Project Overview
The Parents and Children Together (PACT) evaluation is a large-scale, multi-component project intended to broaden our understanding of Responsible Fatherhood (RF) and Healthy Marriage (HM) programs.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), aims to provide Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) services to help interested couples and fathers enhance or improve adult and parent-child relationships and meet other objectives. ACF is also interested in learning about the challenges and successes of service implementation, the needs and experiences of participants, and the effectiveness of these services.
Responsible Fatherhood program leaders in:
- Kansas City, KS
- Kansas City, MO
- St. Louis, MO
- Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Supporting the Fatherhood Journey
With more than 5,500 dads participating in the PACT evaluation, and 2,500 receiving program services, we’ve paved the way for more effective programs that aim to help fathers become better parents, providers, and partners.
Read MoreEvidence & Insights From This Project

Pathways-To-Outcomes: How Responsible Fatherhood Program Activities May Lead to Intended Outcomes
This report presents the four RF Pathways-to-Outcomes models, related to outcomes for which at least one program in the PACT evaluation had statistically significant impacts: (1) healthy relationships between co-parents, (2) father development and well-being, (3) consistent employment; and (4) parenting skills and father involvement.
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