AREA HOSPITALS have a large role to play

Become a part of the answer to the challenge of curbing family dissolution. Unite to improve the quality of life for families and individuals, especially children. As a physician or hospital, become a collaborative FAR partner organization. Contact FAR or FAR board member, Kim Dawson Vernon, MD for more information on how FAR can serve your wish to improve family strength and the individual wellness of family members through relationship education in your medical setting.

*Physicians are usually the first to hear from people that they are struggling in relationships.
*Physicians are often the first to gain the trust of women who have learned they are "with child."
*Physicians are often the first to hear about issues of intimacy and fears of failure.
*Physicians are often the first to document signs of abuse.
*Physicians are the first to treat heart disease of overworked, over stressed individuals.
And the list goes on...

Doctors and hospitals ARE where people go when they are in need and often tell their physicians things that they will tell no one else. Therefore, doctors and hospitals have a tremendous opportunity to offer education at a time when people are willing to listen. As a community uniting to help families and individuals, FAR along with physicians and hospitals must utilize these educational opportunities. Timing is everything. Hospitals and physicians are in the right place at the right time...when people are ready to learn and to listen.

Physicians and hospitals have the opportunity to become collaborative partners with FAR to promote family wellness including strong, smart, safe and loving connections among family members. Areas where hospitals can become vitally important to a family's welfare are:

Relationship Education within Childbirth Classes

At important point in their life, mothers-to-be come to child birth classes to learn how to navigate the experience of childbirth. In these classes, they also learn how to care for the baby. Some of these participants are married and will soon discover stressors that they were woefully unprepared for...the distress to their relationship once the natural demands of raising an infant become reality. The arrival of a child is a time of great joy and of severe stress to a couple's relationship. A large proportion of divorces occur within the first few years following the birth a couple's first child. Our communities have previously lacked the knowledge or the training to provide these young families with the tools they will need for relationship maintenance. The attention that will go to the child creates a change in the couple's dynamics that few couples are prepared to manage. But, it doesn't need to be this way. If we as a society provide education to new parents on how to take care of one another and how to manage child rearing while maintaining strong loving bonds as a couple, we may very well be providing their children with an opportunity to grow up in a family that remains together. How important is this education. VERY important. Contact FAR to discuss trainings for your staff or volunteers so that these relationship skills can be part of the service you offer to the patients for whom you care.

Relationship Education for Heart Patients

Health: Dean Ornish, MD, founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute near San Francisco says that the most powerful influences on health are love and intimacy. He also says that he knows of no other factor --"not diet, not smoking, not exercise, not stress, not genetics, not drugs, not surgery -- that has such a major impact on our quality of life, incidence of illness and premature death from all causes."

Dr. Martin Sullivan, cardiologist at Duke University's Healing the Heart Center spoke at the Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couple's Education 1997 Conference in 1997 saying "What is a cardiologist doing at a conference of psychoeducation? As a physician, my role is to find the most effective therapies for my patients. As a cardiologist, data is emerging very clearly that if we can find ways to involve patients with coronary artery disease in lifestyle intervention programs that involve low fat diets, exercise, and a strong psychosocial overlay that reduces their psychosocial risk factors and gets them in a position where they can grasp a lifestyle education program, we can have a huge impact on our number one disease in the country. It is my idea that in the future, standard therapy in patients with coronary artery disease, will involve a psychoeducational program that teaches people about relationships skills, taking care of themselves and about taking care of the people around them.  (click here to read Dr. Sullivan's presentation at the CMFCE 1997 Conference.)

Relationship skills can be used with medical patients in "healing the heart," as the psychosocial component of recovery. The programs have implications for use by any physician who treats stress related illnesses.

Possible Funding

Welfare reform legislation is "in process" and appears likely to be enacted in the next few months. As part of that legislation, significant federal grant money is expected to be made available to fund the work of organizations focused on reducing domestic violence, reducing unwed pregnancies and strengthening relationships. FAR, as an umbrella organization, serves as the hub of a Texas Healthy Marriage Initiative. The Department of Health and Human Services has made it clear that upcoming federal funding for "Healthy Marriages" will be awarded only to those communities who demonstrate a broad base of community services through a variety of providers. On behalf of the families of Dallas and Fort Worth, FAR seeks to unite collaborative partners (such as hospitals and medical groups) who will deliver relationship education and skills classes to their clients. By competing as a coalition, the likelihood of receiving funding will be enhanced. As Texas approaches the time when RFP's will be released, it is important to identify service providers of relationship education. Your medical group or hospital could be strategic to provide such services (and FAR hopes to cover the entire metroplex with educational seminars). FAR intends to apply for funding with the collaboration of partner providers who will ultimately deliver those relationship skills educational services. If your organization qualifies as a service provider for relationships skills programs, to adults or youth, FAR hopes that you will contact FAR and get "on board" as a collaborative partner organization NOW.

FAR seeks collaborative partnerships with hospitals and physicians and will provide training for hospital volunteers and staff to become certified to teach relationship skills that can promote emotional and physical wellness of patients and promote long term health.

Relationship skills courses can be designed and used for patient groups and can be structured to address the physician's understanding of the specific needs of those patients. FAR is here in the Dallas Fort Worth area to serve your needs.

We look forward to hearing from you and hope you will partner with us in this wonderful cause to help Dallas Fort Worth families gain the skills they need.

***Great News: The national SMART MARRIAGES conference will be in Dallas, Texas on July 8-11, 2004!
Visit: www.smartmarriages.com for more information