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Virginia Fatherhood Resource and Training
The Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) provides technical support
and materials to fatherhood groups and service providers. DCSE promotes responsible
fatherhood and two-parent families through various joint projects that include
community campaigns and training (e.g. community groups, local fatherhood programs,
visitation and mediation programs, and targeted groups such as incarcerated
fathers, nonresidential fathers, young fathers and fragile families). Related
activities promote the fatherhood movement through the 21 local child support
district offices in Virginia.
Barriers Project
This Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement-supported initiative focuses
on nonresidential parents and their irregular or non-payment of child support.
Nonresidential parents referred to the program are those parents who are ordered
to appear in court for failure to make child support payments. There is a
perception that the majority of non-payers are "deadbeat dads;" however, some
nonresidential parents have valid issues and need assistance to overcome their
"barriers" to paying support. These parents can, generally, be characterized as
"willing, but unable, to pay."
Staff from DCSE's Fredericksburg District Office and the family courts in
that jurisdiction, Spotsylvania and Westmoreland Juvenile and Domestic Relations
Courts, initially identified five common barriers facing nonresidential parents:
visitation, conflict between parents, vocational issues, size of arrearage
relative to income and institutional status as a "DCSE customer." While the
impetus for the Barriers Project is to bring ability to pay into focus, by
providing selected services to nonresidential parents, DCSE is also advancing
fatherhood through a community partners' network. This network includes groups
or organizations that provide parent education, mediation, conflict resolution,
training of incarcerated individuals, technical training and other educational
opportunities.
Customer Services for Nonresidential Parents Project
DCSE was recently awarded $600,000 in grant funds for research to learn more
about, and develop strategies for, keeping low-income nonresidential parents
from accumulating large child support arrearages. The award is through the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and
Families. DCSE will be developing processes and methods for dealing with
nonresidential parents to assist them in making consistent payments and in
helping those already having large arrears. A risk model will also be developed
to help those nonresidential parents avoid becoming indebted beyond their
ability to satisfy arrearages.
Virginia Access and Visitation Program
Using a competitive process, Virginia awards sub-grants to non-profit and governmental
organizations which provide services including mediation, parent education,
development of parenting plans, neutral drop-off and pick-up centers, and monitored/supervised
visitation. These organizations serve never-married, separated and divorced
parents in nearly all geographical areas of the state.
Henrico Department of Social Services
DCSE co-sponsored the Henrico Fatherhood Conference in 2003 and 2004. Staff
from DCSE joined representatives of this local department in making plans for
the events, organizing workshops and arranging for speakers that focused on
fatherhood. In 2003, approximately 150 participants attended the first Henrico
Fatherhood Conference at the Holiday Inn-Airport. In 2004, approximately 300
people attended a two-day conference which was devoted to both professionals
and fathers. The Henrico Department of Social Services held an event in March
2005, which celebrated fatherhood and marketed the importance of fatherhood
to the community at large.
Dressed for Success Show
DCSE co-sponsored the 2nd Annual Dressed for Success Fashion Show put on by
MOTIV8S, Inc. which was held at the Landmark Theatre in Richmond. The event
featured 18-to-30 year-old models from the Richmond Department of Probation and
Parole, the Richmond Adult Drug Treatment Court and the Rubicon Drug and Alcohol
Treatment Facility. MOTIV8S seeks to raise personal awareness and self-esteem
and foster positive change through encouraging personal responsibility,
accountability and community service.
Fatherhood Resource Chart
The Fatherhood Resource Chart was developed by DCSE and identifies fatherhood
groups around the state and the services they provide. This information was
distributed to DCSE district offices and various non-profit agencies. DCSE makes
on-going updates and distributions.
Community Partnerships and Cooperative Agreements
- DCSE partners with the Virginia Employment Commission and community organizations
in Henry County to provide information and assistance to displaced Pillowtex
employees. At the informational sessions, DCSE staff provide information about
services and are available to answer questions.
- DCSE continues to partner with the Martinsville/Henry County Economic
Relief Center in Ridgeway, Virginia. Staff are available in that locality to
help fathers and mothers so that they do have to travel to Danville.
- DCSE recently entered into a cooperative agreement with New Visions, New
Ventures Inc. (NVNV) who was awarded a grant through the Job Opportunities for
Low Income Individuals (JOLI) program. While grant funds will primarily give
low-income women the opportunity to pursue high wage, nontraditional
occupations in building trades, NVNV will accept referrals from DCSE for
fathers, in addition to mothers, who are nonresidential parents.
- DCSE entered into a partnership agreement with the Better Housing Coalition
(BHC) who was awarded an incremental grant through the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services' Office of Community Services for community economic
development. DCSE will be referring unemployed or low-income nonresidential
parents for new job opportunities once BHC's construction phase has been completed.
- DCSE continues its partnership with the Total Action Against Poverty (TAP).
TAP helps young fathers, under the age of 30, to be good fathers by helping
them find jobs, pay their child support, set goals and be role models for
their children. TAP's "Fathers at Work in Virginia" (FAWI) program is funded
by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The program, which serves residents
in the Roanoke area, is also being tested at five other localities in the
U.S. Statistics indicate that those young men who successfully complete the
project are paying child support and have become a more positive influence
in the lives of their children and in their community.
- Norfolk DCSE has partnered with Second Chances for several years and continues
to provide information on child support rights and responsibilities to parents
in the program. Second Chances helps recently released, nonviolent and misdemeanor
offenders become gainfully employed, self-sufficient and socially stable.
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