Racine Kenosha Community Action Agency (RKCAA)Kenosha County WIC Project –

Father Involvement Initiative: Dedicated Dads

Goal: Improve the health of low income infants and children participating in the Kenosha WIC Program through the support and engagement of fathers.

RKCAA - Kenosha Additional grants &

initiatives supporting WIC families and the Kenosha community.

Additional WIC funded

programs

WIC

Why fatherhood?

• Dr. Michael Lu: Where is the F in MCH?

• Benefits of father involvement

Fatherhood Data

Kenosha Lifecourse Initiative for Health Families

Wisconsin Partnership Planning & Program Development grant recipient

1. Tracking father involvement

2. Needs Assessment/focus groups

3. FI opportunities at WIC clinic

4. Research models5. Mapping project6. Determine model

for Kenosha WIC office.

Tracking Father Involvement at WIC: Time Period: 7/1/13 – 12/31/13

Number of visits = 1,386 Unduplicated: 993

WIC Father Contact

Overview: 993 fathers visited the office 1,386 times (on average 1.4 visits)

Reason for WIC office Visit• 37% Appointment for Infant or child• 27% Check pick-up and Nutrition Session• 21% Check pick-up only• 7% waited in waiting room• 6% WIC pregnancy apt

Focus Groups

1, 0.6%

2, 1.2%

5, 3%

6, 3.6%

9, 5.4%

9, 5.4%

11, 6.6%

13, 7.8%

17, 10.2%

26, 15.7%

29, 17.5%

46, 27.7%

52, 31.3%

55, 33.1%

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Alcohol or drug abuse counseling

Other

Legal assistance

Child custody assistance

Family planning

Smoking cessation program or classes

Employment training

Child support assistance

Shelter/Housing

Health or medical care

Transportation

Employment

Financial

Food

Do you have any of the following needs at this time? (Check all that apply)

Based on needs assessment findings and literature reviews, the team developed a two-pronged approach for engaging fathers at the RKCAA.

Father-specific funding needed

• United Way grant (July: 10 hours a week)

• Wisconsin DHS: Minority Health grant

• Integrate position to include some WIC responsibilities: FT position 10/2015– Father Involvement Specialist

Baby steps to implementation

• WPP grant ends 12/2014

• Sharmain participates in November event

• Sharmain volunteers, trained as a facilitator

Father-specific programmingYear One: Hire Father Involvement Specialist

A Father as an Employee at WIC

What is the Nurturing Fathers ProgramIt is a 13 week evidence based curriculum created to cultivate and support the attitudes and skills for male nurturance, hoping to benefit men, women and children in family relationships.

Classes: 2 ½ hour sessions offered twice a week.

Nurturing Fathers

Grant expectations

Class descriptions

Daddy Day Out events

Graduation Video

Community Linkages & Support • The local Newspaper

• Child Support Services

• Employment support

• Referrals to other Social Services agencies

• Volunteer opportunities

• Probation and Parole & Criminal Court Judges

• Kenosha Unified School District

• YMCA & Other Incentives

Based on needs assessment findings and literature reviews, the team developed a two-pronged approach for engaging fathers at the RKCAA.

Father Involvement at WIC

• Staff training

• Father involvement at WIC visits

Father Involvement at WIC

Nutrition visits with the RDKitchen Creations/Taste of WIC events

Father friendly environment

• Posters

• Brochures through the State WIC office

FIT Team FatherInvolvement Team

Nurturing Fathers classes continue…

Year Two

AAPI

Dedicated Dads 1:1

1st time dads/fathers of infants

Monthly connections:

4 areas of focus

Employment and Education

Parent Involvement

Co-parenting

Role Modeling

Modeled after our Fit Families program

Dedicated Dads 1:112 Monthly contacts - 35 dads

Father Involvement at WIC

• Tracking Dads at WIC Visits: Compare 2013 data with 2017 data.

Referrals and Resources• Fatherhood Resource

• Employment Information

• Housing and Rental Assistance

• Legal information resource

• Community Events

• Food Pantries

WIC Daddy Daughter Dance

2018

Power Hour sessions

Dedicated Dads 1:1 upgrade:

Response to infant deaths and emerging community initiatives

Launch Dedicated Dads Online

• Using technology to reach dads in new ways

Dedicated Dads online

Co-Parenting Video

Data Collection

Lessons Learned

Staff training

Involve all staff

What does father engagement look like at your clinic?

Survey dads

Core group

Evaluate and partner with others

Build with WIC initiatives: BF

Look within WIC

Thank You!