Eligibility Specialist II - Food & Nutrition Services

Cabarrus County•Cabarrus County, NC

About The Position

Performs intermediate paraprofessional work determining or redetermining eligibility for applicants and recipients seeking Food & Nutrition Services through the Department of Human Services. The work is governed by federal, state, and county laws, policies, regulations, procedures, and court decisions, and is performed under regular supervision. Work is reviewed through case reviews, observation, and periodic conferences. The role involves interviewing clients, taking applications, gathering and assessing information, determining eligibility, processing applications and changes, and completing recertifications. The specialist reviews household income, resources, and residency; calculates and updates budgets; verifies information; enters and maintains case data in county and state systems; and maintains records and confidentiality. The position also involves explaining program requirements, rights, and obligations; responding to inquiries; authorizing assistance; preparing and reviewing reports; and sharing relevant information with social workers. The specialist participates in required training and may take part in teams, task forces, committees, job fairs, off-site application and outreach activities, and emergency shelter operations. The position may require work outside normal business hours, travel for trainings or meetings, and staffing a disaster shelter during a crisis. It may also require performing functions for Family & Children’s Medicaid and/or Adult programs.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited associate degree program in Human Services Technology, Social Services, Paralegal Technology, Business Administration, Secretarial Science, Accounting, or a closely related curriculum; or
High school graduation or equivalent and one year of eligibility determination experience, preferably in North Carolina, including experience in Food and Nutrition Services, Medicaid, Work First, Crisis Assistance, or Daycare Assistance; or
High school graduation or equivalent and two years of paraprofessional, clerical, or public contact experience involving tasks such as negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, gathering and compiling data, analyzing data, or performing mathematical, accounting, case management, or legal tasks.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Completion of Phases I and II of the NC FAST Human Services Certification program, with supporting documentation available upon request.
Ability to read, analyze, interpret, and apply federal, state, and county program rules, regulations, and procedures.
Knowledge of the assigned program area, agency and community programs and services, and standard office procedures, practices, and equipment.
Skill in using office machines, computers, applicable software, and typing.
Ability to follow directions and detailed procedures, perform caseworker functions within structured time frames, prioritize work, and perform mathematical reasoning and computations accurately.
Ability to prepare and maintain accurate records and reports and communicate effectively orally and in writing with people from varied backgrounds.
Ability to maintain composure in difficult situations, attend work regularly, and establish effective working relationships with associates and the public.
Position may require occasional work before or after normal business hours, travel for program trainings or meetings, performing functions for Family & Children’s Medicaid and/or Adult, and staffing a disaster shelter during a crisis.
Ability to perform sedentary work exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, with stooping, reaching, fingering, grasping, and repetitive motions; vocal, hearing, and visual abilities are also required.

Nice To Haves

NC FAST Human Services Certification and/or experience is strongly preferred.
Eligibility determination experience in North Carolina is preferred.

Responsibilities

Interview applicants and recipients, take applications, gather information, assess circumstances, determine eligibility, and process applications, changes, and recertifications for Food & Nutrition Services.
Gather and review household income, financial resources, and residency information; compute initial budgets and revise them when household circumstances or income change.
Verify application information through telephone calls and correspondence with local government representatives, employers, attorneys, neighbors, and other contacts.
Maintain caseloads or participate in maintaining the case bank, and review cases at designated intervals to determine continuing eligibility.
Enter, retrieve, and maintain case information in county and state systems, and document electronic case records.
Maintain records, files, and confidentiality; prepare monthly financial reports and search documents for posting errors.
Explain program requirements, options, rights, and obligations; respond to client and public inquiries and provide information, assistance, or referrals to other programs and services.
Compute and authorize assistance amounts for programs.
Provide social workers with relevant information gathered during interviews and case maintenance.
Participate in ongoing training, teams, task forces, committees, job fairs, off-site applications, and outreach activities as assigned.
Perform related duties as required, potentially including emergency shelter operations.