Frequent Questions

HHS’ Fatherhood Initiative

Around the Regions:
Region 5

Region 5 Home Page
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin

Suzanne Krohn
HHS Acting Regional Director, Region V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-5132
Fax: (312) 353-4144

Joyce A. Thomas
Regional Administrator, Administration for Children and Families, Region V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-4237
Fax: (312) 353-2204

Kay Willmoth
Director, Office of Family and Child Development
Administration for Children and Families, Region V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-4237
Fax: (312) 353-2204

Kathleen Penak
Team Liaison
Office of Family and Child Development
Administration for Children and Families, Region V
233 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 353-3270
Fax: (312) 353-2629
E-mail: kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov

Fatherhood Workgroup Leads

Office of Community Services
Elizabeth Hailey-Smith (ehailey-smith @ acf.hhs.gov)

Child Care, Developmental Disabilities, and Collaboration
Hich Yamagata (hyamagata @ acf.hhs.gov)

Head Start
Terry Davis (tdavis @ acf.hhs.gov)

Child Support
Geneva Bishop (gbishop @ acf.hhs.gov)

Child Welfare
Constance Helene Miller (CHFMiller @ acf.hhs.gov)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Gene Niewoehner (gneiwoehner @ acf.hhs.gov)

Runaway and Homeless Youth
Jenny Gardner (jgardner @ acf.hhs.gov)

Tribal
William Clair (wclair @ acf.hhs.gov)

Regional Activity

Helping Men Become Responsible, Committed, Involved Fathers

Region V Fatherhood Initiative: Building and Enhancing Fatherhood/Male Involvement

Region five has a program-wide commitment to Father involvement. The Fatherhood Initiative is one of the top priorities for the Region V Administration for Children and Families (ACF). For this reason, Region V ACF has designed its fatherhood efforts to carry out identified objectives. The objectives include:

• Promoting father-friendly policies and practices across all ACF programs;
• Providing technical assistance to States, tribes, and grantees in developing and implementing fatherhood and male involvement programs;
• Enhancing partnerships among Child Support, Child Care, and Head Start;
• Developing the early literacy of children to improve school readiness, and helping men become involved in their child's development; and
• Establishing partnerships with organizations and professional associations with a vested interest in supporting fathers and males.

ACF Region V's commitment to the fatherhood initiative is illustrated by the following activities:

• Funding the Fatherhood Special Initiative (FSI) grants, fatherhood conference and training participation and the 2004-2005 Fatherhood Discretionary grants;
• Leading the development and dissemination of the "Father-Friendliness Organizational Self-Assessment and Planning Tool" (the "Father-Friendly Assessment");
• Engaging with States on assessing and improving policies to be more father-friendly;
• Assisting States, tribes and grantees integrate fatherhood and male involvement programs into service delivery systems;
• Providing on-going support for fatherhood collaborations;
• Participating in reading essays for the annual Illinois Fatherhood Initiative Fatherhood Essay Contest;
• Supporting the on-going efforts of the Region V Fatherhood Workgroup;
• Tracking the 2004 ACF Fatherhood Strategic Plan accomplishments;
• Developing the 2005 ACF Fatherhood Strategic Plan;
• Continuing and enhancing the Region V Fatherhood Listserv;
• Remaining involved with a variety of innovative father and male involvement partnerships and activities;
• Providing training on the Building Blocks for Father Involvement to Region V ACF staff and Technical Assistance Network contractual staff; and
• Offering fifteen cluster training events on the Building Blocks for Father Involvement to assist 128 Head Start grantees that participated in the Father Factor Institute in enhancing and refining their father involvement programs.

To help you Navigate the Following Region V Fatherhood Materials: the following list of links will take you right to these major topics. These topics illustrate Region V's on-going commitment to Fatherhood/Male Involvement:

• Fatherhood Funding
• Fatherhood Review
• Fatherhood Workgroup
• Fatherhood Capacity Development Workshops
• Fatherhood Listserv
• Fatherhood Strategic Plan
• Fatherhood Focus at Conferences and Meetings
• Participation in Father-Focused Community Events
• Partnerships to Support Fathers and Families
• Head Start, Child Support, Child Care Collaboration
• Region V and the Healthy Marriage Initiative
• State Fatherhood Activities in Region V

Fatherhood Funding

Region V's funding for fatherhood has contributed to the development and enhancement of many Early Head Start and Head Start fatherhood/male involvement programs. One hundred grantees responded to the April 2002 Region V announcement of the Fatherhood Special Initiative (FSI). They applied for funds to develop projects to enhance the involvement of fathers/males in early literacy and language development of their children. The forty-nine awardees received a combined total of $1,684,764 to implement these projects in a one-year project period. In addition, five Region V grantees were among the 21 Federal Early Head Start programs that received three-year Fatherhood Demonstration grants. These programs concluded their demonstration projects on January 31, 2004, but many of the practices developed are still being replicated (see Fatherhood Review Section).

The Head Start Bureau announced new fatherhood funding opportunities on October 8, 2004. All Head Start grantees were eligible to apply for one-time funding to support efforts to institutionalize father involvement in Head Start programs and make father involvement an on-going commitment at all levels of program planning, design, and implementation. Funding allocations were based on each grantee's funded enrollment level. Grants were awarded to 191 of the 232 Head Start grantees in the region. Grantees' funding applications described the grantee's efforts in father involvement and explained how these funds will enhance and sustain father involvement.

