CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – Planned changes to the state’s welfare program, intended to get more women into work or job training, continue to provoke fears that recipients will lose opportunities for education and counseling that could help them escape poverty.

At a public hearing Friday, many in the social service field said they’re afraid new rules don’t do enough to help mothers who face barriers to employment or provide them with time to get an education that would lead to a decent job.

At the same time, the changes call for the state to move more quickly to cut benefits to recipients who don’t comply or fail to make required appointments.

“They’re too quick to sanction people out, and I don’t think it’s realistic about the problems people have in their lives,” said Jonathan Baird, a lawyer with New Hampshire Legal Assistance.

Many said the seven-day timeline for recipients to respond and explain why they were unable to get to work or make an appointment was too short before they risked a reduction in their benefits.

For others, the chief concern was whether women on welfare would have the same opportunities they have now to deal with problems like homelessness and domestic violence and get skills and education that would allow them to support their families.

The state has traditionally been generous in allowing recipients to address barriers to employment or pursue higher education, and Vickie Erickson, a welfare recipient from Concord, said she’s watched that commitment deteriorate over time.

“We’re going to end up with a high school diploma, if we’re lucky, working a minimum-wage job and probably working a lot of extra hours where we can’t be with our kids,” she said.

State officials are responding to new federal requirements that call for at least 50 percent of welfare recipients to be working or in job training. If the state fails to meet these higher work-participation rates, it could lose $4 million in federal funding.

Federal law counts post-secondary education as work for only for 12 months – though New Hampshire wants to give recipients up to 15 months for higher education. Whenever New Hampshire varies its requirements from the federal standards, however, it has to make up the difference by getting more recipients to work

Fears about the changes extend beyond social service providers. Gov. John Lynch has issued an executive order seeking child care, transportation and other support services not in existing legislation.

Lynch also ordered Health and Humans Services Commissioner John Stephen to develop a plan to provide services to people once they get jobs to help them stay off welfare. People may need help to succeed once they are moved off welfare, Lynch said.

Friday’s hearing, however, focused on the written rules for the Division of Family Assistance to follow in implementing welfare laws.

Division of Family Assistance Director Terry Smith said these proposed rules must still be reviewed by a legislative committee.

AP-ES-08-04-06 1633EDT