The research reported in this paper examined the role of welfare reform in increasing the availability of entry-level workers to meet the rising demand for long-term care employees. Findings from national and statewide evaluations of welfare programs show mixed results in the extent to which beneficiaries could be shifted from welfare caseloads to the ranks of the paraprofessional labor force. Analysis of a welfare-to-work program in Rhode Island demonstrates the potential for recruiting welfare recipients to long-term care employment. It also shows the need for resources, supportive services, case management, and enhanced training to counteract the "work-first" philosophy of welfare reform.