The Administration
for Children and Families (ACF) Healthy Marriage Initiative seeks to improve
child well-being by helping those who choose marriage for themselves to develop
the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain healthy marriages.
Research demonstrates the strong correlation between family structure and
a family’s social and economic well-being. Congress recognized the fact that
two-parent, married families represent the ideal environment for raising children
and incorporated marriage, family formation and fatherhood as key components
in welfare reform legislation, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),
enacted in 1996.
The AAHMI
is a component of the ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative and more specifically
promotes a culturally competent strategy for fostering healthy marriage and
responsible fatherhood, improving child well-being and strengthening families
within the African American Community. Cultural orientation, traditions and
practices form a diversity of beliefs, attitudes, interpersonal styles and
behaviors. Differences in age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, religious
background and socioeconomic status can influence how people and organizations
view and respond to ACF’s healthy marriage activities.
Why is
a focused strategy needed for the African American Community?
♦
Perception that the healthy marriage initiative has not considered the unique
experiences of this population;
♦
Clear link between healthy marriage and child well-being;
♦
Crisis-level statistics (e.g. rates of divorce and non-married child-bearing)
1. 41%
of African-American adults are married, compared to 62% of whites & 60%
of Hispanics (2000)
3. 69%
of AA births are to unmarried women, compared to 25% for whites and 42% for
Hispanics (1998)
4. 55%
of AA children live with single parents, compared to 23% of white children
and 31% of Hispanic children (1998)
What does
the focused strategy include? Three components:
♦
Education and Communication
♦
Enhancement of Partnerships
♦
Identifying Resources
How will the AAHMI be implemented?
The Assistant Secretary of ACF has
designated co-leads for the AAHMI. A Steering Committee for the AAHMI has
been formed that includes representation from various ACF program offices.
The AAHMI will reach out to external partners and stakeholders and identify
broad-based national and local coalitions in the successful development and
implementation of this very important strategy.
For further
information on the AAHMI please contact your ACF regional office.
Administration for Children
and Families
Regional Offices
Region I
Phone: (617) 565-1020 (p)
States
Region II
Mary Ann Higgins
Regional Administrator
26
Phone: (212) 264-2890 (p)
States and Territories
Region III
David Lett
Regional Administrator
150
Phone: (215) 861-4000 (p)
States
Region IV
Suite 4
Phone: (404) 562-2900 (p)
States
Region V
Joyce Thomas
Regional Administrator
Phone: (312) 353-4237 (p)
States
Region VI
Leon McCowan
Regional Administrator
Phone: (214) 767-9648 (p)
States
Region VII
Linda Lewis
Regional Administrator
Phone: (816) 426-3981 (p)
States
Region VIII
Thomas Sullivan
Regional Administrator
Phone: (303) 844-3100(p)
States
Region IX
Sharon Fujii
Regional Administrator
50 United
Phone: (415) 437-8400 (p)
States & Territories Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada American Samoa, Commonwealth
of the Northern Marianas, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands,
Palau
Region X
Steve Henigson
Regional Administrator
Phone: (206) 615 2547 (p)
States