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ElC Geneva - 7-2012 - Dennis Stoica
- 1. Family Policy inModernFamily Policy in Modern Western Society—Where DoWestern Society—Where Do We Stand?We Stand? Dennis Stoica, MBA Chairman of the Board & Founding/Former President Healthy Relationships California Presented at European Leadership Conference July 5, 2012 Geneva, Switzerland Dennis@RelationshipsInternational.org
- 2. U.S. Family-Strengthening Programs •Relationship/Marriage Education • Parenting Education • Fatherhood Programs
- 3. U.S. Family-Strengthening Programs EmploymentSupport Parenting Education Relationship/ Marriage Education Fatherhood Programs
- 4. Strong Bi-Partisan Supportfor Family- Strengthening Programs President – Party Legislation Bill Clinton – Democrat Term: 1993-2001 1996 – Redefinition of TANF (welfare) to strongly support Marriage George W. Bush – Republican Term: 2001-2009 2005 – Authorized $150 million/year 5-year grants for Marriage and Fatherhood programs Barack Obama – Democrat Term: 2009-Present 2010 – Authorized $150 million/year 3-year grants for Marriage and Fatherhood programs
- 5. From President BarackObama “…Finally, preliminary research shows that marriage education workshops can make a real difference in helping married couples stay together and in encouraging unmarried couples who are living together to form a more lasting bond. Expanding access to such services to low income couples, perhaps in concert with job training and placement, medical coverage, and other services already available, should be something everybody can agree on…” Barack Obama, Audacity of Hope, 2006, p. 334
- 6. It’s All Aboutthe Children
- 7. It’s Also “AllAbout the Money” “ACF (Administration for Children and Families) spends $46 billion per year operating 65 different social programs. If one goes down the list of these programs… the need for each is either created or exacerbated by the breakup of families and marriages.” Wade Horn, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families (US-HHS/ACF), 2004 “For every $1,000 that government spends providing services to broken families, it spends $1 trying to stop family breakdown.” Fagan, Patrick F. “Encouraging Marriage and Discouraging Divorce”. Washington, DC: Heritage Foundation, The Backgrounder #1421, March 26, 2001
- 8. HMI’s purpose IS: “Tohelp couples, who have chosen marriage for themselves, gain greater access to marriage education services, on a voluntary basis, where they can acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage.” HMI is NOT: • Coercing anyone to marry or remain in unhealthy relationships. • Withdrawing supports from single parents. • Stigmatizing those who choose divorce. • Limiting access to divorce. • Running a federal dating service. U.S.A.’s Healthy Marriage Initiative (HMI)
- 9. Relationship and MarriageEducation (RME)
- 10. Comparing Relationship/Marriage Education withMarriage Counseling Marriage Counseling/Therapy Person Leading Therapist Qualifications of Leader Masters Degree Setting Therapist’s Office # of People in the Room 3 – Therapist + husband & wife Who Served Married couples experiencing difficulties Material Covered Flexible – depends on needs of the couple Format Complain and discuss Approach to Problems Couple is highly dependent upon therapist for insights/solutions Focus Reparative # Hours of Intervention Varies: 4 to 50+ Cost / Hour / Person served $75 US (60 euro) Relative Effectiveness Medium Relationship/Marriage Education Instructor Trained in the Curriculum Classroom 20 to 50 to 100+ All ages & stages: high school, singles, dating, engaged, newlyweds, marriage enrichment, troubled marriages Fixed – follows a specific curriculum For each skill: present, demonstrate, practice, discuss. Participants learn the skills to solve their own problems Preventive 8 to 20 <$1 to $10 US (<1 to 8 euro) High
- 11. PREP Strong BondsStudy Evidence for RME 0.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00% 4.00% 5.00% 6.00% 7.00% Divorce Rate After 1 Year PREP Strong Bonds (n=248) Control Group (n=228)
- 12. HRC Study ofDistressed Couples in RME Programs in California (n=1,961) Evidence for RME 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Pretest Post-test 30 Day Follow- Up 6 Month Follow- Up Highly Distressed Moderately Distressed Happily Married
- 13. • Examples ofskills taught in RME: – Effective speaking—honest and non-aggressive sharing and expression of needs and wants – Effective listening—in order to understand the other person – Empathy—imaginatively placing oneself in the other’s place – Cooperative, “Win-Win” approach to solving problems and conflicts RME Teaches Skills, Not Just Concepts
- 14. • Examples ofskills taught in RE: – Effective speaking—honest and non-aggressive sharing and expression of needs and wants – Effective listening—in order to understand the other person – Empathy—imaginatively placing oneself in the other’s place – Cooperative, “Win-Win” approach to solving problems and conflicts Relationship Education (RE) Skills have Broad Applicability
- 15. HRC’s Work inCalifornia
- 16.
- 17. • Breakfast meetingtomorrow morning from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. • HRI’s President, Patty Howell, speaking tomorrow on the 10 a.m. panel, “The Economic and Social Contribution of the Family: Combating Poverty and Crime”. • Contact me or Patty by email: – Dennis@RelationshipsInternational.org – Patty@RelationshipsInternational.org Opportunities for More Information