National Call to Action Symposium -

Serving Children by Engaging Fathers

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Offices of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker, and Rhoads LLC
 National Call to Action Symposium -
Serving Children by Engaging Fathers

Fact Sheet
Overview:
Child Welfare League The National Call to Action is a local, regional, and national partnership that aims
of America to increase responsible father engagement across multiple systems of care (e.g.,
child welfare, juvenile justice). Each partner commits to raising awareness within its
unique service network and identifying new strategies to mitigate any barriers to
Administration for responsible father engagement.
Children and
Below is a more detailed description of the National Call to Action, including its goal,
Families—Region 3 partnership structure, launching event and rationale.

Goal:
Stoneleigh The overall goal of the National Call to Action is to increase father engagement in all
Foundation systems that support the wellbeing of children. These systems of care include
health, mental health, education, domestic violence, homeless, substance abuse,
child welfare, juvenile justice, and adult criminal justice systems. The National Call
to Action is particularly focused on promoting responsible father engagement in the
Bryn Mawr College— child welfare and juvenile justice systems. One aspect of that focus is linking the
Graduate School of National Call to Action with the efforts of members of the Fatherhood-Engagement-
Social Work and Community movement.
Social Research
Specifically, the National Call to Action will:

American Bar • Identify barriers to father engagement and strategies to overcome those
challenges
Association, Center on • Identify cross-system strategies that will increase father engagement; and
Children and the Law • Increase knowledge and commitment to father engagement in child welfare,
juvenile justice, and related service systems.

The Strong Families Partnership:

Commission, The National Call to Action is a partnership across five entities: (1) the Stoneleigh
Incorporated Foundation Fellows' Project "The Integration of Responsible Fatherhood within
Foster Care Service Delivery and Other Children and Youth Servicing Systems" in
collaboration with the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA); (2) the
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Region III; (3) Bryn Mawr College,
Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research (GSSWSR); (4) the American
Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law, and (5) The Strong Families
Commission, Incorporated.

Each partner makes a series of commitments to promote responsible father

engagement across their respective systems of care. These commitments include
participating in the June 2015 launch of the National Call to Action; hosting follow-up
discussions to increase awareness about the importance of responsible father
engagement; sharing key lessons from these discussions; reviewing policies and
practices through the lens of responsible father engagement; and developing an
action plan to mitigate any barriers to responsible father engagement.

These partners demonstrate leadership on the critical and underrepresented issue

of responsible father engagement. This public/private partnership demonstrates the
importance of working across systems and sectors at all levels (i.e., local, regional,
and national) in order to increase father engagement in various service systems and
improve life outcomes for children.
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Serving Children by Engaging Fathers

Event:
The National Call to Action is scheduled to launch in June 2015 with a symposium
and panel presentation in Philadelphia, PA. Participants will hear from a diverse
set of stakeholders including leading subject matter experts in child welfare,
juvenile justice, and other systems of care as well as family members and
caseworkers with firsthand experience in these systems.

The panel presentation will be available to remote participants by live stream. In-
person and remote participants are encouraged to continue the discussion and
explore potential courses of action within their respective service networks.

Rationale:
Child welfare and juvenile justice service systems recognize that actively engaging
fathers in their children's lives is an important aspect of advancing child wellbeing.
The National Call to Action further recognizes that these and other service
systems could do more to leverage the strengths and resources of fathers.

Child welfare and juvenile justice systems often serve the same children and
families. The fathers in these families are often inadvertently excluded from
casework and disadvantaged by the lack of alignment and coordination between
these systems. Similarly, related systems of care like education, mental health,
health, substance abuse, domestic violence, and the adult criminal justice system
have the potential to either create barriers or provide increased opportunities for
responsible fatherhood engagement. The National Call to Action aims to increase
the systems of care that welcome responsible fatherhood engagement.