Approaches in developing and enhancing fatherhood/male involvement programs have varied a great deal. Many of the FSI awardees utilized the "Father-Friendly Assessment Tool" and followed through to act on the results of the assessment. The agencies made a variety of efforts to make their sites friendlier. Some agencies used father-child photographs and appropriate posters and flyers, while other agencies provided reading materials that were geared towards the interests of fathers. Additionally, agencies implemented many father-child programs that included hands-on activities and carried literacy themes. Because these special initiatives focused on emergent literacy, agencies formed new partnerships with libraries, state extension offices, and literacy councils. New ideas, such as in-class reading by fathers, father home-reading suggestions, and the creation of incentives (book bags, activity lists) to increase reading, have become part of the programming in these agencies.

Fatherhood Review

To capture "lessons learned" and recommendations for the future from the grantees that received FSI and EHS Demonstration funding, Region V initiated a review of the many fatherhood support activities developed and implemented under these grants. The review is entitled "Programs that Promote Father Involvement and Children's Early Literacy and Language Development." The report presents the best practices identified by the grantees, and identifies the advice that grantees would give to other Head Start agencies starting a fatherhood program. The report also summarizes recommendations, and lessons learned from the grantees. A brief listing of some of the unique best practices identified by grantees for building father-friendly sites include:

• Using teams of staff and parents to go to each site to do the "father-friendly assessment";
• Developing a database to collect and track extended families' contact information;
• Using actual photos of children and men from the site to make homemade posters instead of purchasing commercial posters;
• Dedicating a Family Services Coordinator to a caseload strictly for non-custodial parents;
• Offering job-training programs for fathers; and
• Offering a "coffee house setting" for culturally diverse fathers to have a place where they can come and talk about education and childrearing.

The Fatherhood Review contains many recommendations made by Early Head Start and Head Start FSI staff. Selected advice relevant to developing and sustaining a successful fatherhood program include:

• Partnering with other agencies, and building networks;
• Conducting a survey at the beginning of the program(s);
• Keeping surveys open-ended so that the grantee can get new ideas of the needs and interests of men in the community;
• Soliciting input from all fathers (and from mothers) before an event or program is planned;
• Making fathers feel comfortable and letting them know that their opinions are valued;
• Allowing for the Male Involvement Coordinator to interact directly with parents;
• Interacting with the men at the bus stop or as they come in the door to drop children off;
• Visiting each center in their area each month to keep fatherhood interest high;
• Providing on-going fatherhood training for all staff members;
• Inviting a father from each center to come to all-staff meetings to talk with staff about his experiences and his wishes for the program;
• Involving fathers in the training that is being offered on literacy for staff;
• Making sure that a representative for mothers is involved in planning;
• Creating and distributing a father newsletter or having a father-section in the agency newsletter;
• Bringing in representatives from Child Support to make presentations and provide information;
• Helping the men with legal services, such as driver's license suspension, paternity establishment, credit problems, and parking and speeding tickets;
• Conducting activities that promote fathers and children working together on a hands-on project; and
• Having a partnership with a local high school team so that team members may come in and read to the children or socialize with the children during an activity.

Region V distributed the Fatherhood Review widely, beginning with dissemination of the report on the Region V Fatherhood Listserv, which has over 300 participants. As of May 1, 2005, ACF distributed more than 350 CD-ROMs and documents to over 250 grantees, Child Care Agencies, State Collaboration Offices, state and community partners and interested parties who requested copies. For more information and a copy of the review, please contact Kathleen Penak from ACF Region V at kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov.

Fatherhood Workgroup

The Region V Fatherhood Workgroup supports Region V's Fatherhood Initiative. Workgroup members from each ACF program area meet as a group quarterly and represent Region V at diverse fatherhood and family conferences, training events, and meetings. The members contribute information to the national Fatherhood Website, help the region promote father/male involvement and encourage the creation of father-friendly environments. Region V staff shares information on recent fatherhood conferences and new resources.

Fatherhood Capacity Development Workshops

The Fatherhood Workgroup plays an important role in selecting capacity development workshop topics to enable Region V staff to keep abreast of current research and innovative programming. The workgroup wants to plan workshops that can inform their work, and that give participants information to disseminate to grantees and program partners.

The Region V Fatherhood Listserv

On March 24, 2004, Region V launched the Region V ACF Fatherhood Listserv. Listserv participants share a commitment to fatherhood and male involvement efforts for the sake of the children and their families. The initial participants were Early Head Start and Head Start grantees including grantees that received the FSI grant, the Region V Early Head Start Demonstration grantees and ACF program partners who expressed interest in fatherhood topics. The listserv expanded within its first year to include more than 300 interested partners from Child Welfare, Runaway and Homeless Youth Services and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, state agencies, and many community-based organizations. Listserv members receive grant information, recent research, new training materials, and announcements of upcoming events. They also exchange information and answer questions to help each other in the development or enhancement of fatherhood/male involvement efforts. They have assisted each other in searches for trainers on topics such as parenting classes for ex-felons, speakers for conference agendas and pertinent website sources.

To join the Fatherhood Listserv, send an e-mail to join-fatherhood @ lyris.acf.hhs.gov. By becoming a participant, you will obtain new information quickly, receive invitations to take part in Collaboration Network Conference Calls (more information on these calls follows), be able to provide your input on areas of interest, and ask for assistance from peers.

