Case Study of Father Engagement in Family Nutrition and Health Programs: California WIC Association

Case Study of Father Engagement in Family Nutrition and Health Programs: California WIC Association

Published: Mar 18, 2021
Publisher: Mathematica

Associated Project

KEEP Fathers Engaged

Time frame: 2019 – 2021

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

Authors

Danielle DeLisle

Rebekah Selekman

Pamela Holcomb

Key Findings

  • Professional associations representing human services programs, coalitions, and other umbrella entities can promote father inclusion and highlight the importance of father engagement at a systems level.
  • Small-scale practice changes can foster larger organizational cultural shifts toward greater father inclusion in programs traditionally focused on serving mothers and children.
  • Organizations can hire male staff to promote father engagement in programs that are otherwise largely made up of female staff and women.

This case study is part of a series of three case studies that showcase how select programs implement father engagement strategies. This case study focuses on the California WIC Association (CWA), a non-profit state WIC association, that supports local WIC agency efforts to promote father engagement. This case study also highlights how one California local WIC agency implemented strategies to engage fathers. The study is sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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