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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," ARIZONA CONFIRMS ITS FIRST BIRD FLU DETECTION IN MILK PRODUCED BY A MARICOPA COUNTY DAIRY HERD.

>>> CONCERNS OVER THE PRESIDENT'S ORDERS AND ACTIONS RELATED TO WATER ISSUES.

>>> AND AN OFFER TO SUPPORT FOR FATHERS AND MALE ROLE MODELS.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

GOVERNOR HOBBS VETOED A BILL THAT PROHIBITS MAIL-IN BALLOTS TO BE DROPPED OFF ON ELECTION DAY.

THE BILL WAS DESIGNED TO SPEED UP ELECTION RESULTS AND A FIRST VETO FOR THE GOVERNOR THIS SESSION.

GOVERNOR WAS OPEN TO HAVING CUTOFF DATES FOR MAIL-IN DROP-OFFS TO SPEED UP RESULTS IF REPUBLICANS AGREE TO EXPAND VOTER ACCESS.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, THUS THE VETO.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS DID VOTE TO PUT A MEASURE SIMILAR TO THE BILL THAT THE GOVERNOR VETOED ON THE BALLOT FOR VOTERS TO DECIDE.

>>> A FEDERAL JUDGE DECLINED TO IMMEDIATELY BLOCK ELON MUSK'S GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY GROUP FROM ACCESSING GOVERNMENT DATA SYSTEMS OR PARTICIPATING IN WORKER LAYOFFS.

THERE ARE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS ABOUT MUSK'S AUTHORITY BUT NOT GRAVE LEGAL HARM TO JUSTIFY A TEMPORARY RETRAINING ORDER.

THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY 14 ATTORNEYS GENERAL INCLUDING ARIZONA'S KRIS MAYES.

>>> THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S FIRED AT LEAST 700 EMPLOYEES AT THE CDC SINCE FRIDAY.

THE ACTIONS GO ALONG WITH FIRINGS OF SCIENTISTS, DOCTORS AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AT THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.

OF NOTE, RESEARCHERS AT THE CDC DETRACT OUTBREAKS WERE SPARED FOR NOW BUT ORIGINALLY TARGETED.

>>> SENIOR U.S. AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS MET AND AGREED TO WORK IN TEAMS TOWARD ENDING THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

THERE WAS AGREEMENT TO WORK ON NORMALIZING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO WAS AMONG THOSE AT THE MEETING.

>> THE GOAL IS TO BRING AN END TO THE CONFLICT IN A WAY THAT IS FAIR, ENDURING, SUSTAINABLE AND ACCEPTABLE TO ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE?

WHAT THE ONGOING ENGAGEMENT IS ALL ABOUT.

TED: RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS WERE PLEASED WITH THE MEETING.

>> THE CONVERSATION WAS A DIALOGUE, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER POSITION, RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE, THAT IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

NO ULTIMATUMS AND UNDERSTANDING POSITION.

LONG ROAD AHEAD, DIFFICULT ROAD AHEAD, RUSSIA AND U.S.

IMPORTANT COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD HAVE STARTED TALKING IN A POSITIVE, PROFESSIONAL MANNER.

TED: WITH THE U.S.

ABANDONING EFFORTS TO ISOLATE RUSSIA AND NOT INVOLVING UKRAINE AND PEACE TALKS.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKY MET WITH TURKISH PERIOD ERDOGAN IN TURKEY TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

>>> THE CIA IS FLYING COVERT DRONE MISSIONS OVER MEXICO.

CNN REPORTS THAT THE DRONES ARE SPYING ON DRUG CARTELS.

NOT ARMED BUT CAN BE EQUIPPED WITH PAYLOADS TO CARRY OUT PRECISION STRIKES.

PREVIOUS DRONE MISSIONS WERE CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MEXICO BUT NOT THIS TIME ACCORDING TO CNN.

>>> BIRD FLU IS RECENTLY DETECTED IN MILK FROM A TERRY HERD IN MARICOPA COUNTY, THE FIRST SUCH DETECTION IN THE STATE.

JOINING US IS MICHAEL WOROBEY, HEADS THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, AND GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, I GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS REGARDING BIRD FLU.

