​The Fathers Program provides support services to fathers in the community and at the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction through individual and group case management services to strengthen their connection with their children. Fathers participate in 10-week sessions during which they develop skills in communication, how to show love and affection, stress management, and relationship and life skills.

Hear from one recent participant:

“The first time I heard of Pernet Family Health Service was when my son was in the custody of the Department of Children and Families. You see, when my son was born, I was excited and made a promise to myself to be the best dad for him. But old habits die hard, and I was soon on the wrong side of the law. Thankfully, it was not for a long time. As steps to get custody of my son, I enrolled in the Fathers Program and the Parenting Class. I was learning a lot, and I looked forward to attending the classes. What I noticed was how the staff would talk to me. They listened and then guided me on what I needed to do. At that time, I was allowed supervised visits with my son once a week. Staff then reached out to DCF and advocated for me. It happened quickly and DCF increased the supervised visits to 2 hours, then 3 hours, and then I was allowed to take him unsupervised. What a joy! The most significant moment was the day I got custody of my son from the court. I learned it does not matter how big the challenge is, anybody can overcome it if you are determined, and you have the right support. The staff helped me overcome the visiting hours’ challenge and eventually, I got full custody of my son.”