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Employment Services for Noncustodial Parents: The Georgia Fatherhood Program

Employment Services for Noncustodial Parents: The Georgia Fatherhood Program. Theresa Ann Sipe, PhD Stacey R. Bloomer, MS Danielle E. Ruedt, MPH.

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Employment Services for Noncustodial Parents: The Georgia Fatherhood Program

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  1. Employment Services for Noncustodial Parents:The Georgia Fatherhood Program Theresa Ann Sipe, PhD Stacey R. Bloomer, MS Danielle E. Ruedt, MPH

  2. Georgia implemented a pilot Fatherhood Program in 1996 and expanded to a statewide program in 1998. The program’s goals are to increase employment for noncustodial parents and thereby increase child support payments. Over 9,000 noncustodial parents have received services from the program thus far. The Georgia Fatherhood Program provides assessment, remedial and literacy education, GED preparation, values clarification concerning responsibility towards children and employment, life skills training, job skills training in a variety of employment fields, and job search assistance.

  3. The main service provider is the Department of Technical and Adult Education with an existing network of 36 technical colleges across the state of Georgia. Data for over 3,112 participants in 2000 indicate that the noncustodial parents are mostly male and African-American with over half having a criminal history. Fifty-four percent of the participants gained employment and 45% are paying child support. Research with a two-group pretest/posttest design was conducted in 1999. Analyses indicate that the two groups were similar on demographics with the exception of education. Results and conclusions for the 1999 research are presented.

  4. Demographics for 2000 • 31 Years mean age • 92% Male • 79% Black • 74% Single • 44% No high school education/GED Data from DTAE Fatherhood Database for 2000 (n=3112)

  5. Barriers for 2000 • 57% Criminal Record - 30% Felonies - 31% Probation or parole - 47% Jail time - 19% Jail time for failure to pay support • 31% No drivers license Data from DTAE Fatherhood Database for 2000 (n=3112)

  6. Outcomes for 2000 Data from DTAE Fatherhood Web Page (n=3112)

  7. Research Components and Results

  8. Two Group Pretest/Posttest Design • Participants recruited at Orientation - Paid $25 at posttest • Non-participants recruited from Court system - Paid $10 at pretest and $25 at posttest • Six month interval between measurements • Data collected in 1999

  9. Demographics and Barriers

  10. Employment Status

  11. Participants - 30% employed on entry - 66% employed 6 months later Non-participants - 80% employed at pretest - 85% employed 6 months later Employment Status Statistically significant increase in numbers employed for participants

  12. Wages

  13. Participants (unemploy on entry) - $0.00 on entry - $9.75 at posttest Non-participants (employed) - $8.65 at pretest - $9.87 at posttest Wages – Unemployed on Entry No statistical difference between the two groups 6 months later

  14. Health Benefits for Children

  15. Participants - 7% benefits on entry - 22% benefits 6 months later Non-participants - 21% benefits at pretest - 30% benefits 6 months later Health Benefits for Children Statistically significant increase in health benefits for children for participants

  16. Conclusions for Employment • Enrollment in the GFP leads to higher levels of employment • Wages of participants are comparable to non-participants • Gains in health care for children

  17. Basic Symptom Inventory (BSI) • Measure of Mental Health • Designed to reflect point-in-time patterns of psychological symptoms • Three Global Indices

  18. BSI Global Indices • Global Severity Index (GSI) - Global Measure of Mental Health • Positive Symptom Total (PST) - Number of Symptoms Measure • Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI) - Intensity of Symptoms Measure

  19. BSI – Fatherhood Sample Participants (n=71) Non-participants (n=45).

  20. BSI – Fatherhood Sample Normal Sample (n=361) Participants (n=71). *p<.05. **p<.01.

  21. BSI – Fatherhood Sample Normal Sample (n=361) Non-participants (n=45). *p<.05. **p<.01.

  22. BSI – Intensity of Symptoms (PSDI)

  23. Conclusions for Mental Health • One quarter or more of both groups were defined as a positive case on the BSI. • Both groups tested significantly different from a normal, non-patient population. • Both groups experienced an increase in the level of intensity of symptoms.

  24. Contacts Theresa Ann Sipe- tsipe@gsu.edu Danielle Ruedt– druedt@gsu.edu Stacey Bloomer– sbloomer@gsu.edu Georgia Fatherhood Hotline 1-888-4 FATHER fatherhood_cse@dhr.state.ga.us Support for this study was provided by State of Georgia Department of Human Resources contract 427-930-2243.

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