- Collection:
- Georgia Government Publications
- Title:
- Fatherhood Program: a program available through the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) [2013]
- Creator:
- Georgia. Department of Human Services. Division of Child Support Services
- Contributor to Resource:
- Georgia. Department of Human Services. Division of Child Support Services
- Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia. Department of Human Services. Division of Child Support Services
- Date of Original:
- 2013
- Subject:
- Georgia
- Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- publications (documents)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- Fact sheet
- External Identifiers:
- OCLC 1381685410
Call Number H800.S8 M1 2013 F3 - Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_s-ga-bh800-ps8-bm1-b2013-bf3-belec-p-btext
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_s-ga-bh800-ps8-bm1-b2013-bf3-belec-p-btext
- Language:
- eng
- Holding Institution:
- University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library
- Rights:
-
FATHERHOOD PROGRAM
A Program available through the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS)
KEITH HORTON COMMISSIONER
IMPORTANT KEY INFORMATION:
Fatherhood Program applications available
online at: www.ocss.dhs.georgia.gov
DCSS LEADERSHIP:
Tanguler Gray Johnson Director
The Fatherhood Program was created by the Georgia Department of Human Services' (DHS) Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) in 1997 and was statewide in 1998. The program works with non-custodial parents who owe child support through DCSS to locate opportunities and/or resources leading to career employment paying above minimum wage, become selfsufficient and encourage increased emotional and financial involvement in the lives of their children.
Georgia's Fatherhood Program is the largest state-operated fatherhood program in the country. Over 4,600 non-custodial parents received services through the program during FFY2011 and their families received nearly $16 million in child support during that same time period.
Georgia recognized early on that many non-custodial parents wanted to pay their courtordered child support, but lacked the economic capacity to do so. DCSS has partnered with other government and community agencies to develop a comprehensive network of services for this group.
THE FATHERHOOD PROGRAM: Generally takes three to six months to complete. Serves both fathers and mothers who are non-custodial parents. 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.
BARRIERS FACING MANY PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE: Lack of a high school diploma Criminal record No transportation No driver's license Alcohol and substance abuse problems Mental health issues
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE AND OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS: DCSS realizes that addressing these barriers is critical to expanding the success of the program to more low-income fathers. DCSS works with many community-based groups, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions to address the many barriers facing fathers and families. Communities across the state already have services in place that can help fathers and families right where they live. Participants in the program receive continual coaching and mentoring from Fatherhood staff as well as former participants.