FORT CARSON, Colo. — The teaming of Fort Carson and El Paso County Department of Human Services (DHS) was recognized as one of the 2021 Army Partnership Awardees May 19, 2022, for their efforts to assist Army Families.
Fort Carson and El Paso County DHS were able to bring the Center of Fathering curriculum to Fort Carson Soldiers and Families under the Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program.
Justin Cole, New Parent Support Program home visitor with ACS, said the 15-week program the alliance created allows fathers to build a healthy family. Over the course of 15 weeks, fathers learn the importance of father-child relationships, creating a bond and strengthening attachment, discipline and punishment and how to be the best role model and mentor to their child.
“This program I think is unique to the enterprise. Its focused-on fathers; El Paso County came in and helped ACS train employees on this 15-week program,” said Col. Nate Springer, garrison commander. “Today we’ve had 250 fathers come through the program, and about half of those fathers have completed the entire 15-weeks.”
The program doesn’t just end at 15 weeks. Fathers can continue engaging in the community.
“One of the things we are going to do is a veteran program. Once completed, the program, Center on Fathering, is going to put a flag in the yard on post and they’ll be known as a veteran dad in the community they are living in. It shows community members that they can come to them and knock on the door to receive resources,” said Cole. “We are also going to do more outreach, a few events we have coming up is the pine wood derby, a fishing weekend and doing more activities that promote healthy parenting.”
The Army Partnership Awards Program seeks to highlight examples of exceptional cooperation and diligence that will encourage continued collaboration to achieve the full potential of community partnerships.
Fort Carson and El Paso County DHS, along with six other programs across Department of the Army installations, received this recognition.
“An award like this really helps recognize this armywide, and in the long term it would be amazing to have a program like this on every installation around the Department of the Army,” said Cole. “That has been garrisons’ push for us and for Fort Carson, that Soldiers can start the program here and then go to another installation and still get the same curriculum and be able to continue with their 15-week training.”
Susan Burt, supervisor for El Paso County Center on Fathering, said “we plan to continue the partnership and continue to grow both the program and grow support for fathers.”
For more information on the program, contact ACS at 719-526-4590 or contact Susan Burt, Center on Fathering, at 719-444-5690.
“This is just one way of taking care of our own,” said Gary Grambort, caseworker with Center on Fathering.
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