Center for Law and Social Policy Press Release

Strengthening Marriages and Families

New State-by-State Report Describes Efforts to Strengthen Marriage and Two-Parent Families

Over the last ten years, every state has undertaken at least one activity or made at least one policy change designed to strengthen marriage and/or two-parent families—although most of these efforts have been modest, according to a new report from the Center for Law and Social Policy, Beyond Marriage Licenses: Efforts to Strengthen Marriage and Two-Parent Families. A State-by-State Snapshot by Theodora Ooms, Stacey Bouchet, and Mary Parke. The report is the first to provide a state-by- state description of government-related activities in the new field of couples and marriage policy.

The new report comes as Congress is considering an Administration proposal for $1.5 billion in dedicated funding for activities to promote healthy marriages as part of the reauthorization of the federal welfare program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). In addition, the Senate HELP Committee’s Subcommittee on Children and Families is holding a hearing, “Healthy Marriages,” on Wednesday, April 28, at 2 pm, 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Among the witnesses will be Wade Horn, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, and former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating.

Among the report’s main findings:

“This report shows that a lot more is going on with marriage policy and programming in states than most people realize,” said Theodora Ooms, CLASP Senior Policy Analyst and lead author of the report. “However, the efforts thus far are modest and reach only a small number of people. Given the lack of research on marriage-related interventions, policymakers should proceed cautiously, try out a variety of strategies, and carefully evaluate the positive and negative consequences of these programs, particularly for low-income families and children.”

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To set up an interview with Theodora Ooms, contact John Hutchins at (202) 906-8013.

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A national, nonprofit organization founded in 1968, CLASP conducts research, policy analysis, technical assistance, and advocacy on issues related to economic security of low-income families with children.

_{Press Release provided by Center for Law and Social Policy.}