Welfare Reform and the Food Stamp Program Welfare reform was one of our first opportunities to find that balance. And for some, food stamps had become a trap instead of a hand. It is also a reflection of our priorities as a people. It must be protected at all costs. So when it came time to reform welfare, we knew what we would not do.
States can set tougher penalties for violations by clients, even violations in other programs.
But for every wrist that needs to be slapped, there's a hand that needs to be held. States can use food stamp benefits to support their clients' wages. Some States can even convert food stamps to cash for public assistance households with substantial, sustained earnings. You also have more authority to couple TANF requirements with Food Stamp benefits. Let's say a single mother has just found that entry level job.