Human Services Benefits Program Specialist - Alexandria, United States - 510-Alexandria Dept Of Social Services

510-Alexandria Dept Of Social Services

Verified Company

Alexandria, United States

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Mark Lane

beBee recruiter

Description

Hiring Range:53,121.64 to Based on experience

Full Time or Part Time:
Full Time

Additional Detail

General Statement of Duties:

A Human Services Benefits Program Specialist determines and re-determines eligibility of individuals and families for one or more federal, state, and local financial assistance programs including: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Medicaid for families, children, the elderly and disabled, and nursing home/community based care; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Auxiliary Grants (AG); General Relief (GR) for unattached children; and, Energy Assistance; interprets and explains policies pertaining to financial assistance programs.

Work is performed independently in accordance with well established guidelines and standards. Unusual or difficult situations are referred to a supervisor. Work performed is reviewed for accuracy, clarity and completeness.

The Human Services Benefits Program Specialist requires the ability to use independent judgement to determine eligibility of individuals and families for assistance, by interpreting law and policy, and by evaluating social and economic factors as they relate to eligibility, without supervisory guidance.

Examples of Duties:

Interprets policies and procedures applicable to the various programs state and federal benefits programs;
Navigates proficiently through various databases (ADAPTRO, Spider, MMIS, SAVE, SVES, APPEC, EPPIC,VACMS, and CommonHelp);
Tracks and complies with state mandates for timeliness and accuracy compliance for all financial assistance programs;
Conducts detailed interviews on the telephone or in person to gather required information and troubleshoot discrepancies;
Provides excellent customer service including explaining programs, policies and rights and responsibilities to applicants and recipients;
Gathers and analyzes verification documents received for authenticity, validity, and accuracy, and make referral to fraud as required;
Secures and safeguards confidential information from applicants, recipients, and federal reports;
Prepares reports and maintains client records;
Identifies and assesses customer needs to make appropriate referrals for services and resources to community organizations, mental health, employment and Social Security Administration;
Maintain continued client contact throughout the year to assist clients with a multitude of issues and priorities for their selfsufficiency;
Assists coworkers and fills in as needed; and
Performs related work as required.
May be required to support local disaster response/emergency operations and other duties related to the delivery of services;

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Good knowledge of interviewing techniques, basic human behavior and social problems; good knowledge of public assistance programs and sources of assistance; ability to understand and interpret eligibility rules and regulations; and the ability to communicate clearly, tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing.

Minimum Qualifications

Two-year college degree in a related field, or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities; ability to plan and execute work effectively; ability to make arithmetical computations; ability to gather facts and report them accurately; two years of work experience using Virginia state systems.

Preferred Qualifications

Four years of college or two years of specialized experience in eligibility determination and implementing multiple government benefit program policies.

Fluent & Bilingual in both English and Spanish.

Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force.

**Equal Opportunity Employer