The
purpose of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Healthy Marriage Initiative is to improve child well-being
by providing those who choose marriage for themselves with
increased access to marriage education. Recognizing the
research that indicates that two-parent, married families
represent the ideal environment for raising children,
Congress included marriage, family formation, and fatherhood
as key elements in the PRWORA of 1996 (welfare reform
legislation, TANF).
The HHMI is a focused strategy within the
Healthy Marriage Initiative. The goal of the HHMI is to
address the unique cultural, linguistic, demographic, and
socio-economic needs of children and families in Hispanic
communities.
Why is a focused strategy
necessary for the Hispanic Community?
- Largest minority group.
As of July 2003, the Hispanic community was the largest
minority in the United States with 39.9 million
Hispanics comprising 13% of the population. The Census
Bureau projected that by 2020 the Hispanic population
will be nearly 20% of the U.S. population.
- Hispanics have the highest
birth rate. In 2000 the birth rate for
Hispanics was 96 per 1000, compared with 69 for Blacks
and 57 for Whites.
- Highest teen pregnancy rates.
The teen pregnancy rate for Hispanics is 69 more per
1,000 than the national average.
- Hispanics have had the greatest
rate of increase of out-of-wedlock births since 1995.
43.5% of all Hispanic births were to unmarried Hispanics
in 2002. While the unmarried birth rate among Blacks
dropped between 1995 and 2002, it grew by 3 percentage
points among Hispanics during the same time period.
- Youngest median age.
The median age of Hispanics in the U.S. is only 25
compared to 30 for African Americans and 38 for Whites.
There are nearly 15,200,000 Hispanics in the United
Sates that are 18 years of age or younger.
- Hispanic families are 200% more
likely to live in poverty than White families.
In 1999, nearly one quarter of Hispanic families (23%)
lived in poverty and 30% of Hispanic children aged 0-18
lived in poverty.
A targeted strategy to engage the
Hispanic community in effective, culturally appropriate ways
will:
- Increase awareness in the Hispanic
community on the importance of the ACF Healthy Marriage
Initiative
- Work with the Hispanic Community and
its leadership to design and inform an ongoing Hispanic
Healthy Marriage Initiative strategy
- Establish a base of receptivity and
readiness in the Hispanic community for accessing
Healthy Marriage funds
- Develop a long term strategy to broaden
Hispanic Healthy Marriage discussion, strategy, and
action
For more information:
Contact Frank Fuentes, Deputy Commissioner for the
Administration for Children, Youth and Families at
202.205.8347 or visit www.acf.hhs.gov/healthymarriage/
