Albert Stevens of Milwaukee embraces his daughter Tiniyah as her mother LaToya Collins watches approvingly. Stevens is a protégé of the Institute for

Responsible Fatherhood and Family Revitalization. ©Greater Grand Rapids Community Marriage Policy Marriage Community Rapids Grand ©Greater Tennessee the Institute for The state has granted a $300,000 Responsible Fatherhood a pilot project annual contract to run low-income fathers in Nashville to assist relationship, and families with parenting, The program and employment issues. each year. serves about 200 families School of A University of Tennessee evaluation found that Social Work in the program families participating reported receiving higher child support payments and experiencing less domestic families also violence. Participating reported that fathers had become more involved with their children and more supportive of mothers, both financially and emotionally. Dr. Mark Eastbury Mark Dr. Director Institute Pine Rest Family SE 300 68th Street 165 Box P.O. MI 49501-0165 Grand Rapids, 831-2622 (616) ...... 21 Helping 19 18 17 16 ne of the most promising solutions the most promising ne of in poverty childhood for reducing States — and promoting the United of married, two-parent the formation In addition, many low-income fathers have Only 10 percent of these fathers worked worked percent of these fathers Only 10 While there is a popular notion that The 1990 Survey of Income and Program Stereotypes about men who are lazy and Stereotypes about men Three-quarters of the fathers in the SIPP ❑ full time, year round. About 45 percent and about one-third intermittently, worked were not able to find work at all. Even more telling is the fact that the average wage for and their these men was only $5.40 per hour, average annual income was $3,932 ($8,956 in 1998 dollars). ❑ employment programs are readily accessible for low-income unwed fathers, only six percent of the low-income non-custodial fathers in the 1990 SIPP study had partici- Act pated in the Job Training Partnership programs, then the largest of the federal employment programs. Research Contradicts the Stereotypes Contradicts Research Research shows that the majority of the fathers who fail to meet child support obli- gations are uneducated, unskilled, and — perhaps most significantly — disconnected from social supports that might help them overcome these deficits. ❑ (SIPP) found that nationwide, Participation 3.4 million non-custodial fathers had incomes The Urban below 200 percent of poverty. Institute’s analysis of data about these fathers years found that on average, they had only 11 of education. legal barriers to employment, such as criminal records and suspended driver’s licenses, which attractive to employers. them even less make ❑ sample had been arrested or were experienc- ing ongoing legal problems; 46 percent had been convicted of a crime. unwilling to work persist; in some cases they unwilling to work persist; truth is that for many are true. But the larger barriers to work and low-income men, the marriage are nearly insurmountable. families — is helping low-income unwed is helping low-income families — work. As Harvard University fathers find has argued, Julius Wilson professor William economic a couple’s the more encouraging they are to get situation, the more likely that joblessness married. Wilson believes many low-income men “unmarriage- makes able." O low-income men overcome their barriers to part of the equation employment is a key 3 3 Barriers Barriers Step Work Step Work ...... Fathers Fathers to to Remove Remove for for Low-income Low-income grams for low-income men and women men and grams for low-income or develop partnerships to hire lawyers services offices that help with legal legal barriers to clients overcome employment. The prosecutor’s office has developed Examples from the Front Lines the Front from Examples relationships with 29 area employers and agencies including job training Goodwill Industries organizations like Federal Express. and employers like track of The program’s staff keeps each agency’s vacancies and eligibility requirements. Staff members refer Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana office The Marion County prosecutor’s program Work founded the Fathers That for fathers in 1996 to provide services facing (and non-custodial mothers) child support. court action for unpaid because of Most participants attend program also court orders, but the the prosecutor accepts volunteers, and staff members on call at all times keeps to meet with fathers who claim they can’t afford to pay child support. ost importantly, the child ost importantly, and establish or contest paternity. and establish Recommendations But for many low-income fathers, But for many low-income Employment and training programs child support-related legal matters. legal matters. child support-related get also helps participants The program and professional licenses their driver’s back Perhaps m office helps support enforcement lower child- participants negotiate they find better support payments until jobs. far beyond their legal problems extend James’ story the child support system. two, separated is typical: a father of a criminal record. from his wife, he has but has lost He is trying to find work his driver’s license and faces a jail term — because he cannot afford to pay the fines and late fees on several unpaid traffic tickets. with lawyers on staff or with links to legal services programs can help men James resolve relatively minor legal like matters that become barriers to employ- ment. Legal staff can help participants negotiate legal fines and penalties, get criminal records sealed or expunged, fight housing evictions, and facilitate bankruptcy proceedings. State workforce development and Governors and legislators should Governors and legislators should Governors and legislators should ❑ welfare agencies should require employment programs receiving state funds to partner with or provide refer- rals to parenting programs for non- state custodial fathers. Conversely, health and welfare agencies should require parenting education programs to link their activities with programs that focus on employment and training. ❑ require state and county courts to refer men with child-support arrearages to employment programs, as the federal welfare reform law gives states authority to do. ❑ require child support enforcement offices to coordinate with responsible fatherhood programs and pursue modification orders for low-income fathers who are making good-faith jobs. efforts to find and keep ❑ funds to provide grants that use TANF enable employment and training pro- When faced with legal obstacles such Project in Minneapolis The FATHER Resume and interview preparation Job-search assistance to short-term training programs Access to longer certificate or degree- Access On-the-job training and other paid Referrals to medical, mental health, to professional clothing Access Transportation assistance Job-retention services, including One-on-one case management and One-on-one case management counseling Too often, however, traditional employ- often, however, Too ment services are not enough for low-income unwed fathers. In addition to those who have criminal records, many also have suspended driver’s licenses — and are facing further legal action — for failing to pay child support. as these, most low-income fathers don’t have the resources to overcome these problems. “Low-income mothers have all kinds of support and help navigating of the the system," says Greg Patton Philadelphia school district. “Fathers don’t." provides clients some of that support. Through its partnership with the county child support enforcement office, the program offers clients help in resolving Other Obstacles What It Takes What It Takes to Help Some Fathers that lead Whatever the circumstances jobs programs, low-income men into comprehensive. the services must be program Services that any employment include: for fathers should provide ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ granting training programs for fathers who are academically qualified ❑ work experience ❑ and substance abuse treatment services ❑ ❑ ❑ and mediation between workers employers if needed for many programs that promote that promote programs for many programs Some fatherhood. responsible men the courts require are mandatory; in their child support who fall behind to participate in employment obligations go to jail. Others are programs or services offering employment voluntary, to to encourage men as an incentive pay child support.

...... 22 Denise Shannon ents’ visitation rights. Each year, about Fatherhood Outreach 1,000 people attend these legal seminars. Programs Coordinator The program also refers parents who Marion County need representation in court to a net- Prosecutor’s Office work of lawyers who charge $50 an hour Child Support Division or charge on a sliding fee basis. 129 East Market Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 Arnie Engelby (317) 327-1811 Director Resource Center for Fathers and Families Minneapolis, 1201 89th Ave. NE Minnesota Suite 305 Blaine, MN 55434 The FATHER Project (612) 783-4938 Eric Golliday, a participant in the Fathers works with eight neigh- [email protected] That Work program of the Marion County borhood-based employment centers to www.resourcesforfathers.org Prosecuting Attorney’s office, meets with provide whatever fathers need — resume referral specialist Candice Hall, who helps him assess his skills and career goals. and interview preparation, job-search Santa Clara County, California assistance, short-term training, on-the- The District Attorney’s Non-Custodial job training, and job retention services. Parent Employment and Training Project, “Father advocates" work one-on-one which serves fathers with unpaid child with fathers, providing intensive case support whose children are on TANF, management services. If a father needs uses both carrots and sticks to get men a reference or a ride to an interview, for to participate. Some clients are volun- example, a father advocate can help. teers, recruited in hospitals and through The FATHER Project originally a multi-lingual public awareness cam- planned to serve only young fathers, paign in the community; others are ages 16 through 25. But in 1999, the ordered to participate by the courts. project won a $1.86 million federal For those who refuse, the district attor- Welfare-to-Work grant to provide ney can seek jail time. For those who employment services to older men as participate, the district attorney gets well. their monthly child support payments Guy Bowling lowered to $50. The program provides Project Coordinator employment and counseling services Minneapolis FATHER Project for men, with extra features such as a 2610 Grand Avenue South 24-hour job retention hotline.

Minneapolis, MN 55408 . Mary Murphy (612) 874-4740 Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Minneapolis, Minnesota Office 2645 Zanker Road The Resource Center for Fathers and San Jose, CA 95134 Aaron Floyd, another participant Families, a private non-profit with six in the Indianapolis-based Fathers That (408) 299-7400 Work program, got help finding a manu- locations in the Minneapolis area, works facturing job that pays over $11 an hour. to prevent family violence and create an Baltimore, MD atmosphere where both parents can raise The Center for Fathers, Families, and fathers directly to employers with jobs their children effectively. The center Workforce Development recently added available; they refer men with barriers offers parenting advice, support groups, an employment component to its father- to employment such as criminal records anger management classes, hood program: STRIVE, an intensive or low skills to job training programs relationship classes, a crisis hotline, three-week job-preparation class or community service with the city and referrals to services for all parents modeled after a highly successful of Indianapolis. regardless of income level, though program in East Harlem, NY. STRIVE In 1999, more than 1,700 people 85 percent of its clients are low-income. is almost like boot camp. Participants participated in the program; 64 percent All services are open to both men and attend eight hours a day, and instructors of fathers who get jobs through the women. model their tough-love behavior on that program are still employed after six The center also sponsors about of drill sergeants. months. The prosecutor also runs a 10 legal seminars each month. For a $10 STRIVE’s focus is on “attitude train- mediation program for non-custodial fee (waived in hardship cases), men and ing" — preparing participants for the parents and helps fathers under age 25 women can seek legal advice from attor- world of work. Clients learn to dress obtain flexible support orders so that neys on issues such as paternity estab- professionally, impress employers in they can stay in school. lishment, child support, and grandpar- interviews, communicate respectfully, 23 , Family Nurturing “Non-Custodial Fathers: What “Non-Custodial Fathers: , We Know and What’s Left to Learn?" We by Elaine Sorensen, in Data and Fatherhood: Improving Research on Male Fertility U.S. Formation and Fatherhood. and Human Department of Health Sorensen uses Services, June 1998. of Income data from the 1990 Survey to paint and Program Participation picture available the clearest statistical of low-income non-custodial fathers. September 1998. This report, a com- This report, 1998. September Parents’ of the evaluation prehensive pilot program, includes Fair Share on fathers who partici- valuable data findings program, as well as pated in the didn’t — — and what worked about what and parenting in an employment fathers who fell behind program for payments. on their child support , by Los Angeles County’s programs for low-income The state-funded NCPD program in Los Angeles In addition to the NCPD program, the Los program manager Geraldo Rodriguez. “They just program manager Geraldo Rodriguez. “They don’t know how." Fair Share, got their start in fathers, called Parents’ When 1994 as part of a nationwide pilot project. project’s the pilot ended in 1998, Rodriguez and the district attor- Linda Jenkins of the other manager, services ney’s office, convinced California’s social Three department to continue the PFS experiment. a bill Los Angeles-area state legislators sponsored Demonstration to authorize a Non-Custodial Parent For (NCPD), which now operates in seven counties. fiscal year 2000, the state allocated $8.6 million funds, $1.5 million in federal Title IV-D in TANF child support enforcement funds, and $3.4 million in child support collections to the seven sites. has retained as its core 18 intensive two-hour peer group sessions, which use the curriculum designed for the pilot project. But instead of focusing first on job-search assistance, the Los Angeles program brings in professional employment and training counselors to test clients’ skills and aptitudes, help them prepare resumes, learn how to handle job interviews, provide any necessary skills training refer them to potential employers. and, finally, Fair Share program runs two Angeles Parents’ Connecting Low-Income Fathers and Connecting Low-Income Enforcing Building Opportunities, of State Legislatures, July 1999. of State Legislatures, is one of the best Reichert’s guide terms of giving detailed available in communities, and advice to states, that want to start programs non-profits fathers. She offers for low-income target advice on program design, funding. service populations, and Practical Policies Families: A Guide to Conference by Dana Reichert. National June 2000. This of State Legislatures, policymakers new guide offers state for helping specific ideas about options fathers. low-income non-custodial and Interim Obligations: Implementation Fair Share Impacts of Parents’ Cynthia Fred Doolittle, Virginia Knox, Manpower and Sharon Rowser. Miller, Demonstration Research Corporation, , by Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services Los Angeles County Department of Community DOING THINGS RIGHT: PARENTS’ FAIR SHARE FAIR PARENTS’ DOING THINGS RIGHT: For Further Reading For Larry Littleton, the social worker who facilitates Larry Littleton, the social worker One of the program’s hallmarks is its positive The peer support group at the Florence/Firestone start Service Center in Compton, California doesn’t to until 9 a.m., but one of the men arrives early coffee. By 9 a.m., four non-custodial fathers make whom — all older than 30, all unemployed, all of criminal owe child support, and all of whom have records — are trading stories about their children. daughter One member laments that his 14-year-old attitude has begun dating, asking the group if his he treated is too strict. Another is clearly proud that and the his five-year old daughter to Burger King movie. Pokemon the group, quickly steers the conversation away from movies and onto the day’s topic: manhood and fatherhood. For the next two hours, the men discuss their views on the male role in relationships and in the household. Littleton asks them if their own parents provided good role models of marriage and parenting. For most participants, the answer is no. Throughout the session, Littleton guides the conversation, asking probing questions, prodding reluctant participants, and — above all — refraining from making judgments about the men for past mistakes. start with the assumption that approach. “We people generally want to be good fathers," says Development Broke but Not Deadbeat: Reconnecting Broke Low-Income Fathers and Children Joe Jones Director Executive and Workforce Center for Fathers, Families, Drive 3002 Druid Park Baltimore, MD 21215 367-5691 (410) Dana Reichert. National Conference and take direction from supervisors. from supervisors. direction and take class, three-week end of the At the offers job placement STRIVE Baltimore services for two years. and retention its focuses on fathers, While CFWD is open to participants STRIVE program comprise Women of gender. regardless of each class. about half

...... 24 complementary programs under its umbrella. PFS Among the program’s biggest challenges: won a competitive Welfare-to-Work grant from the 55 percent of all PFS clients have criminal records. U.S. Department of Labor to focus on strategies to The program’s staff advises clients to be honest help fathers keep their jobs and increase earnings. with employers. “The moment a client hedges on a And, perhaps most creatively, Rodriguez persuaded question," says Rodriguez, “he’s done for. They need the county to give the program TANF funds to start to be as honest and up front about their criminal a domestic violence program for those with histories records as they can. We try to help them deal with of abuse. In all, the Los Angeles County CSS-PFS the shame and guilt they feel about it." The program programs have a budget of about $2.1 million per relies on its good relationships with local employers year, not including federal job training funds; who are willing to give PFS participants second these funds support eight offices across the vast chances. Los Angeles Basin. The men in the Florence/Firestone group admit CSS-PFS programs are run by the county they were skeptical at the outset. “I thought the Department of Community and Senior Services D.A. was going to just get me a job so I could pay with cooperation from the District Attorney’s Office, child support," one says. “I thought, I’ll just go Bureau of Family Support Operations, and the the 10 weeks, get my license back, and I’ll be gone," state’s Employment Development Department. another says. From the start, interagency cooperation has But they have quickly become invested. been key to the program’s success. According to Albert, an unmarried father of a six-year old girl, Rodriguez, “Usually the D.A. and the welfare says he has been looking for something like it ever department work in isolation." Yet these agencies since he got out of prison — “Because prison just work closely together on behalf of PFS fathers. hardens you, man, you’ve got to be tough" — but “We will not do anything with a client without didn’t know where to look. George, a divorced sharing information," says Rodriguez. In another father of four, is even more enthusiastic. “I look key feature of the Los Angeles PFS program, staff forward to coming to class. We’re like a family. members from each agency meet regularly for It’s a blessing." Within a month of joining the “case conferencing" to develop plans for clients program, George had found a job at a local and discuss their progress. warehouse paying $7.25 an hour. Unlike the pilot program, participation in the That’s not to say the program is perfect. CSS-PFS programs is voluntary. But CSS-PFS offers Albert criticizes the job-placement services, saying a big incentive. If fathers stick with the program, that more intensive job training and interview the district attorney lowers their current child- preparation is needed. All of the men wish that . support obligations to $50 a month and reinstates the program would do more to help them get their driver’s licenses that have been suspended for TANF-related arrearages — which range from non-payment of support. $2,000 to $29,000 — reduced or forgiven. PFS serves nearly 400 fathers a year at a cost Overall, these CSS-PFS participants are grateful of about $5,000 per participant, plus the cost of for the program. Says William, an unmarried employment services. In the five years since the father of five, “You know, there are times in the program began, 2,000 men have completed the group where I get angry. Instead of them putting program. The latest statistics show that 40 percent me down they say, ‘Hey, we understand where of participants found full-time unsubsidized jobs you’re coming from.’" paying an average wage of $8.70 an hour.

25 welfare reform: ending welfare dependence, promoting employment, encouraging two-parent families, and reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies. States may set eligibility requirements for services related to each of these goals, and states may choose to set different requirements for different services. For example, a state may set one income eligibility level for cash aid, but a different level for employment services or child care. Even more importantly, as long as services are not being used to meet recipients’ “basic needs" — such as cash assistance — time limits do not apply. Additionally, programs or services to encourage two-parent families or reduce out-of- wedlock pregnancies can be used to target any population group; they are not limited to low-income families. TANF and state MOE funds can be used to pay for services such as Step employment assistance, job training, ...... Step ...... 4 substance abuse treatment, mentoring, UseUse Federal counseling, marriage counseling, mediation, transportation, child care, FundsFunds access and visitation services, and child toto support pass-throughs. States can use Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Fund funds for similar purposes. Fathers’ The Welfare-to-Work Block Grant In 1999, Congress enacted legislation Programs that makes another funding source,

the Welfare-to-Work block grant, . significantly easier to for states to use. hether they focus on TANF and State States may now spend these funds parenting, relationships, Maintenance of Effort Funds on employment services for any employment, or all three, The federal (TANF) block grant is the non-custodial parents who meet certain responsible fatherhood single best funding source for fatherhood criteria. Wprograms have one thing in common: programs. One of the important features First, they must be unemployed, They need funding. Fortunately, in of the 1996 federal welfare reform underemployed, or having difficulty an era of block grants and declining was its shift in focus from women and paying child support. Second, their welfare caseloads, states have several children only to entire families. State minor children must have received TANF sources of funds to choose from — and spending, however, has not followed in the past year or be eligible for food tremendous flexibility to use them for that shift. States use the majority of their stamps, Supplemental Security Income fatherhood programs. block grant and Maintenance-of-Effort (SSI), Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Few states, however, are taking full (MOE) funds to support current welfare Insurance Program (CHIP). Finally, advantage of these opportunities. Many recipients or to provide transitional parents must sign personal responsibility use small amounts of their federal child assistance for those who have recently contracts committing them to establish- support enforcement funds to support left the welfare rolls. With $2.85 billion ing paternity, paying child support, and responsible fatherhood efforts. But in TANF surpluses available in 2000, participating in employment services. according to the 1999 edition of Map states should target some of these funds States may use this funding for an and Track, only 29 states reported using to non-custodial parents. array of employment services, including either Temporary Assistance to Needy Federal block grant funds and state job readiness classes, on-the-job train- Families (TANF) or Welfare-to-Work funds can be used for any activity that ing, up to six months of vocational (WtW) funds to help low-income accomplishes the broad purposes of training, subsidized work, and job- non-custodial fathers get jobs.20 retention services. 27 Dadisi Elliott Dadisi Supervisor Responsible Teen Fathers Program Responsible Teen Job Start Center 200 Pine Avenue, Suite 400 200 Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 570-8580 Georgia The state office of child support enforcement receives $5 million in Social Services Block Grant funds each year to run the Georgia Fatherhood Program, which serves low-income non-custodial parents who lack a high school Examples from the Front Lines the Front from Examples The Georgia Department of Long Beach, California Long Beach, federal program has used At least one special- development funds to workforce Long young fathers: the ize in serving Private The Start Center. Beach Job that oversees the Industry Council (PIC) to try to do more center decided in 1998 were stopping for young fathers who a local mall. The by its headquarters in in JTPA PIC allocated about $150,000 funds Investment Act) (now Workforce Fathers Teen to launch the Responsible staff members Program. The program’s to offer any have broad discretion men overcome services that help young including barriers to employment, and a weekly individual counseling peer support group. Technical and Adult Education provides and Adult Technical the job-training component at 36 col- leges and technical institutions statewide, in fields such as welding, computer and carpentry. automotive repair, repair, classes that teach also take Participants life skills, such interviewing for a and managing finances. Finally, job, participants may choose to attend classes that focus on parenting skills, child development, and parent-child relationships. Of the 450 parents who completed the program in 1998, 80 percent found jobs and now pay child support. diploma and whose children The program offers fathers are on TANF. who participate technical training, job placement, opportunities to earn their GEDs, counseling, and parenting skills classes. Recommendations Governors and legislators should Governors and legislators should who is unemployed or underem- classes. Any non-custodial parent visitation services; and parenting eligible for mediation; custody and — regardless of income — should be programs. For example, any parent ents to participate in TANF-funded requirements for non-custodial par- revise and simplify eligibility ❑ parents. program to serve non-custodial federal child support enforcement receives under TANF or the Title IV-D receives under TANF reserve any bonuses that the state ❑ Governors and legislators should set Governors and legislators agencies State workforce development authorizes the Department of Labor to the Department authorizes projects and pilot conduct demonstration and of developing “for the purpose techniques and approach- implementing the effectiveness es, and demonstrating methods, in addressing of specialized Some and training needs." employment projects can, of these demonstration low-income non- and should, focus on custodial fathers. ployed and whose child qualifies for CHIP should be eligible for employment services. (In most states, CHIP is avail- able to any child whose household income is below 185 percent of the fed- eral poverty level.) ❑ and Welfare- TANF aside a percentage of for programs that serve funds to-Work parents. low-income non-custodial ❑ should apply to the U.S. Department of Labor to launch non-custodial fathers demonstration projects under the Investment Act. Workforce and many 21 Yet many fathers may be left behind. many fathers may Yet The reason? Quite simply, low-income The reason? Quite simply, States and communities Above, left: Dadisi Elliott of the Responsible Fathers Program talks with Kenneth Teen about being a father. Woods Above, right: In 1999, the City of Long Beach held its first conference on father- hood. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (WIA) Act Investment The Workforce for new funding source is a significant unwed serve low-income programs that replaces the old Job fathers. WIA with system Act Training Partnership job training and placement a one-stop local emphasizes state and system that control. unwed Only six percent of low-income Job Training fathers participated in programs, Act Partnership Workforce Investment Act Investment Workforce

