Fathers New Mexico

Supporting Dads, Strengthening Families

Fathers New Mexico’s mission and purpose is to provide support, resources, and skills to promote healthy and responsible fathering in young families. Fathers New Mexico nurtures connections between the father, the family, and the community to promote self, family, and community health. We exist to support, resource, and equip parents — with a particular focus on fathers — to show up fully in the lives of their children and families. We know that when fathers are healthy, engaged, and connected, entire families and communities are stronger.

From prenatal care through adulthood, father involvement is instrumental in children's physical health, language development, and socio-emotional resilience. Though the research is clear on these points, family services programs have not evolved to proactively support dads. Meanwhile, harmful cultural messages about masculinity persist. Those messages result in service providers being uncomfortable with men. Those messages also get internalized by men resulting in a resistance to seeking help. Fathers New Mexico integrates an exploration of healthy masculinities to address and to close those gaps.

A Safe Space for Dads

At the heart of our work is case management — a sustained, trusting relationship in which fathers can grow into their full potential as parents. Within that relationship, dads explore not only practical concerns like access to benefits, financial challenges, and legal processes, but also the deeper questions: How do I communicate with my child? What kind of environment am I creating at home? What does being a healthy man mean for me?

Real Families, Real Change

Hear are examples of the experiences of a few of the families we have recently served:

• A father had been estranged from his son for years, unsure of the boy's whereabouts and worried about his welfare. We helped him locate his son, and provided guidance for a measured rebuild of a dialogue with both the child and the mother. This father ultimately relocated to Texas to be closer to his boy. He now facilitates father support groups there — turning his own healing into a resource for others.
• An 84-year-old grandfather unexpectedly gained custody of his 10-year-old grandson, who has an autism diagnosis. Hard of hearing and unfamiliar with technology, he came to us overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. We connected them to educational support, community activities, and disability benefits — and later to a diagnostic team with an applied behavior analysis program. A grandfather and grandson are now building a life together with the right support around them.
• A father reached out to us in the early stages of recovery from addiction, having endured a two-year separation from his young daughter. With the help of his case manager, he successfully re-opened his family court case, maintained steady employment, and rebuilt his personal relationships. Most importantly to him: he is now having regular visitations with his daughter.

Education, Community, and Peer Connection

Beyond individual case management, Fathers New Mexico offers online and in-person parent education through programs including Abriendo Puertas, Parent Effectiveness Training, and our Healthy Co-Parenting Workshop. Our Dad's Groups bring small groups of fathers together to explore what it means to prioritize their children's needs — in community with other dads navigating the same journey. All of our services are available in both English and Spanish.

Strengthening the Field

Our work doesn't stop with the families we serve directly. Fathers New Mexico translates what we learn from client families into professional development for other family service providers. Our Healthy Co-Parenting Guide trains professionals on strategies for supporting parents in separate households, and we offer targeted trainings to help other programs improve their engagement with fathers.

Who We Are

Fathers New Mexico is a small, dedicated organization — eight staff members, five of whom are direct-service case managers. Every family we work with receives focused, personal attention from someone who is genuinely invested in the wellbeing of their children.

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The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited its nonprofit partners to submit stories related to our May topic of Health & Healing.