Our 2011 State of the Family Report was released in the September 2011 issue of 417 Magazine. This page contains additional information that was not present in the printed distribution.

References (Not included in the printed version)

1. Livingston, G. & Cohn, D. (2010). The New Demography of Motherhood. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.
2. Edin, K. (2006, month). Promises I Can Keep. Keynote address at the Annual Head Start Conference. Washington, DC.
3. National Commission on Children. (1993). Just the facts: A summary of recent information on America’s children and their families. Washington, DC.
4. Kirby, J. (1995). Single-parent families in poverty. Human Development and Family Life Bulletin, 1.
5. Teitler, J., Reichman, N., & Nepomnyaschy, L. (2003). The effects of state policies on TANF participation. (Center for Research on Child Wellbeing Working Paper #03-22-FF).
6. Whitehead, B. & Pearson, M. (2006). Making a Love Connection: Teen Relationships, Pregnancy, and Marriage. Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen and unplanned Pregnancy.
7. Cowan, P. A. & Cowan, C. P. (2002). Strengthening couples to improve children’s well-being. Poverty Research News, 6 (3), 18-20.
8. Lykken, D. T. (2001). Parental licensure. American Psychologist, 56(11), 885-894.
9. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Health Statistics. (2010). Family Strucutre and Children's Health in the United States: Finding from the National Health Interview Survey, 2001-2007). (CDC Series 10, Number 246).
   
10. Turvey, M.D., Olson, D. H. (2006). Marriage & Family Wellness: Corporate America’s Business. A Marriage CoMission Research Report with Life Innovations, Inc.
11. Stanley, S., Rhoades, G., & Markman, H. (2006). Sliding Versus Deciding: Inertia and the Premarital Cohabitation Effect. Family Relations, 55(4), 499-509.

From the introduction:

Over the past several years, the Springfield community and surrounding Green County has had the benefit of an annual focus report summarizing community strengths and weaknesses. This report, the work of a number of individuals and organizations, details several issues contributing to community health and well-being. These include arts and culture, business and economic conditions, education, housing, and public safety, among others. Through the annual Community Focus Report, we've learned of a number of "blue ribbon" attributes possessed by the Springfield community. We've also been made aware of "red flag" concerns and developed a number of strategies for addressing them. It's invigorating and encouraging to watch a community come together in so many ways to address the needs of its citizens. It's also a privilege to live in such a community.

Our intent here is not to supplant the Community Focus Report, but rather to add to the work already being done by devoted citizens on an annual basis. In our "State of the Family" report, we seek to share information about the health of our relationships and how they contribute to overall community health and well-being. We also hope to demonstrate and illustrate the work Operation Us has been doing to address these concerns.

The full report is available for downloaded. (12.5 MB, PDF)