Programs and Initiatives in Florida

Adventure In Intimacy
Schleifer & Associates
1210 Washington Ave., Suite 213
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-604-0010
Whatever stage your relationship is in, we offer couples workshops and intensive private counseling that will:

  • Help you and your partner re-establish real communication;
  • Transform your frustrations into vehicles for change;
  • Increase the zest and passion in your relationship;
  • Inspire you to experience the Miracle of Connection™
  • Grow your Relational Intelligence™ and help you reach Relational Maturity™

Children’s Home Society Of Florida
Children’s Home Society of Florida will implement and evaluate a 12-session in-home Gottman Based Marriage Strengthening Program delivered to current adoptive families of a special needs child in District 2B. The families will be recruited from three socio-culturally diverse urban and rural counties. A quasi-experimental design will be used to determine program effectiveness.

Community Healthy Marriage Initiative
Live the Life Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 13831
Tallahassee, FL 32317
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to target and spark a "marriage renaissance" in "The Big Bend of Florida", which encompasses eight Florida counties with a collective population of approximately 414,942. In collaboration with a number of partner organizations, Live the Life Ministries, Inc. will implement the following allowable activities: launch a public marriage advertising campaign to reach all the residents of these counties, offer premarital education and skills training to 2100 individuals, marriage enhancement and divorce reduction programs to 6,400 individuals over 5 years and launch a mentoring program featuring relationship skills training.

Family Resources, Inc.
5180 62nd Ave. North
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The program grant funds will be used to conduct a public awareness campaign using PSAs, television, radio, internet, billboards, etc. to reach all residents of the Tampa Bay area; will assist 125 non-married expectant parents annually in forming healthy relationships using the PREP curriculum; will assist 350 individuals and couples considering marriage using the PREP program; will provide opportunities for 340 married couples annually to reinforce existing marriage skills and acquire new skills; and will also hold annual Healthy Relationships Conferences for 150 attendees annually to get the marriage message out to a larger audience; and will assist 410 divorcing or fragile participants in a divorce reduction program.

Florida State University
Family Institute
2420 Sandels Building
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1491
FSU won a grant to add a skills-based marriage education program (adapted from PREP- Within My Reach) to a university wide course that will be offered over 14 weeks. They expect to provide marriage education to 10,500 participants over five years, train 42 marriage education providers, and evaluate the effects of the curriculum. The program will strengthen and support healthy marriages through marriage education by increasing the percentage of young adults who have the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions about healthy relationships. This marriage education program for college students will be empirically tested and can be disseminated state-wide and nationally.

Fountain of Life Internnational Ministries Healthy Marriage for Low-Income Program
Fountain of Life International Ministries, Inc.
3541 SW 144th Ave
Miramar, FL 33027
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Fountain of Life International Ministries Healthy Marriage for Low-Income Program plans to provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for low-income married couples. Some of the program’s objectives are to improve couples’ mental health, reduce stressors that impede marriage and provide a support system for participating couples that focuses on marriage. Marriage enrichment weekends and a marriage mentoring program are some of the activities that will be used to obtain the program’s objectives and goals.

Healthy Families Healthy Children
Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Sarasota-Manatee
2688 Fruitville Rd
Sarasota, FL 34237
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Sarasota-Manatee, Inc. will implement and evaluate a marriage enrichment program that will target low-income unmarried couples expecting a child. According to the organization, they will use a pilot program as a model to essentially reach out to 288 couples per year by teaching selecting the Loving Couples-Loving Children Program, which uses a multi-media approach specifically developed to engage low-income couples. Furthermore, the curriculum teaches marriages education skills, financial management, conflict resolution skills, and parenting.

Jacksonville Network for Strengthening Families – Healthy Marriage Initiative
Florida Department of Revenue, Jacksonville, FL
Office of Child Support Enforcement – 1115 Waiver

The MArriage and PArenting Program ("MA&PA")
Center for Growth and Development, Inc.
Mark Perlman, MA
3277 D Fruitville Road - Suite 1
Sarasota, FL 34237
Tel.: 888-390-1119 (toll free)
941-953-9556
941-922- 6961
Fax: 941-953-9552
Email: mcperl@verizon.net
The MArriage and PArenting Program is a 10-week group-based curriculum for couples (married or unmarried) to develop a shared blueprint for parenting together, and strengthening their couple relationship. The weekly meetings are 2 hours each.
Particular emphasis is on Self-Nurturing, Teamwork. Communication, Conflict Resolution, Feelings, Relationships without Violence or Fear, Discipline, Balance in Family Life, etc.
The program uses a male and female team as facilitators. No special training is required, but the program author can provide training to enhance program implementation, facilitation, and community collaboration. A special certification training is also available.

