FATHERS MATTER

1
FATHERS MATTER!

• DADS AND MOMS OF MICHIGAN
• DADS of Michigan
• MOMS of Michigan
• DADS of Michigan PAC

CHILDREN NEED WANT BOTH PARENTS ACTIVELY
INVOLVED IN THEIR LIVES!
2
WELCOME INTRODUCTIONS
3
Who We Are

• Responsible Family, Fatherhood and Parent
  Education
• Responsible Family, Fatherhood and Parent
  Advocacy
• Shared Parenting Childrens Rights
• Volunteer parents, non-profit, no public funds
• IRS 501(c)(3) Educational Organization
• Press Media Campaigns
• Your individual child custody situation will not
  easily change until it changes for us all M.B.
  Davis

4
TODAYS REALITY...

• Michigan Divorce Rate60
• NCHS 1998
• Michigan Courts...Sole Custody 88
• NCHS 1999
• Fathers Rights Consistently Ignored
  U.S.Constitution, Amendment XIV
• Fathers Unwillingly Divorced From Kids 90
  CASES...Minority Report US Commission Child
  Family Welfare, 7/96
• 28,000,000 Children without day-day Father
  Contact970,000 in Michigan (est.).Minority
  Report US Commission Child Family Welfare, 7/96

5
TODAYS REALITYcont.

• 1.3 million out of wedlock births in
  199845,190 in MichiganNational Center Health
  Statistics 2000, Michigan Dept. of Community
  Health
• 33 of all children live with single parent
  USHHS, 2000
• 40 single parent children - no father contact in
  a year U.S. Senate Resolution 322, 6/2000
• 50 all children grow up w/o father figure U.S.
  Senate Resolution 322, 6/2000
• 50 single mothers see no value in father contact
  with childrenSurviving the Breakup, Joan
  Berlin Kelly

6
TODAYS REALITYcont.

• 90.2 Fathers w/ Joint Physical Custody Pay Child
  Support DueUS Census Series P60 1989,1992,2000
• 79.1 Fathers w/ Visitation Pay Child Support
  DueUS Census Series P60 1989,1992,2000
• 44.5 Fathers w/ No Visitation Pay Child Support
  DueUS Census Series P60 1989,1992,2000
• 37.9 Fathers are Denied Any VisitationUS
  GAO/HRD-92-39F, 1992
• 66 Support not paid by Fathers due to Inability
  to PayUS GAO/HRD-92-39F, 1992

7
TODAYS REALITYcont.

• Children From Fatherless Homes
• 5 times more likely to commit suicide
• 32 times more likely to run away
• 20 times more likely for behavior disorders
• 14 times more likely to commit rape
• 9 times more likely to drop out of school
• 10 times more likely for illegal drug abuse
• 20 times more likely to become incarcerated
• at dramatically greater risk for teenage
  pregnancy
• U.S. Senate Resolution 322, 6/2000, U.S.
  HHS/NCHS 1993, US Census Bureau 1989, US Dept. of
  Justice 9/1988, Criminal Justice Behavior,
  vol., 14, p. 403-26.

8
REVIEW THE FACTS

• Countless Experts Studies Show
• Joint Physical Custody Best For Improving
  Well-Being
• Minority Report, Commission on Child Family
  Welfare, July 96
• The More Single-Parent Families, the More
  Juvenile Criminals
• FBI Crime Index, NCHS/MVSRs,1993
• Joint Physical Custody Shared Parenting
  Promotes Greater Child Support Compliance
• - U.S. Census Bureau 10/2000 10/1992
• As Joint Physical Custody Increases, Divorce
  Rates Decline
• - Childrens Rights Council, 10/97
  Statistical Abstract U.S.,93

9
CURRENT SITUATIONIN MICHIGAN

• Existing Divorce/Custody Procedures Have Not
  Worked
• No Effective Lobby / Support for Fathers and
  family mothers have hotlines, shelters,
  government programs NOW
• Parents Are Denied Visitation
• Parents Denied Due Process in Collections
• More Punitive Child Support Collection Laws
• Deadbeat Dadsa Favorite Vote-Getter