Private Industry Councils privately Private Industry Councils are not preparing acknowledge that they the new to serve these men under Investment Act. Workforce unwed fathers are tough to serve — and penalizes Investment Act the Workforce states for failing to place people in jobs. Providers have incentives to weed out more difficult clients, even though these clients are often those most in need of ser- vices. have one option for experi- menting with Workforce funds with- Investment Act out fear of penalties. The Investment Act Workforce ...... 28 ...... 29 Helping Families Achieve Self-Sufficiency: A Guide on Helping Families Achieve USING TANF FUNDS FOR FATHERS FUNDS TANF USING provide needy fathers with job-skills training, job placement assistance, provide needy fathers with job-skills training, pass-through child support collections to families help needy fathers support fund responsible fatherhood initiatives that counseling, and offer parenting classes, pre-marital and marriage to needy passes, or tokens provide transportation allowances, transit offer mental health counseling, anger management counseling, and pay for domestic violence counseling Credit create a state Earned Income Tax give stipends to needy fathers who continue their education while they support media campaigns to encourage fathers’ involvement in their eligibility rules to provide incentives for single parents change TANF Funding Services for Children and Families through the TANF Program. Funding Services for Children and Families through the TANF U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance. 1999. December 21, /ofa/funds2.pdf http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs online: Available Under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, Act Opportunity and Work Responsibility Personal Under the block grant to Needy Families Assistance use the Temporary states may the following four purposes: for any of be cared to needy families so that the children may 1. “Provide assistance in the homes of relatives." for in their homes or by of needy parents on government benefits 2. “End the dependence work, and marriage." promoting job preparation, the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies 3. “Prevent and reduce the numerical goals for preventing and reducing and establish annual incidence of these pregnancies." and maintenance of two-parent families." 4. “Encourage the formation states may spend the money only on “needy" For purposes 1 and 2, defining need and may states have broad latitude in families. However, For instance, states can define need differently for various purposes. and eligible for cash define low-income custodial parents as “needy" of “needy" when con- assistance. But states can use a different definition eligible for employment and sidering whether non-custodial parents are training programs. families regardless of income. Under purposes 3 and 4, states may serve funds to help use their TANF Below are some examples of how states can fathers: ❑ services job retention services, or any other work-related ❑ ❑ their children financially and emotionally ❑ mediation services for couples ❑ fathers who need help getting to work ❑ substance abuse counseling (but not medical treatment) to fathers ❑ ❑ ❑ are working ❑ children’s lives ❑ to marry – from Adapted Other Resources The state child support enforcement The state child support Through the PICs, fathers can Administration father.htm National Center for Children in Poverty Columbia University 3rd Floor 154 Haven Avenue, NY 10032 New York, http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nccp/ Stanley Bernard Stanley Director for Human Resources and Policy Specialist Policy Children and Families Program National Council of State Legislatures Suite 700 1560 Broadway, CO 80202 Denver, 303-830-2200 Tel: www.ncsl.org Dana Reichert Mary Smith Manager Assistance Technical Office of Child Support Enforcement 8133 Box P.O. Little Rock, AR 72203 682-6828 (501) Arkansas Arkansas Welfare-to-Work The state is using its ensure that block grant funds to with children non-custodial parents receive the same help getting on TANF jobs that custodial and keeping get. Any non-custodial parents on TANF is eligible. TANF parent with a child on office works with the state welfare department to identify eligible fathers and connect them to the local Private Industry Councils, which provide services. participate in subsidized and unsub- sidized employment, community-service programs, work experience, wage- subsidy and job-creation programs, and on-the-job training. After they find jobs, non-custodial parents also advantage of basic education, can take English-as-a-Second Language courses, occupational skills training, and mentoring. Frances Barry Frances Manager Fatherhood State Program Georgia Fatherhood Support Enforcement Office of Child 2436 Box P.O. GA 31702 Albany, 430-4346 (912) www2.state.ga.us/Departments/DHR/CSE/ , by Stanley Bernard. , by Stanley Responsible Fatherhood and Welfare: and Fatherhood Responsible How States Can Use the New Law to Use the New States Can How Help Children Poverty, for Children in National Center state- publication offers a 1998. This of how states by-state comparison the issue of responsible are addressing It also offers creative fatherhood. that want to use suggestions for states programs. federal funds for fatherhood , by For Further Reading Further For Broke but Not Deadbeat: Reconnecting Broke Fathers and Children Low-Income of National Conference Dana Reichert. guide July 1999. The State Legislatures, states advice on how includes detailed fatherhood for responsible can use TANF programs. Services Fathers and Families Fathers and Social Science Analyst and Human Department of Health SW 200 Independence Avenue, Room 404E DC 20201 Washington, (202) 690-6806 Linda Mellgren Neil Tift for Network Practitioners National Suite 565 K Street NW, 1003 DC 20001 Washington (202) 737-6680 www.npnff.org

...... 30 ...... 31 The percentage among 26 children. Indeed, in 25 to 40 percent of divorced families, fathers who are legally entitled to see their children are completely or sporadically denied access by the mothers. to Their Children Access Fathers’ a Critical Issue Is By enhancing access and visitation programs and by educating fathers about their rights, states can go a long way toward addressing fathers’ concerns and exposing fathers who are using visitation pay support. The not to as an excuse federal welfare reform law of 1996 and million in “access provided $10 visitation" block grants to states for easier for non- it programs to make custodial parents to see their children. never-married fathers — who generally don’t have custody agreements — is to be even higher. likely 25 24 , 43 states reported that Obviously, some of these children’s Obviously, To an extent, tougher laws are To repeatedly strengthened child support laws, streamlined collection procedures, and instituted tough new penalties for The states quickly fathers who don’t pay. followed suit: In the 1999 edition of Map and Track child support enforcement was their main programmatic tool for promoting responsible fatherhood. fathers are “deadbeat." Others refuse to pay child support because they claim mothers deny them access to their working; child support collections have increased 80 percent from 1993 to 1997. But the number of parents from whom child support is being collected has risen In 1993, 18.3 percent much more slowly. of parents on the federal child support rolls were paying; in 1997, that figure had risen to 22 percent. 23 22 for 5 for 5 the the Support Support Step Step System System Make Make ...... Families ver the past few decades, with increases in divorce rates and out-of-wedlock births, the number of children living Families Child Work Child Work Without financial support from both That is why Congress, in the 1990s, Women head the overwhelming majority Women of these families. And almost half of these families have no child support order in place, which means that the non-custodial parent has no legal obligation to support the child. parents, children are much more likely and their mothers to grow up in poverty, to need welfare. are much more likely The poverty rate for children in two- parent families is 8.4 percent, but for children in divorced families, it’s percent, and for children whose 31.3 parents never married, it’s 64.1 percent.

