Supporting fathers and other male caregivers is an important part of building strong, healthy families. Explore resources, programs, and services for fathers and male caregivers, including support options that may not always be easy to find or widely known.
Father Resources
Fathers can access many programs that help support their children and families.
WIC Nutrition Program is open to fathers, grandfathers, and other male guardians, to provide food/formula assistance. Must meet program requirements to qualify for services.
CalFresh can help you buy groceries, and CalWORKs can provide cash aid/supportive services, you can apply for both on the BenefitsCal website. Must meet program requirements to qualify for services.
Fathers are welcome to join programs that provide parenting support, education, and tools to help you care for your child.
Eisner Health Fatherhood Program is a 12-week program that is free, confidential, and is offered in English and Spanish. It is specifically aimed at fathers.
Healthy Families Mendocino County is a voluntary program for parent(s) and child, for ages 0-3 months (extended eligibility in certain circumstances). You can enroll in the program as a single parent, co-parent, or with another parent.
There are many fun activities you and your child can enjoy together while learning and building a strong bond.
Sesame for Families offers activities, resources, and tips to support your child’s healthy development.
The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse has tons of fun activities plans for you to enjoy with children of all ages.
There are articles and resources to help dads learn more about fatherhood, including tips for new dads.
HealthyChildren.org has a variety of articles focused on different topics for dads, such as “New Dads & Partners: How Your Involvement Matters”, and “Perinatal Depression in Partners: Can Both Parents Get the "Baby Blues?”, and also “Bringing Baby Home: What to Do Before Leaving the Hospital”
The FatherhoodProject.org has resources that focus on everything from recommended movies, to videos by dads, and articles on fatherhood.
Here are some different resources that focus on legal support for fathers
California Courts.gov maintains self-help topics for child custody and visitation on their website.
The Mendocino County Child Support Services also maintains FAQs and Court/Legal information on their website.