- LEGISLATION AND COMMUNITY MARRIAGE STRENGTHENING TRACK AT SMART MARRIAGE CONFERENCES
Key: ACF = Administration for Children and Families; CHMI = Community Healthy Marriage Initiative.
Before I list conference sessions that are more focused on the "how to" of legislation or of forming
and funding community initiatives, I want to point out that since the federal and community Marriage Initiatives
are solidly based on marriage EDUCATION, the ENTIRE week-long Smart Marriage conferences are basically a tutorial on
HOW TO get yourself geared up to qualify for private or public grants or funding. Your team of six people can certify as instructors in dozens of marriage education programs at the
conference – for dating, premarital couples, becoming-parent couples, couples in trouble and on
the brink of divorce, stepfamiies, youth, fathering, parenting, low-income, ethnic. YOU MUST
HAVE PROGRAMS THAT YOU CAN TEACH in order to apply for money to teach programs.
If six of you fan out and cover the bases, you can go home prepared to teach a dozen programs.
So, some of your team MUST focus on training and qualifying/certifying as instructors in various
programs. To do that, just look at the conference program. That's the bulk of what we will be
doing in Atlanta. Check the Institutes, Mini/TOOB Training and workshop schedules.
And, others of you can focus on the "how to" get organized and connected.
You will also be able to hear straight from the ACF key staff - including Wade Horn, ACF Director
- how to qualify and how to apply. There will be an ACF "teach in" where you can ask questions,
small ACF group consults, morning roundtables hosted by ACF directors for African American,
Latino, Refugee, Native American efforts, and there will be numerous "how to" workshops and
training Institutes on Grant Writing, Community Initiative Formation, assessing Domestic Violence,
Teaching in High Schools, etc. The entire conference program is posted on the smartmarriages.com
website. The entire conference - all the workshops and keynotes – is also recorded so you can take
the sessions home with you to instruct and inspire those in your initiative that can't make to the conference.
The pre-and post conference training institutes are not recorded, but everything else is available
on CD, DVD, or MP3 Downloads at 800-24-7785 or at http://www.iplaybacksmartmarriages.com
<> - diane
Each of the sessions listed below will be recorded live at the
Annual Smart Marriages Conference and and are available on
CD or MP3 at 800-241-7785 or at
http://www.iplaybacksmartmarriages.com
Audio: CD or MP3/Ipod downloads $15.95 each.
Video DVDs are available of all Keynote sessions - $29.95
Also see special package deals and discounts. Here are some of the more "ACF"/CHMI focused sessions:
756-P1 - Thurs 6:30pm - Wade Horn opening keynote: Marriage and Public Policy
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families/HHS
We've come a long way from asking if there is a role for the federal
government in promoting healthy marriages, to what should the
government do. The President's point-man on marriage will
discuss how the $100 million a year allocated by Congress
will help couples choosing marriage get the tools and skills they
need to form and sustain healthy marriages.
756-P-3 Fri, 1 - 2:30pm - keynote
Dennis Stoica and Carolyn Curtis: Ready, Set, Go!
California is combining Marriage Education’s “best practices” in a
comprehensive state-wide marriage-strengthening initiative and will, as they
say, hit the ground running. Their initiative will include: Community
Marriage Policies, Resource websites, Local Training of Trainers, Mentor
Couples, "Stadium" Events, marketing & media, evaluation, adaptations for
ethnic groups, grant-writing Boot Camps, out-of-the box programs, and Etc!
Learn how you can duplicate this template in your state, county, or
community.
756-P-4 Fri 5:30 - 6:45pm Diann Dawson, Frank Fuentes, Bill Coffin
"ACF Teach In: Nuts, Bolts & $100 Million a Year" - Ask your questions
about creating & funding a Community Marriage Initiative
If you can only listen to six recordings, listen to these six:
756-418
Marketing Chattanooga Style
Julie Baumgardner, MS
Learn strategies that use both paid and free advertising
to get out the message about marriage, fathering and
abstinence and increase participation in community
marriage events and classes.
756-516
Getting State Money: The 1% Solution
Chris Gersten, Krista Sisterhen, Mary Myrick
Learn how to access state marriage money – how
to open doors and build relationships with state
and federal elected and appointed officials.
