Montefiore Einstein Earns $8 Million in Federal and City Grants to Strengthen Relationships Between Father-Figures and Their Youth
Expanded Program Adds One-on-One Coaching, Support Groups and Community Service
BRONX, N.Y., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The impact of a positive father figure is associated with greater emotional security, self-esteem, and even stronger math and verbal skills, but there is no roadmap for being a dad or role model. For five years, Montefiore's HERO Dads has supported fathers in a welcoming environment that has helped men be more confident parents, providing the tools they need to positively influence their child's well-being. Now the program is being bolstered by a $6 million United States Department of Health and Human Services grant and a $2 million New York City Department of Youth Community Development grant.
The new funding will enable the University Behavioral Associates team at Montefiore Einstein to hold one-on-one coaching sessions with dads and other father-figures, providing opportunities for private meetings with trained mental health professionals where they can discuss their needs and navigate barriers to connecting with their families. A new trauma-informed support group is also being introduced as part of the 4-week program.
For couples, the program also offers a 12-week cohort designed to strengthen co-parent relationships. Employment and financial coursework are led by Fedcap equipping fathers with the practical tools needed to achieve family and financial stability including job development and placement.
"More than 1,000 participants have benefited from our comprehensive programing, which includes skill development in areas like communication and conflict resolution to help members achieve family and financial success," said Traci Maynigo, Psy.D., program director, HERO Dads. "And while being a parent can feel incredibly rewarding, it can also be challenging for parents to learn new skills and break patterns of abuse, neglect or trauma."
HERO: Healthy, Empowered, Resilient and Open
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience, translating to tens of millions of parents. More than 15 million Americans raising children face clinically significant trauma. Creating an environment where men feel they can trust their peers and staff, are safe from judgment and have choice in the program helps foster engagement and growth.
"Even after completing our program, fathers remain more involved in their children's lives by offering emotional support, planning activities, and supervising and monitoring them," said Moshe Moeller, Ph.D., associate program director, HERO Dads. "With our new program offerings focused on emotional safety, trust building, peer connection and financial stability, we can help father-figures feel resilient and more connected to their children"
HERO Dads Saved My Life
"HERO Dads pretty much saved my life. It is a place where I can be vulnerable and learn how to show love and discipline in new ways that help my son as he grows," said Bronx father, Leon Rosa. "I am a young dad and the opportunity to learn from other dads like me reshaped my thinking in ways I couldn't have imagined."
For more information visit https://montefioreeinstein.org/patient-care/hero-dads or text HERO to 646-823-6204 .
About Montefiore Health System
Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and more than 200 outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information, please visit www.montefioreeinstein.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and LinkedIn, or view us on Facebook and YouTube.
About Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2024-25 academic year, Einstein is home to 712 M.D. students, 226 Ph.D. students, 112 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and approximately 250 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2024, Einstein received more than $192 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in cancer, aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. For more information, please visit einsteinmed.edu, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and view us on YouTube.
SOURCE Montefiore Health System
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