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The Healthy Marriage Initiative (HMI)

Proposed Future Funding Opportunities

Overview

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. Under the original legislation, authorization for the TANF program ended September 30, 2002. Since then, the program has been extended through a series of temporary extensions until June 30, 2005.

In February of 2002, the President announced his welfare reform reauthorization proposal – “Working Toward Independence”. A key component of the plan proposed establishing a $100 million annual fund to conduct research and demonstration projects, and provide technical assistance primarily focusing on family formation and healthy marriage activities. This provision will be funded, in large measure, by the elimination of the Illegitimacy Reduction Bonus. The Administration believes that funds previously used for the Illegitimacy Reduction Bonus can be more effectively spent on developing innovative approaches to supporting family formation and healthy marriages.

The Administration also proposes to redirect funds from the High Performance Bonus to create a competitive $100 million grant program available to States, territories, and tribal organizations to develop innovative approaches to promoting healthy marriage and reducing out-of-wedlock births. A dollar-for-dollar match to participate in the grant program will be required; States can use Federal TANF to meet this matching requirement. The State match also can be satisfied with in-kind contributions.

In the 109th Congress, H.R. 240, the Personal Responsibility, Work and Family Promotion Act of 2005, was introduced to reauthorize and strengthen the 1996 welfare reform law along the lines suggested by the President. In the Senate, on March 9, 2005, the Senate Finance Committee approved the Personal Responsibility and Individual Development for Everyone (PRIDE) Act and sent S-667 to the full Senate for consideration.

Both welfare reauthorization bills (HR 240 and S 667) include funding for marriage promotion. To review the bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov (and search by bill number).

Healthy Marriage Promotion Grant

Both HR 240 and S 667 include the following provisions:

  • Amount of funds: $100 million, annually.
  • Who can apply for funds: States, Territories, Tribes and Tribal Organizations.
  • Required matching funds: Grantees must provide a dollar-for-dollar match. Contrary to the usual prohibition on using Federal funds as a match for other Federal funds, Congress explicitly authorized the use of other Federal TANF funds to meet this matching requirement for the Healthy Marriage Promotion Grant.
  • Allowable activities: Funds provided shall be used to support any of eight programs or activities. The legislative language of both HR 240 and S 667 for six activities are nearly identical:
    • Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health.
    • Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs, that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement, for non-married pregnant women, and non-married expectant fathers. (S 667 adds “and non-married recent parents”.)
    • Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or individuals interested in marriage.
    • Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples.
    • Divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills.
    • Programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in means-tested aid programs, if offered in conjunction with any (allowable) activity described (above).
  • The legislative language for two of the eight allowable activities reflect slight differences which will be resolved in conference committee:
    • Education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills, and budgeting; (HR 240) vs.
    • Education in high schools on the importance of healthy marriages and the characteristics of other healthy relationships experienced throughout life, including education on the importance of grounding all relationships in mutual respect and how earlier healthy relationships are the building blocks for later healthy marital relationships. (S 667)
    • Marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities. (HR 240) vs.
    • Marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors. (S-667)

Differences in HR 240 and S 667

  • Voluntary Participation (S 667)
    • Participation in the allowable activities shall be voluntary (an exception is made for public advertising campaigns and education in high schools); and
    • Each grantee shall provide an assurance that each recipient who participates in such programs is informed that participation is voluntary, that the recipient may disenroll at any time, that there will be no sanction for refusal to participate and that the recipient may be reassigned to other activities at any time in accordance with the self-sufficiency plan.
  • Condition of Receiving Funds (S 667) A grant may not be awarded unless the State or Tribe:
    • Consults with domestic violence organizations in developing the programs and policies;
    • Describes in the application how the programs appropriately address issues of domestic violence;
    • Establishes protocols for identifying and referring victims of domestic violence for services; and
    • Sets performance goals to increase the incidence and quality of healthy marriages, and not solely to expand the number of married couples.
  • Annual Reports (S 667) Each State or Tribe shall submit an annual report that describes the protocols and procedures for addressing domestic violence, those involved in the development of the policies, those providing training, and any implementation issues.

Research, Demonstrations and Technical Assistance

Both HR 240 and S 667 provide for additional funding:

  • Amount of funds: $100 million, annually.
  • Who may apply for funds: Public or private entities.
  • Required matching funds: None.
  • Allowable activities: Research, technical assistance, and demonstration projects to be spent primarily on activities described above.