Riverside Community Wellness Center graduates its first 24/7 Dads cohort

Inland Empire Health Plan’s (IEHP) Riverside Community Wellness Center (CWC) celebrated its first cohort of the 24/7 Dads program with a graduation ceremony for 22 participants on April 26.

Established by Moreno Valley-based nonprofit Sigma Beta XI (SBX) Youth & Family Services, 24/7 Dads is a six-week program which introduces dads and father figures to curriculum intended to create a stronger bond between them and their children. By partnering with SBX, the Riverside CWC connects its community to an organization with strong ties in Riverside County and a mission of breaking the cycle of poverty and violence through mentoring, education and community organizing.

“We want to connect the community to support programs and tools that ensure both parent and child are growing up healthy and creating strong bonds with one another,” CWC Supervisor Violeta Clarke said.

At the late-April ceremony, participants such as Van Houston of Riverside reflected on the program’s importance, telling staff he hopes to spread the word about its benefits to his friends, neighbors and even strangers.

“The value of the program was the variety of topics discussed and the people brought in who were really engaging,” said Houston. “For men, it’s often a struggle to be vulnerable and show emotions outside of this type of environment, but this a great program to learn how.”

A new 24/7 Dads cohort began on May 10, but registration remains open for future sessions, which meet every Friday from 4-6 p.m. until program completion. There is no cost to participate.

To register for the program or to learn more, visit the Riverside Community Wellness Center at 3590 Tyler St., Suite 101, or call 866-228-4347.

With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans, the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid public health plan in the country, and for the third year in a row, certified as A Great Place To Work®. Founded in 1996, IEHP supports more than 1.5 million Riverside and San Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). As of 2024, IEHP also offers Covered California plans, further ensuring health care access for even more IE residents. Today, IEHP has a robust network of quality doctors throughout our two counties and nearly 4,000 team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health. To learn more, go to iehp.org.