The Region V Fatherhood Strategic Plan

An important initiative for all ACF Region V staff involved the implementation of the Region V Fatherhood Strategic Plan for calendar year 2004, and the development of the Region V Fatherhood Strategic Plan for calendar year 2005. Region V Fatherhood Workgroup members solicited input from their colleagues and worked together to develop and implement the Region V Fatherhood Strategic Plans. Region V staff uses the strategic plans as guides to encourage father-friendly practices in all areas of program responsibilities and to promote and integrate father and male role model acceptance. Included in the strategic plans are the steps Region V staff members are taking to develop partnerships to enhance fatherhood and male involvement through outreach, dissemination of information, and implementation. The following are examples of implementation activities by program:

• Developmental Disabilities: Staff distributed the Father-Friendly Assessment Tool to State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, State Protection and Advocacy Agencies and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. They also provided state Developmental Disability partners with information and notices of upcoming and pending grant announcements relating to the Fatherhood Initiative.
• Child Support Enforcement: Region V Child Support staff continues to plan and carry out the quarterly collaboration network calls in partnership with Head Start, Child Care and new partners from Child Welfare, TANF, and Runaway and Homeless Youth. Child Support staff support and facilitate activities of the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative (IFI). They helped with registration for the November 4, 2004 Fall IFI Fatherhood Celebration and took part in the winter 2005 Fatherhood Luncheon. Child Support staff also attended the Illinois Family Support Enforcement (IFSEA) 16th Annual Conference and Member Meeting in Matteson, Illinois, on October 17, 2004 and the CEDA Fatherhood Recognition "Daddy's Love" program on February 25, 2005. In March 2005, Child Support staff reached out to a Head Start Fatherhood Coordinator and fathers in the program to review the revised brochure for fathers, entitled "Child Support From the Fathers' Side." This brochure presents answers to questions fathers frequently ask. To get a copy of the brochure, please contact: gbishop @ acf.hhs.gov
• Child Welfare: Child Welfare staff took a very significant step toward encouraging agencies and community organizations to be more father-friendly when they modified the widely used Father-Friendly Assessment tool for potential use by Child Welfare and community partners. Staff sent the new Child Welfare assessment tool to the state Child Welfare agencies and also to Tribal contacts by the close of September 2004. Child Welfare staff reviewed the six Region V states' approved Program Improvement Plans (PIPs). On December 31, 2004, staff determined that all six states in the region had included father involvement in their programs. Further, staff members have surveyed the Children's Bureau-funded National Resource Centers (NRCs) to gather information on training, technical assistance, and resources available to the states on fatherhood and male involvement and disseminated this information region-wide.
• Child Care: Region V staff provided the Region V State Child Care administrators with a copy of the "Father-Friendliness Organizational Self-Assessment and Planning Tool for Early Childhood Education Programs." Staff has encouraged the state Head Start Collaboration offices in the six Region V states to take part in the on-going Quarterly Collaboration Network Calls.
• Head Start/Early Head Start: Staff encourages fatherhood/male involvement programming at all the grantees and individual staff participates in the on-going development of the Alpha Phi Alpha and Head Start/Early Head Start partnership through frequent partnership calls, meetings, and conferences. Staff participated in the Alpha Phi Alpha Conference (April, 2004) held in Toledo, Ohio, and the Alpha Phi Alpha workshops at the Dallas National Head Start Institute (June 2004). Staff also attended the sixth Annual International Fatherhood Conference in Detroit, Michigan (June 2004). (Additional information on the conferences follows.)
• Office of Community Services (OCS): Staff distributed the Father-Friendly Assessment Tool to all state Community Action organizations with a request for the organizations to further distribute the Assessment Tool to their members and partners. Staff regularly disseminates information on father-related topics to Region V staff in all program areas and to partners through the Fatherhood Listserv.
• Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY): From February 1-4, 2005, Region V staff participated in a Runaway and Homeless Youth Review at the Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley (YSBIV) and promoted the Fatherhood initiative. Region V encouraged YSBIV to reach out more to young fathers and promote their involvement with their children. To involve RHY partners further in the fatherhood initiative, staff distributed information on how to join the Fatherhood Listserv, and encouraged grantee participation in the on-going quarterly Collaboration Network Calls. Staff from Rockford MELD took an active role in the January 11, 2005 Region V Collaboration Network Call, and a Rockford MELD staff person served as a presenter on the April 26, 2005 call. As of April 2005, the RHY grantees that joined the Fatherhood Listserv include: The Call for Help Incorporated, Rockford MELD, Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley, The Night Ministry, Le Penseur, Hoyleton Youth and Family Services, Aunt Martha's, Project Oz and Sankofe Safe Child Initiative. RHY staff distributes fatherhood brochures and encourages fatherhood programming at site visits, community meetings and conferences on an on-going basis.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Serving as a presenter on the October 12, 2004, quarterly Collaboration Network call, TANF staff gave a detailed update on the status of TANF and employment programs. Staff regularly shares information on the Fatherhood Listserv about states' TANF participation rates, information regarding the Healthy Marriage Initiative, faith-based partnerships, and new events and resources that are available on the Welfare Peer Technical Assistance (TA) website. The Welfare Peer TA Website information presented on the Fatherhood Listserv gives updates on working with the hard-to-serve population, job attainment, and transitional jobs. To access this information directly please view the website at http://peerta.acf.hhs.gov
• Tribal Programming: Region V provided the opportunity for staff from all program areas to learn about the cultural diversity within tribes and how culture changes from tribe-to-tribe with respect to Fatherhood issues. To work toward this goal, Region V sponsored a Cultural Awareness workshop entitled, "Increasing Cultural Competency with American Indian Communities" on November 15, 2004. The speaker, Dana Klar, JD/MSW, Director of the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, provided insight on historical background and current developments and addressed concerns of staff. For more information on the cultural awareness workshop, please contact, Bill Clair, ACF Region V at wclair @ acf.hhs.gov.

For more information on the Fatherhood Strategic Plan activities, please contact Kathleen Penak at kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov.

