West Virginia § 48-2-701 - 48-2-701. Premarital education encouraged; requirements.

§ 48-2-701. 48-2-701. Premarital education encouraged; requirements.

(a) Persons applying for a marriage license may attend a premarital education course of at least four hours during the twelve months immediately preceding the date of the application for the license.

(b) A premarital education course offers instruction involving marital issues which may include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Conflict management;

(2) Communication skills;

(3) Managing finances;

(4) Child and parenting responsibilities;

(5) Extended family roles; and

(6) Key components of a successful marriage.

(c) Premarital education course instructors must have training in skills-based and research-based marriage preparation curricula.

(d) Premarital education courses may be performed by the following:

(1) A professional counselor or marriage and family therapist licensed pursuant to article thirty-one, chapter thirty of this code;

(2) A social worker licensed pursuant to article thirty, chapter thirty of this code;

(3) A psychiatrist who is licensed as a physician pursuant to article three, chapter thirty of this code;

(4) A psychologist who is licensed pursuant to article twenty-one, chapter thirty of this code; or

(5) An active member of the clergy or his or her designee, including retired clergy, provided that a designee is trained in skills-based and research-based marriage preparation curricula premarital education.

(e) The premarital education course curricula must meet the requirements of this section and provide a skills-based and research-based curricula of the following:

(1) The National Healthy Marriage Resource Center;

(2) A church, spiritual assembly, or religious organization; or

(3) Other substantially similar resource.

(f) The Department of Human Services shall maintain an Internet website on which individuals and organizations described in subsection (c) may electronically register with the department to indicate the skills-based and research-based curriculum in which the registrant is trained.

(g) The premarital education provider shall furnish each participant, who completes the premarital education required by this section, a certificate of completion.