NCJ Number
230211
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 71 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2009 Pages: 76-79
Date Published
December 2009
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes programming that provides family support services for incarcerated fathers and their families, in order to facilitate successful reentry into their families and communities upon release.
Abstract
This programming was launched under grant funding authorized through the Healthy Marriage Promotion and Responsible Fatherhood provisions of the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Under these provisions, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had funded the Marriage and Family Strengthening Grants for Incarcerated Fathers and Their Partners (MFS-IP). Based on data collected from the implementation component of the MFS-IP evaluation, this article highlights approaches to teaching skills, facilitating contact, and providing support to families. MFS-IP grants support the provision of services to promote or sustain healthy relationships for couples with children when one parent is incarcerated or otherwise involved with the criminal justice system in addition to relationship-strengthening activities, grantees may deliver services that improve parenting and promote economic stability. No one program model is required for grantees, so program components vary widely among MFS-IP grantees. Some programs initiate services when incarceration begins, and others wait to enroll participants in the months preceding release. All grantees deliver services in at least one correctional facility, which can include State prisons, county prisons, and county jails. Many grantees have a community-based component for nonincarcerated partners. Program participation must be voluntary for both partners. Because one of the primary objectives of the MFS-IP initiative is to teach couples the skills necessary to maintain healthy relationships, all of the grantees are implementing a curriculum-based component on this topic. Almost all grantees are also teaching parenting skills; such classes are typically offered only to incarcerated men. In addition, many programs provide some form of visitation support or special children visits with their incarcerated fathers. 15 notes