COOPERATIVE PARENTING FOR
DIVIDED FAMILIES
619 N. Murtland Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
24 - HOUR HOTLINE
(412) 404-8514
E-mail:
coparenting@yahoo.com
HISTORY:
In March of 1995 the presidents of two local child advocacy groups from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, met to discuss endorsement of legislation that addressed common family court issues facing men, women, and children in our community. At this meeting, we formulated an idea for joining forces and working as a single entity to meet the needs of parents going through a breakup in their family relationship.The following year we included another organization and at this point initiated a pilot program that we had developed to help, parents peacefully share their children after separation.
The name "Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families" was coined and an original logo was decided upon. This shows a heart torn in the middle with conjoined father and mother's hands at the base. Both were adopted as the official working of CPDF.
"Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families "
A New facet of the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of National Congress for Fathers and Children is forming. This new part of NCFC is called Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families. The Coalition for Fathering Families, ACES, and Citizen's for Family Unity are working with Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families. Denise Simpson is the director of this new organization. The purpose of this new service is to offer families an opportunity to become educated about co-parenting after a break-up of a relationship when children are involved.
Today, when a couple separates today, their usual first information or education step is either a lawyer or the family court. Both the family court and lawyers understand their own industry and system, however, most couples do not understand and are at the mercy of these two organizations. In addition, the mental, emotional and financial capacity of this couple is strained to their limits, resulting in stress on the children and the parents. In fact, next to a death in the family, divorce and separation are the most stressful events for people.
Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families' goal is education for these couples on a team approach. The couples meet with team members from Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families, one male team member and one female team member. These two team members and the couple meet about three or four times for about one hour each time to discuss each other's concerns and to learn about the family court system. These couples can then better understand what lies in ahead of them in terms of litigation, probable results, examples of parenting plans, probable support levels, and time line of events.
Thus far, each couple that has gone through this program has resolved all of their issues and concerns outside of court. This program is available to everyone.
If you would like more information about Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families, please contact Denise at 412.404.8514
"Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families Groups' Initiative History"
TheASSOCIATION FOR CHILDREN FOR ENFORCEMENT OF SUPPORT, NATIONAL CONGRESS FOR FATHERS AND CHILDREN, and the COALITION FOR FATHERING FAMILIES pledged unity in our diversity and we organized under the foster age of NCFC. Within this year of 1996 we had expanded to include: SYSTEMS SERVICES FOR THE HANDICAPPED, CITIZENS FOR FAMILY UNITY, and HEALTHY STARTS MALE INITIATIVE PROGRAM for even more of a diverse alliance. In 1999 we included the CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY NETWORKto make our present working consortium a group of nine organizations. Later that same year we added GRANDPARENTS RIGHT TO ACCESS AND MEDIATED PARENTAL SUPPORT and RESPONSIBLE AND INVOLVED DADS to make up COOPPERATIVE PARENTING GROUPS'INITIATIVE. In 2000 we added Fathers'and Children's Equality. In 2001 we added Parents4 Child Support Enforement an internet based group.
CPGI is unique inasmuch as it combines the expertise and strengths of experienced grassroots leaders to provide a most needed service in our community. We administer and conduct programs that educate both of the parents facing a changing relationship due to separation, divorce, or an unmarried status. It is our goal to help facilitate a peaceful transition from their present situation to a new family construction with the least amount of emotional chaos for the children involved. The importance of co-parenting issues cannot be emphasized enough since society has evidenced detrimental consequences of having significant input of only one parent in children's lives.
CPGI is a non-profit, member supported, self-help group uniting various age levels, diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, inclusive of any and all religions, not barring any sex or sexual orientation or physical, mental or emotional disabilities. We are comprised of staff from numerous professions including medicine, psychology, education, business, and law to form our man/woman parent coordinator teams who meet two-on-two with a parent team to help develop and implement child-friendly parenting plans. The teams meet at pre-arranged times and places over a period of two to four months under qualified supervision.
"Cooperative Parenting Groups' Initiative"
1) Children's advocacy Network (CAN)
Mary Colonna, President 412-421-1457
2) Coalition for Fathering Families (CFF)
Larry Davis, President 412-731-4639
3) Citizens for Family Unity (CFU)
Dave Henry, President 412-563-3432
4) Cooperative Parenting for Divided Families (CPDF)
Denise Simpson, President 412-404-8514
5) Healthy Starts, Male Initiative Program (MIP)
Melvin Hubbard El, 412-247-4009
6) National Congress for Fathers and Children (NCFC)
Kevin Sheahen, President 412-571-3038
7) System Services for the Handicapped (SSH)
Tom Tully, President
8) Grandparents Rights to Access and Mediated Parental Support (GRAMPS)
Laverne Hunter 412-244-1459
9) Responsible and Involved Dads
Mark A. Symms 412-404-8514
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