GIVE US 30,000 FOOT VIEW, A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF BIRD FLU IN ARIZONA.

>> SURE.

OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEAR, A VARIANT OF INFLUENZA VIRUS THAT HAS BEEN IN PAST DECADES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH MORTALITY RATES HAS BEEN SPREADING THROUGH THE BIRD POPULATION, AND ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE REALIZED IT HAS CROSSED INTO DAIRY CATTLE, A SPECIES THAT HASN'T BEEN INFECTED BEFORE, SO WE KNEW THIS WAS SOMETHING SPREADING IN DAIRY CATTLE AROUND THE COUNTRY BUT ARIZONA JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAVE DISCOVERED A SECOND JUMP FROM BIRDS INTO AT LEAST ONE HERD OF DAIRY CATTLE IN MARICOPA COUNTY.

TED: HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE MILK THAT COMES FROM THIS HERD?

>> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING.

THE VIRUS, WHEN IT GETS INTO DAIRY CATTLE, UNLIKE WHEN IT GETS INTO US AND INFECTS OUR AIRWAYS, IT CAN REPLICATE AT VERY HIGH LEVELS IN THE MILK GLANDS OF THE ANIMALS.

SO MILK CAN HAVE A VERY, VERY HIGH AMOUNT VIRUS IN IT, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IF MILK IS PASTEURIZED, IT JUST COMPLETELY ELIMINATES THE RISK OF INFECTION FROM THE MILK.

TED: INTERESTING, OKAY.

POULTRY FLOCKS, I'M HEARING THEY'RE AFFECTED AS WELL HERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO IF YOU JUST IMAGINE WILD BIRDING FLYING ACROSS AIRWAYS OR FLYWAYS AS WE CALL THEM, STATE TO STATE, AND LOCALLY, THESE ANIMALS INTERACT WITH OUR ANIMALS.

SO THEY WILL SOMETIMES LAND ON DAIRY FARMS, THEY'LL SOMETIMES LAND NEAR POULTRY OPERATIONS, EVEN SOMEONE'S BACKYARD FLOCK CAN BECOME INFECTED BY THE MIXING BETWEEN THE WILD BIRDS AND THE DOMESTICATED SPECIES, SO THERE'S NO WAY TO REALLY PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING WITH 100% PRECISION.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TRY TO FIND IT EARLY WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN.

TED: AND YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GENOME SEQUENCING BUT THERE WERE OUTBREAKS IN NEVADA, NOW YOU GOT SOMETHING IN ARIZONA CAN YOU PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK AT, TOO.

WHAT ARE YOU FINDING?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO MY TEAM DEVELOPED THE MOST RELIABLE METHODS FOR GOING FROM THE GENETIC SEQUENCES OF THE VIRUSES WHICH IS ABOUT 10,000, BETWEEN 10,000 AND 15,000 OF THESE As, Cs, Gs AND Ts THAT MAKE UP GENETIC MATERIAL AND PUTTING THEM TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SOMETHING THAT WAS INFECTED ON A DAIRY FARM IN NEVADA OR ARIZONA.

BIRDS THAT HAVE BEEN SAMPLED AND THE VIRUS SEQUENCED FROM IT, AND CREATE THIS EVOLUTIONARY TREE, THE FAMILY TREE OF THESE VIRUSES AND THEN TELL THINGS LIKE WHEN AND WHERE AND HOW DID THE VIRUS ACTUALLY JUMP FROM BIRDS INTO, IN THIS CASE, CATTLE?

SO UP IN NEVADA, JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, THAT WAS THE BIG NEWS THAT THE SECOND, ONLY SECOND TIME THIS VIRUS HAD BEEN SEEN TO MOVE FROM BIRDS TO DAIRY CATTLE WAS IDENTIFIED UP IN NEVADA.

CATTLE WERE QUARANTINED BY JANUARY 24, BUT OUR RESULTS ARE SHOWING THAT THAT JUMP MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE A MONTH OR MORE BEFORE THAT, AND SO CAN REVEAL THAT THESE THINGS CAN BE UNDER THE RADAR FOR SOME TIME BEFORE THEY'RE CAUGHT BY SURVEILLANCE.

TED: BASIC QUESTIONS HERE, ARE YOU TALKING A PARTICULAR STRAIN OF BIRD FLU, OR IS THIS THING MUTATING ALREADY?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S MUTATING ALL OF THE TIME JUST BECAUSE, WHEN VIRUSES REPLICATE GENETIC MATERIAL, IT'S LIKE TYPING OUT QUICKLY ONTO YOUR KEYBOARD WITH NO SPELL CHECKER.

THEY DON'T CORRECT THEIR MISTAKES LIKE WE DO, AND IT IS A NEW STRAIN OF THIS SO-CALLED H5N1 AND H5N2, THE INFLUENZA VIRUSES WE GET INFECTED WITH, AND WITH THAT, THERE ARE SPECIFIC GENO TYPES WHERE YOU CAN TELL THIS ARIZONA ONE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE FROM A YEAR AGO AND DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE IN NEVADA.

>> ARE WE SEEING THE JUMP INTO DIFFERENT ANIMALS?

ARE WE SEEING THE JUMP INTO DOGS AND CATS INTO HUMANS?

>> WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING, IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION YOU RAISE, IN ADDITION TO CATTLE, WHICH HAVE NOT BEFORE BEEN AN ANIMAL THAT WE'VE HAD SUSTAINED TRANSMISSION OF THIS VIRUS, WE'RE ALSO SEEING IT A LOT IN CATS.

BOTH CATS THAT ARE ON DAIRY FARMS AND ARE DRINKING MILK THAT IS CONTAMINATED WITH THE VIRUS, BUT ALSO NOW WE'RE FINDING THAT THERE ARE CROSS SPECIES JUMPS THAT ARE OCCURRING QUITE FREQUENTLY, NOT INVOLVING MILK AND DAIRY, BUT INVOLVING CATS WHO ARE PROBABLY EATING BIRDS THAT THEY CATCH THAT ARE INFECTED AND GOING DIRECTLY FROM BIRDS TO CATS.

PROBABLY MANY, MANY TIMES ACROSS THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

TED: ARE THOSE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT PET LOVERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF?

IS THAT A THREAT TO HUMANS?

>> WELL, ANY TIME YOU HAVE THIS INTERFACE BETWEEN HUMANS AND THESE VIRAL VARIANTS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ESTABLISHED IN HUMANS, THAT IS A POTENTIAL ROUTE QUITE LITERALLY POSSIBLY TO THE NEXT PANDEMIC.

THAT'S HOW NEW PANDEMIC, HAPPEN, WHEN AN ANIMAL VIRUS GETS INTO A HUMAN, AND EITHER COMES WITH OR ACQUIRES THE ABILITY TO NOT ONLY INFECT THAT ONE HUMAN, BUT TO TRANSMIT HUMAN TO HUMAN AFTER THAT, AND SO THIS NEW VARIANT OF H5N1 OPENED UP A NEW FRONT IN CATTLE THAT WE NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT BEFORE, AND IT'S ALSO CROSSING INTO CATS, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT RELATED VIRUSES HAVE CIRCULATED IN PIGS.

RELATED VIRUSES CIRCULATE IN DOGS, HORSES, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE OTHER THAN IN 2009 WHEN ONE DID, THE STARS ALIGNED AND ONE MANAGED TO JUMP FROM PIGS INTO HUMANS.

WE DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING INEVITABLY, AND SO IT'S KIND OF HOPE FOR THE BEST BUT PLAN FOR THE WORST, AND WE WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS OPENING UP NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THAT JUMP, AND EVERY TIME IT JUMPS INTO A PERSON, OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM THEN SELECTS FOR CHANGES THAT CAN MAKE IT A BETTER HUMAN VIRUS.

TED: INTERESTING.

INTERESTING STUFF.

MICHAEL WOROBEY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: THE FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION RECENTLY RESIGNED OVER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S WATER POLICY SPECIFIC DRAINING OF TWO CALIFORNIA RESERVOIRS AFTER THE DEADLY WILDFIRES IN L.A. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES ON WATER AND THE COLORADO RIVER IN GENERAL, WE WELCOME SARAH PORTER FROM THE MORRISSON INSTITUTE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> NICE TO BE HERE.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE REPRESENTATIVE ANN CASTLE.

WHO IS ANN CASTLE?

