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QUESTION
Council Member Rita Joseph Asks DYCD About Fatherhood Initiative Engagement and Referrals
0:44:27
ยท
101 sec
Council Member Rita Joseph inquires about the Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD)'s Fatherhood Initiative, focusing on participant engagement, referral sources, and whether the service is mandatory or voluntary. Deputy Commissioner Mike Bobbitt provides insights into the program's outreach, revealing they served 1,225 fathers since 2023, with referrals from ACS, the Department of Probation, walk-ins, and word-of-mouth. He clarifies that while DYCD's services are voluntary, some referral partners might set participation as a condition.
Speaker 5
0:44:27
I I just have a couple of questions around your fatherhood initiatives.
0:44:31
And as I was talking to the chair, this is like a big secret inside the agency.
0:44:36
We wanna see you robust engagement, robust advertisement for the programs to support fathers.
0:44:44
We know that's needed.
0:44:46
So how many fathers have you served through this initiative since 2023?
Speaker 3
0:44:55
Thank you for your participation in the NEB, and thank you for your question.
0:44:59
2023, we served 1225 deaths.
Speaker 5
0:45:05
How the how the how the majority fathers come to know of your service?
0:45:09
Are they referred walk walk ins, and how does that work?
Speaker 3
0:45:13
It's a wide range.
0:45:14
Some of the consistent referral partners have been administration for children services and department of probation.
0:45:21
They do receive walk ins.
0:45:22
There's also a positive word-of-mouth, so sometimes clients who may not initially have wanted to be in the program.
0:45:28
But once they are in the program, They find it a welcoming environment.
0:45:31
They will let other dads in their personal network know about the program.
Speaker 5
0:45:34
That's good.
0:45:34
Is the service mandated through courts, ACS, or voluntary?
Speaker 3
0:45:39
It's not mandated from aycd's perspective.
0:45:42
We make the services available.
0:45:43
Some of the referral partners may have set that as a condition.
0:45:47
So if there's and allegation of abuse or neglect, ACS may require the parent to to perform certain things to demonstrate why they can have access.
0:45:56
And rise to their childhood again.
0:45:58
We support that as well as many other circumstances dads may be facing.
Speaker 5
0:46:02
Okay.
0:46:02
So that's one way to get them back in the relationship with their out their ACS referral.
Speaker 3
0:46:06
Yes.
Speaker 5
0:46:07
Okay.
0:46:07
Good.