Fatherhood Focus at Conferences and Meetings

• Region V Child Care Conference
  Region V ACF sponsored a Region V Child Care Conference June 2-4, 2004, at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. Joyce Thomas, ACF Regional Administrator, spoke about the ACF Key Priorities, which included the Fatherhood Initiative. Kay Willmoth, Director of the Office of Family and Child Development, introduced the Child Care conference speakers and moderated the discussion at the plenary sessions. One of the workshops, entitled "Promoting Male Involvement in Child Care Settings" gave participants an opportunity to discuss the "Father-Friendly Assessment Tool" and to consider a wide variety of father-focused materials.
• The National Head Start Institute on Father Involvement Conference
  Region V participated at the National Head Start Institute on Father Involvement Conference, "The Father Factor", in Dallas, Texas, June 14-18, 2004. This conference brought together over 3500 participants, including more than 500 individuals from Region V. Participants included Head Start and Early Head Start Directors, Policy Council Members, Fatherhood/Male Involvement Coordinators, and parents — with a very large representation of fathers. The "Father Factor" theme of the conference was supported by five days of excellent keynote speakers, Building Blocks sessions, and workshops. Speakers from Region V served as presenters and moderators at a variety of workshops.
• The International Fatherhood Conference
  Region V staff attended and presented at the 7th Annual International Fatherhood Conference 2005 convened by the National Partnership for Community Leadership (NPCL). The conference washeld June 8-9, 2005 at the Northwest Activities Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan. The conference included a Job Fair, an international panel on fatherhood, Detroit Favorite Fathers Awards, and the Spirit of Fatherhood Awards and Gala.
  
  Several Region V staff attended the 6th Annual International Fatherhood Conference 2004 that took place in Detroit, Michigan, June 16-18, 2004. Region V Administrator Joyce Thomas served as a panelist at the plenary session and spoke as part of the discussion entitled, "A Public Conversation: Rebuilding Strong Families," held on June 18, 2004. For more information about NPCL, please view their website: www.npcl.org or contact the office at (202) 822-6725 or toll free at 1-888-775-NPCL.
• Region V Youth Development Conference
  The Region V Youth Development Conference was held in Chicago, June 30-July 2, 2004. Region V Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) staff achieved their goal of bringing the important role of fathers to the attention of conference participants. During the Central/Regional Perspectives Breakout Session, RHY staff distributed the Father Friendly Assessment Tool to the RHY Grantees. On July 1, 2004, speakers from Rockford MELD, Rockford, Illinois, presented a workshop entitled "Riding the Waves: Effective Strategies for Serving Teen Dads." The speakers covered how to develop and implement a comprehensive program for teen fathers, how to gain insight regarding the barriers and issues that affect teen dads and effective ways to deal with the barriers. Recruitment of fathers was also a topic of discussion at the workshop. For more information on Rockford MELD, please visit their website at www.rockfordmeld.org.
• National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) Conference
  "Fatherhood: All that Glitters is not Gold" was the title of the workshop at which Region V Administrator Joyce Thomas was a presenter at the National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) 53^rd Annual Training Conference. The conference took place August 1-5, 2004, in Palm Springs, California. The theme of the conference was "Golden Opportunities for Children." For more information, see www.ncsea.org.
• Child Support Enforcement Directors Meeting
  Region V Child Support Enforcement staff met with the Region V Child Support IV-D Directors on July 2, 2004 in Chicago. The agenda included a presentation by Region V Head Start staff on the importance of focusing on the role of fathers and also on the need for continuing the collaboration between Child Support and Head Start/Early Head Start programs. Head Start staff disseminated information on the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) report entitled, Child Support, Child Care, and Head Start Collaboration: Innovations and Ideas. The OCSE Child Support Collaboration report can be found at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pubs/2003/reports/headstart/.

Region V Participation in Father-Focused Community Events

• Fatherhood Workgroup members and other Region V staff regularly attend father-focused community events. They distribute information such as the Region V Fatherhood Brochure, which was updated in January 2005, the Review and Analysis of Fatherhood Programs, and the Fatherhood Child Support Brochure.

Region V Partnerships to Support Fathers and Families

• Region V Head Start and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Partnership
  ACF Region V and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Alpha Phi Alpha) continued to promote the development of increased fatherhood and male participation in the Head Start and Child Support programs through their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed on March 19, 2003. The purpose of this partnership is to promote responsible fatherhood, including legal, financial, and emotional support to children, develop effective strategies to increase the participation of fathers and other significant males in ACF programs and their children's lives, and increase children's literacy levels.
• Region V Alpha Phi Alpha/Head Start Listserv
  To provide support in building the Alpha Phi Alpha/Head Start partnerships and to carry out the National, Regional and local MOUs between the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and Head Start grantees, Region V launched an Alpha Phi Alpha/Head Start listserv on September 17, 2004. This vehicle is a significant resource for this partnership. The membership of the Listserv is comprised of grantees and their Alpha Phi Alpha partners.
• Region V Alpha Phi Alpha Head Start Pilot Partnership Calls
  Region V organizes and facilitates on-going Alpha Phi Alpha and Head Start Pilot Partnership conference calls. Participants give updates on their progress in working to develop partnerships to support families and young children. Joint planning of agendas for the calls and the input of participants facilitate the partnerships. For more information on the Alpha Phi Alpha organization, please view http://www.alphaphialpha.net/
• Alpha Phi Alpha's Announcement of Midwest Partnership Pilots
  On July 28, 2004, Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. announced the selection of 50 Alpha Phi Alpha and Head Start Partnerships from sites across the nation for the Innovation and Improvement Grant that Alpha Phi Alpha received from ACF. The announcement also included information about the development of a curriculum for introductory training and an action plan for implementation of the planning phase of the partnership. Alpha Phi Alpha announced the following Midwest Partnerships it had selected based on applications submitted by local Alpha Phi Alpha chapters:
  • Chicago Department of Human Services (Chicago, IL) and Xi Lambda and Iota Delta Lambda Chapters;
  • Akron Summit Community Action, Inc. (Akron, OH) and Eta Tau Lambda Chapter;
  • Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland (Cleveland, OH) and Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter;
  • Springfield Urban League Head Start Program (Springfield, IL), and Mu Delta Lambda Chapter;
  • Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Head Start (Carbondale, IL) and Beta Eta Chapter;
  • Department of Human Services, City of Detroit (Detroit, MI) and Gamma Lambda Chapter;
  • Cincinnati Hamilton County Head Start (Cincinnati, OH) and Delta Gamma Lambda Chapter; and
  • Child Development Council of Franklin County Head Start (Columbus, OH) and Alpha Rho Lambda.

