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THE SERV/CES ARE:
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<br /> Family law seminars hosted by a facilitator and conducted by a family law attorney who advises
<br /> fathers in their concern regarding divorce, paternity, custody, child support and related issues.
<br />· Support _groups for fathers are lead by facilitators who aid single, married, and divorced fathers who
<br /> want to meet with other men in discussing the issues related to parenting and collaborating in raising
<br /> their children.
<br />· Classes in ancer mar, agement are 16-week, open courses designed to help meh who are struggling to
<br /> unde. rstand and deal effectively with anger, rage, and intimidation and control issues. It is teaching and
<br /> a g~'vup process helping men learn to harness the energy of anger in a constructive way in order to
<br /> eng%e positively in the challenges and conflicts of th,ir lives.
<br />· Par'~ ating classes take two forms; and each is an eight-week course. Or?e form is based o..,~ .Erik
<br /> Erikson's eight stagc.~ of human develcpment and teaches parents to relate to:their childrc..h not just
<br /> rn~nage their behavi~,rs. The other form is based on ti:;: systematic trak,ir:g for effective [ :~ znting
<br /> (S '-2) model. Theo~, dialo~,ue and !.,,teractive mat¢:'ia!s aid parents [~, becoming better 2arents and
<br /> be~: icc partners.
<br />· l(."lationships coup's ~ is based on Eri~ ~:rikson's e[gh~ stages of human dewiopment and ~e:.:hes both
<br /> me_ ~nd women, married and single~ With or withom a ?~,xmer, how huw~a developme~? qr_d
<br /> rel; !onships work~ ~hqr purpose, their ~rm, and how ~o create healthy relationships.
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<br />Most ¢,~'f,e clients se~' ~ are from low-iafio:ne families an~ diverse ethnic 3~'oups and would not be able to
<br />get set ~.~s at all witho,~'~ :ubsidy. If these clients were to pay for these s~:~ ~'2ces, this would :'2': ~her
<br />oblige.: :. them financially and force them i~;o destitution.
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<br />The sta,,' is all contracted vrofessionals trained in the appr?:iate arms of e,';. ertlse, and ovcrs~.m by the
<br />director and c0-directoL ,^il of the attome;,s presenting law seminars are ¥o,~::teer professionals. Some
<br />paremma, class instructors, support group £acilitators and law clinic hosts .~r; volunteers, man7 of whom are
<br />former sc:vice recipie~:: :. Some are volumecring until add?ional funding i, achieved because ;hey believe
<br />in the ,ission of the
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<br />GOA~ ~:
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<br />The community's need for an agency such as the Resource Center for Fathers & Families is two-fold:
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<br /> To provide the help and support a father needs when he realizes he needs help and 'takes those first
<br />· critical steps, whorl i~e reaches out for the first time. It is at this point of frustration that what happens
<br />to him is so critical. The role that he plays with his child, mn and with his partner depend on what
<br />happens at this point. The system, for example, might limit his access to his children, or to his
<br />personal belongings increasing his anger and frustration. That same system still expects him to
<br />provide the money needed to continue their lives - a life he no longer believes he can participate in or
<br />enjoy. His fear, further, is that he will lose his relationship with his children. At the same time, there
<br />are many supportive systems and services to assist his wife and children, but nothing geared for
<br />fathers.
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<br />At this point RCFF would inform him, that his first obligation is to take care .of himself'by continuing
<br />to work so he can provide for himself, his family and his legal expenses. He does not need to change
<br />his job or residence, i.e. to run from a seemingly hopeless situation. His emotions can be validated by
<br />others who have been in his situation and he can learn some new forms of r~/sponse. It is at this point
<br />that because the cost of the services at RFCC can be tailored, (so as not to burden him into poverty or
<br />hopelessness causing him to quit and abandon everything), his recovery becomes possible.
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