in single-parent families has risen to about 22 million. dramatically, O In general, federal EITC benefits — In general, federal EITC Elaine Sorensen and Laura Wheaton Second, states could give custodial states could opt to give Finally, Taking Advantage of the of Advantage Taking Credit Tax Income Earned their tax codes states can use Finally, earnings for low-income to increase aren’t are working, but who fathers who to support themselves earning enough The federal Earned and their children. a Credit (EITC) provides Income Tax families refundable credit to working of $26,928 for with annual incomes for two or more one child or $30,580 states had 10 children. In early 2000, of the adopted their own versions Credit, and more Earned Income Tax idea. were considering the — accrue and most state EITC benefits Non- only. to the custodial parent get credit for custodial parents don’t This means that paying child support. low-income non-custodial parents must higher percent have earnings 50 to 100 than custodial parents in order to pay and enjoy the child support and taxes same standard of living as the custodial family. of the Urban Institute offer three sug- gestions for expanding tax benefits for low-income fathers who pay child support. First, states could allow non-custodial parents who meet their support obligations and the EITC income criteria to claim the same EITC benefit claimed by families with children. In effect, both mothers and fathers would parents." The be considered “custodial credit would be capped at the amount of support paid. parents priority for the EITC. If custodial parents were ineligible because of their non-custodial high income, however, parents could claim the EITC by meeting their support obligations and the income criteria. non-custodial parents who pay child support half of the tax credit amount they would receive if the child lived with them, or the amount of child support paid, whichever is lower. Because fathers would be required to pay child support in full to qualify for the EITC, all of these policy options would provide incentives for fathers to pay support. The proposals also earnings would increase the take-home of fathers. states have This would dramatically lower State debt forgiveness would give fathers Elaine Sorensen of the Urban Institute The bottom line: When the money The bottom line: When arrearages for many fathers. For example, state forgives the state debt Washington of non-custodial parents who marry or reunite and prove financial hardship. Vermont suspends payments on child support debt when parents reunite and have combined incomes of below 225 percent of the federal poverty level. who cooperate with fatherhood programs and begin paying child support on a regular Fathers basis an opportunity to start anew. would still owe families any arrears that accumulate before or after the family leaves TANF. suggests that states also guarantee “self- support reserves" for low-income fathers. Already in effect in many states, this provision allows non-custodial parents their income to live a portion of to keep on, regardless of their child support obligations. This minimum standard protects low-income working fathers from overwhelming child support demands. Pass-throughs and and Pass-throughs of Debt the Burden Easing States can act now to remove these disin- centives. As Vicki Turetsky of the Center points out, states for Law and Social Policy have discretion under current law to pass through more support to families. They also have discretion to suspend, reduce, or forgive any child support debts that are For owed to the state, not the family. child support debts instance, TANF-related could be waived for fathers who participate in employment and fatherhood programs and subsequently maintain up-to-date child support payments. goes to the state, not their children, and goes to the state, not so large that they when the debts become of being able have no realistic expectation fathers have little low-income to pay, support. incentive to pay child Using the Child Support Child Support the Using Pass-through states federal law required Before 1996, support $50 of the child to pass-through families on behalf of welfare they collected at those families. This created directly to parents incentive for non-custodial least some federal with the system. But to cooperate the pass-through welfare reform eliminated federal funding for requirement, and ended time, 31 the program. Since that abolished their pass-throughs. 28 27 Only 17 percent of low-income Only 17 percent of low-income Don, who lives in Los Angeles, If Don owed that $32,000 directly to Under these circumstances, it’s not How Poor Fathers Fall Behind Fall Fathers Poor How access and visitation Even with extensive won’t pay child services, some fathers they are “dead- support — not because are “dead broke." beat," but because they fathers, child For many low-income too high to support awards are simply pay. paid child support non-custodial fathers in 1990. But those who did paid an average of $1,854, or about 50 percent of their annual income. A few states have begun to experiment begun to states have A few for fathers. easier visitation with making deny Idaho, mothers who In Utah and driver’s can lose their fathers visitation the Santa at the local level, licenses. And district attorney California Clara County, unit creating a separate has considered visitation. to enforce provides a typical example. The divorced he had little father of one daughter, trouble paying child support until he lost his job when arthritis made it impos- sible for him to work. He ended up on disability; his daughter ended up on welfare; and his child support debt grew even though he is work- Today, quickly. ing again, he owes so much that he can’t interest. Of his up with the even keep $32,000 in debt, $16,000 is interest. “I’ve been paying child support every I’m $4,000 month," says Don, “and deeper in the hole than I was two years ago." federal law would require his daughter, to her mother. payments him to make But Don’s daughter is on welfare. And in most states, the largest portion of child support payments for welfare families are used to repay the state and federal expenses. governments for their TANF Child support experts call this “state debt." All $32,000 of Don’s debt is state debt; even if he manages to pay it off, his daughter will not benefit. surprising that many low-income fathers accumulate child support debt. In the Fair Share program for low- Parents’ income unmarried fathers, the average participant owed $2,755. Seventeen percent of fathers owed $8,000 or more. fathers some low-income Realistically, will never be able to pay these debts.

...... 32 ...... 33 , by , by , by Paula Other Resources For Further Reading For , by Elaine Sorensen. The Urban Setting Support When the Noncus- Noncustodial Parents, Child Support, Noncustodial Parents, Obligating Dads: Helping Low-Income todial Parent is Low Income todial Parent Roberts. Center for Law and Social February 8, 1999. Roberts’ short Policy, paper offers practical advice on how states and courts should determine child support. Laura Wheaton and Elaine Sorensen. The Urban Institute, November 28, 1997. The paper discusses in detail proposed changes to the federal Earned Income Credit — changes that easily can be Tax adapted by states. Noncustodial Fathers Do More for Their Children Institute, 1999. Sorenson’s paper is one of the best explanations of how the support policies child states can make more father-friendly. Credit and the Earned Income Tax Map and Track: State Initiatives to Encourage Responsible Fatherhood Stanley N. Bernard and Jane Knitzer. National Center for Children in Poverty, 1999. This informative book provides brief rundowns of every state’s responsi- ble fatherhood efforts, including innovative, father-friendly approaches to child support enforcement. earn enough to support themselves, to earn enough orders child support may reduce judges addition as $25 per month. In to as little state caps reserve, the to the self-support debt for low-income child support parents at $500. non-custodial E. Bean Margaret Assistant Counsel Enforcement Office of Child Support Street 40 N. Pearl NY 12243 Albany, 473-0544 (518) Roberts / Paula Vicki Turetsky Policy Center for Law and Social P Street, NW 1616 Suite 150 DC 20036 Washington, (202) 328-5140 Wheaton / Laura Elaine Sorensen The Urban Institute M. Street, NW 2100 DC 20037 Washington, (202) 833-7200 The legislature enacted theThe legislature percent 100 — Connecticut Only two other states father.htm Frances Barry Frances State Fatherhood Manager Georgia Fatherhood Program Office of Child Support Enforcement 2436 Box P.O. GA 31702 Albany, 430-4346 (912) www2.state.ga.us/Departments/DHR/CSE/ York New When the state adopted its child support collection guidelines in 1989, the legisla- ture included an important feature for non-custodial parents: a self-support reserve. In cases in which fathers don’t Georgia Georgia access and With the help of a TANF visitation grant, the child support enforcement agency launched an access and visitation program in two counties. The program provides case assessment, co-parenting education, monitored visitation, and neutral pick-up and drop-off sites. The program has been so successful that in early 2000, the state planned to implement it in every county. Barb Kipp Program and Planning Analyst Bureau of Child Support Development Department of Workforce 7935 Box Street, P.O. East Washington 201 Madison, WI 53707 (608) 264-7737 further, proposing that any child support any child that proposing further, when be disregarded received families W-2. eligibility for the state calculates 1996, in 1995. In March pass-through Wis- government granted the federal the agreeing to share consin a waiver, the pass-through. Although expenses of reform abolished the 1996 federal welfare pass-through, federal funding for the thus federal it preserved all waivers; program has funding for Wisconsin’s continued. per- the 100 — have tried and Vermont Wisconsin is the cent pass-through, and all child sup- only state that disregards when calculating port paid to the family But these policies hold eligibility. W-2 to a preliminary promise. According evaluation by the University of Wisconsin, parents receiving the full pass-through are leaving welfare more quickly than those in a control group who received only a $50 per month pass-through. Recommendations Examples from the Front Lines Front the from Examples Governors and legislators should and legislators should Governors should Governors and legislators should Governors and legislators Governors and legislators should Governors and legislators should In every notice they mail out, child Governors and legislators should Wisconsin Thompson When Governor Tommy welfare proposed the landmark W-2 replacement program in 1995, he made a simple argument: Families should not receive public benefits without being obliged to work, but, once working, they should not suffer penalties not faced by other working families. One of these penalties, as Thompson saw it, was being forced to assign their child support rights to the state. He proposed families be allowed that Wisconsin W-2 support collected all of the child to keep on their behalf. Then he went a step ❑ state’s child support reinstate their or strengthen existing pass-throughs some to allow at least pass-throughs support paid by low-income of the child to their fathers to be paid directly families. ❑ child forgive or decrease TANF-related who participate support debt for fathers to increase their in programs designed their parenting earnings and improve skills. ❑ TANF-related dedicate revenues from to fund child support collections responsible fatherhood programs. ❑ rewrite state child support guidelines to allow self-support reserves for non-custodial working parents. ❑ amend their state Earned Income Tax Credits to give fathers credit for the child support they pay. ❑ support enforcement offices should include a telephone number fathers can call if they want to contest paterni- support seek modification of a child ty, or negotiate custody and order, visitation issues. ❑ suspend or forgive child support debt owned to the state when parents reunite or marry. The peer group also gave Albert new insights The peer group also gave with the employment Albert is less pleased his Despite the progress he has made in both by his daughter’s mother and an Accompanied In the meantime, he struggles to provide the bothering me, I can get out," he says, “When I can get out," he bothering me, to talk to. I didn’t have anyone I had problems, The men in have a lot of friends." I don’t really whom had served time in the group — most of space in which he could prison — provided a safe sex, parenting, employment, discuss topics like or even the latest movies. with his daughter and her about his relationships hopes to someday gain custody While he mother. he is learning to be more of his child, for now with his daughter’s effective at team parenting mother. a lot component of the program. “They didn’t do were of things they said they’d do," he says. “We never supposed to have mock interviews, and we I didn’t did that. They sent me to an agency…but found get anything through that." Finally Albert Fair Share, a job on his own. Without CSS Parents’ to take he might not have been able however, its promise to get his The program kept that job. Fair driver’s license reinstated and CSS Parents’ his job. Share is paying for the tools he needs to do faces relationships and employment, Albert still some problems. Chief among these is his child than support debt, which has ballooned to more as $12,000. Interest continues to accrue, even child monthly Albert struggles to pay his $211 support payments out of monthly take-home to save money He lives with relatives pay of $700. car for and borrowed money from them to buy a work. Albert advocate from the district attorney’s office, went to court recently to seek forgiveness or debt. The court reduction of his TANF-related turned him down, and it angers Albert that he must pay $12,000 to the state and his daughter He continues will not see a penny of the money. hoping that he will monthly payments, to make find a better job. basics for his little girl, who recently celebrated “I went and borrowed some money a birthday. from a friend and bought her an outfit," he says. but I know she “I was thinking about a toy, needs clothes." STRUGGLING TO STAY ON TRACK: ONE FATHER’S STORY ONE FATHER’S ON TRACK: STAY TO STRUGGLING But one thing Albert doesn’t regret is fathering But one thing Albert else: While in prison, Albert missed something Albert, that debt seemed insurmountable. To When he got a letter from the district attorney’s Albert has nothing but praise for the support Albert, a man in his early 30s who lives in Los in his early 30s who Albert, a man some serious admits he has made Angeles, freely father threw him his life. At 13, his in mistakes and he spent his teen out of the family home of friends and relatives. years living with a series never finished high school; He joined a gang and in 1998 and served he was convicted of assault 15 months in prison. now is age six. Although he who his daughter, girl he sees his little never married her mother, He longs to spend more once or twice each week. her “I missed so much time with time with her. he says. when I was in prison," his a court summons, which was delivered to his parents’ home and remained unopened until gone release. Because his daughter’s mother had recover on welfare, the district attorney sought to costs by obtaining a support order. the state’s TANF his Albert didn’t find out about the order until mail parole, when he opened 15 months of old and discovered that he was $6,000 in debt. felony While he had earned a GED in prison, his a job. conviction made it difficult for him to find his And because of unpaid child support, he lost to get driver’s license, making it almost impossible its to work in Los Angeles, a city notorious for lack of public transportation. the CSS office inviting him to a presentation about Fair Share Program, Albert was suspicious Parents’ would that it was a sting operation, and that he end up in jail for unpaid child support. Instead, of staff from the Los Angeles County Department Community and Senior Services told him that they could offer job-search and placement assistance, as well as a 12-week peer support group. In exchange for participating, Albert would get his driver’s license back. PFS staff members also promised to try to help him get his child support order modified. group, which met 18 times and loosely followed a responsible fatherhood curriculum designed by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation. He says that the group helped him open up and “be human again" after his time in prison. “It’s helpful in the sense that some things that are

