Economic Support Specialist

Pay range starts at $24.71 / hr

This position provides initial and continued eligibility determinations for public assistance benefits administered through the agency. The position screens and interviews applicants for various financial and economic relief programs. The position involves considerable contact with customers, agency staff, and other community agencies. The position fields calls from applicants, recipients and the general public through the Consortium Call Center. Position works with public assistance programs, including but not limited to Food Share and Medicaid/Badger care+.

• 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.
• Assess financial need and issue 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 according to individual program policy.
• Verifies and documents client information according to individual program policy.
• Informs Food Share recipients to volunteer for the Food Share 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, Forward Health inter
  
  Change, 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.

• High school diploma or equivalency required.
• Two years post-secondary education in a related human services field preferred.
• One year of experiencing record keeping, documentation, reporting, or bookkeeping required.
• Education or experience in operating a computer required.
• Prior experience with benefits determination very helpful.

• Vacation – available on day one!
• Health insurance – your choice of two health plans (Health Savings Account associated with a High Deductible Health Plan with a County contribution or a PPO Co‑pay plan)
• Wellness incentive plan offered with health insurance enrollment! Earn up to $600 per year!
• Flexible spending account
• Dental insurance
• State of Wisconsin Retirement Plan – County contribution of 7.2%
• Paid holidays
• Paid sick leave
• Life insurance – premium paid by the County (must work a minimum of 30 hrs/wk)
• Long term disability insurance – premium paid by the County (must work a minimum of 30 hrs/wk)
• EAP (Employee Assistance Plan) – paid by the County
• 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan

Final date to receive applications is by 4:30 pm on Friday, March 20th

Portage County is an Equal Opportunity Employer