  For information about the Alpha Phi Alpha/Head Start Pilot Partnership projects, please contact Kathleen Penak at kpenak @ acf.hhs.gov. For more information about Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, please go to www.alphaphialpha.net.

• Region V and Family Support America Partnership
  Region V continues to work in collaboration with Family Support America (FSA) on a number of programs to build and enhance father involvement and strengthen families. Region V's collaboration with Family Support America is based on the shared belief of the need to strengthen and empower families and communities, improve families' abilities to access resources they need, celebrate diversity, and strengthen community. For more information about Family Support America, please refer to: www.familysupportamerica.org.
• Region V and Midwest Center on Workforce and Family Development, Inc. Partnership
  Region V is holding dialogues with the Midwest Center on Workforce and Family Development, Inc. (MCWFD) on an agenda that will complement Region V's fatherhood effort. For more information about MCWFD, please view their website at: www.charityadvantage.com/mcwfd/HomePage.asp.

Head Start, Child Support, Child Care Collaboration

• Collaboration Network Conference Calls
  A unique Region V initiative that has been developing for more than two years is the on-going Head Start/Child Support/Child Care Collaboration Network Calls, which bring together partners to network and share information. Discussion topics have included access and visitation, expungement issues, Head Start male involvement and fatherhood program challenges, teen fathers and collaboration development. Participants come from Head Start State Collaboration Offices, Head Start and Early Head Start programs, State and County Child Support programs, Region V ACF Head Start, Child Care, Child Support, Developmental Disabilities, Child Welfare, TANF, and Runaway and Homeless Youth program staff. For more information about the Collaboration Network Calls, contact Mike Vicars at 312-886-5339 or at mvicars @ acf.hhs.gov.
• The Child Support/ Child Care/Head Start Collaboration Report
  An excellent document on collaboration models is available from the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). This is the final report entitled "Child Support, Child Care, and Head Start Collaboration: Innovations and Ideas," which describes six collaboration grants awarded by OCSE. Two of the six states nationwide that received collaboration grants were Minnesota and Illinois. The report highlights and compares approaches, experiences, and lessons learned from the six Collaboration Demonstration grant projects and can be found at: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pubs/2003/reports/headstart/.

State Activity

Illinois

The Illinois Head Start Association held a spring annual training conference, "Opening the Door to Opportunity," March 2-4, 2005, at the Renaissance Hotel, Springfield. Jennifer Lynn Pecot, from the National Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families (NPCL) presented an intensive training session on the Building Blocks Materials that were introduced at the Dallas Fatherhood Institute in June 2004. This event was supported under the partnership agreement between the National Head Start Association and NPCL to provide this fatherhood training in collaboration with State Head Start Associations. For more information about the Illinois Head Start Association and future conferences, please view the association's website at www.ILHeadStart.org.

The City of Chicago Department of Children and Youth Services organized a fatherhood event in partnership with the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. On February 26, 2005, the partners presented a special program for fathers at Columbia College, Chicago. The agenda included the showing of a movie about fatherhood entitled, "Missing in Action." Following the movie, participants took part in a panel discussion. For more information, please contact Denise Jordan at djordan @ cityofchicago.org

The Community and Economic Development Association, Inc. of Cook County (CEDA) presented its annual fatherhood/male involvement conference, February 25, 2005, at the Oak Lawn Hilton. The theme, "Daddy's Love: The Rebirth of the Family," was carried throughout the conference with a musical presentation, special T-shirts and many workshops. CEDA staff wrote and produced a "Daddy's Love" CD with songs and raps about fatherhood. For more information on this CEDA event, the Daddy's Love T-shirts, and the Daddy's Love CD, please contact Chris Frederick at cfredrick @ cedaorg.net.

Rockford MELD, in Rockford, encourages "independent families by providing access to resources, life skills, parenting information, program-based housing, and prevention education." The organization serves a population of expectant and parenting teens and at-risk youth and their families and offers a number of key programs. For example, the Career Corps Program provides pre-employment training and job placement services for fathers between the ages of 21 to 25 who are or were offenders and are on probation or parole. Program participants receive training in work readiness skills and job preparedness, including but not limited to resume writing, interviewing, career development, social skills, and work ethics. Participants also receive support group services through the Responsible Fatherhood Program, which provides services for fathers or fathers-to-be between the ages of 21 to 25. The program's focus is on support groups, case management, and access to employment leads. Through its Employment Assistance and Workforce Development Programs, MELD partners with local employers by providing job opportunities for young fathers. For more information on Rockford MELD, please view the website at http://www.rockfordmeld.org/index.htm. You may also e-mail Rockford MELD at Meld @ RockfordMeld.org or call 815-965-8336.

Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale Head Start has integrated its year round male involvement program as part of the regular program. The initiative is approached as another part of parenting and parent involvement. SIU Carbondale's program makes a special effort to gather information about fathers not in the home by having parents sign a release to allow the agency to pursue this information. Its newsletter, "Community Connections," includes articles on activities such as "A Book in Every Home" campaign and recognition of parents and volunteers. The partnership with the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity alumni group and undergraduate chapter has involved Alpha Phi Alpha members in the MUSCLES program (Men Understanding Small Children's Learning Experiences). This program focuses on father/father figures reading at centers or on-board "FLOW" (Family Learning on Wheels). The "FLOW" vehicle is filled with parent/child learning materials including books, videos, activity kits, and an on-board computer and TV/VCR. For more information please go to www.siu.edu/~headstart/.