The National Call to Action presents an important opportunity for child welfare,
juvenile justice, and other systems of care to synchronize staff training, service-
delivery strategies, and lessons learned about improving children's life outcomes
through responsible father engagement. Such a united voice in favor of
responsible fatherhood engagement can raise awareness and trigger broad
changes in how systems of care relate to fathers.
 National Call to Action Symposium -
Serving Children by Engaging Fathers
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
1pm -5:30pm
Offices of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker, and Rhoads LLC

AGENDA
Opening Session
hild Welfare League of Christine James-Brown, President and CEO - Child Welfare
Welcoming Remarks -
America League of America

Spit 'N Anger Kenneth Braswell, Executive Director-

Fathers Incorporated
Administration for
Children and Introduction of Mistress of Ceremony Darlyne Bailey, PhD, Dean - Bryn Mawr College
Families—Region 3 Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research

National Issue of Concern Debra Pontisso - Responsible Fatherhood Roundtable

Open Society
Stoneleigh
Foundation Keynote Address John L Jackson, Jr., PhD,
Dean - University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy
and Practice
Discussion
Bryn Mawr College—
Cycle 1
Graduate School of The Stoneleigh Foundation Ronnie L. Bloom, Esq., Executive Director
Social Work and Stoneleigh Foundation
Social Research
Administration for Children and Essey Workie, Regional Administrator
Families Juanita De Vine, Regional Program Manager
Child Support Enforcement
American Bar Kimberly Huhn Murphy, Program Specialist
Association, Center on Children's Bureau
Children and the Law
The Voice of a Mother Jennifer Madura

Discussion
The Strong Families
Commission, Break and Network
Incorporated Cycle 2
Child Welfare League of America Christine James-Brown

Philadelphia Department of Arthur C. Evans, Jr., PhD, Commissioner

Behavioral Health and Intellectual Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and
Disability Services Intellectual Disability Services

The Strong Families Commission Kevin Golembriewski, Associate Attorney

Incorporated Law Offices of David J. Berney, P.C.

The Voice of a Child Naje Taylor

Discussion
Cycle 3
Father Integration Stoneleigh Rufus Sylvester Lynch, DSW
Foundation Project Senior Fellow - Stoneleigh Foundation

School District of Philadelphia Karen L. James, Director

Parent University - School District of Philadelphia
Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention Eugene Schneeberg, Director
Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships
U.S. Department of Justice

The Voice of Fathers Timothy Bullock

Dominick Jackson
Discussion
National Call to Action Symposium -
Serving Children by Engaging Fathers
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
1pm -5:30pm
Offices of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker, and Rhoads LLC

AGENDA
Closing Session
Participant Reflection Darlyne Bailey, PhD

Call to Action Essey Workie

Completion of Evaluations and Darlyne Bailey, PhD

Adjournment
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Summary of Partners' Commitments

The National Call to Action is a local, regional, and national partnership that aims
to increase responsible father engagement across multiple systems of care
Child Welfare League
including: health, mental health, education, domestic violence, homeless,
of America substance abuse, child welfare, juvenile justice and adult criminal justice systems.
Each partner commits to participating in the National Call to Action by agreeing to
the following five activities:
Administration for
Children and Activity #1: Launch National Call to Action
Families—Region 3 Each partner agrees to help launch the National Call to Action by planning a
symposium and panel presentation scheduled to occur in June 2015. The
partner agrees to attend the event and encourage others in its service
network to participate either in-person or through live streaming.
Stoneleigh
Foundation The symposium and panel presentation brings together representatives
from various systems of care and the Fatherhood-Engagement-Community.
The event will highlight current services and activities related to engaging
Bryn Mawr College— fathers; identify common challenges and opportunities; leverage cross-
system learning; and explore ways to work together to increase the
Graduate School of engagement of fathers.
Social Work and
Social Research Activity #2: Host Follow-Up Discussions
Each partner agrees to raise awareness about the importance of
responsible father engagement as a strategy for improving children's life
American Bar outcomes. After participating in the launch of the National Call to Action,
the partner agrees to host subsequent discussion forums (e.g., webinars,
Association, Center on
stakeholder meetings, conference presentations) as a way of raising
Children and the Law awareness. These discussion forums should address challenges to
responsible father engagement as well as successful practices. Each
partner will encourage other systems of care that also serve children and
The Strong Families families to increase father engagement.
Commission,
Incorporated Activity #3: Share Key Lessons
Each partner agrees to record key points from the follow-up discussions and
share them with the other partners. This activity will foster shared learning
and highlight cross-system issues that are best for coordination and
collaboration. A summary of the consolidated shared key lessons may also
be presented in the Child Welfare League of America's online publication.

