West Virginia University’s Healthy Families/Healthy Children Initiative will use a $635,000 grant from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to help people in the state build strong, lasting relationships and manage their finances through community-based coalitions.

The Initiative, a program of WVU Extension Service’s Families and Health Program, builds coalitions of neighbors, businesses, faith-based partners and social service providers. The coalitions are trained by WVU Extension Service in ways to educate and empower teens, singles, families and couples to take charge of their relationships.

“Our program looks at providing research-based resources to people who live in these communities and deal with the issues on a daily basis,” Angela Faulkner, WVU Extension specialist, said. “By empowering the people within these coalitions, we provide the foundation for community trainings to continue regardless of the grant award.”

The Healthy Families/Healthy Children grant award will help WVU Extension Service to develop trainers and fund educational programs based around locally-relevant content.

The need for training comes, in part, from the challenges that researchers and educators see in communities across the state.

WVU Extension Specialist Jane Riffe, Ed.D., who also serves as director of Initiative, said that the organization will provide programs that can help couples learn skills to make their marriages more satisfying by working through issues like finances and communication.

Other courses teach teens and singles ways to select a healthy relationship partner and the warning signs for spotting potentially abusive partners.
Classes and opportunities for learning are available for a variety of populations-singles, teens, married, divorced, as well those contemplating marriage and dating.

The Healthy Families/Healthy Children Initiative promotes trying to resolve issues in relationships. Nineteen West Virginia counties are participating in the initiative.
For more information on West Virginia Healthy Families/Healthy Children Initiative’s training and coalitions, visit www.hfhc.ext.wvu.edu, or e-mail Angela.Faulkner@mail.wvu.edu. For information by phone, contact 304-293-8598.

WVU

brm/caw/10/12/10
Check http://wvutoday.wvu.edu daily for the latest news from the University.
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.

CONTACT:
Ann Bailey Berry
voice: 304.293.5691
cell: 304.216.3938
e-mail: ann.berry@mail.wvu.edu