The Illinois Council on Responsible Fatherhood held its first meeting in Chicago on June 18, 2004, and many strategic planning meetings have taken place since that time. The passage of Public Act 93-0437 provided Illinois with the legislative authorization for a fatherhood initiative and for the formation of the Illinois Council on Responsible Fatherhood. A Fatherhood Empowerment Conference will be held June 4, 2005, in Chicago. For more information, please contact Jeffery Leving at mail @ dadsrights.com or visit the website at www.responsiblefatherhood.com.

The Illinois Fatherhood Initiative (IFI) states that its mission is "connecting children and fathers by promoting responsible fathering and helping equip men to become better fathers and father figures." To carry out this mission, one of IFI's major initiatives is the IFI/Chicago White Sox Illinois Fatherhood Essay Contest, which is held annually. Approximately 30,000 children wrote essays to the theme, "What My Father Means to Me" as part of the 2005 contest. IFI launched the 2005 essay contest, its 9th annual competition, in partnership with the National Center for Fathering, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois State Board of Education, and the Office of Catholic Education. Region V staff has taken part annually as essay readers. For more information on IFI activities, please call 312-920-9590, visit www.4fathers.org or send an e-mail to info @ 4fathers.org.

The Child Abuse Council, in the Quad-Cities/Rock Island area, has organized a Boot Camp for New Dads program. The program takes place five to six times a year at Trinity Medical Center, Moline. Volunteer "coaches," who are experienced fathers, teach the three hour workshop, promoting consistent caring relationships between fathers and their children. The Child Abuse Council partners with Trinity Medical Center's Child Birth Education Program in presenting this program. For more information about the Council's work please visit www.childabuseqc.org.

Indiana

The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) awarded Access and Visitation Child Support Enforcement grants for the State of Indiana for 2004-2005. The following programs received grants:

• Bartholomew Area Legal Aid Inc;
• Brown County Board of County Commissioners;
• Board of County Commissioners, Jefferson County;
• Marion County Board of Commissioners; and
• Purdue University.

The announcement of funding opportunities for 2005-2006 is expected in May 2005.  For more information, please contact Thelzeda Moore at 317-232-4874 or e-mail her at thelzeda.moore @ fssa.in.gov. You may also view the Indiana Fathers and Families website at www.in.gov/fssa/fathers.

The Central Indiana Fatherhood Network (CIFN) comprises five core agencies/organizations in Indianapolis with an interest in promoting father involvement and advocacy. Some of the agencies are direct service providers, such as Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc. Working in partnership, the Network has sponsored community events, such as "Fathers' Night Out at the Children's Museum" and "Doctor Dad" training. The Network has recently formed new partnerships in the Indianapolis community. Of note is the partnership with Family Development Services, where CIFN will be providing fatherhood training to the entire Head Start/Early Head Start staff, visiting each Head Start school every month to provide outreach and service information to Head Start fathers, and working with Early Head Start's Teen Parenting programs at two local high schools. For more information, please contact Bob Ripperger at 317-921-5951 or write to Robert.Ripperger @ wishard.edu.

Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center, Inc, offers job readiness training, job placement, GED preparation, parenting education, and other educational support. The Center's mission is to "build a noble legacy of fatherhood — improving the life chances of children by assisting young fathers in achieving self-sufficiency and in strengthening parental involvement." For more information, please refer to the Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center website at www.fatherresource.org.

Carey Services, Inc., in Marion, has developed and widely disseminated an inviting postcard illustrated with photos of a baby and father and a young child attentively exploring the environment. Carey Services, Inc.'s Early Head Start fatherhood program purpose is to create an environment that allows father figures to grow and learn "at their own unique pace." The Early Head Start fatherhood program involves a group of men getting together monthly who are interested in "learning and sharing their experiences about being a Dad." The fatherhood program puts out a monthly newsletter entitled, "MVP: Men are Valuable Parents." The program honors a Father of the Month who is featured in the newsletter with his child and describes "What I like most about being a father." For more information, you may call Tony Parandi at 765-668-8961, ext. 208 or e-mail tparandi @ careyservices.com.

Kokomo Center Schools Head Start, Kokomo, has a brochure for its fatherhood program entitled, "A Father is a Terrible Thing to Waste." The goals of the Fatherhood Center, located in Head Start, are stated as working to promote "responsible fatherhood within our community and provide children with emotional, social and educational strength to be successful in life." The Head Start Fatherhood Center is open to all men who are involved in the lives of children and/or families. Kokomo Center Schools Head Start has Dad's Night Out activities, parental mediation, classroom participation, and volunteer activities for fathers. The "Doctor Dad" program began this year. In this program, the school nurse provides first aid and CPR training to the fathers. For more information, please contact Kokomo Center Schools Head Start Guy Lovell at glovell @ kokomo.k12.in.us or call 765-454-7082.

Michigan

The Michigan Head Start Association (MHSA) in collaboration with the Michigan Head Start State Collaboration Program, the Michigan Family Independence Agency and the Michigan Fatherhood Coalition held a conference entitled, "The Fatherhood Factor: A Conference for Engaging Men in the Lives of Children," on March 3 and 4, 2005.

