09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

The Forever Initiative

In The Forever Initiative, Hawkins calls for more state-directed public support for a series of educational efforts to help individuals and  couples form healthy relationships and enduring marriages. He outlines an integrated set of feasible and affordable educational initiatives across the early life course, beginning in youth, continuing in early adulthood, engagement, and through the […]

VIEW DETAIL
09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Icebreakers – Concentric Circles

Group Size: 10 or more (depends on space available) Time Needed: 10 to 15 minutes Goal: To help group get to know each other (great for first day introductions!) Audience: Couples, Singles, Parents, Teens, Children Special Considerations: Consider the education levels of your group members before you pick this activity. This activity is very loud. […]

VIEW DETAIL
09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Collaborating Within State Government to Support Healthy Relationships: Tips for State Administrators

There is a large spectrum of government services and programs that can be included in healthy marriage programs. The natural and immediate thoughts go to the human services field; however, there are many other areas that offer opportunities for healthy marriage/relationship programs. These include corrections and criminal justice, juvenile justice, health programs (including Medicaid and […]

VIEW DETAIL
09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Marriage Trends in Western Culture: A Fact Sheet

This Fact Sheet presents data and trends over time in marriage, divorce, cohabitation, and non-marital birthrates for countries in three European regions: Northern Europe, Southern Europe, and Western Europe. Countries for which data are presented include Sweden, Norway and Denmark; Italy, Portugal, and Spain; and the United Kingdom, France and Germany. For purposes of comparison, […]

VIEW DETAIL
09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Welfare Reform: TANF Provisions Related to Marriage and Two-Parent Families

The impact of welfare policies on discouraging or encouraging marriage has long been a topic of discussion. Welfare programs, by providing single parents with the economic means to support their children, are thought to discourage marriage by their nature. The negative economic effects of single motherhood are well-known. In 2000, the poverty rate for children […]

VIEW DETAIL
09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Statement of Robert Rector, Senior Research Fellow Domestic Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation, Before the Sub-committee on Human Resources Of the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, February 10, 2005

In this testimony before the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, the benefits of the proposed Healthy Marriage Initiative are discussed. It begins by summarizing key provisions of the proposed initiative and noting research findings that indicate marriage skill education programs are effective in increasing couple […]

VIEW DETAIL
09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Testimony Before the Committee on Finance, Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy, United States Senate Hearing on The Benefits of a Healthy Marriage

This testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy focuses on the benefits of healthy marriage education initiatives. Information is shared on the bipartisan support of strengthening marriage initiatives, components of a healthy marriage, different types of marriage education initiatives, and findings from research that demonstrate the positive effects of marriage […]

VIEW DETAIL
09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Changing Patterns of Nonmarital Childbearing in the United States

This report examines data on nonmarital births from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). The principal measures reviewed are the number of births to unmarried women, the birth rate for unmarried women, and the percentage of all births to unmarried women. The most recent data available are from the 2007 preliminary birth file (5). Data […]

VIEW DETAIL