New York state implemented a pilot employment program from 2006 to 2009 for parents behind in their child support. These pilot programs, part of the Strengthening Families Through Stronger Fathers Initiative, provided employment-oriented services, fatherhood/parenting workshops, case management, and other support services to nearly 4,000 parents behind in their child support in four New York communities. Our evaluation shows that these programs successfully helped participants find work, increase their earnings, and pay more child support. These gains continued for at least a year after…
This report makes recommendations for improving the evaluation of social programs and fostering partnerships between practitioners and evaluators. It calls for the field to have clearer guidelines on how evaluation can meet the particular needs and contexts of different kinds of programs, and for individual organizations and fields of practice to have the chance to demonstrate that they will use evaluative information for program improvement if afforded the opportunity to do so. Strategies include: promote a menu of credible evaluation alternatives that can be used when an randomized…
This newsletter highlights four interrelated investments made by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to support community-based solutions to strengthen families and neighborhoods. The investments include: tapping the strengths of faith-based organizations; removing stumbling blocks to opportunity for people returning from incarceration and their families; providing a foundation for healthy relationships and marriages; and supporting strong and responsible fatherhood. Examples of specific initiatives in each area are described and successful practices are highlighted.
This brief on a comprehensive approach to encouraging engaged fatherhood begins by discussing the importance of fathers and reviewing the different types of father-focused programs: employment-focused, nurturing programs, and healthy marriage programs. The Seedco Fatherhood Initiative Pilot Program is then described. Launched in 2006, as part of a statewide pilot funded through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's Strengthening Families Through Stronger Fathers Initiative, the program draws on earlier fatherhood programs and principles of behavioral economics to…
This review provides summaries of impact, implementation, and descriptive studies that have examined responsible fatherhood and related family strengthening programs that target and serve low-income fathers. (Author abstract)
This paper is designed to deepen the conversation by identifying the key readiness factors, overall capacities, and practices of both TANF agencies and FBCOs that have led to successful partnerships in eight communities. By examining important elements of these partnerships, we hope to provide guidance to other TANF agencies and FBCOs interested in collaborating to improve outcomes for families and low-income individuals.
Family and child well-being is vital to the health of America's neighborhoods and communities. Recognizing this fact when reauthorizing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in 2005, Congress appropriated $150 million to support demonstration programs in the areas of healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood. Managed by the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF), these initiatives were designed to have a broad reach, including marriage and relationship education services for married and engaged couples. Of the 116…
In 2006, the Administration for Children and Families Office of Family Assistance (OFA) awarded Healthy Marriage (HM) and Responsible Fatherhood (RF) grants to a variety of organizations offering a diverse range of programming. The funded organizations were required to work within a framework of guidelines, including target populations and allowable activities. However, as demonstration initiatives, program design was intentionally flexible to encourage creativity in approach; offering deeper insight into which organizational structures, implementation strategies and service delivery models…
This report pulls from the experience of 15 organizations, whose specific focus is delivering services to high school-age youth, to summarize their common experiences and evaluation findings. It also focuses on how these programs were designed and structured to reach high school-age youth, according to information provided by organizations. The suggested influence of these demonstration programs is highlighted through quotes and links to video clips of the experiences of youth and program operators. Information on the program operations of all 15 grantees is included and supplemented by…
This paper is an endeavor to look at healthy marriage education programs funded by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) designed specifically to meet the needs of unmarried couples expecting a child or co-parenting a newborn. It looks at the unique challenges of the participants, varied program designs and service delivery strategies, as well as outcomes related to a specific group of healthy marriage grant programs. The intent is to continue the conversation around the question, "Do healthy marriage programs work?" raised and addressed in the Building Strong Families Study(Wood, McConnell,…