The MHSA also held a Fatherhood Conference on February 25, 2005, in addition to its Annual Early Childhood Education Conference, on February 26-27, 2005. The Fatherhood Conference explored programs, strategies, and policies to improve low and moderate-income fathers' parenting skills, help fathers build healthy relationships with the mothers of their children, connect fathers with the workforce, and increase their participation in the child support system. For more information about Michigan Head Start Association conferences and activities, please check the MHSA website at www.mhsa.ws.

The Michigan Family Support Council held its 22nd Annual Child Support Training Conference, October 13-15, 2004, at Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs. Presenters gave two fatherhood sessions:

• The Impact of Fatherlessness on Society; and
• In the Child's Best Interest: Today's Noncustodial Father.

For more information please view the Michigan Family Support Council website at http://www.mifsc.org.

BHK Child Development Board's fatherhood program uses the Internet as one of the ways its fatherhood program actively recruits and engages fathers in this rural, remote three-county area of Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw (BHK) counties. When interested parties visit the BHK site at http://www.bhkresources.org/ they are asked, "Are you a father? Why not try one of our father's groups?" Then a simple click brings the reader to a description of the fatherhood program's activities. BHK's fatherhood program includes opportunities for discussions about increasing involvement with children and family relationships. The program offers activities such as a Mobile Toy Library that travels monthly to remote areas and the BHK Father Groups. To learn more, view the above mentioned website.

Bendle/Carman-Ainsworth, the Learning Community Fenton Lawn Education Center, in Flint, holds monthly "Father and Child Evenings." The center also offers the Men at WORK (Working on Relationships with Kids) organization, which encourages men to improve communication skills that will create stronger bonds between fathers and children. There is a "Turn the Page" weekly class offered at two different convenient times to teach fathers how to read to their children. Agendas throughout the year for "Dad's Night" feature fun hands-on activities for fathers and children. For more information, please contact Mike Kildee at mkildee @ carman.k12.mi.us.

EightCAP Community Action Agency, Inc. Head Start and Early Head Start has planned a Father's Leadership Retreat at North Higgins Lake, for June 10 and11, 2005 at the MacMullan Conference Center. This two day retreat for fathers of Head Start children will give instruction and inspiration regarding the importance of fathers providing leadership in their families, schools, and communities. Partners in this retreat are Head Start Male Involvement Advisory Council, Dieology, Inc. and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The agency's Male Involvement Coordination Program takes place in Gratiot, Ionia, Isabella, and Montcalm Counties. Staff invited fathers or father figures to visit their child's Head Start center and participate in activities during a two week period. During the fall session, 94 fathers/father fiqures attended their children's classes and the fathers reported a high level of satisfaction with the event. In addition, the program has a Head Start male involvement brochure and a monthly newsletter, Dads' Schmooze N'News, that gives information on the importance of reading to a child as early as possible, and includes tips about reading with babies. EightCAP also has a Fatherhood Advisory Council, offers "Father's Night Out" events, held a "Father's Nature Walk," and presented a Nurturing Father's class in Sidney that ran from January 27, 2005 to April 28, 2005, at Montcalm Community College (MCC). For more information, please contact Brian DeKraker at briand @ 8cap.org.

The Michigan Fatherhood Coalition is a resource network for approximately 40 practitioners who work with fathers in Michigan. The mission of the Michigan Fatherhood Coalition is to:

• Provide a network for those who promote healthy families;
• Function as an information source for fatherhood initiatives in Michigan;
• Enhance positive male parenting; and
• Collaborate on efforts for the common good of all children.

For more information, visit http://www.michiganfatherhood.org or e-mail the coalition at: info @ michiganfatherhood.org

Minnesota

The federal Access and Visitation Grant, administered by the Office of Child Support Enforcement, will make over $120,000 available to Minnesota-based programs. Further details are available on the Minnesota State Register at www.comm.media.state.mn.us/bookstore/stateregister/29_15.pdf.

The Council on Crime and Justice, in Minneapolis, sponsored parenting classes for ex-felons. On March 3, 2005, the Council on Crime and Justice began hosting 12-week parenting classes at their office near downtown Minneapolis. These classes are open to any parents who are ex-felons. Participants either volunteer to take the classes or are required to attend as part of another program or sentence. For more information please contact Michael Bischoff, Manager of Projects, Council on Crime and Justice, at bischoffm @ crimeandjustice.org or at 612-596-7622.

The Minnesota Head Start Association held its annual training conference on October 20-22, 2004, at the Rutgers Sugar Lake Lodge in Cohasset. The theme of the conference was "Together We Reach Our Dreams: For Strong Children, Strong Families and Strong Communities." The conference included a fatherhood workshop, entitled, "Helping Dads Get Involved", which was part of the "Strong Parents and Families Track." For more information on the Minnesota Head Start Association activities, please e-mail Gayle L. Kelly at macnick @ cpinternet.com.

The Minnesota Fathers and Families Network is a professional development and networking organization for human services practitioners and fatherhood advocates. The Network provides a "one-stop spot" for fatherhood information and resources.  For more information, please visit www.mnfathers.org/resources.html.

On February 25, 2005, the Network held a day-long roundtable meeting in Collegeville, Minnesota, on male socialization, entitled, "Why the Fathers of Tomorrow Need Our Attention Today." This meeting explored the role of colleges, universities, and research institutions in promoting healthy male socialization. For information, please visit www.csbsju.edu/mensscenter/conference/default.htm.

In August, 2004, the Network conducted a series of free public Fatherhood Regional Seminars, entitled, "The Role of Fathers in Families: Parenting, Paternity and the Adoption Registry." These seminars provided an opportunity for networking and professional development for professionals working in the fields of family services, child welfare, parenting education, public health, fatherhood advocacy, and other social services.

For more information on Network activities, please e-mail Paul Masiarchin at pmasiarchin @ mnfathers.org. Further information also can be acquired by viewing www.mnfathers.org/news2004.html.

