Region 10 Fatherhood Conference Call
April 27, 2005
11:00 – 12:00

Attendance

(I know we didn’t get everyone, or the right spelling of names.)
Nancy Basser Smith, Beth Zenner — Lewis and Clark
Jesus Rome — Umatilla Morrow
Sammie Allen, Albetine Mitchell, Nancy Maniago — Lane County
Tim Ryan, Michael Boehm, Dan McSadyaen — PSESD
Darci Altizer — EOCS in Vancouver
Gwen Green — WICAP
Charlet Gunter — Southern Oregon
Kathy Hughes, Dan Easdale — Kidco
Carol Lowry, Spencer Hoffer — Portland PS HS
Denise Schmidt — Family Services of Grant County
Shelly Yoder, Lane Lyons — Mt Hood
Nicole Spreadburough — COCAAN
Maria Hanes — Tacoma HS
Nancy Degrange — WICAP
Santiago Ramirez — WICAP
Tim Gahm — Childrens Home Society of WA EHS
George Macjiwsky — OLYCAP Early Childhood Services
Kim Davis — Kittitas Co.
Karen Porter, Joel Taylor — Mid Columbia Children’s Council
Shelly Murphy — LCC
Carolyn Keifer — Idaho HS Collaboration Director
Diane Cox — Boise Family Services
Anhippy Petras, Steve Hetsridge — UW
Bernie Dorsey — Trust Conscious Fathering Networks
Susan Morrow, David Nevell — Early Childhood Opportunities NW, Bellingham
Rebecca Paul — Chugachmiut
Lee Morgan Brooks, Klamath Falls
Mary Willey — Fairbanks Native Association
Gayle Bolye — Hillsborough
Lawrence Britten — Lewis & Clark
Manuel Villafan — Yakima EPIC
Matt Sena — Anchorage — Chugachmiut
Francisca Rodriguez, Fatimo — Washington Migrant Council
Allison Laughlin — Oregon TA Specialist
Ruai Gregory — Idaho TA Specialist
Pat Brinkman — Washington TA Specialist
Renee Marsh — Seattle PS HS
Doug Fagerness — North Idaho HS

Fatherhood Initiative Updates

Father Factor Conference — There were over 3,000 participants. The conference was centered on the "Building Blocks" curriculum. Post consultation dollars from the HSB for individual training or cluster meetings. 36+ programs participated. Monies were available for a fatherhood grant last fall. 13 programs took advantage of these grants.

Family and Community Partnership Specialists are looking at the Program Review Instrument for Systems Monitoring (PRISM) and moving to incorporate fatherhood in the PRISM by creating questions to be integrated into the core questions and that will also be placed on the Reviewer's webpage. The changes have been submitted to the Head Start Bureau and may be included in next year's PRISM. The questions submitted focused on the parent involvement section. An example question is: "Are the fathers the biological father or the significant male in the child’s life?" Hopefully, it would be the significant male in the child's life and the language in the questions will indicate that.

Grantee Updates on Fatherhood

Lee Morgan Brooks, Klamath Falls, OR.:

• Held community wide fatherhood presentations. Chuck Smith was a presenter, using the Building Blocks as a teaching tool.
• Dad's club meets once a month, usually with an event.
• Staff met with Policy Council Chair to discuss fatherhood ideas.
• Corn Maze event with 160 attendees, Swimming and Safety Day, Literacy Day, and Fishing Outing.
• Made connection with local newspaper for publicity of events.
• Collaboration with Home Depot.
• Future to connect father oriented parent curriculum that is oriented towards drug and alcohol

Sammy Allen, Lane Co.:

• Holding a two day fatherhood conference.
• Received a fatherhood grant.
• Events: Fishing, miniature golf, pizza night, trip to child activity and learning center, and dad's reading program.
• Walmart provided to the program fishing kits, and "Walmart Kid's Fishing Derby."
• State Fish and Wildlife Dept. sponsored a kid's free fishing day.
• Presented on local Television program, the fishing day.

Charlotte, Southern OR.:

• Produced a video showing their parents and fathers. (Video can't be shared due to releases).
• Events: fishing day, father's support group, and taking photos of fathers in the classrooms.
• They use 21st Century Exploring Parenting Curriculum in the father support groups, and brought in a trainer.

Manual Villafen, EPIC. :

• He has been running the fatherhood program for the past three years.
• Curriculum they use is Amor de Padres or A Father's Love, (six lessons).
• Activities included: pottery and bowling.

Dan McSayden Puget Sound ESD:

• Survey fathers to get buy into the Building Blocks tools.
• They will gather info and adapt the material.
• Boeing grant to train dads on child development and working as a team with staff on site. Each group of dads plan activities at the sites. Some activities included a calendar with recipes for each month.
• Fatherhood Coalition of Greater Seattle will hold an event on May 21st, at the Stanford Center.

Fatherhood Coalition:

• Summer Institute is in Ellensburg June 20-22. The intent of the leadership group is to provide an opportunity to share what’s working and address the Building Blocks. How much involvement in the building blocks?
• The coalition is trying to create an umbrella group to maximize the effectiveness of the fatherhood initiative.

George from Olycap WA:

• Mental health male consultant, trying to start a support group using 21st Century Exploring Parenting curriculum. Did not find Building Blocks quite useful. We did get a lot of enthusiasm for 21st Century Exploring Parenting curriculum.

Matt Sena — Chugachmuit, AK:

• Focusing on skill building, recruitment, collaborating with at least 9 programs in the state. What are the essential things to learn in your fatherhood program? They are hoping to create mature fatherhood programs to create all stars that can pass on the information to others.

Santiago Ramirez, WICAP, ID: Is the National Head Start Father of the Year. He is employed by WICAP, as a Family Advocate. Santiago has appreciated the support from HS for fathers.

For moving forward Louise will stay in touch through email and will schedule another conference call in the fall.

Louise Gill's email: lgill@acf.hhs.gov.
Bernie Dorsey's email: bdorsey@parenttrust.org
Region 10 website: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/region10/index.html
Santiago Ramirez's email: ramirezsa@wicaphs.com