Activity #4: Review Policies & Practices

Each partner agrees to review its policies and practices through the lens of
responsible fatherhood engagement. The goal of this exercise is to identify
existing strengths and potential barriers to father engagement. The partner
agrees to use some of the knowledge gained from this review to develop its
action plan, as discussed in Activity #5 below.

Activity #5: Develop an Action Plan

Each partner agrees to reconvene with the other members of this
partnership by June 2016. During this meeting, each partner will share how
it has implemented each of these activities and compare their learning with
others' in the partnership. As a final step, each partner will consolidate the
collective lessons learned and develop an action plan to increase
responsible father engagement and continued work together as appropriate.
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SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Dr. Darlyne Bailey is Dean and Professor at the Graduate School of Social Work and
Social Research at Bryn Mawr College where she also serves as Special Assistant to the
President for Community Partnerships.

A recognized leader, Dr. Bailey has been the recipient of many professional awards and
honors. She is most proud of being named a Group XIII Fellow of the W.K. Kellogg
A^^b| National Leadership Program. Dr. Bailey was recognized by the National Association of

6 <*"* ™ ^^B' Social Workers-Pennsylvania Chapter, along with the late Dr. Dorothy Height, as African

X -o
^^Bj American Social Workers who "have helped and continue to help shape the Social Work
M Profession." As an educator, Dr. Bailey's commitment to social justice through
multidisciplinary and multicultural practice is reflected in her research and teaching, as
well as her service on community-based and professional boards, currently including: the Stoneleigh Foundation,
the Maternity Care Coalition, and The Agnes Irwin School's Center for the Advancement of Girls in Philadelphia;
the National Association of Social Worker's Deans and Directors and the National Human Services Assembly in
Washington, D.C.; the Suzanne and Richard Pieper Family Foundation in Milwaukee; and most recently the
Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance operating out of Denver, Colorado.

Dr. Bailey has written numerous articles and book chapters and continues to publish and teach. With colleagues
in academia and in the communities she has served, she has also co-authored several books, including Strategic
Alliances Among Health and Human Services Organizations: From Affiliations to Consolidations. Her most recent
book is Sustaining Our Spirits: Women Leaders Thriving for Today and Tomorrow.

Dr. Bailey has come to understand her life's work as one of 'making connections'. Forging Partnerships, both
within and across institutions and communities, She remains committed to creating the visionary and engaged
leadership that is essential to ensuring a world socially just in which everyone is able to fulfill their highest
potential.

Ronnie L. Bloom has used her extensive leadership experience and expertise in
philanthropy and public policy to address the needs of our community's most vulnerable
children. Before joining the Stoneleigh Foundation, she was a partner in Opportunities
Exchange, which helps policymakers and providers improve the quality of early care and
education for disadvantaged children, and the Program Director of Children, Youth and
Families grantmaking at the William Penn Foundation where she directed the Foundation's
efforts in public education, youth development and early education. Ronnie began her career
as an attorney, and received both her B.A. and law degrees from the University of
Pennsylvania.

Kenneth Braswell With more than 24 years of community development

experience, Braswell is the Executive Director of Fathers incorporated (Fl)
www.fathersincorporated.com, a not-for-profit organization that serves as a
leader in the promotion of Responsible Fatherhood and Mentoring. Since 2004,
the agency's main focus has been on the development of support and services
for fathers by using innovative social marketing and multi-media platforms,
developing research-based products for the field, engaging in intensive outreach,
and connecting key stakeholders-all serving to combat father absence in society

r
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and help support fathers in their role as parents. Additionally, Braswell serves as the Director of the National
Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC). The NRFC is a widely recognized national and international
resource for fathers, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. Its components include: www.fatherhood.gov,
media campaigns, products, the national fatherhood hotline, and President Obama's Responsible Fatherhood and
Mentoring Initiative.

As the former Director of New York State's Fatherhood Initiative, Mr. Braswell implemented $11 million in
concentrated efforts to involve noncustodial parents in the economic and social well-being of their children
including tax incentives, demonstration projects, and project evaluation. In 2006, he launched New York State's
earned income tax credit (EITC) program for noncustodial parents, making it the first state in the country to enact
this type of tax credit.

As a national motivational speaker, presenter, and trainer, Braswell addresses both youth and adults on a wide
range of topics that can help them achieve success in various aspects of life. He is also the author of When The
Tear Won't Fall and its accompanying workbook, Gentle Warriors. Additionally, Braswell hosts "Dads Eye View," a
Time Warner cable access television program aimed at parenting from a father's perspective. As a result of his
life's experience, Braswell has been featured/mentioned in such publications as: Essence, NPR, CNN, the
Philadelphia Inquirer, the New York Times, BET, and Huffington Post, and various other media forums.
In 2010, Fathers Incorporated launched a cause marketing campaign entitled "Ties Never Broken," whose
mission is to highlight responsible fatherhood and mentoring. Inspired by President Obama, the campaign is
designed to increase the efforts of serving and supporting responsible fathers. The campaign uses the icon of a
Blue Bow Tie (lapel pin) as the symbol of responsible men.

Braswell serves as a board member of several organizations, including the National Black Child Development
Institute - Albany Chapter, Unified Progress International Education (DPI Education) and the National Fatherhood
Leaders Group. Prior, he served on both the Albany NAACP and Capital District YMCA boards, and held the
position of vice-president for the Urban League of Northeastern New York. Mr. Earlier in his career, Braswell was
a radio broadcaster for 15+ years and a community newspaper publisher for 10 years.
He has received numerous awards and recognitions since he began his community service in 1990. In October
2012, Braswell was the recipient of EBONY magazine's MANifest Honors for Black Male Achievement Award in
recognition of his outstanding work to inform and uplift Black boys and men.

Braswell is currently touring the country with his new documentary, Spit'in Anger: Venom of a Fatherless Son."He
is also working on his latest project, Dark Hearts, a short film portraying the impact of non-communication
amongst co-parents. "The beauty in film and photography is that it gives you the ability to freeze moments in time;
thus allowing you to remember, learn and improve," says Braswell.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Mr. Braswell is the father of four beautiful children, an uncle, grandfather, and
husband to his beautiful wife, Tracy. Braswell can be found on Facebook, Linkedln; YouTube and at
www.kennethbraswell.com.

Juanita De Vine has served as the Regional Program Manager for the
Philadelphia Regional Office of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement
within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) since May 1993; in this
position, she is responsible for the child support program administered in six
states:, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania , Virginia and
Not Pictured West Virginia. She is a licensed social worker with an MSW in Administration
from Temple University School of Administration and is a graduate of the
Excellence in Government Fellows Program.
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Serving Children by Engaging Fathers

Arthur C. Evans Jr, Ph.D. is the Commissioner of Philadelphia's Department of

Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), a $1 billion
healthcare agency. In this capacity, he is leading a major initiative to transform
how behavioral health care and intellectual disability services are delivered in the
city. Since Dr. Evans' appointment in November 2004, Philadelphia has begun a
transformation of its entire system to one that focuses on recovery for adults,
resiliency for children and self-determination for all people who use intellectual
disability services.

Dr. Evans is a clinical and community psychologist. He holds a faculty

appointment at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He held faculty
appointments at the Yale University School of Medicine and Quinnipiac University.
Dr. Evans has extensive experience in transforming systems of care while serving
in several national leadership roles.

Prior to coming to Philadelphia, Dr. Evans was the Deputy Commissioner for the Connecticut Department of
Mental Health & Addiction Services (DMHAS). In this capacity, he led several major strategic initiatives for the
Connecticut behavioral healthcare system. He was instrumental in implementing a recovery-oriented policy
framework, addressing health care disparities and increasing the use of evidence-based practices.
Dr. Evans currently serves in several national leadership roles that include: Chair of Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration, Partners for Recovery Initiative Steering Committee, Co-Chair of National Action
Group on Fostering System Reform for Adults with Serious Mental Illness, and Member of the Federal Center for
Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory Committee. He has served in several other national leadership roles
including: Chair of the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson's Path To Recovery Project;
Member of the American Psychological Association's Task Force on Severe Mental Illness and Severe Emotional
Disturbance; Past President of the Board of Directors of the New England Institute of Addiction Studies Inc.
(NEIAS). Dr. Evans is highly committed to serving people who are underserved and ensuring that all people have
access to effective, quality services.

Kevin Golembiewski is an associate with the Law Offices of David J. Berney, P.C.,
where he practices civil rights law with an emphasis on education and employment. Mr.
Golembiewski earned his Juris Doctor cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2013. At
Harvard, he served as a general board member of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties
Law Review and as a co-chair of the Mississippi Delta Project. With the Mississippi Delta
Project, Mr. Golembiewski crafted policy briefings and organized legislative campaigns to
enhance mental health services in Mississippi and increase the state's high school
graduation rates. Prior to his current position, Mr. Golembiewski worked as a law clerk
for the Mecklenburg County Public Defender's Office, a policy intern for Mayor Cory
Booker of Newark, NJ, and as an intern with Massachusetts Advocates for Children.

John L. Jackson, Jr., is Dean of the School of Social Policy & Practice
and Richard Perry University Professor at the University of
Pennsylvania. Jackson received his BA in Communication
(Radio/TV/Film) from Howard University and his PhD in Anthropology
from Columbia University.

He spent three years as a junior fellow at the Harvard University Society

of Fellows, and four years teaching in Duke University's Department of
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Cultural Anthropology and Center for Documentary Studies. He is the author of Thin Description: Ethnography
and the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem (Harvard University Press, 2013); Racial Paranoia: The
Unintended Consequences of Political Correctness (Basic, 2008); Real Black: Adventures in Racial Sincerity
(University of Chicago Press, 2005); Harlemworld: Doing Race and Class in Contemporary Black America
(University of Chicago Press, 2001); and Impolite Conversations, co-written with Cora Daniels (Atria/Simon &
Schuster, 2014).

As a filmmaker, Jackson has produced a feature-length fiction film, documentaries, and film-shorts that have
screened at film festivals internationally. His most recent film, co-directed with Deborah A. Thomas, is Bad
Friday: Rastafari After Coral Gardens (Third World Newsreel, 2012), which examines the history of violence in
Jamaica through the eyes of its iconic Rastafarian community. Jackson's work also critically explores how film
and other non-traditional or multi-modal formats can be most effectively utilized in specifically scholarly research
projects, and he is one of the founding members of CAMRA (www.camrapenn.org) and PIVPE, two University of
Pennsylvania-based initiatives organized around creating visual and performative research projects and
producing rigorous criteria for assessing them. Before becoming Dean, Jackson served as Senior Advisor to the
Provost on Diversity and Associate Dean of Administration in the Annenberg School for Communication at the
University of Pennsylvania.

Karen L. James was appointed Director, Parent University and Call Center Operations in the
Office of Family and Community Engagement for the School District of Philadelphia in 2008.
As Director, she oversees the implementation of Family Engagement programs and Call
Center operations in the 8th largest urban public school district in the country. Karen's role is
critically linked with the District's strategic plan and encompasses responsibility for key
operations across the District, including the engagement of Fathers.

Prior to joining the School District of Philadelphia, Karen spent eight years in higher education
as a Supervisor for Telecommunications. Prior to that, she spent ten years working with the
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania as a Special Assistant to the Vice President of
Special Gifts and Vice President of Marketing. During this period, Karen was noted for her
undaunted leadership in developing one of Philadelphia's largest volunteer programs. She was recognized as the
Employee of the Quarter for four consecutive terms.

Karen is a proud mother and member of Mount Calvary Family Worship Center. She is well known and regarded
across the city of Philadelphia by parents, students, schools, politicians and faith-based leaders for her
continuous dedication to building, supporting and nurturing communities.

Christine James-Brown became President and Chief Executive Officer of the Child
Welfare League of America (CWLA) in April 2007, assuming the leadership of the nation's
oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization.

Ms. James-Brown comes to CWLA from United Way International (UWI), where she served
since 2004 as the organization's fifth President and CEO. As President and CEO, Ms.
James-Brown was responsible for the efforts of the worldwide network of United Way
nonprofit member organizations spanning six continents and five regions and serving
communities in 45 countries and territories.
Before her leadership role at UWI, for 10 years she served as President and CEO at United
Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania (UWSEPA) in Philadelphia. During her decade of
leadership at UWSEPA, Ms. James-Brown guided Philadelphia's largest private nonprofit organization for health
and human services. She directed a staff of 130 that managed an annual fundraising effort raising more than
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$50,000,000, and distributed funds to over 2,500 community-based agencies. In addition, she has served as chair
of United Way of America's National Professional Council.

