GERMANTOWN, Md. (PRWEB)
April 24, 2023

National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI)®, the nation’s leading fatherhood organization, and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) have embarked on a new partnership to implement 24:7 Dad®, the most widely used evidence-based fatherhood program in the U.S., in DBHDS-licensed community services boards across the state. This is DBHDS’ first father-focused departmental initiative.

Healthy father involvement is associated with better outcomes on nearly every measure of child well-being. Many factors influence a father’s ability to be involved in his child’s life, including trauma, mental illness, and addiction. DBHDS intends to more intentionally serve fathers who are accessing behavioral health services—alone or with a co-parent—by providing evidence-based programming designed to help fathers establish strong foundations for their families.

24:7 Dad® is NFI’s flagship evidence-based fatherhood program. The program is used by hundreds of U.S. organizations to train fathers to be involved, responsible, and committed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In January 2023, 47 DBHDS staff participated in a two-day webinar where they were trained in facilitating 24:7 Dad®. Trainees represented 10 DBHDS community services boards—each covering 5-8 Virginia counties—and their associated Project LINK programs. 24:7 Dad® will be integrated into this network of programs throughout 2023 and be delivered by clinicians, case managers, and peer recovery specialists.

DBHDS promotes dignity, choice, recovery, and the highest possible level of participation in work, relationships, and community life for individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance-use disorders. The agency partners with 40 locally run community services boards to provide a comprehensive suite of evidence-based behavioral health and prevention services. Embedded within many of the community services boards are Project LINK programs, which coordinate services to address the specific needs of women and infants impacted by substance-use disorders. Several Project LINK programs provide direct services to men, such as case management and parenting education.

“Although co-ed parenting programs are beneficial to parents and caregivers, it is important to recognize the unique needs of fathers and allow fathers and caregivers to support each other on their parenting journey,” said Glenda Knight, Women’s Services Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. “That’s why we chose to collaborate with National Fatherhood Initiative® to bring the evidence-based 24:7 Dad® program to the fathers we serve. I firmly believe that our partnership will have a positive, lasting impact on fathers and families across Virginia.”

NFI comes alongside human services organizations and practitioners with a strengths-based approach to father engagement training, evidence-based and evidence-informed fatherhood programs, and other educational materials to help them be more father-inclusive. In addition to developing parent education skills, fathers who participate in the organization’s 24:7 Dad® program encourage other dads to take care of themselves so they can care for and be there for their children. Building resiliency, developing pro-fathering attitudes, and knowing where to get support can reduce the risk of child maltreatment.

“NFI is thrilled to assist the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in its efforts to engage fathers in our 24:7 Dad® program,” said Christopher Brown, President of National Fatherhood Initiative®. “Integrating the program in behavioral health treatment settings—both in the commu- nity and at home—presents a unique opportunity to champion fatherhood and provide direct support to fathers to help them be the type of dad they want to be for their children. This is just the beginning of what we hope will be a long-term partnership.”

For more information on NFI, visit http://www.fatherhood.org. More information on the DBHDS can be found at dbhds.virginia.gov/.

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About National Fatherhood Initiative

National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) was founded in 1994 to reverse our nation’s destructive trend toward father absence. Today, nearly 20 million American children live in homes where their biological fathers do not live. Yet, the fact remains that millions of families interact with human-service organizations every year that are primarily mother-focused. Therefore, NFI’s mission is to increase father involvement by equipping human service organizations and communities with the father engagement training, programs, and resources they need to be father-inclusive. Our vision is that all human service organizations and communities are proactively father-inclusive so that every child has an involved, responsible, and committed father in their lives.

Accordingly, we accomplish our mission by:

• Educating all Americans, especially fathers, through social media, earned media, research, and free resources.
• Equipping organizations and communities with fatherhood programs and resources and through training, planning, and technical assistance services.
• Engaging and assisting organizations and communities to mobilize at the micro- and macro-level to increase fathers’ involvement in children’s lives.

For more information on NFI, visit http://www.fatherhood.org.

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