The Oregon Department of Human Services announced on April 13 that it participated in the first annual Oregon Fatherhood Summit, which took place on March 20 at Self Enhancement Inc.’s Tony Hopson Sr. Center for Self Enhancement in North Portland. The event brought together more than 150 participants for discussions about how programs serving children and families can better include fathers as equal partners with mothers.
The summit addressed the importance of recognizing fathers’ roles in child development and family success. Many speakers highlighted the need for greater outreach to fathers by child welfare caseworkers, as well as the benefits of peer mentorship among fathers who have overcome challenges such as substance use disorder or involvement with the criminal justice system.
Royal Harris, a Father Involvement Specialist with Multnomah County’s Healthy Birth Initiative, told attendees, “You are not an appendage or an afterthought. You are an integral part of the success of your kids.” Justin Powers, a member of the Fathers Advisory Board, shared his experience: “When you are shown something different, you can show up differently.”
Self Enhancement Inc., which hosted the summit, operates a 22-week Fatherhood Engagement Program focused on African American fathers. The program covers parenting skills, workplace readiness and financial literacy under Child Welfare Programs Manager Ja’Nelle Samuels and Coordinator Eric Smith. Smith said during the event: “When it comes to parenting, dads should never be an afterthought, especially when it comes to the well-being being of a child.”
Summit workshops explored topics such as culturally specific services for fathers and barriers they face—including limited access to residential treatment beds compared to mothers (10 beds available for fathers versus about 375 for mothers) and economic obstacles like suspended driver’s licenses due to unpaid fines. Participants also discussed strategies for supporting incarcerated fathers in maintaining contact with their children.
The conference concluded with encouragement from Dr. Alan-Michael S. Graves of Good Plus Foundation: “Don’t give up hope. Take ownership. Make everything about your kids.” As part of next steps, organizers announced plans to continue improving services through a new Oregon Fatherhood Coalition.
Harris reflected on both achievements and remaining challenges: “In Oregon, the good news is we are paying attention. And at the same time, this is just the beginning. There is a lot of work to do.”
