Cuyahoga County committee advances $971,812 amendment for fatherhood services through 2027
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Summary
The Healthy Human Services and Aging Committee moved an amendment to the Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative master contract to the full council, extending contract dates to March 31, 2027, and adding up to $971,812.50 for providers 1–11; presenters said program goals and evaluations are attached to the amendment.
The Healthy Human Services and Aging Committee voted Dec. 3 to advance an amendment to the Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative master contract that extends the contract period to March 31, 2027, and adds up to $971,812.50, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Marcos Cortez of the Department of Health and Human Services told the committee the amendment is the first for the fatherhood master services contract, adds the $971,812.50 to cover the extended period and makes no changes to scope or named vendors. "We did that at the request to make sure that we weren't late and we were able to pay invoices through when the contracts close and open again," Cortez said.
Al Grimes, director of the Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative, described the program's services — job training and placement, boot camps for new fathers, hospital-based programs, supervised visitation and annual events — and cited the initiative's reach. "We have a major initiative that serves 208 schools and 25,000 fathers," Grimes said. He added the programs are open to fathers across the county regardless of income or background.
Council members pressed for measurable outcomes. Grimes and Cortez said each contracted program includes goals and objectives tied to enrollments, placements and graduations, and that evaluations attached to the amendments document how well providers are meeting objectives. "Within the body of the evaluations it'll mention what the objectives are and how well each organization has been doing against those objectives," Grimes said.
Committee members also asked about reentry-focused services. Grimes said several job-training and placement programs address reentry and that courts or probation officers sometimes require parenting classes as part of case plans. "A lot of times when the courts... someone is on probation, they'll want the father just to go to a parenting class," he said.
Chair Conwell moved the resolution to the full council under second-reading suspension; the committee approved the motion by voice vote.
The county package identifies providers 1–11 as eligible under this amendment; specific provider names and per-provider amounts are included in the contract attachments, which committee members said are part of the amendment record.
