WASHINGTON, D. C. – The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Child Support Services Division (CSSD) and MedStar Family Choice will be hosting a Men’s Health Day and Fatherhood Conference from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 24, 2017 at the St. Elizabeths Gateway Pavilion and R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center in Ward 8. The event is designed to provide fathers in the District with the tools they need to improve their physical and mental health, strengthen relationships with their families, and improve their prospects for meaningful employment.
“A father’s most important job is to be a consistent, reliable, and supportive part of his child’s life,” Attorney General Karl A. Racine said. “But we also know that too many fathers face barriers that get in the way of their doing everything they can for their children. This conference and health fair will provide fathers and other interested adults opportunities to take the initiative to build their job and life skills so they can break through those barriers and provide their children with the support they need to grow into mature and independent adults.”
The conference is co-sponsored by MedStar Family Choice, a managed care organization providing healthcare services to 58,000 Medicaid enrollees in the District. “We are really pleased to co-sponsor this event, because we understand that improving the health and well-being of a community’s residents makes for a stronger, healthier community,” said Leslie Lyles Smith, executive director, MedStar Family Choice.
The event, with the theme “Celebrating Men: Bridging the Gap, Investing in Our Future,” includes a conference at the R.I.S.E. Center and a health fair at the adjacent pavilion. Both facilities are located on the St. Elizabeths East Campus at 2730 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. The health fair will feature vendors and partners from multiple government, nonprofit, and private agencies and businesses, including physicians and other health experts; health-insurance resources; educational resources; and other opportunities.
Conference Workshops
The conference will feature workshops on:
- Building and maintaining relationships;
- Money management and financial literacy;
- Common health issues affecting men; and
- Making positive life choices.
The conference will culminate with a Town Hall meeting entitled “Overcoming Barriers: Creating Pathways to Healthy Fatherhood.” Attorney General Racine will moderate a panel of experts who will address barriers to healthy fatherhood and provide solutions to common issues that may hinder fathers from being present in the lives of their children.
There will also be food, entertainment, and haircuts offered at no cost to conference participants. Radio personalities from WKYS 93.9 FM will also broadcast from the site of the event.
An agenda for the conference and a list of vendors participating in the event is attached.