Fewer Welfare Recipients.

Rising economy lifts more boats.

Asharp decline in welfare recipients and rising employment among poor adults in the United States are among the encouraging trends reported at a recent conference of the Center for Civic Innovation.

Welfare rolls have fallen to 7.6 million participants,

down from a peak of 14 million participants prior to welfare reform measures implemented in 1996. Of those leaving welfare, about two-thirds are employed, helping lift income levels for the poorest Americans, according to participants at the conference, which focused on the impacts of welfare reform.

Policy makers credit several factors for the turnaround, including:

* Strict time limits on benefits.

* Flexible policies that states and local governments can tailor to the needs of their communities.

* Partnerships among public, private, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations.

Acknowledging that much work remains to be done to improve life for the nation's poorest, participants at the conference concluded that policies "which foster self-reliance and discourage dependence on government are the only viable means of addressing poverty and joblessness."