Fatherhood — EFFECT
Program Description
Fatherhood — EFFECT (Educating Fathers For Empowering Children Tomorrow) programs provide parent education and resources to fathers. Beginning in FY 2020, the program's scope expanded to include collaboration with community coalitions, encouraging organizations to increase the quality of supports for fathers, and pivoting to include and support fathers across multiple programs in an organization or community.
Service Focus
Fathers and father figures who are expecting a child or have at least one child birth to 17 years old.
Map of Providers and Communities
Measures of Success
- Children remain safe during services, and within one and three years after services.
- Increase in protective factors, such as family functioning and resiliency, social supports, and nurturing and attachment.
Program Data
- Program start date: 2013
- Target number of youth/families served annually, FY 2024: 1,081
- Average number of youth/families served per month, FY 2023: 298
- Counties served: 11
- Annual budget for community contracts: $1,302,924
- Total number of community grantees: 7 grantees, 1 subgrantee
- Average grantee budget: $186,132
Success Story
DePelchin Children's Center, Harris County
The virtual format of the 24/7 Dad program offered by DePelchin Children's Center allowed Jason, a truck driver who worked long hours, the opportunity to participate in groups from highway rest stops. During his first few sessions, he struggled to open up. But as he attended more sessions, Jason began to share more about his life, his thoughts on fatherhood, and the struggles he had with his father.
Jason shared with the group that due to his job he neglected his relationships with his wife and children. In group sessions, Jason committed to prioritizing being there for his loved ones. Program facilitators said through his participation in the group, Jason made progress in expressing his feelings and became a leading voice in his group.