>> A REAL EXPERT ON THE COLORADO RIVER, AND SHE WAS IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, SHE WAS PART OF THE TEAM IN THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT THAT REPRESENTED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN NEGOTIATIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF THE COLORADO RIVER.

SHE'S A LAWYER.

TED: AND SHE WAS FIRED BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION OVER CRITICISM, THIS WAS THE RESERVOIR DUMPING THING.

WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> I THINK SHE WAS ASKED TO RESIGN.

TED: OH.

[LAUGHTER] >> BUT THE RESERVOIR SITUATION WAS L.A. HAD TERRIBLE WILDFIRES AND SO THE -- THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT WATER TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THE FIREFIGHTING NEEDS, AND THE NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERED THE RELEASE OF WATER, AND IT WAS RELEASED FROM TWO RESERVOIRS THAT AREN'T CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM THAT SERVES THE L.A. AREA, SO THAT WATER ACTUALLY WOULD NEVER REACH L.A. AND HELP IT.

THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THEY ACTUALLY NEEDED WATER, THEY HAD WATER.

IT JUST WASN'T WHERE THEY NEEDED IT IN CERTAIN INSTANCES.

BUT I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE FOR MANY PEOPLE IS THAT THE WATER MANAGEMENT OF CALIFORNIA, AND THIS IS TRUE OF ARIZONA, IT'S REALLY COMPLEX, AND WHEN YOU PUSH IN ONE PLACE, YOU MA I HAVE DOWNSTREAM RAMIFICATIONS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT, AND SO IT'S BETTER NOT TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT CHANGE WATER MANAGEMENT WITHOUT TAKING ALL OF THOSE IMPACTS INTO ACCOUNT.

TED: AND AGAIN, BUT THE PRESIDENT SAID IF THESE RESERVOIRS HAD BEEN EMPTIED SOONER, THAT THE WATER WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE, WE HEARD ABOUT THE EMPTY FIRE HYDRANTS AND THINGS IN PACIFIC PALISADES.

IT SOUNDS TO ME THAT THIS WATER WASN'T DESIGNED TO GO THERE.

>> RIGHT.

THAT WATER IS MEANT TO GO AND MOSTLY BE USED BY FARMS IN TULARE COUNTY IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AND ISN'T CONNECTED WITH WATER SUPPLIES.

THERE ARE WATER SUPPLIES MANAGED BY THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT COULD GET TO L.A., NOT THESE.

TED: SOUNDS LIKE CHINATOWN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF REPORTING THAT FARMERS ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT IT AND SOUNDS LIKE A HUGE AMOUNT OF WATER, 2 BILLION GALLONS.

IN FARMING TERMS, THAT'S PROBABLY A COUPLE THOUSAND YEAH, THE WATER FOR MAYBE MORE THAN THAT, 2,000 TO 4,000 YEAH, OF FARMLAND.

IT'S MEANINGFUL.

IT WILL HAVE IMPACTS TO INDIVIDUAL FARMERS, IF, AT THE TIME WHEN THEY DO NEED WATER, WHICH IS IN THE WARMER MONTHS, THAT WATER ISN'T AVAILABLE.

IN THE BIG PICTURE, IT ISN'T SUCH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT WATER THAT WE'RE ALL SUDDENLY HAVING TO FIGURE OUT A NEW STRATEGY.

TED: BUT DOES SUGGEST A DIRECTION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING ASKING FOR ANN CASTLE TO RESIGN AND LOSING THAT EXPERTISE.

WHAT DOES LOSING THAT EXPERTISE AT THIS TIME MEAN TO COLORADO RIVER NEGOTIATIONS?

>> WE FOR A STATE OF VERY GREAT UNCERTAINTY WITH RESPECT TO THE COLORADO RIVER AND NEGOTIATION AMONG THE SEVEN STATES AND MEXICO AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

REGARDLESS OF ANN CASTLE'S RESIGNATION, WE WOULD BE IN GREAT UNCERTAINTY.

I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT UNUSUAL.

ANN CASTLE WAS THE FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVE ON A BODY CALLED THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER COMMISSION, WHICH EXISTS TO HELP CREATE COMITY, COOPERATION AMONG THE UPPER DIVISION STATES THAT SHARE COLORADO RIVER WATER WITH US IN THE LOWER DIVISION.