...... 34 ...... 24 ublic awareness campaigns — campaigns awareness ublic that the message reinforcing their fathers for children need well as emotional financial as The Kansas City-based National The National Fatherhood Initiative, The National Fatherhood NFI encourages states to develop Center for Fathering is another key Center for Fathering is another key organization working in communities. The center’s goal is countering negative stereotypes about fathers. Says its need Ken Canfield, “We Dr. director, to change mindsets so that the public understands that fathers have something to offer children beyond what mothers offer — that the influence of two parents Building Grassroots Support Building Grassroots NFI also has helped more than 150 community forums to mobilize local leaders to do what they can do to promote responsible fatherhood and works with a number of states to build grassroots support for the idea. In 2000, NFI received a grant from the state of to launch NFI’s first fully staffed Texas Fatherhood office in that state. The Texas Initiative will help advocates and communities build a public awareness campaign, hold fatherhood forums, and offer a fatherhood resource center, teach communities how to evaluate outcomes of fatherhood programs. P support — can play a major role in can play a major role support — attitudes toward changing society’s Even more importantly, fatherhood. can change the attitudes these efforts of fathers themselves. to promote a non-profit that works with their children, fathers’ involvement variety of materi- has developed a wide can use als that states and communities needs. So far, or tailor to their specific designed by radio and television ads such as NFI and featuring celebrities Baldwin, Tiger James Earl Jones, Alec Selleck have garnered and Tom Woods, airtime. $120 million in donated campaigns of their own or with NFI, have done. and Pennsylvania as Texas with the Cardinals Arizona worked football team on billboard campaign, Team “Fatherhood Can Be Child’s Play." members are featured with their children on billboards in Arizona cities. Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana and Maine also work with local sports teams to get the word out on fatherhood. Other campaigns use actors or musicians. to to 6 6 that that Message Message Step Step Matter” Matter” ...... the the Campaign Campaign Reinforce Reinforce “Fathers “Fathers Recommendations Some agencies have taken the issue Some agencies have taken Governors should appoint Fatherhood Governors and legislators should Governors and legislators should All state agencies should conduct a step further, making the commitment a step further, to start thinking of fathers as an integral part of the family on all issues pertain- ing to children — and to making sure that their own policies are father-friend- caseworkers From requiring TANF ly. to provide outreach to fathers, to encouraging fathers to volunteer in Head Start classrooms, policymakers fathers can do many things to make feel more connected to their families. ❑ on Commissions to advise policymakers how state agencies can better serve fathers and families. ❑ initiate and fund public awareness campaigns that promote responsible fatherhood. ❑ provide funding and technical assistance to community-based organizations that develop father resource centers to serve as local clearinghouses for training and advice to fathers and social service agencies. ❑ agency audits for father-friendliness to assess how they can expand and improve services to fathers and to determine whether they can eliminate bureaucratic module about fragile families to the module about fragile training curriculum for new child The module support caseworkers. includes information about low-income fathers, the barriers they face, and what community resources are available. Next, policymakers can look inwards. Next, policymakers help foster change, Auten has To When the child support enforcement Minnesota office in Hennepin County, Project, helped to found the FATHER Lynne Auten says that her own staff had a lot of learning to do. “This is the first time the child support enforcement office has had an initiative in place to provide says. “The this," Auten services like child support system is set up to deal don’t You with people unwilling to pay. a shift for It’s also ‘They can’t.’ consider, caseworkers staff. Our TANF our TANF are not used to thinking of absent fathers as resources to their families." assigned trained staff to handle cases where the father is a participant in the Project. She has also added a FATHER Mark Peter Lundquist of the faith-based Mark Peter Center for Fathering in Minneapolis speaks eloquently of “father hunger" among the men that he sees. “The only guys we can’t help are the guys who don’t want help," he says. to Fathers Listening One way to break the stereotype is to listen to fathers themselves. The National Practitioners’ Network for Fathers and Families estimates that nearly 1,000 programs nationwide work with fathers, but most are small and unknown. Taking the time to learn what already exists in the community — visiting programs, talking to fathers, inviting them to speak at community forums — can a good idea of give policymakers where the service gaps are in their own communities, and what barriers local fathers in their communities face. The New York Times The New York 29 Improving the circumstances of The National Center reports that it In some cases, there is truth to the once described these men as “the kind of men who gather on street corners behind their cigarettes with half-smoked ears." What About Poor Unwed Fathers? Unwed What About Poor An even greater challenge than raising awareness that fathers matter is the challenge of convincing the public — and fathers themselves — that low- income non-custodial fathers are capable of being good parents. low-income fathers and families will require a major shift in attitudes, both by the general public and the professionals who work with low-income families. That won’t be easy. is good for children." In addition to is good for children." crafting a message that fathers are important to children, Canfield’s organi- zation offers states, communities, and individual fathers specific ideas about what they can do to act on that notion. members, mostly fathers, has 170,000 many of whom found their way to the center through its website, a The center offers www.fathers.com. variety of seminars and small group materials designed to help men become competent and comfortable in their roles as fathers. The center’s products are tailored to specific audiences, including businesses, civic groups, social service organizations, hospitals, schools, and faith communities. stereotype. But that does not mean that these fathers are beyond help. Indeed,

