Human Services Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Responsible Fatherhood Program in New York City

This research-to-practice brief reviews lessons learned from Seedco’s Office of Family Assistance-funded Strong Fathers, Stronger Families (SFSF) program which adjusted its service delivery model resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. SFSF helps fathers achieve financial stability by providing services focused on responsible fatherhood, healthy relationships, and economic stability. Seedco utilized a Continuous Quality Improvement process to service delivery that included continuous reflection on program improvements. Lessons learned focus on changes in recruitment and enrollment of participants, how program providers can deliver virtual workshops, how other services and referrals can be delivered virtually, the ways staff can change practices and procedures to enhance program benefits and minimize program limitations, and participants’ responses to virtual programming.