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NCFR will represent the scholars and professionals in Family Science by establishing standards for research, education, and practice and by advocating for the development and advancement of the discipline and the professions of Family Science.
— NCFR Global Ends 3

NCFR is proud to represent a diverse and interdisciplinary body of members working hard in their respective fields to understand and best support an increasingly complex variety of families in an ever-changing and connected world. Efforts in recent years to advance the discipline of Family Science have received considerable attention, not only because they benefit academic members in the advancement of their careers all the way from their undergraduate years into tenure and beyond, but also because they aid their departments in carving out an identity for themselves within their institution.

These efforts greatly benefit the work of practitioners as well. Members of the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) Advisory Board (which includes selected positions for both practitioner and academic representatives) are tasked with developing and implementing policies regarding the promotion and advancement of the CFLE credential program, which in turn adds value to anyone who identifies as a Family Life Educator.

It is clear, then, that continuing to champion the concepts of Family Science and Family Life Education is important for the future of the discipline and for members who are up-and-coming in their careers. It is also true that this work benefits scholars and professionals who specialize in families but work more squarely in associated disciplines such as psychology and sociology.

Advocacy Projects in 2018

Because so much of the advocacy work that NCFR does on behalf of its members happens quietly and behind the scenes, it’s worth highlighting several achievements from 2018 that you may have missed.

In May 2018, NCFR was alerted of proposed legislation in Louisiana that, if signed into law, would have prohibited individuals in the state from calling themselves certified in any profession. This would have had implications for the livelihood of CFLEs and weakened the CFLE credential.

Thanks to many individuals and organizations, including members of NCFR and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), who contacted their Louisiana state legislators, the bill was amended in committee to eliminate all language related to the use of the term certified.

Earlier that year, in March, we were thrilled to learn that a law was passed in Utah that recognizes Family Life Educators certified by a national organization (i.e., NCFR) as an approved provider of premarital counseling and education. We hope that this breakthrough legislation provides a model for other states to follow. Raising the national profile of Family Life Education could lead to more employment opportunities for CFLEs.

The NCFR weekly e-newsletter and website highlighted several ongoing stories in 2018 that have a bearing on the work of our members:

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed a new expanded definition of the term clinical trial that will now include many basic behavioral and social science studies. The planned implementation of new NIH policies will require Family Science researchers to adhere to new federal funding and reporting standards. NCFR shared developments on this topic and provided members with the opportunity to share their feedback on an NIH Request for Information.

• NCFR added its name to a letter to the U.S. Congress regarding research on gun violence coauthored by the March for Science and the American Psychological Association. The current lack of data on gun violence prevents Family Scientists from developing evidence-based policies and prevention strategies to protect families.

• Proposed questions on the 2020 U.S. Census and American Community Survey have far-reaching implications for family professionals who utilize census data in their work. NCFR and other social science organizations are concerned that asking respondents to identify their citizenship could potentially deter members of immigrant communities from completing the survey accurately, or at all. Other proposed changes on race and ethnicity questions may also have implications for members’ work. Throughout the year, NCFR announced via email and social media when there were opportunities for members to provide feedback to the U.S. Census Bureau on their data products.

NCFR will continue in 2019 and beyond to advocate for its members on matters that have an impact on their professions and on the lives of the families they work with. As always, we welcome your feedback as to which areas we can better address, especially in matters at the level of state legislation.