HEALTHY MARRIAGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

(a) Subject to available federal funding, the commission shall develop and implement a healthy marriage development program for recipients of financial assistance under this chapter. (b) The healthy marriage development program shall promote and provide three instructional courses on the following topics: (1) premarital counseling for engaged couples and marriage counseling for married couples that includes skill development for: (A) anger resolution; (B) family violence prevention; (C) communication; (D) honoring your spouse; and (E) managing a budget; (2) physical fitness and active lifestyles and nutrition and cooking, including: (A) abstinence for all unmarried persons, including abstinence for persons who have previously been married; and (B) nutrition on a budget; and (3) parenting skills, including parenting skills for character development, academic success, and stepchildren. (c) The commission shall provide to a recipient of financial assistance under this chapter additional financial assistance of not more than $20 for the recipient's participation in a course offered through the healthy marriage development program up to a maximum payment of $60 a month. (d) The commission may provide the courses or may contract with any person, including a community or faith-based organization, for the provision of the courses. The commission must provide all participants with an option of attending courses in a non-faith-based organization. (e) The executive commissioner shall develop rules as necessary for the administration of the healthy marriage development program. (f) The commission must ensure that the courses provided by the commission and courses provided through contracts with other organizations will be sensitive to the needs of individuals from different religions, races, and genders.