756-518
Harness the Internet: Marriage Resource Centers
Dennis Stoica, MBA
Learn to build a website for your marriage project
or Community Marriage Resource Center. Increase
access to local marriage programs. Includes FREE
templates and instructions.
756-618
Grant Writing 101
Dennis Stoica, MBA, Bill Coffin, MEd
Understand the fine points of grant writing in order
to qualify for government and private foundation
marriage money.
756-817 – Marriage Rally: Teach In
Transforming Communities Grassroots Style
Julie Baumgardner, MA, Nisa Muhammad, Jennifer Baker, PsyD, MFT
Learn what communities across the country are doing to
strengthen marriage and how you can follow their lead.
Brainstorm about opportunities – free media, the web,
funding, volunteers, creating buy-in - and how to avoid the stumbling blocks.
_
756-214
Domestic Violence and Marriage Education
Rob Scuka, PhD, Dennis Stoica, MBA
Learn to distinguish levels of domestic violence and to
use Relationship Enhancement (RE) skills preventively
and remedially as part of any marriage education program.
756-215
Building Strong Families
Robin Dion, MA, Pam Wilson, MSW
Learn what it takes to engage low-income, unmarried
couples - “fragile families”- in a marriage skills program
and keep them coming! Plus free modules to add to any program.
756-216
Strengthening Marriage in the Black Community
Nisa Muhammad, Rozario Slack, DMin, Curtis Watkins, Carlis Williams, MA
Black Marriage Day, Marriage Development Accounts,
getting denominations on board, special curricula – come
brainstorm ideas for revitalizing marriage in the Black community.
756-318
Getting Your Foot in the Healthcare Door
Jana Staton, PhD, Scott Haltzman, MD, DeWitt Baldwin, MD,
Carolyn Curtis, PhD, Greg Deitchler, MA
Learn how marriage educators are collaborating
with hospitals, health care systems and mental health
centers to offer marriage programs for new parents,
cardio rehab, physicians and others.
756-414
Research and Evaluation: The Basics
Scott Gardner, PhD, Rita DeMaria, PhD
Anyone doing marriage education should be tracking
results and measuring outcome. Learn the basic tools
and concepts you need to get started.
756-416
Caring for My Family - MINI
Karen Shirer, PhD, Erika London, MA
This FREE skill-based program helps low-resource,
unmarried expectant and new parents set goals and
assess what’s best for them and their child regarding
marriage or ongoing father involvement.
756-417
Oklahoma: Laying the Tracks
Scott Stanley, PhD, George Young, DMin,
Theodora Ooms, MSW, Mary Myrick
Lessons from a multi-sector initiative that uses TANF
funds to strengthen marriage and reduce divorce. Training
models, evaluation, faith-based, domestic violence and schools.
756-517
24/7 Dad - MINI
Milton Scott, MBA
Help men become involved, responsible, committed
dads. Includes exercises, recruitment and implementation
strategies in a variety of settings.
756-615
Domestic Violence: Keep It Safe
Joanne Vogel, PhD, Andrew Daire, PhD
Use this detailed protocol to assess for DV in any
marriage ed setting. Includes intake screening, gender
& cultural issues, safety planning & strategies, and
development of referral sources. Protocol provided.
756-717
Ready, Set, Go!
Carolyn Curtis, PhD, Patty Howell, EdM
Starting from scratch, we’ll help you evaluate your
resources and create an action plan for starting an
outrageously good community marriage project in
your city, county or state.
Recorded live at the 2007 Denver Smart Marriages Conference.
Those in red received highest ratings. Order at Playback800-241-7785
757-219
Building Strong Families
Robin Dion, MA
Learn what it takes to engage low-income, unmarried
couples – “fragile families”– in a marriage skills program
and keep them coming!
757- 220
Marriage & Family Wellness: Corporate America’s Business?
Jeff Fray, PhD, David Olson, PhD, Matthew Turvey, PsyD
Research makes the case: employees with healthy marriages
are more productive. Learn what HR executives say they
need and how marriage educators can deliver. Corporate
examples.
