What Policymakers Can Do

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Policymakers include officials working in Federal, State or local government, elected officials (e.g., governors, judges, legislators, mayors, city council members), the staff of those officials, and appointed or high ranking agency administrators.

Many people consider marriage a private institution but government is involved in marriage to the extent that it:

  • Sets the boundaries for who can get married
  • Issues marriage licenses for couples and the parameters that dictate when the license is issued
  • Outlines the process for dissolving a marriage (e.g., child support, alimony, visitation, and how to divide up assets)
  • Provides programs like Medicaid, Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and child support enforcement that assist children whose parents were not able to maintain a healthy marriage, or who may not have ever married

Policymakers are not matchmakers, but through program development they can help married couples and unmarried individuals learn how to have a healthy relationship. This is a public investment to support strong families and also to potentially lower the costs associated with programs that help families once a divorce or a family breakdown occurs.

How Policymakers Can Help

Research has shown that the skills required to build a healthy marriage can be taught and that they work. Policymakers can help married couples gain access to these skills and supports in the following ways: