South Florida Fathers Network: Co-Designing Community-Based Supports for Dads and Families
CURRENT PROJECT
OVERVIEW
The South Florida Fathers Network (SFFN) is a community-driven initiative to understand, co-design and test father-focused supports that strengthen families and improve youth mental health. Using community engaged implementation and intervention science, SFFN aims to build a father network, identify fathers’ priorities and help-seeking patterns, and co-create a culturally responsive intervention. By working with fathers, community leaders, and local organizations, SFFN aims to embed mental health and parenting supports into the natural settings where fathers already connect: such as sports leagues, digital platforms, and more.
SOUTH FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
Project Goals
ENGAGE
Build community infrastructure by engaging a network of fathers and trusted community champions to guide the project.
UNDERSTAND
Conduct needs assessments to understand fathers’ mental health, parenting stressors, and preferred ways of accessing support.
CO-CREATE
Co-create intervention strategies with fathers and community partners, ensuring relevance, feasibility, and scalability.
PILOT
Pilot-test prototypes of father-focused supports and evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and cultural fit for the most impactful result.
Turning Community Insight Into Measurable Impact
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By centering fathers’ voices and building community-anchored supports, SFFN seeks to reduce barriers to care, better address father mental health, and strengthen family systems, and improve youth mental health.