Ritter to dads: get involved

DENVER - Gov. Bill Ritter, whose father left him and his siblings when Ritter was 13 years old, announced the kickoff of a statewide initiative Monday to prepare dads to be more involved in the lives of their children.

The “Be There for Your Kids” program has distributed $1.1 million in grants to community and faith-based organizations around the state that offer programs for fathers of at-risk children. The money is part of a $10 million, fiveyear federal grant that also has been used to set up a hot line and Web site.

Colorado is the only state in the country to receive such a grant, which was applied for by former Gov. Bill Owens. Fathers are often overlooked in public-assistance programs for families.

President Noreen Landis-Tyson of the Colorado Springs-based Community Partnership for Child Development, which received a grant, said she often sees only mothers volunteering at schools or attending parenting meetings. But children without two parents involved in their lives are less likely to succeed, she said.

“Dads are often seen as having a different role in the child’s development than Mom does,” Landis-Tyson said.

“While they do, and while they come at it in a different way, the dad’s role is every

bit as important as the mom’s role.”

Ritter clearly agreed. During a Capitol ceremony attended by about 125 people, the former Denver district attorney said he has seen the impact on kids who do not have a father and wants to promote public policy that keeps dads involved.

In an interview after the speech, Ritter said his father had a drinking problem and left home, severely hurting his relationship with many of his children. Though he repaired many of those relationships late in his life, such chasms should not have to happen in other families, Ritter said.

“This is a very important program in our state,” he said.

Grant recipients are taking a number of approaches to the problem.

Community Partnership for Child Development, one of three El Paso County recipients, has established a program that teaches dads how to help children with language development and reading skills.

Hilltop Community Resources of Grand Junction, meanwhile, is targeting teen fathers and helping to keep them focused on their children even as they try to graduate from school and get jobs.

Dads Assisting Dads of Salida holds a multitude of father/child activities and has a support group for fathers.

More information about the program can be found at www.coloradodads.com.

CONTACT THE WRITER: (303) 837-0613 or ed.sealover@gazette.com