The Minnesota Fatherhood and Family Services Summit held its 2nd annual conference to learn about the latest issues affecting family service practitioners, educators, social service workers, and fatherhood advocates. The summit took place January 19 and 20, 2005, at the St. Cloud Civic Center, St. Cloud. For more information, please view http://www.mnfathers.org/summit.html or call 612-787-4091.

Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota sponsored a videoconference, "Making Room for Dad: Involving Fathers in Prevention and Family Service Activities," on November 30, 2004. The videoconference was simulcast in Brainerd, Crookston, Rochester, St. Paul, and Willmar, Minnesota. For more information on this particular event and other activities, please visit www.familysupport.org/.

On May 24, 2005, the Minnesota Humanities Commission sponsored a Dads and Early Literacy Workshop that involves two new programs: Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED) and "Dads and Kids Book Clubs." Participants gained information on research on fathers and their role in the literacy development of their children, resources for professionals working with fathers, and information about "The Reading with Dad Book List." For more information, please contact Tom Fitzpatrick at 651-772-4255 or view the Commission's website at www.minnesotahumanities.org.

Ohio

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and the Center for Families and Children in Columbus sponsored a conference entitled, "Fathers Matter: Prisoners as Parents and the Challenge of Reentry," March 31 through April 2, 2004. The conference focused on initiatives that would assist offenders in the reintegration process with their families and communities. For more information, please visit www.drc.state.oh.us.

To learn more about the Ohio Practitioner's Network for Fathers and Families' (OPNFF) programs and training events, please visit http://www.opnff.net/. This website can help those interested in fatherhood initiatives stay in touch with the training and event offerings for fatherhood practitioners throughout the state of Ohio. Individuals wanting to share information about training events in Ohio have an opportunity to post events on this site.

The Center for Families and Children, Columbus, sponsored the conference "Fathers Matter: Child Support, It's More than Money," on May 25 and 26, 2005, at the Westin Great Southern Hotel in Columbus. For additional information, please e-mail Steve Killpack at communityendeavors @ earthlink.net.

A training event for "Building Father-Friendly Programs" was held Friday, October 22, 2004, at the University of Cincinnati Clermont College Auditorium. This training event included workshops such as the Santa Maria Community Services Fatherhood Initiative, Domestic Violence and Its Effects on Families, Important Roles of Fathers in Children's Lives, and Developing Healthy Relationships. For more information about this training event, please e-mail Pat Pack at patp @ child-focus.org.

On April 8, 2005, Bellflower Center's Power of Prevention Child Abuse Awareness Day included morning workshops for human services professionals and other interested individuals with a keynote address on fatherhood. The keynote speaker, Dr. Kyle Pruett, author of "The Nurturing Father" spoke at the luncheon on "When the Abused Become Abusive: The Impact of Child Maltreatment upon the Parenting Experiences of Fathers."

For more information on Ohio fatherhood activities or to be placed on the Ohio Practitioner's Network for Fathers and Families' (OPNFF) mailing list, call 216-432-7200 x322 or e-mail Steve Killpack at communityendeavors @ earthlink.net. Please also view The Healthy Fathering Collaborative website, which covers Greater Cleveland at http://www.opnff.net/. For information on Ohio Head Start Association Fatherhood and Parent Involvement activities, please e-mail Jeanette Taylor at Jtaynyc @ aol.com.

Clermont County Child Focus, Inc., Early Childhood Division in Cincinnati has published Men In the Kitchen: Our Cookbook for several years, and Head Start "Cook Offs" have been held at each Head Start center of Child Focus for three years. The cookbook, with fathers' recipes and father/child photos, sells for $10, and purchases of the book help Child Focus fund other fatherhood activities such as the "Fish-a-thon" and "Career Exploration" days. Child Focus is very proud that "a suggestion that was given by a group of Early Head Start fathers is now a yearly event." For more information, contact Pat Pack at 513-528-7224 or by e-mail at patp @ child-focus.org.

On April 21, 2004, Cuyahoga County Department of Job and Family Services staff met with Region V Child Care staff and discussed the involvement of county child care staff with local Fatherhood programs. Cuyahoga County staff work with the "Fathers and Families Together" program of the Cleveland Center for Families and Children. For more information, you may contact the Cleveland Center for Families and Children at info @ c4fc.org.

Wisconsin

The 2005 Wisconsin Head Start Association conference theme was "Celebrating the Spirit of Head Start." The 2005 conference was held February 15-17, in Wisconsin Dells. The conference offered a Father Involvement Track of workshops, including sessions entitled, "Region V Fatherhood Special Initiative Lessons Learned," and "A Working Fatherhood Program." For more information, please contact the Wisconsin Head Start Association at 608-442-6879 or visit their website at www.whsaonline.org.

The Milwaukee Fatherhood Collaborative sponsored the Wisconsin Fatherhood Conference, a statewide conference for family service professionals, fathers and families. The conference took place March 10-12, 2005, at the Four Points-By- Sheraton-Milwaukee Airport, Milwaukee. The conference tracks included:

• Fathering Skills; and
• Father and Families Focus.

The conference was co-sponsored by the Milwaukee Fatherhood Collaborative, Children's Hospital and Health System, Social Development Commission, and the UW-Stevens Point Extension. For more information, please call the Milwaukee Fatherhood Collaborative at 414-874-7843.

The Northwest Connection Family Resources sponsored its second annual conference on "Tribal Community Connections" on October 22 and 23, 2004, in Hayward. The conference offered a workshop on "Strengthening Fatherhood." Rob Goslin, Fatherhood Program Coordinator, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, served as the session's speaker. For more information, please contact Mr. Goslin at redcliff_fatherhood @ yahoo.com.

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