Healthy Marriages Initiative Funded

Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission has recently received notice of funding from the U.S. Administration of Children and Families for a five-year healthy marriages initiative, entitled Stronger Together. Working in collaboration with Catholic Social Services and the Women's Crisis Center, Stronger Together will target the families enrolled in NKCAC's Head Start program to encourage the development of healthy relationships between the parents of children enrolled in Head Start, their adolescent siblings, and other low income families in the region.

NKCAC's Head Start families are more likely to be headed by single parents, with only 34% of Head Start families being married, compared to a national average of 59%. Researchers have found many benefits to healthy marriages, including children who are more likely to succeed academically and attend college, are physically and emotionally healthier, less likely to be a victim of physical or sexual abuse, less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, and less likely to become pregnant as a teenager, or impregnate someone.

A healthy committed relationship has benefits for the couple, too, including being less likely to remain or end up in poverty; less likely to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or other violent crimes, have a lower risk of drug and alcohol abuse, less likely to contract STD's. Couples in healthy relationships have better relationships with their children, are physically healthier, live longer and are more likely to have stable employment.

Stronger Together will educate couples, adolescents and the Northern Kentucky community in relationship building, financial literacy and parenting skills. The agency is also seeking volunteers who will serve as Marriage Mentors for couples wishing to improve their relationship skills. For more information, or to volunteer as a Marriage Mentor, contact NKCAC by phone (859 581-6607) or by e-mail.

Want to see how healthy your relationship is, and learn techniques to make it healthier? Click here for an on-line tool. Not married, but considering it? Take the questionnaire to compare your options as a single person or married couple.