757-319
Lessons from the Field
Sharon Rowser, MA, Jennifer Miller, MPP
The HHS Supporting Healthy Marriages (SHM) project shares
lessons about adapting programs, and recruiting and retaining
diverse, low-income married couples in long-term marriage education.
757-320
Getting State Money: The 1% Solution
Chris Gersten
Learn how to access state marriage money – how to open doors
and build relationships with state and federal elected and appointed
officials.
757-419
Oklahoma Update
Scott Stanley, PhD, Mary Myrick, Kendy Cox,
Lessons from a state-wide TANF-funded initiative to strengthen
marriage with a focus on volunteer training models and programs
for schools, prisons, low-income single parents and child-bearing couples
757-420
It’s All About Teamwork
Jennifer Baker, PsyD, MFT, Julie Baumgardner, MA, CFLE
Staff and Board missteps can sink your community marriage ship.
Learn key strategies to recruit, select, manage, and inspire (paid or
volunteer) team members, avoid the pitfalls, and reach your goals.
757-518
Recruitment: Lots of Pot and Food!
Kelly Robert, MS, Brandt Gardner, PhD
You’ve built it; they aren’t coming. Hear what people said
on a national survey when asked about the decision to attend
marriage ed classes. Learn how to maximize attendance – legally!
757-519
Research and Evaluation: The Basics
Rita DeMaria, PhD, Scott Gardner, PhD
Anyone doing marriage education should be tracking results
and measuring outcome. Learn the basic tools and concepts
you need to get started.
757-520
Harness the Internet: Marriage Resource Centers
Dennis Stoica, MBA
Learn to build a website for your marriage project or
Community Marriage Resource Center. Increase access to
local marriage programs. Includes FREE templates and instructions.
757-611
Teaching Marriage to Undergrads
Arthur Nielsen, MD, Dennis Lowe, PhD,
Stephen Stacey, MS, Jannette Borst, MS
Learn how to make marriage courses interesting and meaningful
in the lives – and future marriages – of students. Bring your
ideas and curricula to share.
757-612
Partner With Cooperative Extension: Create Capacity
Francesca Adler-Baeder, PhD, Ted Futris, PhD
This vast network of educators and researchers offers free
to low-cost programs and information and obvious partners
for your community, marriage-strengthening, coalition-building efforts.
757-613
Community Marriage Policies (CMPs)
Mike and Harriet McManus
Learn how to organize a CMP in your area by creating
Marriage Saver Congregations that recruit and train
Mentor Couples that can cut divorce rates to near zero.
757-614
Marriage Education for Good Ole Boys
Jennifer Baker, PsyD, MFT
Learn to supplement existing marriage programs with
film clips, Country music, humor and stories to engage
often neglected low-income white couples.
757- 618
Domestic Violence: Keep It Safe
Kay Bradford, PhD, Jason Whiting, PhD, Erik Carlton
Learn to develop an effective DV protocol for any marriage
ed setting. Includes screening, safety planning, sensitivity to
gender/culture, and development of referral sources. Example
protocol provided.
757- 619
Where Are the Men?
Neil Chethik
Learn practical marketing steps to encourage men to attend
classes by creating a male-friendly atmosphere that will
keep them engaged and working on their marriage.
757- 620
Grant Writing 101
Dennis Stoica, MBA
Understand the fine points of grant writing in order to qualify
for government and private foundation marriage money.
757- 720
Private Fundraising 101: Beyond the Feds
Kay Reed
Learn the basics for successful fundraising with individuals
and foundations: who, when, and how to ask. Develop a
strategic plan, chose your targets, hone your message, create
perpetuity.
757-818
Marriage Rally: Teach In
Transforming Communities Grassroots Style
Julie Baumgardner, MA, Nisa Muhammad, Jim Sheridan, JD, MBA
Learn what communities across the country are doing to
strengthen marriage and how you can get started. Brainstorm
about opportunities – free media, the web, funding, volunteers,
creating buy-in – and how to avoid the stumbling blocks.
ALSO, these from the 2005 Dallas Smart Marriages Conference:
> 755-213
> Community Marriage Policies (CMPs)
> Mike and Harriet McManus
> Learn how you can organize a CMP with the clergy in your area and how to
> recruit and train Mentor Couples who can cut divorce rates in any congregation
> to near zero.
> 755-316
> Talking with State Legislators and Officials about Marriage
> Jack Tweedie, JD, PhD, Sen Bill Hardiman, John Crouch, JD
> Learn to provide compelling information on the benefits and feasibility of
> supporting marriage, what other states have accomplished and discuss new
> legislative templates.
> 755-514
> Tapping Into The Extension Network
> Francesca Adler-Baeder, PhD, Barbara Petty, MS, Charlotte Olsen, PhD, Anna Mae
> Kobbe, PhD
> USDA Extension’s vast network of educators, researchers and
> teach-right-out-of-the-box, highly affordable marriage programs stand ready to
> help strengthen your community marriage efforts.
Not recorded:
TRAINING INSTITUTES: 108 Two Days - Wednesday & Thursday: June 21, 22 - NO CEU
Creating Marriage-Saver Congregations & Community Marriage Policies
Mike & Harriet McManus
Learn how to reduce the divorce rate to near zero in your congregation and
slash city divorce rates in half by training Mentor Couples who can put a
"safety net" under every marriage. Learn how to prepare couples for
life-long marriage, enrich existing marriages, save 90% of the troubled
ones, help the separated to reconcile, and stepfamilies to be successful.
Learn how to create a Community Marriage Policy. $100 spouse discount. Also
plan to attend the Marriage Savers Banquet, Wed night banquet featuring John
Van Epp: Love Thinks -$36 per person. Click for more information:
http://www.smartmarriages.com/marriagesavers.html Also plan to attend #917.
118 One Day - Thursday: June 22 - Free admission. NO CEU.
School & Youth Marriage Education Programs
Active Relationships - Garth Heckman
Building Relationships - Peter Larson, PhD
PAIRS for PEERS - Ellen Purcell
Relationship Intelligence - Richard Panzer
We have to start with the kids! These programs - being taught
across the country - teach students about the skills that are
central to building and maintaining good marriages. Curricula are
easily adapted to classroom, church or community and youth
group settings. Teens also encouraged to attend. See #918.
Click for more information.
907 Two Days - Monday & Tuesday, June 26 & 27
Self-Regulation: Love without Hurt &
The Core Value Workshop
Steven Stosny, PhD
Qualify to teach the full Core Value Workshop program, an intensive
treatment for domestic violence offenders and child abusers. Also qualify to
teach "Love Without Hurt" an 8-hour program to add on to any marriage
education course - designed to recognize & prevent domestic violence and
child abuse, it doesn't use the terms "abuse" or "violence," which could
scare off clients or send them into denial. This course includes emotional
regulation skills that make it easier to learn marriage skills and use them
under stress. $100 spouse discount. Click for more information:
http://www.smartmarriages.com/stosny.html
909 Two Days - Monday & Tuesday, June 26 & 27
First Things First: Community Organizing Certification
Julie Baumgardner, MS, CFLE, Rozario Slack, DMin,
Bill Seabrook, MS
For anyone working to create a community marriage initiative. Learn to
implement educational, collaborative, media-savvy strategies, change
attitudes and behavior and reverse the epidemic of family breakdown with
approaches that include: coalition building, research, fund raising and
marketing. Receive a Community Organizing Certificate. $100 spouse discount.
Click for more information: http://www.smartmarriages.com/baumgardner.html
910 Two Days - Monday & Tuesday, June 26 & 27 NO CEU. 2nd day FREE for those that attend 1st day.
Grants and Funding
David Mills, MA, MPA, We Care America National Grant Center
Funding may seem illusive, but it's out there! Learn skills and knowledge
to secure national and local funding for your marriage initiatives through
grants and alternative approaches. $50 spouse discount.
Click for more information: http://www.smartmarriages.com/we.care.html
917 One Day - Monday, June 26 - NO CEU
Community Marriage Policy (CMP) Leadership Training
Mike & Harriet McManus
This annual meeting of the National Fellowship of Community Marriage
Policies includes advanced training on how to strengthen your CMP, involve
more churches, increase accountability, train more Marriage Saver Mentor
Couples, work with government, and obtain public/private funding and media
coverage. See #108. $50 spouse discount.