A non-profit, tax exempt,
religious corporation. Contributions are tax deductible as allowable by law.
Ministering where you're
at, with a vision of where you want to be"
`
ACF Healthy Marriage Mission
"To encourage marriage and promote the well-being of children, I have
proposed a healthy marriage initiative to help couples develop the skills
and knowledge to form and sustain healthy marriages. Research has shown
that, on average, children raised in households headed by married parents
fare better than children who grow up in other family structures. Through
education and counseling programs, faith-based, community, and government
organizations promote healthy marriages and a better quality of life for
children. By supporting responsible child-rearing and strong families, my
Administration is seeking to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe
and loving home.” — President George W. Bush
Marriage is the foundation of a successful society.
Marriage is an essential institution of a successful society which
promotes the interests of children.
In order to encourage States to strengthen marriages, Congress stipulated
that three of the four purposes of the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) block grant to states be either directly or indirectly
related to promoting healthy marriages. Congress is considering setting
aside up to $200 million a year in federal funds to help couples form and
sustain healthy marriages. In addition, President Bush is requesting $40
million annually in mandatory funds for a responsible fatherhood program.
Helping couples form and sustain healthy marriages is not, in itself, an
anti-poverty program. Employment is the main anti-poverty program. Research
has shown, however, that stable marriages are associated with more stable
employment and higher wages. Helping couples form and sustain healthy
marriages should, therefore, be part of the overall strategy to help
families become or remain economically self-sufficient. In addition,
researchers have found that, on average, men, women and children do better
physically and emotionally in healthy marriages.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that 90% of all Americans will someday
marry. Virtually all who marry aspire to a happy, healthy, lifelong
marriage. ACF believes that government policy should play a supporting role
in helping people achieve their aspirations for a healthy marriage.
Mission Statement
To help couples, who have chosen marriage for themselves, gain greater
access to marriage education services, on a voluntary basis, where they can
acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy
marriage.
What is a “healthy marriage?"
There are at least two characteristics that all healthy marriages have in
common. First, they are mutually enriching, and second, both spouses have a
deep respect for each other.
It is a mutually satisfying relationship that is beneficial to the husband,
wife and children (if present).
It is a relationship that is committed to ongoing growth, the use of
effective communication skills and the use of successful conflict management
skills.
Goals
Increase the percentage of children who are raised by two parents in
a healthy marriage.
Increase the percentage of married couples who are in healthy
marriages.
Increase the percentage of premarital couples who are equipped with
the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy
marriage.
Increase the percentage of youth and young adults who have the skills
and knowledge to make informed decisions about healthy relationships
including skills that can help them eventually form and sustain a
healthy marriage.
Increase public awareness about the value of healthy marriages and
the skills and knowledge that can help couples form and sustain healthy
marriages.
Encourage and support research on healthy marriages and healthy
marriage education.
Increase the percentage of women, men and children in homes that are
free of domestic violence.
Proposed Activities
Public advertising campaigns on the value of healthy marriages and
the skills needed to increase marital stability and the health of the
marriage.
Education in high schools on the value of healthy marriages, healthy
relationship skills, and budgeting.
Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills
programs, that may include parenting skills, financial management,
conflict resolution, and job and career advancement, for expectant
couples, both married and unmarried, as well as recent parents, both
married and unmarried.
Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged
couples and for couples or individuals interested in marriage.
Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for
married couples.
Divorce reduction programs that teach healthy relationship skills.
Marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models
and mentors in at-risk communities.
Programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in means-tested aid
programs, if offered in conjunction with any activity described above.
Conduct research on the benefits of healthy Marriages and healthy
marriage education.
Provide technical assistance to grantees who are implementing any of
the above activities to help them succeed.
The ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative is Not About:
Coercing anyone to marry or remain in unhealthy relationships.
Withdrawing supports from single parents, or diminishing, either
directly or indirectly, the important work of single parents.
Stigmatizing those who choose divorce.
Limiting access to divorce.
Promoting the initiative as a panacea for achieving positive outcomes
for child and family well-being.
Running a federal dating service.
An immediate solution to lifting all families out of poverty.
[1] Section 101 of Pub. L. 104 - 193
Healthy Marriage Matters
Background
Research suggests all things being equal, children who grow up in healthy
married, two-parent families do better on a host of outcomes than those who
do not. Further, many social problems affecting children, families, and
communities could be prevented if more children grew up in healthy, married
families. Examples of social science findings include:
Married couples seem to build more wealth, on average, than singles
or cohabiting couples, thus decreasing the likelihood that their
children will grow up in poverty.
Children who live in a two-parent, married household enjoy better
physical health, on average, than children in non-married households.
Healthy marriages reduce the risk of adults and children either
perpetrating, or being victimized by, violent crime.
Congress acknowledged the importance of married-couple families when it
reformed the welfare system in 1996. The 1996 legislation stipulated that
three out of the four purposes of the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program either directly or indirectly promote healthy
marriages. President Bush echoed this sentiment when he indicated that
healthy marriages would be a focus of his administration. In proclaiming
National Family Week in November 2001, he noted:
“My Administration is committed to strengthening the American family.
Many one-parent families are also a source of comfort and reassurance, yet a
family with a mom and dad who are committed to marriage and devote
themselves to their children helps provide children a sound foundation for
success. Government can support families by promoting policies that help
strengthen the institution of marriage and help parents rear their children
in positive and healthy environments.”
ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative
President Bush has proposed a Healthy Marriage Initiative to help
couples, who have chosen marriage for themselves, gain access to services
where they can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and
sustain healthy marriages. In practical terms, it involves:
Implementing demonstration projects. In consultation with States and
local communities, ACF is working to implement healthy marriage
demonstration projects. These are broad-based efforts to work with key
community sectors (e.g., local governments, businesses, civic
organizations, non-profits) to strengthen marriages.
