The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services announced the conclusion of its Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program, following the expiration of federal grant funding, officials said.
The final day of service was Sept. 30, according to last week’s city announcement. During the transition, the health department will continue to support participants by connecting them with other community-based services and resources.
Launched in 2015, the Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program has supported thousands of fathers and father figures in Long Beach through free parenting education, mentorship, employment readiness services and one-on-one coaching. Each year, the program served an average of 180 participants with a goal of strengthening parenting skills, economic stability and family relationships.
The approximately $10 million grant, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Family Assistance, funded the majority of program services from September 2015 to September 2025, according to the city announcement. This included parenting workshops, job support, and case management.
The Long Beach Health Department has concluded its Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program following the expiration of federal grant funding administered by the Office of Family Assistance. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
The Long Beach Health Department has concluded its Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program following the expiration of federal grant funding administered by the Office of Family Assistance. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
The Long Beach Health Department has concluded its Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program following the expiration of federal grant funding administered by the Office of Family Assistance. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
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The Long Beach Health Department has concluded its Fundamentals of Fatherhood Program following the expiration of federal grant funding administered by the Office of Family Assistance. (Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach)
In September, the Long Beach City Council approved a preemptive acceptance measure, authorizing the city to accept the grant if and when the award was officially granted. At the time, the health department was still waiting for the office to issue awards.
The program’s application during grant renewal received high marks for its approaches to promoting responsible parenting, promoting and sustaining healthy family relationships, and fostering economic stability, as well as organizational capacity to deliver services and manage projects, performance and budget, officials said.
Despite its strong performance, the program was not selected for continued funding.
Its conclusion, officials said, reflects a broader national trend as cities across the country experience reductions in family-strengthening programs due to the loss of key federal grants.
“We deeply appreciate the dedication, partnership and collaboration that made this program a meaningful space for fathers and families in Long Beach,” program administrators wrote on the city’s website. “The relationships built and stories shared through this program will have a lasting impact.”
As a result, the city will no longer offer parenting and fatherhood education, which consisted of group classes and one-on-one sessions designed to help fathers develop parenting skills, communication strategies and positive discipline practices; employment readiness support, which offered job-seeking assistance, resume building and workforce development guidance tailored to fathers; and case management and referrals, which offered individualized support to connect fathers with housing, health care, legal assistance and other vital resources.
Community members are encouraged to visit longbeach.gov/fatherhood to learn more about other local programs and services that support fathers and families.
Some of the available resources include The East Los Angeles Women’s Center; All4Kids Father Engagement Program; Shields For Families; Thriving Dads; Healthy Relationships California; Children’s Institute, Inc., Project Fatherhood; Volunteers of America of Los Angeles (VOALA); and Friends Outside in Los Angeles County.
The conclusion of the Fundamentals of Fatherhood program did not result in any city staff layoffs, according to the city’s Nov. 19 announcement. Impacted staff were reassigned to other roles in the city or are currently pending reassignment.