Several members of the Good Dads team, including executive staff, board members and facilitators, caravanned to Jefferson City today to meet with Missouri legislators for important discussions on the importance of engaged fatherhood.
Our sincere thanks to all the elected members of the Missouri General Assembly who took time out of their busy day to learn about the impact of father absence, the innovative solutions stemming from responsible fatherhood programs, and how Good Dads is building great communities across the state.
Why Dads Matter to Missouri
We believe communities that are committed to supporting engaged fatherhood are made great because they see four categories of benefits: robust economies, safe neighborhoods, flourishing relationships and strong schools. With the Good Dads model, any community in Missouri (or beyond) can be a Great Community when it focuses on fathers.
Since our first New Pathways class in 2018, program participants have contributed more than $3.5 million to their child support cases. Last year, we hosted more than three-dozen classes in more than a dozen communities in the state. More than 200 men enrolled in the NPGD program in Southwest Missouri alone. And just this month—which isn’t even over yet—we’ve enrolled more than 30 dads!
Good Dads Makes a Difference
In 2022, the average child support payment in Missouri was around $183 a month, though most owe much more. This average is lowered by those who don’t pay anything at all, which account for more than half (55%) of all cases. Many cannot pay the full amount they owe.
Conversely, fathers enrolled in New Pathways for Good Dads are more likely to pay child support: 70.7% of dads in our program paid last month — and they paid more, a monthly average of $203.22. Even when Good Dads makes only a small difference in child support payments, the financial benefits to a community are impressive.
Take Greene County for example:
- If just 2% of all unpaid cases paid $200 a month, we could recover $1,191,112 a year.
- If just 5% of all unpaid cases paid $200 a month, we could recover $2,977,782 a year.
- If just 10% of all unpaid cases paid $200 a month, we could recover $5,955,564 a year.
While child support is a big part of our work, it’s not the whole story. Fathers who enroll in our program participate in a guide for responsible fatherhood and a network of companions who help them reach their goals. They see a wealth of benefits from the program, including:
- Fatherhood skills
- Stress & anger management
- Job assessment & career resources
- Family budgeting
- Healthy relationship skills
- Advice for dads with past legal issues
- Father-to-father mentoring
- And much more
But don’t just take it from us: Here’s what just a few fathers in Southwest Missouri had to say after completing our 16-week Good Dads 2.0 course:
“I look at my role as a father in a different perspective. I am more compassionate, understanding and patient. Trying to be more fatherly.”
“My children have noticed the change in my attitude. They know I am striving to be a better father and person.”
“I have taken more accountability of my past actions and (the program) has helped guide my future decisions in parenting.”
“Makes me want to have a closer, more understanding relationship with my children.”
Where is Good Dads?
Since our start in 2015, the New Pathways for Good Dads program has impacted 1000+ fathers in 20+ communities in the state:
- Ava
- Branson
- Buffalo
- Cabool & Texas County
- Carthage
- Columbia
- Fulton
- Hannibal
- Harrisonville & Cass County
- Jefferson City
- Joplin
- Kansas City
- Lebanon
- Mountain Grove
- Mt. Vernon / Stotts City
- Nevada
- Rolla
- Springfield
- Stockton & El Dorado Springs
- St. Joseph
(Bold communities reflect areas that officially joined the Good Dads network as community chapters.)
See a list of ongoing and upcoming classes at our Class Locations Page.
The Missouri Department of Social Services offers contracts in five regions of the state for organizations providing Healthy Marriage & Responsible Fatherhood Initiatives. Good Dads is the Region 4 contract holder; this region spans 30 counties in Southwest Missouri and is home to more than 1.2 million people. In this region alone, there are more than 45,000 open child support cases.
Thanks to funding from the State last year, Good Dads can now serve fathers across Missouri — we are no longer limited to our contract region only.
What’s Next?
The work is far from over.
Every day, our case managers enroll dads in our programs, scout new class location opportunities and provide at-risk fathers with the tools they need.
Every day, we network with community leaders in communities throughout the state to bring Good Dads services to areas that need it most.
Every day, we are growing.
And because we know there are many more fathers who can benefit from Good Dads’ services, we endeavor to reach even more communities in Missouri. Today, tomorrow and beyond, we’re committed to helping kids and communities one dad at a time. And with help from elected representatives and senators in our state capital, we can make great strides in achieving our mission.
How You Can Support Good Dads
Check out our Get Involved page to find volunteer opportunities and more.
See our Events page for upcoming opportunities in Southwest Missouri and beyond.
Discover what it might look like for your community to start a Good Dads Chapter.
Donate to support the nonprofit’s mission.
