Research and Community Initiatives

Figuring It Out For the Child

Figuring It Out for the Child (FIOC) is a unique Resource and Referral (R&R) program designed to support unmarried, non-co-resident African American mothers and fathers having their first baby together. The FIOC program is distinctive on the national scene.  Unlike many federally-sponsored “responsible fatherhood” initiatives, the FIOC program connects with the father and mother together throughout the project.  Unlike many federally- and privately-sponsored marriage and relationship enhancement programs, no present or future marriage or enduring committed romantic relationship is presumed. At the point of joining the study, fathers and mothers are paired with a Resource & Referral Specialist who remains available to them from the pregnancy through the child’s first birthday. She helps connect families to existing agencies, programs and community resources, with specific focus on those the parents themselves see as being most needed. She continues to check in periodically with families after the baby has been born, to assure that all foreseen and unforeseen needs are being tended to.

Participation also involves registering in a research project, sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Development, for which the parents are paid. Mothers and fathers are interviewed together at three different times:

1) First, prior to receiving community resources

2) Next, when the baby is 3 months old

3) Finally, around the time of the child’s first birthday, when baby is 12 months old

Families who successfully complete all 3 sets of interviews receive a total of $300 in gift cards ($150 for mother and $150 for father).

In addition to receiving gift cards and community resource referrals, families are entered in a random drawing offering them an opportunity to take part in a set of 7 workshops. These Mentor-led workshops are designed to help parents learn ways to work together as they raise their child. As with the R&R program and research project, fathers and mothers must both be agreeable to take part in workshops. Half of the families in the FIOC Resource & Referral Program will be randomly chosen and offered the workshops.

All services are free to families; there are no fees, and the R&R specialist may be called upon as often as needed for assistance. In addition to the incentives offered for research project participation, healthy snacks are provided and transportation assistance is available if needed.  Enrollment is now open, and area families living in south St. Petersburg, FL, are encouraged to contact the program office to learn more about registering to take part.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • At least one parent must be African-American
  • The couple must be unmarried and having their first child together
  • Baby’s due date should be at least 1 month away

Contact Us

For more information or to register for the program, please contact:

Ms. Serina Lewis, Project Coordination Assistant
727-873-4844
serinalewis@usf.edu

To make a referral, please contact:
Ms. Mari Kittle, Recruitment
727-410-3935
marikittle@hotmail.com

To volunteer as a Project or Research Assistant, please contact:
Dr. Yana Sirotkin, Research Coordinator
727-873-4848
yanasirotkin@usf.edu

For other questions, please contact:
Dr. James McHale, Project Director & Principal Investigator
727-873-4848
jmchale@usf.edu

Community Partners

Funded by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD), Figuring It Out for The Child is a community-based project seven years in the planning. Senior African American leaders from the health and human service and faith-based communities in St. Petersburg were closely involved in planning and shaping the FIOC project.

A pilot study, funded initially by the Juvenile Welfare Board and subsequently by the Brady Education Foundation, ran from 2012-2014 and further set the stage for the current project, Randomized Controlled Trial of Prenatal Coparenting Intervention for African American Fragile Families (R01 HD082211) being sponsored by the NICHD.

Families learn of the project from many partnering agencies that serve expectant parents, among them the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County’s Healthy Families programs, the St. Petersburg Healthy Start Federal Project sponsored by All Children’s Hospital, the NEXT STEPP Center, and numerous other faith-based and health and human service partners. All project outreach, clinical and administrative activities are coordinated through the Figuring It Out for the Child Project Office, 100 5th Avenue South, Building ONE, Suite 200 at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

Our Community Partners

Mt. Zion Human Services, Inc.
Project Liaison Angela (Ms. Peache) Merck

One of the FIOC project’s performance sites is Mt Zion Human Services, Inc. a faith-based 501c3 organization founded in 1983 to help children, individuals and families overcome their material circumstances to achieve their fullest potential.

Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church
The Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church is involved in FIOC outreach efforts.

St. Petersburg Healthy Start Federal Project
Project Liaison Kimberly Brown-Williams
The St. Petersburg Healthy Start Federal Project is sponsored by All Children’s Hospital, another of FIOC’s performance sites. The St. Petersburg Healthy Start Federal Project is part of the national Healthy Start Initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Human Resources and Services Administration.

Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
Project Liaison Ray Hensley
The Department of Health in Pinellas County, which brings support and care to pregnant women, infants and their families through Home Visiting programs that provide education and counseling, is a partner in FIOC outreach efforts.

The NEXT STEPP Center
Project Liaison Carole Alexander
The Next STEPP Life Center, a nonprofit Christian organization offering life-affirming solutions to women, men and families facing unintended pregnancy as well as resources to pregnant and parenting women and their families, is the home of FIOC’s third performance site at 1221 22nd St S in St. Petersburg. Next STEPP also assists with FIOC outreach efforts.

Project Mentors

Mari Kittle
Eric Armstrong
Christopher Davis
Teresa Gerard
Florence Guillet
Pierre Guillett
Laverne Johnson
Serina Lewis
Naisha Mizell
Rashid Mizell
James Oliver
Princess Denise Wright

Project Staff

RESEARCH TEAM

James McHale, Principal Investigator and Project Director
Carla Stover, Co-Principal Investigator
Michael Coovert, Lead Data Analyst
Ron Seifer, Brown University, Senior Consultant
Yana Sirotkin, Study/Research Coordinator
Caylen Holmes, Quality Assurance Analyst Supervisor
Selin Salman-Engin, Fidelity and Data Consultant
Linda Kraus, Consultant, Accountability and Deliverables
Lisa Zawistowski, Consultant, Research Integrity and Compliance

PROJECT OPERATIONS TEAM

Serina Lewis, Project Coordination Assistant
Mari Kittle, Project Recruitment and Resource Coordinator
Marshall Lester Jr., Project Assistant

INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT TEAM

Eric Armstrong, Intake and Assessment
Rashid Mizell, Intake and Assessment
Florence Guillet, Intake and Assessment
Teresa Girard, Intake and Assessment
Christopher Ellison, Assessor
Cathline Dilworth, Resource and Referral Navigator
Angela (Ms. Peaches) Merck, Resource and Referral Navigator

CLINICAL TEAM

Carla Stover, Project Safety Officer
Vikki Gaskin-Butler, Senior Clinician
Katherine McKay, Clinical Supervisor
Lisa Negrini, Clinical Supervisor
Anne Menard, Washington, D.C., Senior IPV and Safety Consultant
DATA SAFETY MONITORING BOARD

Dr. Tricia Bent-Goodley, Washington, D.C.
Wendy Loomas, Oakland, CA
Bonnie Rosendale, Tallahassee, FL

STUDY TEAM RESEARCHERS AND VOLUNTEERS

Erica Coates
Shavon Gibson
Jessi Smith
Pieter Wiemken
Nicholas D’Souza
Selena Vigue