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California Healthy Marriages Coalition Says National Media Campaign on Marriage Only Tells Half the Story

Posted on: Monday, 23 February 2009, 10:54 CST

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The $5 million campaign about Marriage paid for by the Federal government has stirred up a lot of controversy. Some critics say the government shouldn't promote marriage, while others say the money would be better spent helping people survive the economic downturn. California Healthy Marriages Coalition president Dennis Stoica has mixed feelings about the current advertising campaign. "Research on the benefits of marriage," says Stoica, "makes a clear case about its benefits -- including better health, more money, and better sex -- plus numerous well-known benefits for children. But it's also clear that not all marriages get these benefits -- it depends upon the quality of the marriage. That's why I wish the national advertising campaign also talked about the importance of Marriage Education and Relationship Skills classes."

Stoica points out that Marriage Education makes a big difference in how couples feel about their marriage. In the recent statewide survey conducted by his organization, 22% of Californians have participated in some kind of relationship education program, not including pre-marital education, and 95% of these found the classes helpful. This finding from The State of California's Unions fits with many research studies on the benefits of Marriage Education.

"It's not enough just to promote marriage," says Stoica, "because almost everyone knows that close to 50% of marriages fail. We need to help marriages succeed because this will have a big, positive ripple effect across our culture." Stoica says the cost of social services related to divorce and family fragmentation in California alone is currently estimated at $4.8 billion per year. His organization, the California Healthy Marriages Coalition, is the recipient of the Federal government's largest Healthy Marriage grant, at $2.4 million a year. "When we look at the amount of money our work can potentially save taxpayers, I'd like to see the government put a lot more money into Marriage Education and Relationship Skills classes," says Stoica.

For the past three years, the California Healthy Marriages Coalition (CHMC) has taught proven relationship-building skills to California couples. CHMC offers these classes through a network of partnering organizations located throughout California. Local class information plus resources such as the statewide survey, The State of California's Unions, are available on www.CaMarriage.com.

SOURCE California Healthy Marriages Coalition

Source: PR Newswire

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