Bob Holden on Families & Children Former Democratic MO Governor

$3M for more local domestic violence shelters

Only 46 of our state’s 114 counties have domestic violence centers and support for battered women and their children. What is truly shocking about the situation is the number of women and children turned away. I strongly recommend an additional $3 million for local domestic violence shelters next fiscal year. [I also propose] a task force to develop a strategic action plan for how we can coordinate and integrate our approach to domestic violence, based on needs and priorities.

Encourage fathers' participation in child-raising.

The Issue

NGA’s Position

Federal funds & state involvement in fatherhood initiatives.

The nation’s Governors recognize that governments at all levels can and should take immediate action including:
• providing additional education and information about the importance of fathers participating in raising their children;
• establishing a nongovernmental national clearinghouse to collect and disseminate information regarding responsible fatherhood;
• expanding efforts to prevent unintended and out-of-wedlock teen pregnancies;
• providing children with appropriate adult male role models, such as mentors, in the absence of a caring father;
• ensuring that young men are given opportunities to feel successful and valued, which will lead to the development of self-confidence and preparation for fatherhood;
• encouraging the involvement of the community, including the religious community, civic community, business community, and mentors in addressing the importance of father involvement;
• developing strategies that include both parents in activities focused on their children, such as training service providers and educators to include both parents in their service delivery;
• working with private employers and the education community to provide education and job training opportunities to unemployed, underemployed, and low-skilled fathers; and
• paternity establishment and child support enforcement efforts.

Any new federal funding stream designated for fatherhood initiatives should:
• support programs in states, at the discretion of each Governor, that encourage appropriate involvement of both parents in the life of a child, with priority given to programs that specifically address the issue of fatherhood;
• be coordinated with existing fatherhood programs, as well as with other federal funds that can be used for fatherhood initiatives, such as TANF; and
• not be funded at the expense of another vital human service program.