IT ISN'T SO UNUSUAL FOR A PRESIDENT TO WANT TO HAVE HIS OWN PERSON IN THAT FEDERAL SEAT, BUT WE REALLY ARE IN A PLACE OF GREAT UNCERTAINTY, INCLUDING A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION, THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION COMMISSIONER HAS YET TO BE APPOINTED.

SO WE DON'T KNOW.

TED: THERE ARE VACANCIES OF THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR.

>> WE HAVE SECRETARY DOUG BURGUM, BUT HE'S A WESTERN WHO WILL BE LEADING THE AGENCY THAT HAS THE MOST RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COLORADO RIVER, AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION REPORTS TO THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR ULTIMATE SKWLEE THIS ALL IS HAPPENING, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, MAYBE LAST TIME WE TALKED, NEGOTIATIONS, TALKS HAVE STALLED AND UPPER COLORADO FOLKS, THEY'RE THE ONES SAYING ENOUGH'S ENOUGH HERE.

THIS IS UNCERTAINTY SEEMS TO BE REARING ITS HEAD?

>> YEAH, NOTHING HAS BECOME MORE CERTAIN WITH THE CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION, AND I THINK THE RELEASE OF THE WATER IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS ABOUT RELEASING WATER, THAT WE FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE TO EVERYONE, AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME, IT WILL BE A SHAME.

FROM WHAT I READ, THE TWO RESERVOIRS WHICH THE WATER WAS RELEASED ARE DOWN ABOUT 2% FROM WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE BUT THEY WERE ALREADY AT ABOUT 20%.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESERVOIRS THAT ARE VERY LOW IN A TIME OF DROUGHT WHEN FARMERS NEED EVERY DROP OF WATER THEY CAN HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE IRRIGATION TO PRODUCE THE FOOD THAT OUR NATION RELIES ON.

TED: AND THE 2026 DEADLINE FOR THE COLORADO RIVER AGREEMENT IS COMING UP.

>> IT'S VERY TOUGH, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT CHOSE TO AN AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT, AND THE ALTERNATIVE TO AN AGREEMENT, AS WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME, IS PAINFUL LITIGATION WHICH NOBODY WANTS.

TED: SARAH PORTER, KYL CENTER FOR WATER POLICY.

SEEMS LIKE IT NEVER STOPS.

>> PROBABLY WON'T STOP EVEN IF WE GET AN AGREEMENT ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

THANK YOU.

TED: GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANKS.

.

TED: M.A.N.C.A.V.E.

IS A FATHERHOOD PARTNERSHIP, THAT HELPS FATHERS STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES.

MARION HILL IS THE PROJECT DIRECTOR AND PROGRAM FACILITATOR.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON," GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: GIVE ME A BETTER DEFINITION OF M.A.N.C.A.V.E.?

>> MEN ALL NEED TO BE CARING, ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND VESTED AND ENCOURAGED.

CHANGING LIVES OF FATHER AND CHILDREN THROUGH FATHER ENGAGEMENT.

TED: THIS IS HELPING KIDS GET THE MALE ROLE MODEL AND PRETTY YOUNG.

SO KIDS CAN GROW AND DEVELOP, TRUE?

>> THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME ZERO TO FIVE AGE FRAME.

I WAS LOOKING AT THINGS THIS MORNING.

BACK IN THE 1960s, 10% OF FAMILIES GREW UP IN FAMILIES WHERE THERE WERE SINGLE PARENT HOMES.

IF YOU LOOK AT TODAY, IT'S ABOUT 40 TO 45%, GROWING UP IN SINGLE PARENT HOMES WITHOUT THE BIOLOGICAL FATHER IN THE HOME.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WE CALL INSECURELY ATTACHED THAT NUMBER IS 45%.

INTERESTING IT RUNS IN CORRELATION WITH FATHERLESSNESS.

TED: SO HELPING DADS, HELPING ROLE MODELS SUCCEED WITH SERVICES AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

HOW DO YOU HELP THESE FOLKS?

>> WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THESE THINGS.

