Item from the Smart Marriages Archive, reproduced in the Divorce Statistics Collection

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Oklahoma weds welfare funds to marriage

By Karen S. Peterson, USA TODAY

Oklahoma is putting its federal money where its mouth is.

The state on Tuesday became the first to assign a significant portion of
its federal welfare funds to reduce its divorce rate and promote
marriage. The move may prove to be contentious, as some experts say such
funds are better used to help those in financial need.

The action reflects a personal crusade led by Republican Gov. Frank
Keating, who has pledged to reduce the state's divorce rate by one-third
by 2010.

And it reflects an advance made by the growing, sometimes controversial
"marriage movement," which seeks to cut the nation's divorce rate by
methods as diverse as teaching relationships courses in schools and
establishing "covenant marriages" that make divorce more difficult.

Keating emphasizes that some unions should be dissolved. But many others
can be saved, he says. "You can get out of a marriage contract more
easily than you can get out of a Tupperware contract," Keating says. "Is
that healthy?"

The issue also is a financial one for states that "have a lot of
impoverished single mothers with young children." Divorce, he says, "has
staggering negative effects, both economically and socially. We cannot
continue to ignore its impact."

Oklahoma is using $10 million of its federal grant for Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to finance part of its Oklahoma
Marriage Initiative.

The spending of the federal money is governed by general guidelines,
Keating says, which include promoting marriage, reducing out-of-wedlock
pregnancies and encouraging "the formation and maintenance of two-parent
families."

Although other states have dedicated some welfare funds to reducing
divorce, Oklahoma is the first to make a strong financial commitment,
says Jerry Regier, the state's secretary of Health and Human Services.

Oklahoma includes in its tentative action plan:

Community covenants. Working with religious leaders to develop
community-based, marriage-strengthening programs.

Scholar in residence. Recruiting a marriage expert for a one-year tenure
at Oklahoma State University.

Marriage Resource Center. A guide for the public to find information and
mentors to support their marriages.

Statewide marriage conference. The second such conference is planned for
fall.

Skills-based courses. Training a variety of workers to teach
research-based marriage skills courses.

Better statistics. Improvement of the data system to document divorce
trends.

Charity liaison. Partnering with faith-based and charity groups to
strengthen families.

Many in the marriage movement are applauding. "This is really Page One
news," says Diane Sollee of the Coalition for Marriage, Family and
Couples Education. This is the first time a big slice of the federal pie
is being used specifically to support marriage, she says.

But others object to using welfare funds this way. "It is really taking
money away from those at the thin edge, people who have a whole range of
needs, health, nutrition, housing," says Don Bloch, past president of the
American Family Therapy Academy. "This is not a good use of the funds."

Scott Stanley of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the
University of Denver has been openly "skeptical of government initiatives
that mandate stuff about marriage." But he is impressed by the voluntary
actions championed by Oklahoma. "Really, this is one of the most
striking, broad-based efforts ever. They seem to be thinking about lots
of ways to stimulate voluntary actions across the state. I am actually
pretty excited about it."

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