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National Center for Parents nets $500,000 research grant |
| By
Cherie A. Richardson |
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Jan 17, 2005 |
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| Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur shook hands with Dr. Jerome Sullivan, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, last month after announcing the National Center for Parents received a research grant. Sullivan is one of several UT faculty members who serve on the governing board of the center, which is housed in the college. |
UT’s National Center for Parents has received $500,000 to study the effects and needs of children whose mothers are incarcerated.
“This center will provide the nation with the focus on our children that we need,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur at a press conference held last month to announce the award. “Nothing is more important than raising our children in a caring family and community in the type of stability and security that children need.”
The award comes from the Edward Byrne Discretionary Grant Program and represents the first major research funding for the 1-year-old National Center for Parents, which serves as a catalyst for outreach efforts to focus on empowering and supporting parents in their primary role of caring, nurturing and educating their children. The center provides research developed by UT faculty that will be used as evidence to inform decision-makers as they enact policies that affect parents.
The grant has significant meaning for the University, said UT President Dan Johnson. “This is a very special grant because it goes to the heart of one of our nation’s most important issues — that is, our future, our children.”
“Our ultimate goal with this project is to break the cycle of criminality where children whose mothers are incarcerated are up to six times more likely to become incarcerated themselves,” said Dr. Barbaranne Benjamin, associate dean for research and graduate education in UT’s College of Health and Human Services and acting executive director for the center. “The project will investigate factors that impact mothers in the criminal justice system who may be on probation, awaiting trial or incarcerated and the relationships they have with their children. Our researchers will also examine the effectiveness of mandated and other services that are used.”
Of the 20,000 people admitted to the Lucas County jail last year, 3,000 of them were women. Nationally, more than 300,000 women are under correctional control, according to the center.
Several researchers from the College of Health and Human Services departments of criminal justice, social work, and counseling and mental health services will study local women in the criminal justice system, analyze problems and determine what works and what is ineffective, and make recommendations based on that evidence, Benjamin said.
Benjamin expects there will be opportunities for UT students to become involved with this project. “We hope to have two or three doctoral students and students from master’s programs participating so these students can gain insight into the lives of these women and the criminal justice system while working closely with faculty to learn research skills.”
In addition to pursuing grants that meet the mission of the center, University officials have included this initiative in its campaign for UT. Jim Beaverson, director of development for the College of Health and Human Services, said the grant is a major step for the center’s governing board in its fund-raising efforts. “It [grant] is significant because it shows that the vision and mission of the National Center for Parents is being endorsed and supported by public policy-makers. We need to leverage this opportunity to gain investments from the private sector.” Even though the center is housed in the College of Health and Human Services Building, it will be funded entirely through external grants, donations and gifts, Beaverson said.
The idea of a formalized community initiative to support parents started more than 10 years ago with retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge Andy Devine. “Judge Ray and I realized many years ago that if you don’t help them [children], they would end up in court.” Devine said that the influence of television has “taken over our homes in many, many ways.” But by focusing on the parents, he said things could change. “Somebody has to be in charge on a day-to-day basis. It’s not the schools. It’s not the churches. It’s not the University. It’s not the courts. Somebody has to be responsible — those are the parents and we’ve forgotten how important they are.”
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