WANT TO IMPROVE PARENTING SKILLS, HELPING FATHERS UNDERSTAND PATERNAL NURTURANCE AND WHAT GIFTS IT BRINGS TO THE CHILD SLD UNDERSTANDING MATERNAL NURTURANCE, WHAT MOMS BRING AND DADS BRING ARE DIFFERENT IN NURTURING.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PARENTING SKILLS ARE ON POINT.

WE ALSO WANT TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CREATE HEALTHY MARRIAGES.

WE SPEND TIME, HOW DO WE DO A BETTER JOB IN COMMUNICATION AND BUY STRATEGIC PARENTING SO PARENTS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE RAISING KIDS AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY.

GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY AND PROVIDING RESOURCES TO FIND OTHER EMPLOYMENT, EMPLOYMENT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GET OVER THE HURTLE OF SAYING LOOK, I HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING IN ORDER TO BRING A SALARY INTO THE HOME.

IF WE CAN FIND SOMETHING BETTER BY MAKING MORE MONEY AND ALLOWING TO YOU STAY AT HOME.

TED: POSITIVE DISCIPLINE TOOLS, THAT'S ONE OF THE GOALS.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> ESPECIALLY WITH ESPECIALLY THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS WITH FATHERS, ONE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTHY MASCULINITY, SO REALLY WHAT SHOULD YOU BE AS A FATHER AND AS A ROLE MODEL, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE, TALKING ABOUT HEALTHY WAYS, HOW DO WE USE FUN AND GAMES IN ORDER TO TEACH DISCIPLINE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE WAY FATHERS FATHER THEIR CHILDREN, IT'S KINTHETIC, IT IS PHYSICAL IN NATURE, A LOT OF PLAYER, RUMBLE TUMBLE, A LOT OF THINGS.

THAT CAN BE USED TO TEACH DISCIPLINE, RESILIENCE.

SO WE USE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, DIFFERENT MODELITIES AND IMPLEMENTS TO USE FUN IN THE HOME TO TEACH DISCIPLINE.

TED: HOW DO YOU GET PAST THE MEDIA AND THE SOCIETY THAT SEEMS TO SHOW MEN IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, LOTS OF TIMES IT'S NEGATIVE.

THE KIDS SEE THAT AS WELL.

HOW DO YOU GET PAST ALL THAT NOISE?

>> WE GET PAST THE NOISE.

I THINK WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED THE NURTURING FATHERS PROGRAM.

IT IS A 12-WEEK PROGRAM WITH 12th WEEK BEING THE GRADUATION AND REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER WITH MEN IN A SAFE, TRANSPARENT ENVIRONMENT, CONFIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE BEGIN HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND THIS IS WHAT SOCIETY SAYS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE, WHO SOCIETY THINKS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AS FATHERS AND THIS IS WHO WE'RE NOT.

LET'S LOOK AT ROOTS OF FATHERHOOD.

MOST MEN DIDN'T HAVE FATHERS IN THEIR LIVES, WE WANT TO TALK TO MEN ABOUT HOW DO THEY NURTURE THEMSELVES, HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOU?

YOUR HEALTH?

SOCIALIATION?

ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, WE WANT CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT.

SO WE BREAK DOWN WHAT THE MEDIA SAYS WHO YOU ARE.

WE WANT TO GET TO THE CUT OF WHO WE ARE AS MEN BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE BETTER MEN, WE WANT TO BE BETTER HUSBANDS AND BETTER FATHERS, AND SOMETIMES HAVE TO CUT THROUGH THE CROSS-SECTIONALITY WHO SOCIETY AS WHO MEN AND FATHERS ARE.

TED: 30 SECONDS LEFT.

WHAT KIND OF REACTION YOU HAD SO FAR?

>> THE REACTION IS FANTASTIC AND THE REACTION DOESN'T COME FROM THE FATHERS, COMES FROM THE MOTHERS.

TED: THE MOTHERS?

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THE KIDS.

>> YEAH, WE GET RESPONSES ALL THE TIME TO SAY THE IMPACT THE PROGRAMMING HAS MADE IN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHILDREN AND THE CHILDREN WITH THE SPOUSE.

TED: CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS.

SOUNDS LIKE A VERY REWARDING THING TO DO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND THANKS FOR SHARING.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.