Northwest Ohio Fatherhood Connection - Preparing Fathers to Meet the Emotional, Psychological, Physical and Financial Needs of their Children

NWOFC utilizes three evidence-based practices: (1) Nurturing Fathers Program (NFP), the Marriage and Parenting Program (MA & PA), and EMPATH Mobility Mentoring and vocational services and supports. NFP is a 13 session/32.5 hour training course designed to teach parenting and nurturing skills to men. NFP is the primary workshop curriculum of focus in this study. Mobility Mentoring is a coaching model grounded in brain science that recognizes that partnering/coaching with a client is essential to gain the skills needed to preserve economic independence. Mobility Mentoring provides coaching across the five domains of family stability, health and well-being, education and training, financial management, and employment and career bring a comprehensive focus to the complexity of economic stability. Finally, NWOFC includes job-driven vocational services that are designed to improve participants’ knowledge, understanding, skills, and employability. This component of the program is focused at assisting the participants in improving their income levels by empowering the fathers to develop higher level job skills that lead to higher paying jobs. Typically, these services include workforce and job training services that assist individuals in entering and advancing in fields of manufacturing, transportation, distribution, healthcare, business services, and construction trades. This study employs random assignment to compare differences between individuals who receive vocational services as usual and those who complete a short-term job training program in a high-demand occupation as identified by labor market information from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS, 2019).

NWOFC utilizes three evidence-based practices: (1) Nurturing Fathers Program (NFP), the Marriage and Parenting Program (MA & PA), and EMPATH Mobility Mentoring and vocational services and supports to reach its goals. Nurturing Fathers is part of the Nurturing Parenting Program which received a comprehensive review by SAMHSA and is found on the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse which evaluates programs utilized in child welfare. The Nurturing Fathers Program is a 13 session/32.5 hour training course designed to teach parenting and nurturing skills to men. NFP is the primary workshop curriculum of focus in this study. The creator of Nurturing Fathers is the creator of the MA & PA program as well which is offered as a supplement to NFP–targeting co-parenting couples. Validation studies of Nurturing Fathers Program found that participants improved in their understanding of the development capabilities of children, improved in their ability to demonstrate empathy toward the needs of children, improved in the reporting use of alternative strategies to corporal punishment, increased understanding and acceptance of the needs of self and children, and increased in the value placed on children feeling empowered (Nurturing Parenting, n.d.).

Mobility Mentoring is a coaching model grounded in brain science that recognizes that partnering/coaching with a client is essential to gain the skills needed to preserve economic independence. Mobility Mentoring provides coaching across the five domains of family stability, health and well-being, education and training, financial management, and employment and career bring a comprehensive focus to the complexity of economic stability. It was first implemented in 2009 and is in use in 30 states and five countries outside of the United States. Impact reports and evaluation studies published from 2014 through 2019 validate its success (EMPath, n.d.). Finally, a program evaluation conducted on previous fatherhood-focused programming at Zepf Center also demonstrated that these selected interventions result in success in the areas of economic stability. Therefore, we believe that this combination of programming, with enhanced supportive services through case management, success coaching, and peer support specialists, will allow us to achieve the desired outcomes.

Finally, NWOFC includes job-driven vocational services that are designed to improve participants’ knowledge, understanding, skills, and employability. This component of the program is focused at assisting the participants in improving their income levels by empowering the fathers to develop higher level job skills that lead to higher paying jobs. Typically, these services include workforce and job training services that assist individuals in entering and advancing in fields of manufacturing, transportation, distribution, healthcare, business services, and construction trades. This study employs random assignment to compare differences between individuals who receive vocational services as usual and those who complete a short-term job training program in a high-demand occupation as identified by labor market information from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS, 2019).

Individuals assigned to the short-term training (intervention condition) will have the opportunity to participate in one of these certifications:
• Certified Production Training Certification
• CDL Truck Driving
• Certified Logistics Technician
• Healthcare Support Certification
• Medical Assistants Certification
• Behavioral Healthcare Technician
• Certified Forklift Training
• Welding Certifications
• Certified Automotive Technician
The vocational services as usual (control/comparison group) receives:
• Resume development
• Job coaching
• Assistance with completing applications
• Assistance with job searching
• Interviewing skills

2022-04-01

2024-04-01

Key dependent variables include: Co-parenting relationship, father-child relationship, employment status and stability, economic stability.

Co-parenting relationship = Scores assessed from nFORM entry and exit surveys: questions from parenting alliance domain section of the tool

Father-child relationship = Scores assessed from nFORM entry and exit surveys: questions from parenting engagement, parenting skills, and parenting efficacy section of the tool

Employment = improvement in employment status assessed via nFORM entry and exit surveys: questions about employment status and wages; Fatherhood Research and Practice Network Fathers’ Challenges Measure assessed employment challenges (pre and post); EMPath Mobility Bridge goal setting tool improvement in scores over time; Discharge summary: Yes/no questions re: employment status changes over the course of the program including whether or not participant reported achieving an improved position, wages, industry-recognized credential, completion of job training, and employment in field in which trained.

Economic stability = Improvement in economic stability assessed via nFORM entry and exit surveys: questions about economic stability; Fatherhood Research and Practice Network Fathers’ Challenges Measure assessed economic challenges (pre and post)

This research proposes an experimental study with a randomized pre-test/post-test design.

We will use random assignment to compare economic stability and vocational attainment outcomes between the intervention group receiving targeted short-term job training and the control/comparison group that is receiving vocational support services, as usual, to see if the intervention caused the changes in observed employment and economic stability outcomes.

This research proposes an experimental study with a randomized pre-test/post-test design.

In addition to studying the NWOFC’s program’s implementation—to address the extent to which a program is operating as intended—we (Mighty Crow Media, LLC—the agency hired to do the research and evaluation portion of the grant project) will also research program outcomes to assess whether the program led to intended changes in participants’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors, or awareness related to healthy relationships, parenting, and economic stability. Additionally, for the experimental piece of the study, we will use random assignment to compare economic stability and vocational attainment outcomes between the intervention group receiving targeted short-term job training and the control/comparison group that is receiving vocational support services, as usual, to see if the intervention caused the changes in observed employment and economic stability outcomes. To do this, key variables of interest (e.g., employment status, wages) will be assessed prior to the start of the program and again at the conclusion of the program.

Block randomization by computer using online tool: http://www.randomization.com

Randomized in blocks/units of 10 individuals; roughly 10 individuals makes up one cohort for enrollment

Yes

875 individuals; randomized in cohorts of 10

875 individuals

438 individuals = intervention/short-term vocational training
437 individuals = control/vocational services as usual

We used G*Power software to calculate power and effect size for our vocational outcomes (binary). The analysis was based on Exact - Proportions: Inequality, two dependent groups, two-tailed (McNemar test). The minimum sample size required for 80% power and a large effect size is 398. The minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes = .20; N = 112.