Statewide Healthy Families Initiative Focuses on San Bernardino County

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Inland Empire is seeing a significant expansion of marriage and relationship classes, thanks to an innovative healthy family program provided by the California Healthy Marriages Coalition (CHMC). Partnering with the San Bernardino Diocese, CHMC has received a 3-year grant of $100,000 per year from First 5 San Bernardino to serve thousands of parents of children from newborn to age 5 through their new "Raising Kids Twogether" program ("Formacio'n Para Padres"). This innovative approach for strengthening families offers a Parenting Education program, "1,2,3,4 Parents!" along with a Marriage Education program, "Love's Cradle," that builds closeness between the couple.

CHMC President, Dennis Stoica states, "Our Parenting Education program combines two high-quality, research-based curricula that equip parents with parenting skills that increase the quality of interactions with their children, in addition to skills that increase the quality and stability of their relationship as a couple, which goes a long ways in providing kids with the family support they need for success in their lives. We have a great package here that we're excited about making available in San Bernardino." The classes will be offered in partnership with the San Bernardino Diocese in locations throughout the county.  The Raising Kids Twogether course is available in both English and Spanish and is open countywide to parents of children 0-5.

CHMC also offers other courses for couples in the region, including the highly-rated PAIRS, Mastering the Mysteries of Love (MML), and World Class Marriage classes. Hundreds of Inland Empire couples have already taken these classes and enthusiasm is high. Teresa Lozado of Alta Loma said, "I used to be the only one talking in our marriage, but since I learned how to listen, my husband is also talking." Yolanda Servin, of Temecula states, "These skills helped me find my voice. I now know how to ask for what I need and I'm excited to see how much closer this has brought us as a couple."

CHMC is the recipient of the Federal government's largest Healthy Marriage Demonstration Grant. For the past four years, CHMC has taught proven relationship-building skills to more than 44,000 Californians through Marriage Education and Relationship Skills classes for all ages and stages.  A statewide clearinghouse of Relationship and Marriage Education classes, including the Raising Kids Twogether curriculum, is available at www.CaMarriage.com

SOURCE California Healthy Marriages Coalition