Non-Support Responsible Fatherhood Program

This program was established to address offenders sentenced to Community Control for failure to pay their Court ordered child support. The primary purpose of this program is to divert Non-Support offenders from State Prison and to place all applicable targeted clients into the program through recommendations from the Adult Parole Authority (APA), the Lorain County Adult Probation Department, Lorain County Common Pleas Court, as well as from the Lorain/Medina Community Based Correctional Facility referrals. Offenders who are compliant with the program’s rules and conditions for a minimum of thirty (30) days will have their driver’s license suspension lifted. This program is operated on the premise that defendants will be able to secure employment by having the ability to drive and thus be able to support their families. This program is funded through a State grant.

The NRFP curriculum is cognitive based and has shown success in other areas of the State and has increased support payments. This curriculum focuses on changing offenders’ behavior. This program will be used in conjunction with cognitive behavior programming held on site for offenders being supervised by the Adult Probation Department including “Thinking For a Change” and “Criminal Addictive Thinking.”