...... 36 ...... 37 (continued on page 39) Wisconsin When he launched the Wisconsin Fatherhood Initiative in 1998 with help Thompson from NFI, Governor Tommy order requiring all issued an executive state agencies to review their policies father-friendly. them more and make For example, the Department of Transportation helped fathers who lost their driver’s licenses for not paying child support get their licenses back so they could return to work. with the Illinois Department of Human Resources to offer Boot Camp for New Dads programs in 24 hospitals across the state and has begun work on an evaluation tool employers can use to determine whether their workplaces are father-friendly. David Hirsch President Illinois Fatherhood Initiative Drive #2800 S. Wacker 10 Chicago, IL 60606 648-3062 (312)

Examples from the Front Lines the Front from Examples The organization also partners Illinois The Illinois Father Initiative is a statewide, volunteer-led non-profit that promotes public-private partnerships to connect children and fathers and equips men to become better fathers and father figures. With help from the National Center for Fathering, IFI sponsors an annual fatherhood essay contest; so far 140,000 students in the grades 1-12 have participated. IFI has published the winning essays, as well as a resource guide for fathers and a “Faces of Fatherhood" calendar that sold 90,000 copies. Director of Fatherhood Program Health Division of Child and Adolescent Virginia Department of Health 2448, Room 105 Box P.O. 23218 Richmond, VA (804) 786-7367 Ron J. Clark Virginia When the Virginia Fatherhood Campaign “being a good (VFC) wanted to market Dad" messages to the public, they asked focus groups of low-income men to react to the materials, some of which included pictures of celebrities and their children. When the fathers said they preferred to see ordinary fathers, VFC redesigned its public service announcements, eschewing celebrity endorsements, and targeted them to places that young men frequent, including sporting events and barber shops.

Governors, legislators, and agency Governors, legislators, All state agencies should include a should include All state agencies

fathers to speak. and invite low-income non-custodial and invite low-income hearings or town hall meetings hearings or town hall also should convene fatherhood also should convene programs. Elected officials programs. Elected officials ❑ a few fatherhood officials should all visit required to attend. training that their employees are training that their employees fathers’ component in any diversity fathers’ component in ❑

supporting their children. supporting barriers that discourage men from discourage men from barriers that DOING THINGS RIGHT: THE VIRGINIA FATHERHOOD CAMPAIGN Virginia Department of Health In 1994 George Allen, then governor of Virginia, In the early days of the commonwealth’s effort, put together an advisory group of community leaders to NFI also helped train social service providers and help reduce welfare dependency in Virginia. The group community-based organizations that dealt with fathers determined that the best way to reduce welfare depen- and helped the state put on a series of fatherhood dency was to find strategies to restore fathers forums. These days, Clark makes dozens of presenta- to families. Whether fathers abandoned families or never tions to religious congregations, military personnel, connected with them in the first place, father absence and non-profits. He then trains these groups to create, caused many families to become dependent run, and evaluate local responsible fatherhood programs. on public assistance. Jon Morris, who runs the ROAD (Reaching Out That finding led to one of the first statewide to Adolescent Dads) program in Roanoke, says that responsible fatherhood efforts, the Virginia Fatherhood Clark’s presentations have definitely made a difference. Campaign, which was launched with the support of “There are fatherhood programs sprouting up where the National Fatherhood Initiative. Ron J. Clark, the people wouldn’t have even thought about it." former national program consultant and social worker To encourage new initiatives, VFC awards more who directs the initiative, says its goal is to get more than $200,000 in seed grants to community-based fathers to invest in their children by spending both fatherhood programs each year. The grants are small, time and money on them. The campaign targets all no more than $25,000, but they’ve helped more than fathers, but its particular emphasis is on low-income, 80 programs across the state get started. According to non-custodial fathers. Clark, about 60 of these programs are still operating. The VFC is housed within the state health department One success story is the South Hampton Roads and has an annual budget of about $500,000; Fatherhood Program, which serves Norfolk and the money comes from a variety of sources, including Virginia Beach. A coalition of family services child support enforcement funds through the state organizations started the program in 1997 when they Department of Social Services and the federal Maternal realized that most local family services were targeted and Child Health block grant. VFC makes the most towards mothers. "You can’t have a healthy family of this limited budget. and not include fathers," says Maryellen Browne, Its first effort was a public awareness campaign who coordinates the fatherhood program as part launched with help from the National Fatherhood of her work at Family Services of Tidewater, Inc. Initiative. The state solicited free airtime from radio and The program has served more than 60 men, offering television stations and put up billboards along major classes and advice on child development, family

. highways. The message was simple: All fathers should planning, the child support system, and anger spend time with their kids. Says Clark, “The management. Browne says the program works with NFI ads tap into the basic instinct and needs that fathers both fathers and mothers to build healthier relation- have for kids." The ads caught the public’s attention; a ships. “Most of our families aren’t married," she University of Virginia study found that 37 percent of notes, “and if you don’t get Mom on the same page, Virginians recalled seeing the NFI ads. The survey also it doesn’t matter how good your fatherhood program found that, as a result of the campaign’s impact, more is, because she won’t let him see the kids." men were actually spending time with their children. Browne’s program doesn’t provide job training As the VFC’s public awareness efforts continue, and placement services; instead it refers fathers to says Clark, the campaign has refined its approach. VFC those programs. This is typical of VFC-funded efforts. now shies away from celebrity endorsements, preferring Clark says, “It is important not to try to be all things instead to use photos and quotes from ordinary fathers. to all people. Partnerships are very important." “We’ve made a radical change in our brochures," The campaign also emphasizes abstinence until Clark says. “That’s something we’re proud of — we’re a marriage. VFC’s message to young men is, “‘Wait to campaign that’s community-friendly. The mistake people have children until you are married and capable of make sometimes is that they produce messages that supporting yourselves,’" says Clark, “and we focus appeal to people like themselves, not to the communities primarily on abstinence — self control, not birth they are targeting." control." VFC succeeded in getting a fatherhood unit VFC also tailors its father-involvement message to included in Virginia’s family life curriculum, which specific groups. A Spanish-language brochure, for is distributed for optional use by the state’s public example, features only pictures of Latino families. And schools. Clark has initiated a “barbershop campaign," securing Five years after its inception, VFC is expanding its agreements with 75 barbershops to display VFC materials. focus. Clark is developing a brochure for incarcerated

