ACF Messenger
August 30, 2004

PRESS RELEASE:
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215

Healthy Marriage Education Offered To ACF Employees

HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) today announced a formal partnership with Federal Occupational Health Services’ Employees Assistance Program to develop and implement a healthy marriage program for ACF employees.

President George W. Bush has been promoting his Healthy Marriage Initiative to give more Americans access to voluntary marriage education services. ACF, under the leadership of President Bush, has been integrating its current social service delivery system with voluntary healthy marriage education to better serve couples who are thinking of marriage for themselves. Today’s announcement extends these services to ACF employees.

“The President’s focus on helping couples, who choose marriage for themselves, gain the tools and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage has, for three years, been a priority for the Administration for Children and Families,” said Dr. Wade F. Horn, HHS assistant secretary for children and families. “We are now extending some of those services to the federal employees who have helped bring healthy marriage education to others.”

ACF and Federal Occupational Health Services will develop short, educational programs and seminars for ACF employees on building healthy marriage skills, including communication, conflict resolution and problem solving skills. They will partner to deliver the services nationwide to interested staff in ACF’s ten regional offices as well as employees at its central ffice in Washington, D.C.

After successful development and implementation within ACF, healthy marriage education may be offered to interested federal staff at HHS, and possibly other federal government agencies.