Throughout her career, Ms. James-Brown has worked tirelessly to help nonprofit health and human service
organizations grow and expand their ability to serve children and families through foundation and corporate
philanthropy.

Ms. James-Brown brings valuable skills and leadership qualities to CWLA that will ultimately maximize the impact
of this powerful network and further strengthen its capacity to anticipate and respond to the needs of vulnerable
children and families

She has served as a member of the boards of the School District of Philadelphia, Community College of
Philadelphia, the Samuel S. Pels Fund, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Citizens Bank,
Public/Private Ventures, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission.
A native Philadelphian, Ms. James-Brown holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Rutgers University. In 1996,
Drexel University awarded her an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.

Dr. Rufus Sylvester Lynch, ACSW, NASW Social Work Pioneer®, Senior Fellow,
Stoneleigh Foundation, and Research Associate at Bryn Mawr College, Graduate School
of Social Work and Social Research, is the Founder and Principal Investigator of the
Institute for the Advancement of Working Families (IAWF).

Dr. Lynch, a former Dean and Professor at the Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social
Work at Clark Atlanta University, has lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities;
authored or co-authored over 22 published manuscripts in professional books and/or
scholarly journals; and actively participated in over 60 professional conferences,
workshops, and training institutes.

Dean Lynch received his doctorate in Social Work Administration and Policy from the
University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Work, now named the Penn School of Social
Policy and Practice; his master degree in Community Organization and Planning from the
University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Social Work; and his undergraduate degree in Sociology from
Morgan State College, now known as Morgan State University.

For the last three years Lynch's research agenda has been devoted to exploring the integration of Responsible
Fatherhood within foster care service delivery and other children and youth servicing systems.

Kimberly L. H. Murphy is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a B.S. in Family

and Community Services. She also holds an M.S. in Organizational Leadership through
Wilmington University.

Ms. Murphy joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Administration
for Children and Families/Children's Bureau Region 3 Office in 2007 after working with
children, youth and their families at local and state levels in Delaware for 9 years. In the
Children's Bureau Region 3 Office, in addition to her state assignment monitoring
responsibilities, she is the lead for Human Trafficking, Fatherhood Initiatives and
Independent Living for youth aging out of foster care.

Ms. Murphy lives in Delaware with her husband and two sons. She has volunteered time working with and
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advising youth members of the Delaware Independent Living Youth Advisory Council (YAC). She serves on the
Board of Directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware.

Debra Pontisso began her 33-year career with the federal Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) in 1979 and, at the time of her retirement in November, 2012, she
had been working in the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) managing the [Child]
Access and Visitation Grant- a $10 million per year program authorized by Congress based
on the goal of increasing noncustodial parents access to and visitation with their children.
During her long tenure with HHS, she held various positions in the Administration on Aging,
Office of Community Services (anti-poverty and community development programs), Office
of Refugee Resettlement, and as Associate Director of the U.S. Commission on Children
and Families. Ms. Pontisso also worked briefly with the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging as
part of a rotational assignment related to her selection as a Presidential Management Intern.
She holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern
California (1979) along with graduate studies in gerontology and a Bachelors of Arts Degree from the University of
Northern Colorado (1975). Ms. Pontisso remains committed to further advocating the needs and best interests of
fathers and families and has acquired a particular expertise in national policies affecting unwed parents. She
currently serves - in a volunteer capacity - on the Fathers and Family Coalition of America's National Policy
Advisory Workgroup.

Eugene Schneeberg is the Director of the Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood
Partnerships for the U.S. Department of Justice. In this capacity, Eugene helps
coordinate between the White House and the Department of Justice's efforts to
outreach and partner with faith-based and other non-profit organizations around the
country.
Under his leadership, the Center for Faith Based & Neighborhood Partnerships at
the Department of Justice works to advance the goals of the President's National
Fatherhood & Mentoring initiative, assists in the coordination of the National Forum
on Youth Violence Prevention and serves on the Federal Interagency Reentry
Council.
He came to the Obama Administration after working for almost a decade as the
Director of Operations for Straight Ahead Ministries a national faith-based juvenile justice non-profit in Greater
Boston.
He received his undergraduate degree in Urban Affairs from Boston University. Eugene was raised in Roxbury,
Massachusetts and is married to his wife Deitra. They have two sons Eugene Jr., and Elijah, and one daughter,
Genesis.

Essey Workie is the Regional Administrator and principal representative for the Administration
for Children and Families, Region III in Philadelphia, Pa. The Region comprises six
states: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West
Virginia. Ms. Workie provides executive leadership and direction to ensure coordination and
integration of activities across Head Start, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, child
welfare, child care, child support, refugee resettlement and other programs for underserved
populations in these states. She also leads key ACF initiatives including extending affordable
coverage to the uninsured, promoting responsible fatherhood, preventing human trafficking and
engaging community and faith-based partnerships

Ms. Workie joined ACF in 2006. While at the Office of Child Support Enforcement, she developed training tools
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for family-first distribution of child support payments. She also developed international case processing tools in
consultation with El Salvador, Israel and other countries and assisted in developing a multi-lateral agreement
under The Hague Conference on Private International Law. Before becoming Regional Administrator for Region
III, Ms. Workie established the Division of Refugee Health within the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and
served as its Director. She spearheaded numerous initiatives including mobilizing the resettlement network to
prepare for healthcare reform and developing partnerships to promote integrated health and social service
systems in advocacy of refugees and other vulnerable populations.

Ms. Workie began her health and human services career in Philadelphia. She worked as a mental health
therapist in outpatient and residential treatment center settings and as a social worker in the child welfare system
before entering the federal service.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Family Studies from James Madison University and a
Master's Degree in Social Work from Temple University.
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The Voice of a Mother...

Jennifer Maduro was selected to represent Congreso because of the impact she had on others while
participating in several of the agency's programs. She was able to share her story in a way that supported and
provided hope to other community members, and worked with Congreso staff to help them connect more
significantly with the experiences of other participants.

From a young age, Ms. Maduro, has been active in fighting for the rights of fellow Eastern North Philadelphia
residents. As an adolescent, she joined the Kensington Welfare Rights Group - an advocacy group that
mobilized community members in support of poverty-stricken families seeking the assistance needed to ensure
the well-being of their families. Having always been keenly aware of the stereotypes placed on her as a Latina,
she has fought continuously to surpass societal expectations and serve as a role model for others in the
community.

In 2012, as Ms. Maduro was working towards her bachelor's degree, she and her family became involved in child
welfare system in a case that severely impacted her children. After two years of navigating the system with
perseverance and learning how to advocate for herself and her loved ones, she was able to reunite her family and
has worked very hard to support them through the transition. As she continues being involved with organizations
in the community, she hopes to focus her career goals on working within the child welfare system to help human
service professionals better support individuals and families with empathy, that are inclusive of Fathers.

Ms. Jennifer Maduro is currently employed as a Telephone Operator at Fox Chase Cancer Center, and recently
obtained her bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Temple University. She is also considering entering a
masters' program to further her education.

The Voice of a Child...

Naje Taylor is currently employed as a YOUTH MENTOR at Catholic Community Services. As a former foster
child, Naje is all too aware of the struggles, challenges, and opportunities that the system offers youth who are
removed from their home. Naje was chosen as our representative for this project because of his ongoing work
with our young people in our CUA who are currently under court supervision. On a daily basis, Naje
demonstrates his sensitivity for the emotional impact on children that family disruption has and for the importance
to those children of staying connected with their family members, especially their fathers. He willingly engages
young people on a daily basis, providing support, guidance and mentoring as our clients struggle with and
navigate the challenging worlds in which they live. Naje is a high school graduate who plans on furthering his
education at the Community College of Philadelphia. He lives independently in a specialized program (Covenant
House) that provides support, a track to successful adulthood, and financial independence. Naje is also involved
in the "Monkey and the Elephant Program." This non-profit provides real time and real life experience that
develops employment skills, management skills, and leadership ability.

The Voice of Fathers...

Dominick Jackson has been involved with the Child Welfare System since 2013. His daughter was placed in
foster care due to her mother's mental health issues.

Mr. Jackson has consistently appeared at each court hearing and has followed through with every DHS and court
request in order to gain visitations with his daughter, and hopes to ultimately gain custody.

Due to a domestic violence accusation brought against him by his daughter's mother, an allegation that he had
used corporal punishment, and an allegation of inappropriate sexual contact with his daughter's older sister
 National Call to Action Symposium -
Serving Children by Engaging Fathers

(made by the older sister); Mr. Jackson was not allowed to have any contact with his daughter. Mr. Jackson was
given Family Service Plan objectives (maintain housing, maintain employment) as standard procedure and was
referred for an Adult Forensic Psychological Evaluation at DHS, ATA for a Psychosocial Evaluation, and for
domestic violence counseling. In addition, Mr. Jackson was also asked to take a polygraph test.

Mr. Jackson has subsequently followed through with all that was asked of him by DHS and Family court. The
allegation of corporal punishment on his daughter was found by the courts to be unfounded and Mr. Jackson has
denied that he was ever violent with his daughter's mother. The results of the Psychosexual Evaluation and the
polygraph test indicated that Mr. Jackson was telling the truth when he denied he had inappropriate sexual
contact with the older sister. As a result, Mr. Jackson was granted weekly, one hour supervised visits with his
daughter at the ATA, a therapeutic site. Mr. Jackson is also meeting with his daughter's therapist at CCTC
following each visit, to get feedback on the impact his visits have on his daughter.

Mr. Jackson is currently attending these visits on a consistent basis. Despite all of the tasks Mr. Jackson was
given, he completed each and every one. Mr. Jackson reported he followed through with everything DHS and
Family court asked of him because he wanted to break the cycle of being another "stereotypical urban father" and
be a good father for his daughter and provide her with a warm, loving home. After going through this process, Mr.
Jackson feels he was "tried and executed" before the facts and truth were known. Additionally, he felt hurt that
the allegations were made, but was comforted by the fact that he knew none of them were true. He also believes
that his daughter and her sister were "coached" by their mother into making the allegations against him.

We at Delta Community Supports chose to submit this case as a representation of our experience with similar
cases, to show how hard it can be for fathers to gain custody, let alone be allowed to have visits with their children
once they are in DHS custody. Also, this case demonstrates that, despite all of the allegations and all of the
assessments and evaluations Mr. Jackson was asked to undergo, he completed them because being a father to
his daughter was more important than feeling hurt and giving up.

Timothy Bullock has been involved with the Child Welfare System since July 2, 2013. His daughter was placed
in kinship foster care due to her mother's addiction to alcohol and being inappropriately touched. The daughter
was sexually abused by her mother's former paramour during the end of 2012 into the early part of 2013. In
addition, she was exposed to domestic violence while residing with her mother and father.

Mr. Bullock fought to gain custody of his daughter, all the while trying to prove himself capable and worthy of
caring for her. Due to a restraining order brought against him by his daughter' mother, he was initially not
considered a resource for her. Mr. Bullock was given Family Service Plan objectives as standard procedure.
Father was referred to Behavioral Health Services for consultation and evaluation; he was to comply with an
evaluation completed by ATA, a therapeutic site. Upon completion of the evaluation, ATA recommended to the
court that visitation between Mr. Bullock and his daughter be allowed, which was subsequently approved.

Mr. Bullock continued to navigate his way through the Child Welfare System but believed there was little hope in
getting his daughter back. Although he was diligent and committed to having his daughter returned to him, it
appeared to him as if the system was turning him away, and putting the focus more on the daughter's mother.
Father felt discouraged and felt he was not given a fair chance to be a good parent; however, that did not prevent
him from moving forward.

After two years of hard work, Mr. Bullock was finally reunited with his daughter on June 1, 2015. Father was
happy and relieved that this ordeal was behind him and he could now give his daughter the stable home that he
felt she deserved.
 National Call to Action Symposium -
Serving Children by Engaging Fathers

We at Delta Community Supports chose this case to highlight a situation that is very common among fathers who
are involved with the Child Welfare System. Fathers are not considered primary caretakers; therefore, they are
not initially given the same supports as mothers.