Healthy Marriage

Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education for Adults

Family, Relationship, and Marriage Education Works (FRAMEWorks) Grants (Adults)

A strong family has many significant implications for the health and well-being of both adults and children. More than 30 years of research show that when children are living with their married, biological parents, they have better physical, emotional, and academic well-being (Anderson, 2014, Sandstrom & Huerta, 2013). Studies have shown that people live longer, have less stress, and are more financially stable in a healthy family environment where both parents are present, share the responsibility of the household, and raise the children (Acs, G. and Nelson, S., 2004).

OFA’s FRAMEWorks grants are intended to help families achieve these outcomes, while also helping individuals improve their relationship skills and their paths toward economic stability and mobility.

OFA identifies these elements—family, relationship and marriage education, together with gainful employment—as the scaffolding upon which healthy families are built and sustained. Grants will provide a broad array of healthy marriage promotion activities and services designed to integrate skills-based healthy marriage education, along with additional services to address relationship skills and job and career advancement opportunities, for adults (age 18 and older).

Currently, OFA funds 30 organizations across the country. The FRAMEWorks grantees can provide a range of activities including:

• Public Advertising Campaigns - Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the skills needed to increase marital stability and health.
• Marriage and Relationship Education/Skills (MRES) - Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement.
• Pre-Marital Education - Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or individuals interested in marriage.
• Marriage Enhancement - Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples.
• Divorce Reduction - Divorce reduction programs that teach relationship skills.
• Marriage Mentoring - Marriage mentoring programs that use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities.
• Reduction of Disincentives to Marriage - Programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in means-tested aid programs, if offered in conjunction with any activity described in this subparagraph.

References

Acs, G., & Nelson S. (2004) What do “I Dos do? Potential benefits of marriage and cohabiting couples with children. (The Urban Institute, Assessing the New Federalism Policy Brief B-59).

Anderson, J. (2014). The impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects of divorce. Linacre Quarterly, 81(4). 378-387. 

Sandstrom, H. & Huerta, S. (2013). The negative effects of instability on child development: A research synthesis. Low-Income Working Families Discussion Paper 3. The Urban Institute,