    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [June 16, 1995]
    [Pages 899-900]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Supporting the Role of Fathers in Families
    June 16, 1995

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    Subject: Supporting the Role of Fathers in Families

        I am firm in my belief that the future of our Republic depends on
    strong families and that committed fathers are essential to those
    families. I am also aware that strengthening fathers' involvement with
    their children cannot be accomplished by the Federal Government alone;
    the solutions lie in the hearts and consciences of individual fathers
    and the support of the families and communities in which they live.
    However, there are ways for a flexible, responsive Government to help
    support men in their roles as fathers.
        Therefore, today I am asking the Federal agencies to assist me in
    this effort. I direct all executive departments and agencies to review
    every program, policy, and initiative (hereinafter referred to
    collectively as ``programs'') that pertains to families to:
        ensure, where appropriate, and consistent with program
                objectives, that they seek to engage and meaningfully
                include fathers;
        proactively modify those programs that were designed to
                serve primarily mothers and children, where appropriate and
                consistent with program objectives, to explicitly

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                include fathers and strengthen their involvement with their
                children;
        include evidence of father involvement and participation,
                where appropriate, in measuring the success of the programs;
                and
        incorporate fathers, where appropriate, in government-
                initiated research regarding children and their families.
        I ask the departments and agencies to provide an initial report on
    the results of the review to the Vice President through the National
    Performance Review within 90 days of the date of this memorandum.
        The information gained from this review will be combined with
    information gathered through the Vice President's ``Father to Father''
    initiative and other father involvement programs to determine the
    direction of those programs for the future. The National Performance
    Review, together with the Domestic Policy Council, will recommend
    further action based on the results of this review.

                                                          William J. Clinton