WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) –  Massachusetts has some work to do when it comes to welfare reform, according to a report card that places our state second from the bottom.

The 2015 “Welfare Reform Report Card” gives Massachusetts a failing grade in four out of five policy categories.  The goal of welfare reform is to raise the standard of living for the poor by moving them to work and be self-sufficiency.

Our state got an “F” on enforcement, cash diversion, and work requirements.

Mark Thies of West Springfield said, “I see a lot of people on the streets. They need to get everybody going again, and get more jobs out there for people that need help.”

Two other New England states also earned “F” grades for Welfare reform; Rhode Island and Vermont.

Read the executive summary and full report titled 2015 Welfare Reform Report Card: A State-by-State Analysis of Anti-Poverty Performance and Welfare Reform Policies.

Click here for high-definition video of lead author and Heartland Institute Policy Advisor Gary MacDougal talking about the report and the findings about Massachusetts.

To read the welfare reform report card, and compare Massachusetts to every other state in the union using an interactive map, visit heartland.org/welfare-reform.