FAQ's

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Q. Does the TANF Healthy Marriage and Fatherhood funding take money away from poor women?

FAQ's A. No, the entire $150,000,000 a year appropriation, passed in 2006, shifted funding from state “Out-of-wedlock birth bonuses” to marriage education and fatherhood grants. These bonuses had been allocated to 3-5 states each year. The winning states had their out-of-wedlock birth rates drop the previous year through demographic population changes. None of these states had done anything to encourage marriage or to reduce out-of-wedlock child births. Their demographics had changed so they saw a drop in out-of-wedlock births the previous year. Not one of the states that won these bonuses put money back into relationship strengthening, fatherhood, marriage education, or reducing out-of-wedlock births. In addition, no state sought to have these bonuses retained. They were a complete waste of government money. Not one penny of TANF funding was removed from any program designed to help at risk women.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 December 2009 22:04
 
 
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Q. Do these marriage and fatherhood programs discriminate against single people?

FAQ's A. No, single individuals and unmarried couples are welcome in marriage and fatherhood programs. Most of the marriage and relationship education classes have singles in the class room learning relationship skills. Some of these singles are in current relationships and others are not. They are in the classes seeking to gain relationship and communication skills to help them in future relationships.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 December 2009 19:59
 
   
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Q. Does the TANF Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Initiative coerce unmarried women into marrying?

FAQ's A. No. The Act is designed to support local grantees provide people with the skills they need to form and sustain healthy marriages. It does not push or coerce anyone into marrying. The Act and the administration of the Act by ACF/HHS specifically require each grantee to partner with local domestic violence coalitions and to have procedures in place to help women who are victims of domestic violence.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 December 2009 21:16
 
   
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Q. Is Marriage Education research-based?

FAQ's

A. Yes, there is a large body of research in the United States and Europe which clearly proves that couples that have taken an accredited marriage education class are 50% Less Likely to divorce after 5 years and after 10 years than couples who have not taken marriage education classes.

http://uncnews.unc.edu/content/view/2986/71/

Military wives reduce risk of depression if they get relationship training.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 December 2009 21:17
 
   
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Q. The GAO report to Congress on the grants raised questions about the adequate oversight and Administration of the Act.

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Have these questions been addressed adequately by the Administration for Children and Families?

A. Yes. ACF made a number of changes that have addressed the issues raised in the GAO study. Some grantees had their funding removed. Many grantees were put on probation until they corrected problems. The difficulty grantees had in creating new programs was no different than grantees have in all newly created government grants.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 December 2009 21:31
 
   
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Q. Can Gay and Lesbian men and women access the relationship strengthening programs funding by these grants.

FAQ's A. A number of grantees partner with faith and community-based organizations that open their classes to members of the Gay and Lesbian communities.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 December 2009 21:18
 
   
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Q. Do government supported marriage education programs violate the privacy of individuals accessing services?

FAQ's A. No. There is no evidence of violation of the privacy rights of anyone who participates in marriage education or fatherhood strengthening classes. The GAO study did not find any evidence of privacy rights violations.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 December 2009 21:18
 
   

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