This report describes four Responsible Fatherhood programs that focus primarily on low-income Hispanic fathers: Futuro Now from KidWorks, a partner of The East Los Angeles Community Union, in Santa Ana, California; Project Fatherhood at The Children’s Institute, Inc., in Los Angeles County, California; Project Padres at Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program in Imperial County, California; Responsible Fatherhood Program at Southwest Key in San Antonio, Texas. This study provides information about how these federally funded programs are implemented in a culturally relevant way and…
Boys and young men of color are at risk for poor health and developmental outcomes from birth through young adulthood. Many risks flow from a lack of economic resources and residence in segregated neighborhoods of concentrated disadvantage. This paper outlines these developmental challenges and identifies societal, institutional, and community changes that would increase resources, eliminate or reduce stress and trauma, and provide support for boys and families. It also identifies some knowledge gaps that must be filled in order to increase the effectiveness of programs directed toward this…
The Positive Parenting Program, Triple P, is an evidence-based parenting program with strong empirical support that increases parenting skills and decreases child behavior problems. Few studies on Triple P include fathers or African American fathers. This study was undertaken to determine if adaptation to Triple P level 4 is necessary to ensure fit with urban African American fathers.Qualitative focus groups and interviews were conducted with African American fathers. Some received a brief overview of the program before giving feedback (series A) and others received the entire intervention (…
In this qualitative study, the authors explored adolescent African American (AA) males’ characterizations of healthy teen dating relationships. They conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 AA males (ages 13-21) recruited from schools and community youth groups around Washington DC. Analysis focused on what the young men value in a dating relationship and their perceptions of what makes a relationship healthy. Their narratives provided multi-layered, descriptive characterizations of healthy dating dynamics. Through an iterative process, four key themes emerged (Trustworthy Relationship,…
On February 27, 2014, President Barack Obama launched “My Brother’s Keeper” (MBK) and issued a powerful call to action to close opportunity gaps still faced by too many young people, and often by boys and young men of color in particular. The President’s announcement encouraged candid dialogues around the country and a greater sense of responsibility among community leaders, and young people themselves to put all youth in a position to thrive, regardless of their race, gender, or socioeconomic status. Over the course of the past year, efforts have advanced along three areas of focus based on…
This report highlights policy strategies that have shown promise in improving outcomes for children and families of color in child welfare systems. The strategic areas for policy development outlined in this report include: analyzing and using data, including collecting data by race, ethnicity, Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) eligibility, gender identity and age and the supporting data analysis on the interplay of these categories; supporting families with appropriate services and resources, including investing in the development of the evidence needed to create effective solutions for…
This report uses the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health to examine both the prevalence of parental incarceration and child outcomes associated with it. Based on the analyses, more than five million children, representing 7% of all U.S. children, have had a parent who lived with them go to jail or prison. The proportion was found to be higher among black, poor, and rural children. After accounting for effects associated with demographic variables such as race and income, the study found parental incarceration was associated with: a higher number of other major, potentially…
This brief highlights themes and action steps drawn from a roundtable on Two-Generational Strategies to Improve Immigrant Family and Child Outcomes, hosted by the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, on April 23-24, 2015 in Washington, D.C. The roundtable and this brief come at a critical time, when immigrants and their children are such a significant part of changing American demographics that they are crucial to the nation’s future success: one-quarter of the nation’s young children are children of immigrants. At the same time, important…
Supported by The Heinz Endowments, the Urban Institute has examined the structural barriers that contribute to differences in African American and white men’s access to economic opportunities in Pittsburgh, specifically in employment and entrepreneurship. This action plan outlines recommendations for community leaders in Pittsburgh to help reduce or eliminate these barriers and enable African American men to improve their economic position. The study findings are summarized in a separate report, Structural Barriers to Racial Equity in Pittsburgh: Expanding Economic Opportunity for African…
This study of Pittsburgh, supported by The Heinz Endowments, focuses on structural barriers that contribute to differences in African American and white men’s access to economic opportunities, specifically in employment and entrepreneurship. Structural barriers are obstacles that disproportionately affect a certain racial or ethnic group and perpetuate or maintain stark disparities in outcomes. This report summarizes findings from statistical analysis, focus groups, and individual interviews with stakeholders and African American men in Pittsburgh. A separate document, Barriers and Bridges:…