The Nurturing Father's Program
 Center for Growth and Development, Inc.
Mark Perlman, MA
3277 D Fruitville Road - Suite 1
Sarasota, FL 34237
Tel.: 888-390-1119 (toll free)
941-953-9556
941-922- 6961
Fax: 941-953-9552
Email: mcperl@verizon.net
The Nurturing Father's Program is a 13-week group-based curriculum for developing the attitudes and skills for male nurturance and successful fathering. The weekly meetings are 2 1/2 hours each.
Particular emphasis is on the Roots of Fathering, Fathering Sons/Fathering Daughters, Discipline, Playing with Children, Teamwork with Spouse/Partner, Balancing Work and Fathering, Cultural Influences, Dealing with Feelings, etc.
Facilitators do not require special training, but the program author can provide training to enhance program implementation, facilitation, and community collaboration. A special 2-3 day certification training is also available.

PAIRS Relationship Skills for Strong South Florida Families
PAIRS Foundation, Inc.
19125 Stonebrook Street
Weston, FL 33332
The program grant funds will be used to conduct a public advertising campaign using the internet, producing and posting brochures and posters, information booths at events, etc. to reach all residents of the tri-county region; will provide marriage education to non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers using audio, video and classes; will provide pre-marital education to 500 couples annually using the PAIRS curriculum; will provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training to 525 couples annually using the PAIRS curriculum in local community and faith-based partnerships; will recruit married couples to be role models and mentors for struggling married couples; and will provide education in 10 high schools annually using the PAIRS for PEERS curriculum.

Project S.O.S. Strengthens Relationship
Project S.O.S., Inc.
6850 Belfort Oaks Place
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: The Project S.O.S. plans to implement and evaluate a marriage enrichment program that will target low-income unmarried couples expecting a child. According to the organization, they proposed a 3-tiered approach: (1) Train a minimum of 100 unwed, low-income, unmarried, pregnant/new parents through educational classes held weekly at three crisis pregnancy centers. (2) Provide one-on-one marriage mentoring for unwed, low-income, expectant/new parents. (3) Create a mass media campaign using radio and television to reach over 500,000 people about the benefits of marriage and the components of a healthy relationship.

ReCapturing the Vision
ReCapturing the Vision International, Inc.
9950 Hibiscus Street
Miami, FL 33157
RTV will provide education in high schools for 520 students on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting as well as, marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers. It will increase the percentage of youth and young adults who are armed and fortified with the necessary skills and knowledge that enable them to make informed decisions about healthy relationships. The Vessels of Honor and Capturing the Vision (state approved curriculum) will be utilized along with field trips, speakers, and bi-weekly visits by married couples. The program is designed to be 18 weeks meeting daily for one-hour and totaling 90 sessions.

Strong Families - Healthy Marriage Initiative
Trinity Church, Inc.
17801 NW Second Street
Miami, FL 33169
Use(s) of ACF Program Grant Funds: Trinity Church plans to provide education in high schools centered around the knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to benefits of marriage; balanced communication in healthy marriage; characteristics of abusive relationships; and the importance of developing sound financial habits before getting married and having children. They will deliver, Keys to a Healthy Marriage, community presentations to 1400 high school youth each year in South Florida. The curriculum will be provided at Trinity Church, Trinity Family Peacemakers Center, and other faith-based sites. In addition OIC-BC Abstinence Education sites and other collaborating schools and community agencies will be served. Trinity Church will also provide parental support programs for 200 parents of high school youth enrolled in the project and launch a Healthy Marriage Campaign with a kick-off event and subsequent advertising.

Together Project
University of Central Florida College of Education
P.O. Box 161250
Orlando, FL 32816-1250
The Together Project will provide marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs to low-income married couples who have children. The primary objectives of the Together Project are to provide marriage education and family support services to low-income couples and to evaluate their impact on marital quality, marital stability, and child well-being. The Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills (PAIRS) marriage education curriculum will be used in four-month segments for participating groups and the program will follow up with booster sessions for the couples.