38 ...... 39 and Families Preston Garrison Preston Director Executive National Practitioners Network for Fathers Suite 565 NW, K Street 1003 DC 20001 Washington (202) 737-6680 www.npnff.org National Center on and Families Fathers one of the nation’s pre-eminent NCOFF, research centers on fatherhood, runs a state policy series that brings together state legislators, agency officials, non-profits, and academics. At these infor- meetings, participants exchange mation about efforts and initiatives within their states, learn from each and create better linkages other, between child support activities and father involvement efforts. Vivian Gadsden Director National Center on Fathers and Families University of Pennsylvania 58 Street, Box Walnut 3700 19104-6216 Philadelphia, PA 573-5500 (215) http://www.ncoff.gse.upenn.edu/ National Practitioners Network National Practitioners and Families for Fathers membership NPNFF is the national and programs organization for people the that are working to increase of fathers respon-sible involvement in the lives of their children. NPNFF offers publications, conferences, train- ing events, technical assistance, and advocacy on behalf of fathers and fragile families. It also maintains a list of fatherhood programs nationwide. But Clark is adamant that VFC’s core role will VFC’s core that is adamant But Clark remain unchanged: It will be a small, strategic It will be a remain unchanged: for the benefit leverages state resources office that fathers. “Our groups working with of community organizations," he community goal is to empower and not do to have a lot of employees says. “Not fathers and communities where much in the families live." The organization also has established Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Ken President The National Center for Fathering 413888 Box P.O. MO 64141 Kansas City, 1-800-593-DADS www.fathers.com The National Center for Fathering The National Center for Fathering airs a nationwide radio program on fathering and offers a wide variety of live semi- nars and small group materials designed to help men improve their parenting skills. These are all tailored to specific audiences, including businesses, civic groups, social service organizations, hospitals, schools, and faith communities. Through its Life Course of Fathering curricula, the National Center provides resources for new fathers, fathers of pre-school and school-age children, fathers of teens, empty-nesters, and grandfathers. Wade Horn, Ph.D. President National Fatherhood Initiative Forest Boulevard Lake 101 Suite 360 Gaithersburg, MD 20877 948-0599 (301) http://www.fatherhood.org/ national and local conferences and national and local conferences forums, provides community fatherhood organizations resource materials to programs for seeking to establish support on fatherhood, fathers, conducts research to encourage promotes public policy and disseminates responsible fatherhood, information to men seeking to become better fathers. bi-partisan governors’ and mayors’ committees on responsible fatherhood. As of 2000, the governors’ commission had 18 members and more than 50 may- ors had joined the mayors’ commission. Other Resources Fatherhood fathers with tips on how they can stay involved with their involved can stay on how they with tips fathers to the state’s child sup- has been appointed children. He to the governor’s task review panel and port guidelines provided advice and violence. VFC has force on youth own are considering their to over 20 states that assistance hopes for more funding initiatives. And Clark fatherhood the programs that VFC him to evaluate that will enable has funded. National Fatherhood Initiative National Fatherhood NFI is dedicated to improving the well-being of children by increasing the number of children growing up with involved, committed, and responsi- ble fathers in their lives. NFI conducts public awareness campaigns promoting responsible fatherhood, helps agencies conduct audits to determine whether organizes they are father-friendly, 111 North Gadsden Street, Suite 200 111 Florida 32301 Tallahassee, (850) 488-4952 www.fcorf.org Matthew D. Munyon Matthew Director Executive Florida Commission on Responsible Florida The Florida Commission on Responsible Fatherhood, created by the legislature in 1996 and funded by the state, has 25 members, including representatives from non-profits, hospitals, business, members of the legislature, the judiciary, and gubernatorial appointees. The commission, with a full-time staff of three, receives its operating budget from the legislature and raises additional small grants funds so that it can make (maximum $50,000) to fatherhood programs around the state. In addition, the commission holds public meetings, recommends legislation, conducts media campaigns, and sponsors a statewide father conference. Kevin Keane Kevin Assistant Executive Thompson Office of Governor Tommy 7863 Box P.O. Madison, WI 53707 (608) 266-1212 (continued from page 37) About the Authors Endnotes 1 15 Kathleen Sylvester founded SPAN in 1997 Horn, Wade F. Father Facts, Third Payne, Jackie. Memorandum to Ron and serves as its director. Previously, she Edition. Gaithersburg, MD: National Haskins. May 11, 2000. Fatherhood Initiative, 1999 p. 15 16 Sorensen, Elaine. Obligating was vice president for domestic policy of 2 the Progressive Policy Institute, where she ibid p. 83 Dads: Helping Low-Income Noncusto- 3 dial Fathers Do More for Their directed the Institute's work on family policy, Sorensen, Elaine & Zibman, Chava. To What Extent Do Children Benefit Children. #2 in Series, “Strengthening education, and governance. from Child Support? Washington DC: Families." The Urban Institute, 1999, She began her professional career teaching Urban Institute, January 2000 p.1 p. 1 17 in the inner city of New Haven, Connecticut. 4 Horn p. 89 Ibid. Sylvester spent the next two decades as an 18 5 Loprest, Pamela. Families Who Left Martinson, Karen. Serving Non-Cus- award-winning journalist, reporting and Welfare: Who Are They and How Are todial Parents Through Welfare-to-Work editing for a variety of news organizations They Doing? Washington, DC: The Grants: Labor Market Characteristics, including Governing magazine, NBC News, Urban Institute, August 1999 p. 12 Employment Barriers, and Service Strategies. Washington, DC: The Urban National Public Radio, The Washington Star, 6 Bernard, Stanley N. and Jane Knitzer. Institute, October 1998. and the Associated Press. Map and Track: State Initiatives to 19 Encourage Responsible Fatherhood, Uhalde, Raymond J., Deputy Assistant Sylvester served as a consultant to Vice Secretary, Employment and Training President Gore's National Performance Review 1999 Edition. New York: National Center for Children in Poverty, 1999 Administration, U.S. Department of and advises federal, state, and local officials p. 14 Labor. Testimony Before the House on domestic social issues. She has written Committee on Ways and Means 7 Sorensen, Elaine. Obligating Dads: numerous articles and papers on topics Subcommittee on Human Resources Helping Low-Income Noncustodial Hearing on Fatherhood. April 27, 1999 including teenage pregnancy, welfare reform, Fathers Do More for their Children. 20 education, and reinventing government. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, Bernard and Knitzer p. 48 She earned an undergraduate degree from 1999 p. 1. 21 Martinson. the Georgetown University School of Foreign 8 McLanahan, Sara S. Testimony before 22 Horn p. 15 Service and a master's degree from Wesleyan the House Committee on Ways and 23 Horn p. 83 University. She also studied at the Yale Law Means Subcommittee on Human 24 Resources Hearing on Fatherhood. Bernard & Knitzer p. 48 School and spent a year at Stanford Univer- April 27, 1999. 25 U.S. Department of Health and Human sity as the recipient of a John S. Knight 9 Hans, S.; Ray A.; Bernstein V.; and Services, Administration for Children Fellowship. Halpern, R. (1995) Caregiving in the and Families, Office of Child Support Inner City. Chicago, IL: The University Enforcement. 22nd Annual Report. Kathleen Reich is policy director at the Social of Chicago and The Erickson Institute. Washington, DC, 1998. 26 Policy Action Network. Before joining SPAN, 10 One-Parent Families and Their Marsiglio, William, et al. “Social Reich was legislative assistant to Senator Children: The Schools’ Most Significant Fatherhood and Paternal Involvement: Minority. The Consortium for the Study Conceptual, Data, and Policymaking Dianne Feinstein of California, focusing on Issues." Chapter 4, page 26 in . welfare, children’s, and environmental issues. of School Needs of Children from One- Parent Families, National Association Nurturing Fatherhood: Improving Reich previously served as a policy advisor of Elementary School Principals and Data and Research on Male Fertility, to then-Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis, the Institute for Development of Family Formation and Fatherhood. who is governor of California, and worked Educational Activities, a division of Washington, DC: Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, at Harvard Law School’s public interest office. the Charles F. Kettering Foundation. June 1998. She graduated from Yale University, and Arlington, VA, 1980. 11 Kraupe, E.M. and Fairweather, P.D. 27 Sorensen, Elaine. “Non-Custodial holds a master’s degree in public policy from Fathers: What We Know and What’s Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School “Father Presence and Family Formation: a Theoretical Reformulation." Journal Left to Learn.” Nurturing Fatherhood: of Government. of Family Issues 14:4 (December 1993): Improving Data and Research on She is the author of Improving Outcomes 572-591. Male Fertility, Family Formation and for Mother and Child: A Review of the 12 Fatherhood. Washington, DC: Federal Furstenberg, Frank. “Good Dads-Bad Interagency Forum on Child and Massachusetts Teen Living Program (1996), Dads: Two Faces of Fatherhood." The Family Statistics, June 1998. which won prizes at the Kennedy School for Changing American Family and Public 28 Policy. Ed. A.J. Cherlin. Washington, Doolittle, Fred, Virginia Knox, best master’s thesis and best work in the field Cynthia Miller, and Sharon of poverty policy. Most recently, she was DC: The Urban Institute Press, 1988. 13 Rowser. Building Opportunities, co-author (with Anthony P. Carnevale) of Cooksey, Elizabeth C. and Fondell, Enforcing Obligations: Implemen- A Piece of the Puzzle: How States Can Use Michelle M. “Spending Time with His tation and Interim Impacts of Kids: Effects of Family Structure on Education to Make Work Pay for Welfare Parents’ Fair Share. Manpower Fathers’ and Children’s Lives." Journal Demonstration Research Corpor- Recipients (2000), and co-author (with Lisa of Marriage and the Family 58 (August ation, December 1998. p. 96 M. Kelly) of A Place to Call Home: Second 1996): 693-707 29 DeParle, Jason. “Welfare Overhaul Chance Homes in Georgia (2000). 14 Levine, James A. and Pitt, Edward W. Initiatives Focus on Fathers.” New New Expectations: Community York Times. September 3, 1998. Strategies for Responsible Fatherhood. Families and Work Institute, 1995, p. 57

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