Dear Secretary Anderson,
Fathers play a crucial role in early childhood development. As you work to put together the Department of Children and Families (DCF) budget request for the 2015-17 biennium, I urge you to increase the appropriation of money going to the Children First Program, a program which gives fathers the tools they need to support the growth and development of their dependent children. Currently, DCF funds this program at $400 per participant and I am writing to ask that the amount be increased to $450 per participant, an amount that agencies who administer this program statewide have indicated would be adequate to meet program needs.
The Children First Program was developed for noncustodial parents who were not paying child support due to unemployment or underemployment. The program, which is court-ordered, provides employment and training services for individuals who are struggling to support their children. The Children First Program seeks to foster and support fathers in their goal of becoming more actively involved in their child’s life.
An increase in funding would assist agencies in keeping up with the cost of working with Children First participants. Currently, DCF pays $400 per participant per year for completion of this program-an amount that has not changed since the mid-1990s. With an increase to $450 per participant per year, not only will these agencies be able to maintain the best practices in administering the program, but they will also be able to retain their top employees in order to provide quality programming for fathers who are looking to become productive parents to their dependent children.
The ability for a father to maintain an active and productive role in his child’s life is vital to the success and development of that child. Studies show that not only does a father’s involvement add to a child’s psychological well-being, but it also decreases a child’s risk of obesity, incarceration, and drug and alcohol abuse. I urge you to include increased funding to this program in the budget request you submit to the Governor to allow for agencies statewide to help fathers become productive working citizens and better supporters of their children.
Sincerely,
Senator Nikiya Harris Dodd
6th Senate District
