AGENDA:

JULY 22, 2004

Family Structure and Child Well-Being: What Policymakers Should Know
The NGA Center, with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presented the first in a series of webcasts on supporting healthy marriages and strong families. The webcast explored some of the key research about how a family structure can affect children.

  • Introduction
    Video
     
  • Research findings on family structure and child well-being
  • The affects of divorce on children
    • Robert Emery, director of Center for Children, Families and the Law, University of Virginia
      Video
      Presentation
       
  • Surveys that states have conducted on people's attitudes about marriage, marriage education and government's role in this area
  • Q + A Session
    Video

AUGUST 31, 2004

Supporting Healthy Marriages and Strong Families Through Marriage Education
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presented the second of a series of webcasts on supporting healthy marriages and strong families. This webcast focused on efforts to build healthy relationships and sustain healthy marriages through marriage education.

  • Introduction
    Video

  • Bill Coffin, special assistant for marriage education, administration for aamilies and children, HHS provided an overview of marriage education programs and discussed what they try to accomplish.
    Backgrounder
    Video
    Presentation

  • Francesca Adler-Baeder, Auburn University, Alabama will discuss the Family Connections in Alabama Project, a pilot marriage education program for low-resource, nonmarried parents. She talked about lessons learned in designing and implementing the project.
    Video
    Presentation

  • Dana Reichert, TANF director for the state of Louisiana, discussed how the state used input from focus groups and surveys to develop marriage education curriculum targeting low-income, African American couples and individuals.
    Policy Points
    Video
    Presentation

  • Carlis Williams, regional administrator, Administration for Children and Families, HHS discussed the African American Healthy Marriage Initiative.
    Video
    Presentation

  • Q + A Session
    Video

SEPTEMBER 30, 2004

Starting Early - Talking about Healthy Relationships with Teenagers
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presented the third in a series of webcasts on supporting healthy marriages and strong families. Previous webcasts presented key research about family structure and child well-being and explored the potential of marriage education to help support healthy marriages and strong families. This final webcast focused on talking with teenagers about healthy relationships.

  • Introduction
    Video
     
  • Marline Pearson, Madison Area Technical College, discussed why relationship education is the missing link in building assets for teenagers. She talked about why building healthy relationships during adolescent years is critical for ensuring future strong relationships and marriages.
    Video
    The Love U2 Curriculum (Comprehensive relationship education for teens)
    Overview
    Philosophy and Goals
     
  • Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, co-director, National Marriage Project, discussed teens' attitudes about relationships and marriage.
    Video
     
  • Paula DeBoles Johnson, director of Capital City Youth, Tallahassee, Florida, provided best practices in reaching and engaging youth.
    Video
    Presentation
     
  • Joan Fossum, president of the National Association of State Administrators for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), talked about how FCS administrators can work with public schools to build relationship education into existing courses. She discussed how states can involve FCS state administrators in healthy marriage initiative work.
    Video
    Presentation
     
  • Q + A Session
    Video