A 2008 study by the National Fatherhood Initiative estimated that “the cost to taxpayers for father absences approaches $100 billion every year.” They got this number by calculating annual federal expenditures for antipoverty programs and child support enforcement costs.
In the last few years there has been a push to get those absent fathers back into the lives of their children and provide support in a number of ways—like mentoring, education, and promoting self-sufficiency.
The Montgomery County Fatherhood Initiative (MCFI) is part of the national effort and one of 20 counties in Ohio operating programs for fathers. WYSO's Jerry Kenney spoke to MCFI Program Coordinator, Michael Newsome, and in this WYSO Weekend excerpt we’ll hear from Timothy Burgess—a father of 4 who’s actively working to get back into the lives of his children.
