June 18, 2008
For Immediate Release

National Fatherhood Initiative Unveils "The One Hundred Billion Dollar Man"

New report details the annual public costs of father absence


Gaithersburg, MD. – June 18, 2008 – National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) released a new report today titled, "The One Hundred Billion Dollar Man: The Annual Public Costs of Father Absence." The report, the first of its kind, estimates annual federal expenditures to support father-absent homes. In 2006, the federal government spent $100 billion on 13 means-tested benefits programs and child support enforcement supporting father-absent homes.

In an event in the U.S. Capitol Building, Juan Williams (NPR, Foxnews), Ron Haskins, Ph.D. (Brookings Institution), and Chris Einolf, Ph.D. (DePaul University) held a panel discussion, moderated by Roland C. Warren, NFI's president, to disciuss the report's findings and their implications. Senator John Thune, co-chair of the Senate Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood, and Representatives Danny K. Davis and Mike McIntyre, co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood, spoke of the importance of father involvement.

While mountains of social science evidence have accumulated on the negative consequences of father absence for child well-being, "The One Hundred Billion Dollar Man" provides the first hard data on the taxpayer costs of father absence. Of the $100 billion in costs, over half ($53 billion) go toward Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

This new data will provide key policymakers, legislators, and advocates with an additional, powerful argument for the importance of reducing father absence.

Representatives from child-oriented nonprofits, government agencies, fatherhood programs, and Congressional offices attended the briefing. The report was dedicated to its late author, Dr. Steven L. Nock of the University of Virginia, who passed away shortly after completing the report.

The report can be downloaded at National Fatherhood Initiative's research page. For video highlights of Roland C. Warren, president of NFI, on C-SPAN's Washington Journal, click here.

About National Fatherhood Initiative
The premier fatherhood renewal organization in the country, National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) works in every sector and at every level of society to engage fathers in the lives of their children. NFI’s national public service advertising campaign promoting fatherhood has generated television, radio, print, Internet, and outdoor advertising valued at more than $500 million. Through its resource center, FatherSOURCE, NFI offers a wide range of innovative resources to assist fathers and organizations interested in reaching and supporting fathers. For more information, visit www.fatherhood.org.