14 Jun Let’s Make Kentucky a National Leader in Serving and Protecting Our Children, Families, and Communities through Promoting and Advancing FATHERHOOD

By: Commonwealth Center for Fathers and Families 

Kentucky is no stranger to being a national leader.  Unfortunately, we rank high nationally in several undesirable areas (consistent with the asset-based approach, I will not list these). However, I will say that according to reports prepared by the Children’s Bureau (Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for several years Kentucky has ranked among the states with the highest rates of child abuse and neglect cases. Child Maltreatment 2020 (hhs.gov) 

Why a fatherhood focus?  
Research indicates that an engaged, responsible father is a protective factor for children.   Family structure impacts the likelihood of victimization of children, with the absence of a biological father being a significant predictor of exposure to abuse for children. While most perpetrators [by report] of child abuse are biological parents, children living with stepfathers and absent both biological parents are also at an increased risk for victimization. (Father Facts 8, National Fatherhood Initiative) What bigger “Why” could there be than keeping our children as safeguarded as we possibly can?

How can we do this?
The critical part of the answer is TOGETHER.  We must employ a collective-impact, collaborative model in which we work jointly to include fathers and paternal family members in service delivery systems. This type of work requires a conductor/coordinator. This is the role that CCFF seeks to fulfill.
Commonwealth Center for Fathers and Families (CCFF) is a non-profit organization seeking to improve child outcomes and enhance families and communities through increasing positive fatherhood engagement. CCFF does this through a systems approach that is informed by both research and community.  CCFF will honor and build upon earlier and ongoing partner efforts. Specifically, CCFF will:

• Increase awareness of the many impacts of fatherhood engagement.
• Promote fatherhood engagement across service sectors.
• Provide fatherhood related professional development.
• Provide resources to enhance/establish fatherhood programming across the state.
• Advocate for father and family friendly policies and procedures.
• Identify and assist lived experience fathers to become ambassadors across the state.
• Execute an annual summit to build and advance a statewide fatherhood network. 
• And much more…
  
  By working together in ensuring fathers are actively engaged in the lives of their children we can become nationally known for our coordinated fatherhood efforts and the resulting reduction of child abuse and neglect cases.  Let’s make Kentucky a national leader we can all be proud of!

For more information and to join this effort please visit  Home – Commonwealth Center for Fathers and Families (ccffky.org) or call us at (859) 440-4001.  CCFF programming and projects are funded, in part, by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services contract #PON2 736 2300000936.

David Cozart is CCFF Founder and Chief Visionary Officer.  He is a husband of one and father of three.  He has worked in the arena of fatherhood for nearly three decades.