Fact sheet: Georgia Fatherhood Services Network, No. 78 (Feb. 2001)

February 2001

DHR Office of Communications

Georgia Department of Human Resources

GEORGIA FATHERHOOD SERVICES NETWORK

Georgia is helping more low-income fathers than any other state in the country. Over the past three years, the Georgia Fatherhood Services Network has helped over 3,500 non-custodial parents find jobs that enable them to pay their child support. An additional 3,000 non-custodial parents are currently in job training classes, studying for their GED or receiving help to overcome other barriers to stable employment. The Fatherhood Services Network is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Human Resources and is recognized nationally as the most comprehensive program for helping low-income fathers.
Welfare reform and the time limits on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits have raised the awareness that receiving a child support check each month can make the difference in whether or not a family needs public assistance. In 2000, TANF cases represented 18 percent of all child support cases in Georgia. However, only 42 percent of all TANF cases received a child support check during the year. Georgia recognized early on that many non-custodial parents wanted to pay their court ordered child support, but lacked the economic capacity to do so. The Department of Human Resources Office of Child Support Enforcement has developed a comprehensive network of services targeting this group.
The Fatherhood Program:
Generally takes three to six months to complete. Participants are required to work at least 20 hours per week while enrolled in the program. Participants are required to pay child support during this time. Upon completion of the program, participants receive assistance in obtaining full-time employment, earning a wage that they can live on and pay their child support.
The Georgia Fatherhood Services Network is sponsored by the Department of Human Resources' Office of Child Support

Enforcement. The Network includes:
Generally takes three to six months to complete. Georgia Department of Human Resources Access and Visitation Program In-hospital Paternity Program Office of Child Support Enforcement who has contracts with:
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education Georgia Department of Labor Fatherhood Initiative for Parolees Program Wise Guy Project serving teen fathers Demonstration Project involving WorkFirst Demonstration Project involving participants with multiple barriers in DeKalb County Atlanta Project Division of Rehabilitation Services Community Service Worker Project with Georgia State University Faith-based partnerships such as Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta
Taxpayer Savings:
Decreased Medicaid cost. Non-custodial parents are required to obtain medical insurance through their employer if available at a reasonable cost. Decreased enforcement costs. Employer withholding of support payments eliminates the need for enforcement action. Decreased incarceration costs. Because judges now have a new sentencing alternative to jail, taxpayers save the estimated $50 per day cost of housing an inmate. Decreased need for custodial parents to depend on TANF and other government services.
Employer and Community Benefits:
Increased employment benefits the local economy. Reduction in the rate of repeat pregnancies by young participants. Local employers are finding new sources of skilled labor, which is often in short supply
Judicial Support: Judges now have a new alternative to jail for parents who are unable to pay their child support.
Barriers facing many participants include:
Lack of a high school diploma (41%)

Criminal record (53%) No transportation (40%) No driver's license (31%) Alcohol and substance abuse problems Mental health issues
Looking to the future and overcoming the barriers: Child Support Enforcement realizes that addressing these barriers is critical to expanding the success of the program to more low-income fathers. Child Support Enforcement is working to establish new partnerships with Public Health, Mental Health and community-based groups to address the problems of substance abuse and mental health issues such as depression and rage. Substance abuse is a significant barrier for many participants to attaining and maintaining employment. Many people believe that the family is the strength of the community, and the community of Georgia deserves strong fathers to continue to establish Georgia as a leader and role model for the nation.
For information of the Georgia Fatherhood Services Network, contact your local Child Support Enforcement office or call 1-888-4FATHER.
DHR Office of Communications February 2001