10
OBJECTIVES GOALS

• Equal / Shared Parenting and Custody
• Adequate Parenting Time Awards
• Enforce Parenting Time - Punish Violators
• Eliminate False Abuse / DV Allegations
• Eliminate Paternity Fraud
• Fair, Just Child Support-Medical Awards
• Reduce Retroactive Support Orders
• Competent, Effective Legal Counsel

11
OBJECTIVES GOALS (cont.)

• Parental Parity re Child Custody Care
• Legislative Judicial Reform for Families
• Educate Prepare Responsible Parents
• Reunite Our Children With Both Parents and
  ultimately eliminate the need for DADS and MOMS
  of Michigan

12
OUR EXCUSES

• Too BusyNo Time
• Have to WorkNo Money
• Just Want to Move On with My Life
• No PointCant Fight City Hall
• Any Results Too Far Away in Future
• ...among others

13
HOW DO WE WIN?

• GROW MEMBERSHIP AFFILIATES
• CONTRIBUTIONS, DONATE TIME MONEY
• WRITE LETTERS, CALL, MEET LAW MAKERS
• COLLECT PETITION SIGNATURES
• APPEAR IN COURT HEARINGS Court Watch
• TESTIFY IN LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS
• RALLY or PICKET RESPONSIBILY
• GET INVOLVED

Fathers are Responsible Parents toobecause the
Best Parent should be Both Parents
14
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DONT GET INVOLVED / JOIN UP?

• OUR OPONENENTS BECOME STRONGER
• MORE FAMILY HOSTILE LEGISLATION
• EXPECT TO PAY MUCH MORE
• MORE CHILDREN BECOME CRIMINALS NEWS HEADLINES
• OUR CHILDREN SUFFER FROM OUR ABSENCES
• OUR CHILDEN CONTINUE TO PAY OUR PRICE

15
2009 PROJECTS

• GROW REGIONAL OFFICES Metro, North, West,
  Tri-Cities
• DADS AND MOMS UNIVERSITY Grow, Grow, Grow
• WEB SITE ENHANCEMENTS
• MIDWEST FATHERS CONFERENCE - JANUARY
• PARENTING AWARENESS MONTH - MARCH
• FATHERS DAY PICNIC - JUNE
• EQUAL PARENTS BIKE TREK JULY
• DC RALLY 2009 JULY
• EQUAL PARENTS WEEK SEPTEMBER
• LEGISLATIVE FORUMS - EDUCATION
• LEGISLATION AND BILLS SHARED PARENTING,
  PATERNITY, SUPPORT

16
ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET Saturday, March 14,
2009 Westin Hotel Southfield
CALL 248-559-3237
17
GREAT FOOD, GREAT MUSIC, GREAT GUESTS...
18
MICHIGAN LEGISLATIVE P.A.C. UPDATESDADS OF
MICHIGAN PAC
19
PAST and PRESENT MICHIGAN LEGISLATION

• Military Custody Bill HB 5100 (Signed)
• Equal Parenting HB 4664, 5267, 4564
• Paternity Fraud HB 5088
• Parentage HB 4161 (Signed)
• Parenting Plan (Reached Governors Desk)
• Domestic Violence Bills (Squashed)
• Family/Marriage Preservation Bills (Reached
  Governors Desk)
• Child Support Guidelines (Modified)
• AND MORE

20
FATHERS COUNTAND VOTE!
6632 Telegraph Road, Suite 110 Bloomfield Hills,
MI 48301 (248) 559-DADS phone (3237)
21
DADS and MOMS of Michigan Family Forums - Meeting
1st Tuesday, 700 p.m.
6632 Telegraph Road, Suite 110 Bloomfield Hills,
MI 48301 (248) 559-DADS phone (3237) email
info_at_dadsofmichigan.org email dadspac_at_dadsofmichi
gan.org
22
FEATURED GUEST SPEAKER