Economic Support Specialist
We are all about serving the public here at Portage County! The Health and Human Services department currently has an Economic Support Specialist position opening.
What are the primary job responsibilities?
- Provides benefit recovery functions for Economic Support programs administered through the IM Central Consortium, duties include:Evaluates referrals received from consortium staff to determine if benefit overpayment has occurred.
- Calculates overpayment amounts in accordance with individual program policy.
- Establishes claims for benefit overpayments resulting from agency error, client error, or intentional program violation in accordance with individual program policy.
- Prepares and issues all required benefit recovery-related correspondence to customers in accordance with individual program policy.
- Evaluates referrals received for imposition of program sanctions related to intentional program violation.
- Facilitates the administrative disqualification process when intentional program violation is alleged.
- Represents the agency and/or consortium at various legal proceedings, including, but not limited to, fair hearings, administrative disqualification hearings, and contested case hearings.
- Serves as a consortium resource for ES staff with regard to benefit recovery process and policy.
- Identifies consortium training needs and trends related to benefit recovery.
- Contributes to development of benefit recovery-related training and resource material for ES staff.
Determination of initial and continued eligibility for Economic Support programs, which includes:
- Provides information about public assistance programs and eligibility to applicants, recipients and the general public.
- Conducts interactive interviews with applicants and recipients to determine initial and continued eligibility for public assistance programs.
- Assesses financial need and issues appropriate level of benefits per individual program policy.
- Provides information and referrals, when appropriate, for additional assistance with specific needs.
- Monitors state systems for accuracy of calculations and determination decisions and makes necessary corrections when errors occur.
- Processes changes to cases and verifies and documents client information according to individual program policy.
- Informs of and encourages FoodShare recipients to volunteer for the FoodShare Employment and Training Program and makes referrals for clients choosing to do so.
- Uses a variety of local, state and federal computer systems, including CARES, CARES Worker Web, KIDS, ForwardHealth interChange, CSAW/CCPI, SAVES, AVS Integrimatch, and Electronic Case File.
- Provides technical assistance, consultation, and collateral contact to other county agencies or human service agencies.
- Investigates discrepant information in client circumstances discovered through data exchange sources available, including wage records, Unemployment Insurance data, Social Security data, prisoner data, and out-of-state EBT usage reports. Collects information necessary to resolve discrepancies, determines if benefit issuance errors have occurred, and makes referrals for benefit recovery when appropriate.
- Refers cases for front end verification, fraud investigation, or legal disposition as necessary.
- Identifies errors in benefit issuance and takes appropriate action to reconcile the errors per individual program policy.
- Prepares responses to Division of Hearings and Appeals related to fair hearing requests, provides supporting documentation to Division of Hearings and Appeals and applicants/recipients, and represents agency at fair hearings.
- Represents the agency in legal proceedings and gives necessary testimony.
- Fields calls from applicants, recipients and the general public through the Consortium Call Center and provides both general and case-specific information regarding public assistance benefits.
What are the minimum qualifications?
- High school diploma or equivalency required.
- Two years post- secondary education in related human services field preferred.
- Two years’ experience as an Economic Support Worker preferred.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel preferred
What kind of benefits does Portage County offer?
- Health insurance - your choice of 2 plans (High deductible plan with a Health Savings Account with a contribution from the County and a Traditional PPO plan)
- Dental insurance
- State of Wisconsin Retirement Plan
- Vacation
- Paid holidays
- Sick leave
- Life insurance - premium paid by County
- Long Term disability insurance - premium paid by County
- 457B Deferred Compensation Plan
Portage County is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer