DSHS ESA Public Benefits Specialist

DSHS ESA Public Benefits Specialist 4 - Case Planning and Support Specialist

The Economic Services Administration's (ESA) Community Service Division (CSD) has an exciting opportunity for Public Benefits Specialists 4 (PBS4) - Case Planning and Support Specialist (CPSS) to join our Virtual Case Management Center team. When you work for DSHS, your compassion shows at work every day, helping the lives of your fellow Washingtonians.

• Independently determines and re-determines client eligibility for CSD-administered public assistance programs
• Conducts intensive interviews with the client
• Conducts orientations to specialty programs
• Performs more complex duties in relation to establishing financial eligibility, rule interpretation, planning, and procedural development
• Verifies and establishes over payments and completes referrals to the Office of Financial Recovery.
• Provides professional case management, assesses needs and develops service plans and referrals to appropriate programs and services for a broad range of clients seeking BFET, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and other applicable public assistance programs
• Monitors client progress and updates service plans, assists with removing barriers to participation and provides referrals for appropriate services
• Reads and interprets Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Revised Code of Washington (RCW), procedural manuals, policies, and policy clarifications
• As assigned, participates in supervisor-approved, community-based activities for the purpose of engaging in outreach, furthering the mission of the Department, increasing knowledge and cultural competence, skills training and development, strengthening partnerships, and connecting with the tribes, other state agencies and community-based organizations with a common purpose of serving our shared communities
• Attends and participates in unit meetings, all-staff meetings, trainings and other meetings as required be administration

• Pierce County employees are eligible to receive an Orca Card for transportation needs
• Snohomish County employees are eligible to receive an Orca Card for transportation needs
• King County employees receive 5% premium pay in addition to the advertised salary and are eligible to receive a free ORCA card for transportation use

• Twelve months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 3.

• A bachelor’s degree or higher AND twelve months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 2 determining eligibility for public assistance or long-term care services.

• Five years of combined higher education and/or equivalent experience may substitute for degree and PBS work experience requirements. Total must include at least one-year equivalent work experience. Examples of equivalent experience include but are not limited to:
• Providing eligibility for services or direct customer service serving historically marginalized communities
• Experience examining/processing loan applications,
• Medical insurance or rehabilitation claims,
• Unemployment insurance claims, or
• Providing staff support in financial eligibility determination, or in a job analyzing, verifying, and evaluating financial data and information,

• Satisfactory completion of the agency’s Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.

Out-of-state experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance, including financial, medical and food benefit programs, will be considered toward experience. Additional professional experience described above will substitute year for year for the required education.

• Eligibility expertise – You’ll need deep knowledge of Washington’s public assistance programs and the ability to assess and re-determine eligibility with accuracy.
• Policy fluency – Comfort navigating and applying WAC, RCW, and internal procedural manuals is essential to ensure services are legally sound.
• Case planning insight – Strong understanding of how to build service plans that are realistic, trauma-informed, and grounded in each client’s…