Greater Avenues of Independence Act of 1987

Greater Avenues of Independence Act of 1987 - Amends part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) (AFDC) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require AFDC beneficiaries to participate in programs of employment, training, education, and supportive services (hereinafter referred to as a GAIN program) which are to be established by each State. Requires private sector involvement in planning and program design to assure that participants are trained for jobs that will actually be available in the community.

Gives priority in the provision of costly and lengthy GAIN program services to those who have received benefits continuously for two or more years and have little or no employment history. Excepts minors, the ill, incapacitated, and elderly (age 60 or over), and one parent or caretaker relative of a child under age three from program participation.

Directs States to provide AFDC applicants with GAIN program information. Requires States to make an initial assessment of the educational needs, skills, employability, and family circumstances of each program participant and on that basis develop an employability plan for the participant's family which, to the maximum extent possible, reflects the participant's preferences. Directs the State and such participant to enter into a contract whereby the State provides the participant with services geared to his or her needs in exchange for the participant's commitment to the program. Requires that the contract: (1) specify the means by which the participant and his or her family will, if successful, leave the AFDC rolls permanently; and (2) provide for remedial education for those who lack a high school education or its equivalent, or basic literacy, mathematics, or English language skills.

Requires that GAIN programs be comprised of a broad range of services and activities, including: (1) job services; (2) training and education services; and (3) supportive services.

Requires work assignments to be consistent with the physical capacity, skills, experience, health, family responsibilities, and place of residence of each participant. Prohibits work assignments which displace a currently employed government worker or position, impair existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements, or fill the job of a government worker who has been laid off or fired. Prohibits States from requiring participants to accept a job which would result in a loss of income to the participant or his or her family.

Includes as job services, job search, placement, and employment counseling. Includes as training and education services: (1) job training; (2) pre-employment work preparation in a government agency or private nonprofit company; (3) adult basic education; (4) college and community college education which lasts up to two years and provides employment skills that can reasonably be expected to lead to employment; (5) vocational English-as-a-second-language instruction; (6) work supplementation; (7) community work experience; and (8) transitional employment. Includes as supportive services: (1) free child care for participants with children under age 12 who need it in order to participate in the program when child care is not otherwise readily available; (2) free transportation to and from the participant's job or training assignment; (3) ancillary expenses of a participant's work or training assignment; and (4) personal counseling.

Authorizes any State to institute a work supplementation program under which such State reserves sums which would otherwise be used to make AFDC payments and uses such sums instead to subsidize jobs for GAIN program participants.

Authorizes any State to establish a community work experience program to provide experience and training for individuals not otherwise able to obtain employment. Limits such programs to projects which serve a useful public purpose utilizing, if possible, the participant's prior training, experience, and skills. Limits community work program participants to work or training (or both) for up to 12 months or unpaid work experience or training for up to three months. Requires that: (1) a reassessment be made and a new employability plan developed for participants who do not obtain employment after participation in a community work program; and (2) other program activities be coordinated with the community work program so that job placement has priority over participation in such program.

Provides that when a mandatory GAIN program participant fails without good cause to comply with any requirement imposed on his or her participation in such program: (1) such participant's needs shall not be taken into account in determining the family's AFDC payment; or (2) AFDC payments shall be denied to all family members until the participant complies. Continues sanctions for a minimum of three months if the participant failed to comply on a previous occasion. Directs States, after three months of a participant's noncompliance, to remind the participant in writing of his or her option to end the sanction. Authorizes States, upon the participant's first failure to participate in a GAIN program, to redirect AFDC payments to other individuals interested in the child's welfare rather than reducing or terminating aid to the family.

Provides that whenever a participant believes that a program requirement or assignment violates his or her contract with the State or is otherwise inconsistent with this Act, such participant must be granted a fair hearing under a procedure to be established by the State and have the right to appeal to higher State authorities and State courts.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) publish final regulations and performance standards for GAIN programs within one year of this Act's enactment; and (2) develop a legislative proposal for modifying the Federal AFDC matching rate so that it reflects the relative effectiveness of the various States in carrying out such programs.

Sets the Federal matching rate for GAIN programs at 50 percent.