This report explores the effectiveness of initiatives to promote marriage in the United States. It begins by discussing President Bush’s Health Marriage Initiative, the support of proponents, and the criticisms of opponents. Research findings on the benefits of marriage are shared, including benefits for children and for adults. The report then explores how marriage promotion […]
Many states have introduced initiatives to support healthy marriages as a way to improve the lives of children and communities. Empirical studies indicate that children from married two-parent families face fewer barriers to success than those from single parent homes. In light of these findings, some policymakers are developing initiatives aimed at strengthening marriages. States […]
This issue brief discusses State development and implementation of marriage education programs to strengthen families and improve outcomes for children. It describes the objectives of the programs and types of programs, and notes research results that indicate children raised in two-parent homes with low conflict levels have a lower risk of both academic and behavioral […]
Federal policies are encouraging states to strengthen marital relationships among low income populations as a strategy for improving child well being. Conducted to inform the design of marriage programs, this study examined the environment, setting, interventions, and client characteristics of existing services for couples. Twenty-eight visits were made to public health agencies, mental health programs, […]
There are a growing number of resources for state policymakers and program administrators who are interested in exploring initiatives to support healthy marriages in their state. Many of these resources can be accessed via the internet. The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices has compiled a list of key websites where states can access […]
In recognition of the role that strong marriages play in family functioning and child well being, the Bush administration is encouraging states to establish public awareness campaigns about the value of marriage, marriage skills training programs, the elimination of disincentives to marriage, and other services for couples. This study reviewed evaluation findings about the effectiveness […]
Funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) set out to learn from programs and systems that are using community mobilization strategies to prevent and reduce family violence. This handbook distills learnings about organizing at the community level and provides advice culled from the experiences of site leaders and other […]
This paper reports findings from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine union formation among unmarried parents who have just had a child together. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the effects of economic, cultural/interpersonal, and other factors on whether parents are romantically involved living apart, cohabitating, married to each other, or […]
A considerable number of contemporary Americans have deep reservations about their prospects for marriage, the quality of a marriage they might enter, and the odds that their marriage will last. Some even raise concerns that marriage can be a trap and can expose women to domestic violence. Despite these divergent views and concerns, there is […]
To investigate the family support needs of Iowa citizens, the Iowa Fatherhood, Marriage and Family Supports Advisory Group conducted 25 focus groups involving over 250 adults. This resulting report discusses themes that were prevalent during these focus groups and presents the following recommendations for family support services: (1) lift up the importance of the family; […]