Our Mission & Fatherhood Stats

Thank you for inquiring about our Fatherhood program.

The Birmingham Fatherhood Initiative began as a pilot program in 2002 at UAB T.A.S.C. (Treatment Assistance for Safer Communities).Initially our goal was to instruct men about the importance of fatherhood today we have expanded our program to assist non-custodial dads and mothers who are behind in their child support obligations.

Currently we have over 900 participants at 9 locations within the Birmingham/ Bessemer area. Fatherhood Court Program is an innovative alternative to prosecution and incarceration for men with significant child support arrearages. The program increases the number of fathers that contribute financially and emotionally to their children and improves their marriage-ability by helping the men successfully overcome the challenges that have led to their non-payment of child support.

Purpose

The purpose of The Fatherhood Program is to reduce the number of children who are being raised without committed, responsible fathers. By providing a support system that affects the attitudes and behaviors of fathers, we seek to reverse the growing trend of father absence. Working from a systemic approach with the family, we will focus on limiting fragmentation of the mother- father-child-rearing bond caused by divorce and separation.

Objectives

The objectives of the Birmingham/Bessemer Fatherhood Initiative and Support Program are the following:

• Non-custodial fathers remain in full compliance with established court-orders for child support
• Fathers acquire and/or increase their knowledge of the legal system and their personal rights and responsibilities as a non-custodial parent regarding child support, child custody, and childcare
• Assist fathers in the areas of education and employment

Program Implementation

The Fatherhood Program is implemented under the following guidelines

1. The NCP who is in contempt of Court for non-payment of child support, is ordered by the Court to successfully complete the 13-week program or face possible incarceration. Until such time he completes the program the NCP is under un-supervised probation.
2. The NCP is instructed to contact The Fatherhood Workshop Facilitator
3. The client receives an overview of the program. Upon enrollment, the father will complete an intake/enrollment packet. This packet consists of:
   • Enrollment Form
   • Fatherhood Data Sheet
   • Pre/Post Questionnaire
4. Attendance is recorded and normally faxed out following day
5. The Research Interviewer is required to assist the client in finding employment
6. The Research Interviewer is required to be at court and submit a status report on each client
7. The Research Interviewer reports to the following agents:
   • DHR
   • Presiding Judge or Referee
   • Defendant's Attorney (often state-appointed)
8. The Research Interviewer may be asked to work out a plan for a defendant who is jail for non-payment of child support. In which case he will negotiate with the defendant, plaintiff and DHR on a reasonable amount that would satisfy all parties. The Court/DHR requires 10% of the arrearage
9. The Research Interviewer may be asked to work out a plan for indiviauls who are under-employed
10. On completion the 13-week session the client will receive a certificate of completion.

Goal

Our goal is to instigate a shift in paradigms and perceptions concerning the role of fathers. We firmly believe that a positive investment of time, training, and capital will produce responsible fathers and culturally competent service providers. The dividends of this investment will be seen in families who contribute to the well being of their community, draw less upon the resources of local, state, and federal appropriations and establish a more positive inclusive role for fathers.

Target Group

Presently the Bessemer Fatherhood Group consist of approximately 40 non-custodial parents (N.C.P.s). The majority of our clients were Court-ordered referrals NCPs with a history of irregular or non-payment of child support. The greater percentage of our NCPs can be characterized from two extremes, "willing, but unable, to pay" to “able but unwilling to pay”.

Factors Influencing Non-Payment of Court-Ordered Child Support

• Non-custodial parents lack financial ability to meet present obligation, and build-up of arrears discourage NCPs from making payments
• Vocational issues such as un-employment, marginal employment, incarceration, education or disability which affects regular earnings
• Non-custodial fathers with multiple child support cases
• Non-custodial parent currently married or has established another relationship
• Hostility between Custodial and Non-custodial parents involving visitation privileges contributing to non-payment

Please read The Birmingham News article
"Bessemer court program helps make men better fathers"

Please read The Birmingham News article "Job cuts hits child support"

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