FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, June 13, 2005
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
ACF Releases New Report on Healthy Marriage Initiative
HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., today announced the release of a new report on President Bush’s healthy marriage initiative.
“This report takes stock of the progress we have made with the President’s healthy marriage initiative,” said Dr. Horn. “By helping couples form and sustain a healthy marriage, we help improve the well-being of children, families and communities.”
The report, entitled “Healthy Marriage Initiative: Activities and Accomplishments 2002-2004,” provides an overview of healthy marriage demonstration projects and grant activities, the African American and Hispanic healthy marriage initiatives, healthy marriage research and other resources funded by ACF through 2004.
The healthy marriage initiative was launched in 2002. Its mission is to help couples, who have chosen marriage for themselves, gain greater access to voluntary marriage education services, where they can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage. The primary motivating factor of the initiative is research showing the substantial benefits of healthy marriage for adults, children and society.
In its welfare reform law of 1996, Congress stipulated three of the four purposes of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant to states be related to promoting healthy marriages. In his budget request for 2006, President Bush has proposed $100 million in matching funds for states and tribes to develop innovative healthy marriage programs, and another $100 million to fund technical assistance and research as well as demonstrations targeted to family formation and healthy marriage.
To view this report, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov//healthymarriage/pdf/accomplishments2005.pdf. For more information on the Healthy Marriage Initiative, go to: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/healthymarriage/.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news