Emphasizing marriage in Federal programs. ACF’s program offices are
promoting healthy marriages in every appropriate program. For example,
marriage education and enrichment services are being provided, alongside
existing services, to low-income couples who utilize Refugee
Resettlement, Children’s Bureau, Community Services, or TANF services.
Conducting research. This initiative is using existing funds to
explore the types of marriage strengthening services that exist and
their effectiveness, so that future resources can be targeted more
wisely.
Training. The initiative is providing training about healthy marriage
issues to interested Federal ACF staff.
This initiative is not about:
Trapping anyone in an abusive or violent relationship.
Forcing anyone to get or stay married.
Running a federal dating service.
Withdrawing supports from or diminishing in any way, either directly
or indirectly, the important work of single parents.
Sources of Funding for Healthy Marriage Initiatives
In the 109th Congress, H.R. 240, the Personal Responsibility, Work and
Family Promotion Act of 2005, was introduced to reauthorize and strengthen
the 1996 welfare reform law along the lines suggested by the President. In
the Senate, on March 9, 2005, the Senate Finance Committee approved the
Personal Responsibility and Individual Development for Everyone (PRIDE) Act
and sent S-667 to the full Senate for consideration.
Both welfare reauthorization bills (HR 240 and S 667) include funding for
marriage promotion. To review the bills, go to
http://thomas.loc.gov (and search by bill number).
Myths and Facts About the Healthy Marriage Initiative
Myth: ACF is planning on using the healthy marriage initiative to push
the value of marriage on the American public.
Fact: According to the Census Bureau, over 90% of the American public are
projected to marry. In addition, public opinion surveys indicate that more
than 93% of Americans say that marital success is important to them. The
majority of the American public already value marriage and ACF will not
force marriage on anyone.
Myth: ACF is just interested in increasing marriage rates.
Fact: Healthy marriages are good for men, women and children and
unhealthy marriages are not. Therefore, ACF is interested in increasing the
percentage of people in healthy marriages and, most especially, the
percentage of children being raised by parents in a healthy marriage. ACF
doesn't want people to form any kind of marriage, it wants those who choose
marriage for themselves to form and sustain a healthy marriage. The heart of
the ACF healthy marriage initiative is to help people, who want the
assistance, gain access to the relationship skills and knowledge that can
help them form and sustain a healthy marriage. ACF is dedicating substantial
resources to evaluating the effectiveness of programs designed to help
individuals and couples gain the skills and knowledge to form and sustain a
healthy marriage. Rigorous, long-term research is an essential component of
ACF's healthy marriage initiative.
Myth: ACF plans on creating a dating service to get more people married.
Fact: ACF does not believe it is the government's role to interfere with
the private decision-making of individuals and couples as to whether or not
they should marry. ACF does believe that government should play a role in
helping people, who want the assistance, to gain access to healthy marriage
skills and knowledge so if they choose to marry they will have a better
chance of forming a healthy marriage.
Myth: By placing an emphasis on promoting the healthy marriage
initiative, the needs of single-parent families will be neglected.
Fact: Many billions of dollars are spent on supports and services for
single-parent families. The government will continue to fund efforts that
help single-parent families become self-sufficient. However, the breakdown
of marriage is an important reason why many families fall into poverty.
Thus, the healthy marriage initiative is a logical addition to the many
services ACF employs to alleviate poverty in our society. This is about
providing additional services to families without subtracting any existing
services.
Myth: ACF views the healthy marriage initiative as a panacea to all of
the negative social outcomes in the nation.
Fact: Researchers have found that healthy marriages are associated with
positive social outcomes. This does not mean that improving marriages is the
only solution needed to alleviate the negative social outcomes in the
nation. Negative social outcomes are complex issues and will take a complex
set of strategies to combat them. Education, job training, child care,
medical insurance, affordable housing, etc. all play a key role in
alleviating the negative social outcomes we face in this nation. ACF views
the healthy marriage initiative as an addition to this array of services
that are aimed at alleviating the negative social outcomes in our nation.
Myth: The ACF healthy marriage initiative will end up creating policies
that force women to enter into, or remain in, abusive relationships.
Fact: One of the goals of the ACF healthy marriage initiative is to
decrease the likelihood that women and children will be in abusive
relationships. ACF is only interested in helping people, who choose marriage
for themselves, to form and sustain healthy marriages. By definition abusive
relationships are unhealthy. Any policies that could force people to enter
into, or remain in, abusive relationships will not be tolerated by ACF.
Myth: The ACF healthy marriage initiative will force its way into one of
the most private areas of peoples lives, marriage.
Fact: ACF is only interested in helping people, who choose marriage for
themselves, acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain
healthy marriages.
Myth: The healthy marriage initiative is the new ACF anti-poverty
program.
Fact: Work is the ACF anti-poverty program. ACF and the Federal
government currently provide an array of services to support work as an
anti-poverty program e.g. education, child care, food stamps, subsidized
housing, etc. The healthy marriage initiative is just one additional support
service that is being added to these other support services to increase the
likelihood that through work families become self-sufficient.
Myth: The healthy marriage initiative is a new federal program to
subsidize marriage counseling.
Fact: Counseling is an effective intervention strategy for couples in
unhealthy marriages. The federal government already has other programs in
place to provide counseling to low-income individuals. This initiative is
about adding marriage education services as a prevention strategy to the
array of services that the government provides to help families achieve
positive social outcomes. Marriage education is not counseling. Marriage
education services teach individuals and couples the basic relationship
skills and knowledge researchers have found help couples form and sustain
healthy marriages.
