Survey on Black Fathers’ Experiences in Wisconsin

Your story and experiences matter.

We are inviting Black fathers (non-birthing parents) in Wisconsin to participate in a confidential survey. We would like to learn more about your experiences with healthcare, parenting, and child support (if applicable).

The survey is online and will take 15-20 minutes to complete. You can take the survey in a location of your choosing on your mobile device or computer. Those who are eligible and complete a survey will be paid $50 for their time.

Interested? See if you qualify and take the survey.

You can also contact the research team directly via e-mail with questions about participation: reproequityactionlab@wisc.edu

Research Team

Dr. Tiffany Green (she/her) is leading this research. She is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Other members of our team working on this project include:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Why are we doing this research?

Our research team honors people’s stories. Research rarely centers the experiences of Black people and we hope to change that by hearing from Black people directly.

We believe that all people deserve to parent the children they have in safe and sustainable communities. We hope to learn from people’s experiences to help generate positive change.

What is research?

Research is a careful investigation of a specific question or topic. There are many forms of research and many ways research can be conducted.

This research study uses an online survey to gather information on Black fathers’ experiences in Wisconsin with healthcare, parenting, and child support (if applicable).

By learning about people’s thoughts, opinions, and experiences, we will identify key themes and recommendations to improve these experiences for Black fathers and their families.

What will I be asked to do if I participate?

We want to learn more about Black fathers’ experiences with healthcare, parenting, and child support. To do this, we designed an online survey. If you are eligible and choose to participate, you will be asked to complete a survey on your personal device (e.g., computer or smart phone). The survey should take between 15-20 minutes to complete. We will keep your answers confidential and will not share personal information about you with anyone outside the research team.

Can I participate confidentially?

Yes. Our team does everything we can to protect your privacy. Here are some of the ways:

  • We never share your name or anything that could be used to identify you.
  • We destroy your contact information after you’re done completing research tasks (unless you want us to stay in touch).
  • We store your data in a very secure way to make sure no one can access it except the research team.

What happens to my data?

Only the researchers will have access to your survey responses. After reviewing the survey to be sure all the questions were answered, the researchers will use your contact information to send the electronic gift card via e-mail. Unless you give us permission to contact you in the future, all the information that could identify you will be destroyed. We then gather all the survey response data into one file to analyze together.

What will you do with what you learn from participants?

We will share what we learn with community members, academics, and policymakers. By sharing what we learn, we hope to support existing community health goals and highlight opportunities for improved alignment between healthcare providers, policymakers, and those who participate in our research. If you participate, you will be given an option to receive copies of reports we write about what we learn.

What are the risks and benefits?

You may not directly benefit from participating in the study. However, participants in our previous studies have said they appreciated the opportunity to:

  • share their stories;
  • help others going through a similar situation;
  • advocate for their needs;
  • support research;
  • and be part of improving systems, such as healthcare.

The risks of participating could include:

  • being uncomfortable answering questions about sensitive topics (but you don’t have to answer any questions you don’t want to);
  • a risk of loss of privacy or confidentiality (however, we do everything we can to eliminate this risk).

If you have questions or concerns, we are available! Please email us: reproequityactionlab@wisc.edu

I still have questions. Who should I contact?

Please reach out by e-mail: reproequityactionlab@wisc.edu

Resources for Potential Participants

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Emotional Support Resources

We appreciate you taking the time to complete our survey and share your experiences. These topics can sometimes bring up uncomfortable memories or emotions. If it would be helpful for you to talk to someone about the feelings these questions may bring up, here are some free emotional support resources.

  • Crisis Textline
    • https://www.crisistextline.org/
    • Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a volunteer Crisis Counselor. Provides free, 24/7, text-based mental health support and crisis intervention.
    • May alert law enforcement.
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
  • Warmline
  • The Steve Fund
  • Free Black Therapy
    • https://www.freeblacktherapy.org/
    • Provides remote mental health services with Black Mental Health professionals for Black and African American individuals. Absolutely FREE.
  • Open Path Collective
  • American Psychological Association (APA) Locator
    • https://locator.apa.org/
    • Search tool to find a psychologist in your local area that allows you to consider many factors when searching.
  • Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective
    • https://beam.community/get-help-now/
    • BlackLine provides a space for peer support, counseling, witnessing and affirming the lived experiences to folxs who are most impacted by systematic oppression with an LGBTQ+ Black femme lens.
  • Love Is Respect
    • https://www.loveisrespect.org/
    • Call 1-866-331-9474; Text LOVEIS to 22522; Chat on their website.
    • Love Is Respect is a website and text/call-line that focuses on healthy relationship education geared towards young people.

A Note on Language

  • When we say “father” we are talking about the male parent or non-birthing parent. We understand not all male parents or non-birthing parents call themselves a father. However, to reduce extra words, we use “father” in the survey and other materials.
  • When we say “mother” we are talking about the female parent or birthing parent. We understand not all female parents or birthing parents call themselves a mother. However, to reduce extra words, we use “mother” in the survey and other materials.
  • When we say “Medicaid” we are talking about public insurance or insurance provided to eligible people living on low incomes by the state government. In Wisconsin, this is sometimes called BadgerCare, BadgerCare Plus, or BC+.