TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — What do poverty, depression, incarceration and falling behind in school all have in common?
According to Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, they are some of the most common outcomes for children growing up in homes with absent fathers.
“We find there is a direct correlation between not having a present father or male role model in the life of the child and these negative outcomes,” he explained.
Kids raised in homes without a father are twice as likely to drop out of school, according to research presented by House staff, and boys without present fathers are three times more likely to go to jail.
Sprowls says there is a “fatherhood crisis” in Florida, and he’s prioritizing legislation — which passed unanimously in the House Wednesday — to fund programs that promote “responsible fatherhood” and support male role models.
The measure (HB 7065) directs the Department of Children and Families to create the “Responsible Fatherhood Initiative,” complete with a website and television and social media campaign promoting effective parenting.
The department would also oversee the designation of grants to programs and nonprofits that promote fatherhood and support at-risk boys, including the state’s Postsecondary Education Supports and Services job college readiness program for foster children.
Grants will be geared toward helping fathers when it comes to, “finding employment, managing child support obligations, transitioning from a period of incarceration, accessing health care, understanding child development and enhancing parenting skills," the bill reads.
The measure overall provides more than $70 million in funding.
The month of June would also be designated as “Responsible Fatherhood Month.”
Among other provisions in the bill, the Department of Juvenile Justice also would be required to coordinate data with the Department of Children and Families to identify children in both.
“You can’t legislate being a father, you can’t legislate fatherhood, but what we can do is lift up fathers in our community who might’ve not been equipped with the tools on how to be a father,” Sprowls said.
Lawmakers passed the bill by a 117-0 vote, which is now waiting for full consideration in the Senate.
Prior to the passage of the bill, several Democratic lawmakers raised concerns over racist and ableist language in a section of state law related to the foster care system.
The statute in question characterizes children as "difficult to place" in foster care as generally being disabled, “Black or racially mixed."
Sprowls said work is underway to remove the offensive language.