For participants with low educational attainment or low math, reading, or English language skills at program entry, GAIN began with adult education or job search assistance. For all other GAIN participants, the program began with job search assistance, including job clubs and supervised job searches.

CWPDP was one of the demonstration projects made possible by Section 1115 waivers to the rules in effect at the time for the AFDC program. These Section 1115 waivers allowed states to test new approaches to advance the objectives of the AFDC program. CWPDP introduced four changes to AFDC. First, the maximum aid payment was reduced by 8.3 percent through gradual reductions from October 1, 1992, to September 1, 1993. Second, two-parent families in which one parent was unemployed could remain eligible for AFDC even if one parent worked more than 100 hours per week.

HPOG aimed to prepare participants for careers in health care occupations that paid well and were expected to experience labor shortages or increased demand.