Children Need Dads: Mental Health and Legal Rights of Fathers

“Arkansas is a mothers’ state. I don’t have the same rights to my children.”

That’s what one frustrated father told Marie Robinson, Community Coordinator for Safe Babies, a Zero to Three program. But as Robinson explained at a recent community meeting in Fort Smith, “It’s not a mothers’ state—it’s a most fit parent state. It’s about healthy children.” She often sees that dads don’t feel like they are on the same level as mothers, but assures them they have more rights than they realize.

This eye-opening conversation was part of a special event hosted by the 100 Families Initiative of Sebastian County at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS) Center for Economic Development. With a focus on men's mental health and fathers’ rights in Arkansas, the meeting brought together legal experts, recovery advocates, and community service leaders to address a vital question: how can we better support fathers?

The 100 Families Initiative is a collaborative effort to help families move from crisis to stability. Using a network of local agencies, churches, and nonprofits, the initiative provides coordinated holistic services. In 2025 alone, the Sebastian County network has already served 415 families—but has only 31 active male participants currently.

Courtnee Harlan, the county coordinator for the 100 Families Initiative of Sebastian County, challenged attendees to reflect on that disparity: Are paternal contributions as important as maternal ones?

Research suggests the answer is a resounding yes. According to the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Census data, 85% of youth in prisons grew up in fatherless homes. Studies consistently show that father absence is strongly correlated with higher rates of incarceration, violent behavior, and instability—particularly among young men. These findings highlight the urgency of addressing the barriers that prevent many fathers from being involved in their children's lives.

Attorney Paul Post of Barling Law Office explained the complicated legal landscape many fathers face when seeking custody or visitation rights.
“Everybody has a mother, but you only have a punitive father,” he said, quoting a judge. In Arkansas, fathers must meet specific legal standards to establish their rights—something many men are unaware of or unequipped to pursue without guidance.

Post stressed the importance of helping fathers see the bigger picture:
“We have to convince these guys that this might be the only opportunity for that child to have a father figure. Children will attach to someone—if not a father, it can be gangs or other bad influences.”

Robinson noted that three out of four fathers say their lives began when they became fathers. That’s why she believes it’s essential to reframe goals in ways that help men understand how their efforts impact their children.

She also brought attention to a rarely discussed fact: men also undergo hormonal changes after becoming fathers, but unlike mothers, they often aren’t educated or affirmed in how to process those emotional shifts.

Kendee Hughes, Programs Director at Heart to Heart Pregnancy and Family Center, leads fatherhood programs designed to help men find meaning in their role.

“Those fathers need to be validated," she said. "They need to have purpose.”

Many of them never had strong male role models growing up, and Hughes believes mentorship and education are the key to helping them learn how to connect with their children and build stable families.

“They don’t know how to connect and have those relationships with their family,” she explained.

Post agrees and points out the often cyclical nature of absent fathers. Many of the men they are helping to take ownership as fathers grew up without fathers themselves. He underscores the need for mentorship and empathy. “You have to be able to relate to them,” he said.

One such mentor is Graham Baty, Program Director at Horizon Renewal Center and a single father in long-term recovery. Having fought hard to regain custody of his son, Baty now uses his story to inspire hope in others.

In his work, Baty frequently encounters men who are burdened by guilt, shame, and a pervasive sense of unworthiness. “I see that more in men than I do in women,” he noted. These emotional weights often show up as reluctance to engage in parenting, a fear of failure, or a belief that they are unfit to lead their families.

Courtnee Harlan echoed that reality, sharing that many of the fathers she works with begin to withdraw when they feel they’ve fallen short. Harlan explained that these deep feelings of guilt and shame often convince fathers that their absence might be better for the family than their continued involvement.

Baty believes these challenges are deeply rooted in cultural norms.

“As a culture we drive men to be strong and courageous but we don't teach them to reach out for help when they need it and to be vulnerable,” he said. That disconnect leaves many men isolated and emotionally overwhelmed.

In response, Harlan asked the hard questions to the leaders gathered, “How can we encourage these fathers that their family needs them? How can we encourage them to stay in the game and believe that they are important?”

Her words sparked a meaningful response. One by one, community leaders and service providers shared their renewed commitment to engaging fathers more intentionally. The room became a space of collaboration and resolve, as participants exchanged ideas, resources, and strategies to better support the men in their communities.

Many agreed that providing consistent, relatable role models for fathers—especially those who never had one themselves—is key to helping men see their own value, learn how to build relationships, and stay connected to their families.

Because if families are to truly thrive, fathers must not only be included—they must be seen, supported, and empowered as essential parts of the healing and restoration process.