Richardson and others from the agency point out the report comes on the heels of a $3.5 million performance bonus the state received just last week from the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

Utah was one of just 10 states in the country to receive the bonus for its work on welfare and has received it each year since the performance bonus was implemented.

State officials add that Utah's low grade is largely tied to its "more flexible and less punitive" programs that aim at permanently lifting people out of poverty rather than simply finding a job.

Both state workers and Silberman said the report perpetuates stereotypes of welfare recipients with its emphasis on instituting family caps.

"The report perpetuates the myths that welfare is a cash cow for women and all their babies," Silberman said.

In fact, she noted, the average size of a family on welfare in Utah is 1.9, and the most typical is a woman with two children.

"While the state was criticized for the lack of a family cap, there is not a need. The family size here is very small."

Silberman said the states with the highest marks are those with policies that cause people to struggle.

"You have to go back and look at their stated goal — to eliminate the public welfare system and turn it back to the private sector with charitable organizations and churches," she said. "We tried that in the 19th century in the United States. And what a frightening model. They would have us go back to the time when there were poor houses."

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E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com