Montgomery County Fatherhood Initiative: An educational approach

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Montgomery County Fatherhood Initiative An
educational approach

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The Effects of Father Absence

• COSTS
• Children of father-absent homes are
• five times more likely to live in poverty
• three times more likely to fail in school
• two times more likely to develop emotional or
  behavioral problems
• two times more likely to abuse drugs
• two times more likely to be abused and neglected
• two times more likely to become involved in crime
• three times more likely to commit suicide

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Montgomery County Department of Job Family
Services (MCDJFS) is

• Collaborating with local agencies to get fathers
  linked to services such as Legal Assistance,
  Employment, and Visitation/Custody information.

4
Montgomery County Department of Job Family
Services (MCDJFS) is

• Reviewing all MCDJFS policies to ensure their
  father-friendliness (e.g., Childrens Services
  Diligent Search policy).

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MCDJFS is

• Educating MCDJFS staff on all things fatherhood
  through unit meetings, management meetings, and
  groups such as diversity.

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MCDJFS isdoing LOTS of Out-reach

• Prisons
• High Schools
• Churches

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MCDJFS is

• Applying for grants that call for collaboration
  with community partners.

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Despite our best efforts

• There have been a few setbacks.
• Pitfalls we have dealt with

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Apathy

• Not only our agency, but other agencies with
  which we are partnering have their daily
  operations, and a challenging economy, to concern
  themselves with.
• Therefore, they do not always want to spend time
  or resources on programs like fatherhood. Making
  agencies understand how involved fathers will
  make their job easier is vital.

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Father fury

• Many Dads do not like to deal with anything that
  has to do with the system, child support, or
  their EX. Educating fathers on system navigation
  is extremely important.

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Resistance to change

• Organizational change is always difficult to
  implement. That is why internal education is the
  key.

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Overcoming barriers

• Sell the program as a family initiative.
• Collaborate as much as possible. There is power
  in numbers.
• Celebrate and publicize the small victories.

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Questions?

• Mike Newsom
• newsom_at_odjfs.state.oh.us
• 937-496-7569