Long Beach Health Department Announces Conclusion of Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program
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~ The Fundamentals of Fatherhood program, launched in 2015 by the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), has officially come to an end on September 30, 2025. The program, which was supported by federal grant funding administered by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), has provided free parenting education, mentorship, employment readiness services, and coaching to thousands of fathers and father figures in Long Beach.

Over the past ten years, the program has served an average of 180 participants annually with the goal of strengthening parenting skills, promoting economic stability, and improving family relationships. The approximately $10 million grant funded a variety of services including parenting workshops, job support, and case management.

During its initial launch in 2015, the Fundamentals of Fatherhood program received high marks for its effective approaches to promoting responsible parenting, healthy family relationships, and economic stability. However, despite its strong performance and positive impact on the community, the program was not selected for continued funding during its grant renewal process.

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The conclusion of this program reflects a larger national trend as cities across the country face reductions in family-strengthening programs due to the loss of key federal grants. As a result of this funding cutback, several services will no longer be offered through the Fundamentals of Fatherhood program. These include group classes and one-on-one sessions for parenting education, job-seeking assistance and workforce development guidance tailored to fathers, as well as individualized support for connecting fathers with vital resources such as housing and healthcare.

Community members are encouraged to visit longbeach.gov/fatherhood to learn about other local programs and services that support fathers and families. Some available resources include The East Los Angeles Women's Center, All4Kids Father Engagement Program, Shields For Families, Thriving Dads, Healthy Relationships California, Children's Institute Inc., Project Fatherhood Volunteers of America Los Angeles (VOALA), and Friends Outside in Los Angeles County.

For those who wish to support and sustain local health and family services, tax-deductible donations can be made to the Health and Human Services Fund through the Long Beach Community Foundation, which supports a variety of City health programs.

Despite the conclusion of the Fundamentals of Fatherhood program, there were no layoffs among City staff. Impacted staff members have either been reassigned to other roles within the City or are currently pending reassignment.

For media inquiries, please contact the Health Department's Public Affairs Office at HE-PublicAffairs@longbeach.gov.

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