Off Welfare...On To Independence

In a unique collaborative report, MTF and the United Way call for several major changes in the state's welfare program to help recipients achieve long-term economic independence and self- sufficiency, a goal that serves the interests of families, employers and taxpayers. The primary recommendation of the report is to include education and training programs within the work requirement while increasing the requirement from 20 to 30 hours per week. The report's reforms are designed to help recipients obtain better paying jobs so that they are no longer dependent on taxpayer-supported programs such as Medicaid and food stamps, and instead become contributing taxpayers themselves.