CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A Cincinnati nonprofit has been selected to bring a state-funded fatherhood support program to Clermont County, offering local fathers free parenting classes, co-parenting coaching, legal help and job placement assistance.
Talbert House was chosen through the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood’s Responsible Fathers Initiative to expand its Fatherhood Project into the county, the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities said in a Facebook post Friday. The board did not detail its own role in the program, but shared the announcement with county families who may benefit from the services.
The Fatherhood Project is built around several core offerings, according to Talbert House. Its centerpiece is the Nurturing Fathers Program, a 10-week curriculum covering child development, parenting skills, discipline techniques, family law and child support education, and strategies for overcoming barriers to effective parenting. A separate Co-Parenting Program offers structured coaching — not therapy — aimed at helping parents communicate, reduce conflict and set boundaries for their children’s benefit.
The program also includes one-on-one coaching tailored to each father’s circumstances, along with referrals and case management; legal services support for navigating family court, child support and custody matters; and employment services such as career coaching, resume help, interview preparation and job placement assistance, Talbert House said.
Talbert House has operated in the Cincinnati area since 1965, when it opened its first halfway house with $30,000 in private donations to help men reenter the community. The organization is named for Dr. Ernest Talbert, a University of Cincinnati sociology professor emeritus who championed community-based alternatives to institutional care. It has since grown into one of the region’s largest social service agencies, serving tens of thousands of clients annually across more than 40 programs in addiction treatment, community corrections, housing, mental health and family services throughout southwest Ohio.
The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, which selected Talbert House for the expansion, was established in 1999 and is housed within the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. Its mission is to improve outcomes for Ohio children by helping fathers become more engaged parents, partners and providers. The state budget approved by lawmakers in 2025 included $20 million for the commission’s Responsible Fatherhood Initiative, which funds community-based programs like the one now coming to Clermont County.
Talbert House said more than 2,000 fathers have graduated from the Fatherhood Project in Hamilton County since it began in 2008, and the program has already expanded into Butler and Warren counties in addition to Clermont. The organization said it is preparing to extend the program further into Brown, Clinton, Highland and Preble counties.
Families interested in the program can reach Talbert House by emailing [email protected], according to the announcement.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities.