09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Managing a Statewide Healthy Marriage Initiative: Tips from My Experience as a State Policymaker

In 1999, the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative (OMI) was launched to strengthen marriage and reduce divorce in the State. The initial impetus was an economic study done by economists with the State’s two comprehensive universities that linked various negative social indicators, including high divorce rates, to the State’s poorly performing economy. As a leader in development […]

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09 Jan
  • By timcooper
  • Cause in

Moving from a Free to a Fee-for-Service MRE Program Model

In the past, individuals and couples learned marriage/relationship education (MRE) skills through private counseling or weekend couples’ retreats. Participants were usually charged for these services. Similar services were sometimes provided by religious organizations to members at no charge. However, not everyone had access to these free services and certain types of services were only available […]

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