PHILADELPHIA -- Despite opposition to President George Bush's faith-based funding initiative, government funding of social services by religious groups is common.

A University of Pennsylvania study of 500 welfare-to-work providers - 120 of which are Christian-based - get some government funding. More than 40 percent incorporate religion and worship into their welfare-to-work services, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Of those, 65 percent said they encourage clients to make personal religious commitments. Three groups reported having to reduce their religious emphasis or practices as a result of receiving those funds, according to the paper.

Government funding for faith-based groups already applies to welfare, drug treatment and some community-service programs. Bush has proposed expanding funding to other programs.

Stephen Monsma, who conducted the survey, said there's a "don't ask, don't tell" policy about use of funds for religious purposes.

"As long as faith-based groups were accepting persons of all faiths, or no particular faith at all, and as long as they were providing good services and not pressuring individuals to accept certain doctrines, the government officials don't ask too many questions," Monsma said. "And the programs don't go out of their way to tell government officials about it."

The programs included in the study were based in Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles.