Burial Service Case Worker

City of New York•Queens, NY

10h•Onsite

About The Position

The Supportive Programs and Initiatives (SPI) office oversees the Office of Burial Services (OBS). The Office of Burial Services provides support and, where eligible, financial assistance to survivors, next of kin, legally responsible relatives, friends, or other designated entities of deceased indigent or unclaimed persons. OBS connects those who require information about the disposal of decedent remains through public burial or access to public burial to appropriate assistance through the Department of Social Services’ General Support Services. It handles determinations of financial responsibility regarding burial of NYC decedents who passed away in health facilities outside of the five boroughs. This office processes more than 2,000 applications per year. Under supervision, with latitude for independent action, the Burial Services Case Worker performs responsible work in the preparation of information and documents to process burial claims, public burial facilitation, and veteran burial reimbursement claims. The caseworker will determine eligibility for burial allowance claims in a timely manner and prepare and submit payment transmittals for funeral contractors, claims to the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs, and maintain records of burial records and payments in the agency's computer database.

Requirements

Applicants must be permanent in Caseworker Civil Service title or be permanent in a comparable title eligible for 6.1.9 title change.
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university accredited by regional, national, professional, or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U.S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Responsibilities

Interview applicants to obtain information and documents necessary to determine eligibility for a burial allowance, public burial, or Veteran burial allowance reimbursement. Conducts interviews in-person at the Office of Burial Services and offsite to homebound, seniors, physically disabled, or those applicants unable to visit the office in need of assistance to complete the burial services application.
Reviews applicant's forms and supporting documents for completeness and accuracy, obtaining additional necessary information by asking applicant questions.
Evaluate applicants' responses on application form and during application interview to determine the decedent's/legally responsible relative's past maintenance, income, expenses, assets, resources and ascertains what additional information/documentation is required to establish applicants' eligibility for burial allowance, public burial, or Veteran burial allowance reimbursement.
Perform WMS/RFI clearances to verify decedent's/legally responsible relative's receipt of PA, MA, SSI Social Security (OASDI) and to determine decedent's/legally responsible relative's employment record, receipt of veteran benefits, unemployment insurance benefits, and ownership of bank accounts or other assets.
Verifies decedent Veteran's military status with U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs for burial reimbursement claims.
Verifies next of kin or legally responsible relative information obtained from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner and other city agencies.
Interpret legal and financial documents submitted by applicants such as death certificates, paystubs, income tax returns, W2 forms, real property deeds, leases, life insurance policies, court orders, bank statements, institution patient account transcripts, utility and rent receipts, and other financial statements to determine decedent’s, legally responsible relative's and maintenance, income, expenses, assets, and resources.
Interpret application and interview responses, documentation, WMS and other clearance results, information on death certificates, and information obtained through collateral contracts to obtain a social profile of decedent.
Computes financial status of decedents/legally responsible relatives by obtaining appropriate documented figures and performing calculations as part of the eligibility determination process.
Generate eligibility determination letters, authorization for payment forms as appropriate.
Issues initial and follow-up letters requesting submission of necessary documents/information.
Responds to written and phone inquiries from applicants and interested third parties.
Data enter information obtained in Burial Assistance Information Tracking System (BAITS) database.
Closes cases on BAITS by updating all relevant screens and data entering the appropriate eligibility code.
Maintains public burial records in other agency databases.
Makes closing entry on history sheet.
Assembles case record folder in accordance with guidelines.
Makes appropriate entry on history sheet and completes standardized forms used for record keeping and statistical purposes.
Initiate collateral contacts and generated clearances for the purpose of obtaining and verifying information necessary to determine eligibility for a burial allowance.
Collateral contacts include contacts with hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, child welfare agencies, adult protective services, drug rehab programs, unions, past employers, banks, and other agency representatives to ascertain the decedent's social history, past maintenance, income, assets, and any mitigating factors which would clarify whether decedent/legally responsible relative was indigent at the time of death and this impact on case decision regarding applicant's eligibility for burial allowance, public burial, or Veteran burial allowance reimbursement.
Recommend and determine eligibility for burial allowance by identifying decedent's and legally responsible relative's levels of income, assets, and/or resources, past maintenance, biographical and social information and data, and determining whether all documentation is complete and funeral home documents follow the applicable regulations.
Identify and make referrals to other sources of burial benefits (Dept of Veteran Affairs, Social Security Administration, Victim Services, etc.) when appropriate.
Ensure appropriate documentation is received and recorded, and that information is effectively and timely communicated between applicants and vendors for public burials at Hart Island and other NYC locations.
Assists funeral directors in applying for lump sum death benefits from Dept of Veterans Affairs and monitors case determination decisions from Dept. of Veterans Affairs regarding lump sum death benefits.