Is the Healthy Marriage Initiative Really Healthy for Families? A Critical Analysis

Abstract

The Healthy Marriage Initiative is a government proposal to expand programs promoting marriage, particularly among low-income families and welfare recipients. In this paper, I examine the implications of this proposal as it applies to child poverty. I argue that contrary to the claims of its proponents, the Healthy Marriage Initiative would not substantially reduce child poverty rates, would increase as many unhealthy as healthy marriages, and would intrude inappropriately into the lives of poor men and women.