Eligibility Specialist

Job responsibilities include determining eligibility and performing ongoing case management for Public Assistance Programs in MAXIS. Primary location is flexible and could be Stillwater, Woodbury, Forest Lake, or Cottage Grove.

Public Assistance programs include SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), GA (General Assistance), MSA (Minnesota Supplemental Aid), HS (Housing Support), MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Program), and Maxis MA health care programs including MA with waivers and MA with Long-Term Care. Eligibility Specialists are responsible to conduct interviews, process incoming verifications, make determinations, and provide referrals for other services if appropriate.

Washington County Community Services values your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. We are committed to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive work environment where differences are valued and accepted. We believe diversity benefits and enriches our work and helps us to effectively deliver services to our employees and communities.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE:

• Current or recent Maxis Eligibility Specialists
• Experience determining Medical Assistance
• Experience determining eligibility for SNAP
• Experience determining cash assistance programs

SELECTION TECHNIQUE: Your training and experience will be rated based on the required application material submitted and the top scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.

HOURS / DAYS: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Flex schedules are available. Work schedules (hours and days) and location are subject to change based on department needs.

ANTICIPATED HIRING RATE: $27.72 Hourly

E-Verify Participation: Washington County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Washington County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.

Job Summary

The Eligibility Specialist determines client eligibility, provides case management and helps achieve service goals for health care, employment, veterans and other public assistance programs using an advanced level of technical knowledge of multiple programs, departmental processes, and automated caseload administration.

Employment Criteria

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (General): High School diploma (or equivalency) and two years of paid work experience in a Social Services or Human Services agency; or completion of at least two years of post-secondary education and one year of paid work experience in a Social Services or Human Services agency; or completion of the Minnesota State College Public Welfare Financial Worker or Human Services program.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Veterans Services): High School diploma (or equivalency) and two years of paid work experience in a Veterans Services or Human Services agency; or completion of at least two years of post-secondary education and one year of paid work experience in a Veterans Services or Human Services agency; or completion of the Minnesota State College Public Welfare Financial Worker or Human Services program. In addition, certain qualifications are set forth in Minnesota Statutes including, residence in the State of Minnesota; citizenship of the United States; and being a veteran as defined in section 197.447. The appointee must achieve certification by the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs within one year of hire.

CORE COMPETENCIES, JOB SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL JOB PERFORMANCE Core Competencies outline essential business and professional traits necessary to perform this job.

• Support and prioritize a welcoming and respectful workplace that fosters diversity and encourages contributions from all individuals.
• Provide inclusive and equitable service to all members of the community with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate support for the County's diversity, equity and inclusion program.
• Promotes a culture of continuous quality improvement in the workplace.
• Demonstrates knowledge of, or ability to learn, quality/continuous improvement.
• Demonstrates ability to apply the principles and practices of public human services programs.
• Demonstrates ability to conduct interviews.
• Demonstrates ability to explain complex rules and programs so they can be understood by people of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
• Demonstrates ability to read, understand, apply and explain complicated and detailed correspondence and reports, regulations and policy directives.
• Demonstrates ability to analyze and interpret written, numerical and verbal data from various sources.
• Demonstrates ability to enter data accurately into applications such as Excel and Word.
• Demonstrates ability to perform mathematical computations accurately and quickly.
• Demonstrates ability to prepare, clear, concise and accurate records and reports.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. Provide eligibility determination and case management for clients in need of public assistance.
2. Review applications.
3. Interview applicants and collect required documentation.
4. Explain rules and regulations of the programs and potential outcomes.
5. Verify the completion and accuracy of documentation, analyze information, and apply complex policy and law to determine eligibility.
6. Approve, modify, and terminate eligibility for public assistance programs.
7. Impose sanctions and other penalties for non-compliance.
8. Assess emergency situations, determine immediacy of needs and requirements for resolution and intervention.
9. Provide public assistance case management using multiple systems.
10. Maintain concise and accurate records to ensure program integrity.
11. Interpret and apply federal, state, local policy and administrative procedures in determining eligibility.
12. Mentor, train, and provide technical assistance to other staff.
13. Collaborate with employment counselors, social workers, nurses and other internal and external partners to assess client needs and coordinate service plans.
14. Collaborate with the investigative agency to identify and refer potential welfare fraud situations and overpayments.

Performs other duties as assigned. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is sedentary in nature performed within the Government Center or satellite offices. Continuous contact with the public, other staff and other agencies. Lifting requirement of 20 pounds on an occasional basis. Wrist and finger manipulation due to filing, compiling, calculating, or computer work. Equipment used will include computer, typewriter, calculator, telephone, copy/fax machine and others. Exposures may include but be not limited to disagreeable odors, communicable diseases, bodily fluids, difficult and challenging behaviors. Additional physical/mental requirements that occur may not be listed above, but are inherent in performing the position's essential functions.

This job description is intended to describe the kinds of tasks and level of work difficulty being performed by people assigned to this classification. The list of responsibilities is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. The County retains the discretion to add or change the contents of this job description at any time.