The American Psychological Association (APA) seeks comments from the general public — including psychologists, health care professionals, researchers, clients/patients and their families — on its "Clinical Practice Guideline for the Behavioral Treatment of Obesity and Overweight in Children and Adolescents." Input from Family Science professionals can be helpful in providing a family perspective. A draft of the document is available online and will remain open for comments until Nov. 5, 2017.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HSS) seeks public comments on a draft of its strategic plan FY 2018 – 2022. Professionals who work with families are encouraged to share their insights on how this plan will positively or negatively impact families.

The percentage of adults in the U.S. living without a partner or spouse has increased in the past 10 years, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2017, the share is 42%, up from 39% in 2007, when the Census Bureau began measuring detailed data on cohabitation. This trend was especially pronounced in young adults age 35 and under, growing from 56% to 61%. Adults 65 and older was the only age group that saw an increase in partners living together. 

NCFR members April L. Few-Demo, Áine M. Humble, Melissa A. Curran, and NCFR Fellow Sally A. Lloyd have been named the recipients of Wiley's 2017 Alexis Walker Award, which recognizes the best Family Science paper published in a Wiley journal in 2015 and 2016.

Fall is always a busy time of year for colleges and universities, and the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) is pleased to share several updates about institutions with degree programs in Family Science.

Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science has published three new Early-View Articles for subscribers, one of which is open to the public.

The Illinois Council on Family Relations (ILCFR), a state affiliate of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), is pleased to announce its annual conference on "Resilience Among Urban & Rural Families" on April 27, 2018 at the Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois. Proposals are sought from undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, educators, practitioners, social service providers, Family Life Educators, and members of the community.

Proposals are due Feb. 15, 2018 and presenters will be notified by March 15, 2018.

The National Council on Family Relations’ (NCFR) Board of Directors has appointed Brad van Eeden-Moorefield, Ph.D., CFLE, to be program chair for the 2020 NCFR Annual Conference, scheduled to be held in St. Louis. The program chair’s primary duties are to select the theme, identify the plenary speakers, and prepare the call for abstracts for a particular year’s conference.

The human development and family studies undergraduate degree at Purdue University Northwest is the newest degree program to be approved by NCFR as meeting the criteria for the Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) credential.

The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) is seeking applicants for its 2020-2021 policy fellowships programs at both the federal and state level.

These Early-View Articles, many of which will be included in a special upcoming issue on “Translational Family Science,” are available to subscribers.

Mathematica Policy Research seeks studies for a comprehensive review of the evidence base for home visiting programs. The review is being conducted for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help inform federal policy and initiatives. Home visiting programs are invited to submit their model if they meet the eligibility requirements. 

The American Sociological Association (ASA) seeks submissions for its 2018 annual meeting. Proposals are being accepted for papers, courses, workshops, preconferences, and more. All submissions must be sent electronically through the ASA website. The deadline is Jan. 11, 2018.  

ASA's annual meeting will be Aug. 11-14, 2018 in Philadelphia. The theme is "Feeling Race: An invitation to Explore Racialized Emotions." 

On Nov. 15, 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.4174, which will implement the recommendations from the report of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking (CEP). The CEP was established in 2016 by a bipartisan, bicameral bill introduced by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). NCFR reported on the release of the CEP report back in September. The bill was sent to the U.S. Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Every 10 to 15 years, beginning several decades ago, family scholars have developed a sourcebook publication that takes stock of emerging theory and methods and summarizes and advances the state of science in the discipline. It is one of the foundational resources on theory and methods in the discipline of Family Science. 

The Elections Council encourages all members to nominate yourself or others for the February 2019 slate of election candidates. Here are the eligibility criteria to help you decide whether you would be willing to be nominated and/or to identify potential candidates for the upcoming election.

Concerned about screen time for young children? New research suggests that using screens for video chats could be beneficial to learning development and relationship building.

The Journal of Marriage and Family (JMF), published by NCFR, has been the leading research journal in the family field for more than 70 years. Several new articles were published in late November and early December 2017. 

Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science has published new Early-View Articles for subscribers.

The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) is pleased to share that two institutions recently changed their program department names from Family Studies to Family Science. 

The U.N. will host the 56th session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56) at its New York Headquarters from January 29 – February 7, 2018. The agenda for this session includes reviewing U.N. plans and programs pertaining to family issues and policies. An informal briefing of the draft program will be webcast live on December 13, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. EST. 

Nacogdoches Texas — Members of the Jacks Council on Family Relations, a student affiliate of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) at Stephen F. Austin State University, held a successful Thanksgiving food drive, collecting enough to feed 125 families.

The Family Process Institute (FPI) is accepting applications for the 2018 New Writers’ Fellowship, due January 15, 2018. Eligible applicants include (a) students, (b) those who have earned their degree within the past five years and have been the first author on no more than two articles, or (c) persons who have been working in the field for some time, but are new to writing.

'Tis the season! Families around the world will gather for holidays in December including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. But what do we do when we can't be with the ones we love? We make the best of it, as seen in this holiday advertisement directed by Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Rushmore) and staring Adrien Brody.