$1M federal grant will develop parenting program for teens & young adults in Washington

The Department of Social and Health Services Division of Child Support has announced that they have received $1M in a federal grant to develop parenting program for teens, young adults in Washington.

In a release from DSHS, they say that these funds will be used to team up with school districts and the Washington State Interagency Fatherhood Council to educate teens and young adults about the financial, legal and emotional responsibilities of parenthood. 

Washington is among nine state agencies and two federally recognized tribes throughout the country that were awarded $1 million grants by the Office of Child Support Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.

Charting a Course for Economic Mobility and Responsible Parenting-Cohort 2 grants were awarded to:

• Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation: Browning, MT
  FY 2021 Award: $999,999
• California Department of Child Support Services (Project 1): Rancho Cordova, CA
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000 
• California Department of Child Support Services (Project 2): Rancho Cordova, CA
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000 
• Colorado Department of Human Services: Denver, CO
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000 
• Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa: Hayward, WI
  FY 2021 Award: $999,957
• Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services: Baton Rouge, LA
  FY 2021 Award: $998,788 
• Minnesota Department of Human Services: Saint Paul, MN
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000 
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (Project 1): Columbus, OH
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000 
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (Project 2): Columbus, OH
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000 
• Virginia Department of Social Services: Richmond, VA
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000
• Washington State Department of Social and Health Services: Olympia, WA
  FY 2021 Award: $1,000,000

 

“This is an exciting next step in our commitment to ending poverty,” said Sharon Redmond, DSHS Division of Child Support Director. “At DCS we have always made efforts to invest in family-centered innovations that build financial stability for everyone.”

 

The Charting a Course for Economic Mobility and Responsible Parenting three-year demonstration will begin in September. 

The first year will be dedicated to refining design, evaluation plans and curricula; making formal partnerships with public and private entities; and pilot testing. 

Years two and three are for implementing, tracking, evaluating and refining program activities.

Washington’s program is intended to help teens and young adults gain knowledge, skills and access to resources that will help them reach their full potential as parents. 

Officials state that by incorporating evidence from successful youth development, peer education, health promotion, parent education, workforce development models and cognitive and behavioral education, the program will also encourage the formation and strengthening of local fatherhood supports through groups, mentoring, classes and online parenting education.

“We have a great opportunity with this grant to build new supports for young men who are not yet parenting and young dads to be the fathers their children and families need them to be,” added Anne Stone, Washington Interagency Fatherhood Council Director.

The program will also use digital messaging to reinforce core program activities that promote economic mobility, build healthy relationship skills, teach parenting skills, reduce unplanned pregnancies, prevent relationship violence and enhance life skills.

“Washington state prides itself on being the cutting edge of technology and service delivery, and this grant will help us strengthen that already-solid reputation,” said Don Clintsman, DSHS’ Acting Secretary. “We’re proud to be part of that continuing innovation at DSHS.”

For more information about these programs, visit the sites for the DSHS Division of Child Support, Washington Interagency Fatherhood Council and the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement.