A Note from Kenny Braswell of the NYS Fatherhood Initiative

In his conference opening remarks, David Hansell, former Commissioner of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), described OTDA’s vision of the next movement in welfare and the integral role that the New York State Fatherhood Initiative plays in that vision. He stated, “at this Responsible Fatherhood conference, we all recognize that fathers are a critical part of the family equation, and a father’s involvement in a child’s life – both financially and emotionally – can make a tremendous difference.”

Following his opening remarks, we hosted New York’s first statewide fatherhood conference. For three days, more than 500 participants from 11 states filled the Desmond Hotel in Albany. We were excited to have national speakers such as CNN correspondent Roland Martin renowned fatherhood experts Dr. Ronald Mincy, David Blankenhorn and John Badalament, as well as State Commissioners Gladys Carrion, Esq. and Amy Barasch, Esq.

Online (www.dads.ny.gov) is a 10-minute conference highlight DVD that captures the breathe, spirit and content of the event. I hope that you will take a few minutes to view this capsulated version of the event. It is our hope that in the future we might be able to stimulate this discussion again.

Thank you for your support and I hope that you enjoy the highlight presentation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kenneth Braswell at kenneth.braswell@otda.state.ny.us