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.