DSHS HCLA Social Service Specialist

Overview

DSHS HCLA Social Service Specialist 3
Join our team as a Social Service Specialist 3 with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in Spokane, WA. In this key role within the Home and Community Living Administration (HCLA), Home and Community Services (HCS), you will work with high-risk, frail, and vulnerable adults residing in residential settings such as Adult Family Homes and Assisted Living Facilities. You will conduct comprehensive, in-home assessments using a laptop-based system to determine functional eligibility for Medicaid long-term care services and develop individualized, client-centered service plans in partnership with clients and their representatives.

• Conduct in-home functional assessments using the Comprehensive Assessment Reporting and Evaluation (CARE) tool to determine clients’ level of care and eligibility for long-term services and supports
• Develop individualized, client-centered service plans in collaboration with clients and/or their representatives
• Determine eligibility and authorize services for Home and Community Services (HCS) programs such as Medicaid Personal Care (MPC), Community First Choice (CFC), Community Options Program Entry System (COPES), the Residential Support Waiver (RSW), and other long-term care programs and residential placements
• Provide ongoing case management to support clients in maintaining independence, resolving issues, and preventing unnecessary hospitalization or facility placement
• Assist clients with financial eligibility, benefit applications, and determining cost of care; authorize payment for approved long-term care services
• Document assessments, case management activities, and service authorizations using CARE, Provider One, ACES, Barcode, and other department systems
• Collaborate with team members, community partners, and collateral contacts; participate in required training, meetings, and professional development activities

• One year as a Social Service Specialist 2 OR
• A Master’s in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, criminal law/justice, or a related field plus one year of paid social service experience equivalent to a Social Service Specialist 2 OR
• A Bachelor’s in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, criminal law/justice, or a related field plus two years of paid social service experience performing functions equivalent to a Social Service Specialist 2 OR
• An equivalent combination of education in social services, human services, criminal law/justice, or a related field, AND paid social service work experience totaling at least six years

• A two-year Master’s degree in the above fields that included a practicum can substitute for one year of paid social service experience
• Employees must successfully complete the formal division-sponsored training course within 18 months of appointment
• Paid social service experience must include assessing risk and safety for children and/or adults and providing direct family-centered practice services
• Work schedule:
  
  8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday

The Home and Community Living Administration (HCLA) oversees Washington state’s nationally recognized system of long-term services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities. This includes home and community-based care, protections against abuse and neglect, regulatory oversight of licensed settings, and case management services. Within HCLA, the Home and Community Services (HCS) Division plans, develops, and provides long-term care services, including Medicaid-funded programs, to help individuals live as independently as possible in their communities.

Apply today!

• An updated resume
• Three professional references with contact information

Questions? Email the recruiter at DSHS Recruiter and reference job number 04869.

The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision…