Marriage Works of Harford County exists to promote lifelong healthy marriages through education and resources. Studies show married individuals have better health and live longer than unmarried individuals. Children born to unmarried mothers also face greater risks. While cohabitation is common, cohabiters report lower relationship quality and income than married couples. Marriage is declining in Maryland while the population grows. Divorce also impacts the workplace through reduced productivity. Marriage Works aims to strengthen marriage and teach healthy relationships.

1. We exist to promote life-long, healthy
marriages through collaboration,
education, and resources to restore
hope and transform our community!
www.marriageworksmd.org
Norma G. Tilton, President

2.  According to study…a National Health Statistics Report
(3/22/2012)…(http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr049.pdf)
 The likelihood that a marriage will last over 20 years
doubles for a woman who marries with a college
degree (78%) compared to a woman who marries
without a high school diploma (39%).
 Married persons generally have better mental and
physical health outcomes compared to unmarried
persons.
 Married persons also live longer, are more likely
to be covered by health insurance, and have a
lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease
than unmarried persons.

3.  CDC report: Marriage and Cohabitation in the United States –
Vital and Health Statistics – Series 23, #28 – February, 2010.
 Children born to unmarried mothers are at greater risk than children born
to married mothers for poverty, teen childbearing, poor school
achievement, and marital disruption in adulthood.
 Even though it is statistically a significant risk for children, for their
healthy development, nearly two-thirds (2/3rds) will live in cohabitating
households by the time they are 16.
 Cohabiters also report lower levels of relationship quality and household
incomes than married couples.
 Studies have found that persons who cohabit prior to marriage are
more likely to have their marriages dissolve than those who did
not cohabit premarital.

4.  Marriage is on the decline in
Maryland, where marriage has
fallen from 46,300 in 1990 to
32,400 in 2009, while the state’s
population increased by one million.
 That’s a 35% drop in marriage.
 The number of divorces has fallen
Marriage Divorce
only slightly from 16,100 in 1990 to
15,200 in 2009.

5.  Maryland’s percentage of unwed births rose
from 29.6% in 1990 to 41% in 2008.
 There were 32,000 babies born out of wedlock in 2008.
 According to the study by the Heritage
Foundation, children from fatherless homes
are:
 5 times more likely to commit suicide than those
from intact homes with married parents
 7 times more apt to become teenage mothers
or to drop out of school
 15 times more apt to end up in prison as a teenager
 33 times more likely to be seriously abused
 73 times more likely to be killed

8.  The myth of the 50% divorce rate
 The myth that divorce is better for children
 The myth of the benefits of living together
first
 The myth that it is OK to never marry as
parents
 The myth of no-faultcoalition to debunk, refute,
We are determined as a divorce
and do all we can to get the truth to the public.

9.  Workplace effects of divorce…by Cathy Meyer,
About.com
(http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/copingduringdivorce/a/The-
Impact-Of-Divorce-In-The-Workplace.htm)
 It is well documented that divorce reduces worker
productivity. If one were to do a cost benefit analysis
of the effects of divorce in the workplace, one would
find that the financial costs to the organization can be
enormous.
Cont. Next Page

10.  Research Indicates that:
 The average cost of divorcing employees to an organization is
$83,171 per year (based on 10 employees divorcing per year with
costs related to reduced productivity @ $19 per hour).
 Child custody issues can create significant cost for employers,
which include administration of health care, absenteeism, time off
for court dates and shortened work hours for the divorcing.
 It can take up to five (5) years for employee productivity to
rebound after divorce.
 Workers in domestic disputes become unavailable
for travel or extended hours

12.  YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN
OUR COMMUNITY
 HELP US TO CHANGE THE CULTURE BY
STRENGTHENING MARRIAGE AND
TEACHING OUR SINGLES/ YOUNG ADULTS
HOW TO HAVE HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS!!
 DONATE ONLINE
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

13.  Check out our new website
 Like Us on Facebook
Marriage Works of Harford County