Increasingly children are living apart from their natural fathers. Fathers are absent from the home for a number of reasons but regardless of the reason for the absence. This phenomenon has critical implications for the healthy development of children. Funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Dads Making a Change is a project in Washington, D.C. aiming to provide culturally appropriate behavioral parent training for African-American and Latino fathers ages 16 - 25. Early parenting responsibility for young men in this age group, compounded with family conflict and family disorganization, is associated with a high risk of substance abuse and violence. Such conditions also place the children of these young parents increasingly at risk for substance abuse and violence when the children reach adolescence. The purpose of Dads Making a Change is to build the resiliency of these young fathers, to prevent or stop the cycle of cycle substance abuse, family violence and other associated negative behaviors, promoting healthy children and families by enhancing the parenting knowledge and skill of the young men and increasing their access to community-based social support to improve family relationships with their children and the other primary care givers of their children. Challenged with having limited funds, the project was able to (1) recruit and retain the desired number of participants to complete the program and (2) create access to a network of supportive services for the multiple needs of the young men who participated.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: Describe how the inclusion of other service providers and members of the target population enhances the planning, implementation and evaluation of a project. Identify effective strategies for the recruitment and retention of high risk young African American and Latino males in a parenting education, substance abuse and violence prevention program.
Keywords: Substance Abuse Prevention, Family Violence
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: D.C. Community Prevention Partnership and
Health Evaluation Research Services, LLC
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.