Human Services Assistant II

Virginia Department of Social Services•Gate City, VA

4d•$30,000

About The Position

This role involves providing comprehensive support within human services programs. Key functions include screening clients for benefits and services, interviewing them to explain program details, and assisting with applications. The position also entails evaluating and approving agency providers, conducting research, and acting as the initial point of contact for applicants. Responsibilities extend to providing information on program eligibility, policies, and procedures, making referrals for services, and maintaining client documentation. Additionally, the role involves scheduling appointments, responding to client inquiries via various communication channels, analyzing client needs, coordinating resources, and processing payments when appropriate. Specific assignments may include managing provider programs, assessing emergency needs, handling voucher systems, facilitating adult placements, preparing statistical reports, verifying timesheets, reviewing expenditures, and managing budgets for adult services. For benefit programs, tasks include attending administrative hearings, preparing reports, and assisting with new staff orientation. In foster care, responsibilities involve adoption searches, assisting with subsidy billings and payments, preparing various reports and documentation, assisting with supervised visitation, and coordinating special events. For employment services, the role includes assisting participants with resume writing, following up on referrals, debriefing participants, locating resources for interview clothing, and organizing educational field trips.

Requirements

Considerable knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services (including customer needs assessment, meeting of quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction)
Considerable knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
Considerable knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, spreadsheets, managing files and records, and other office procedures and terminology
Working knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; mathematics and research methods; and eligibility requirements for the programs assigned; and available community resources
Some knowledge of laws, regulations, requirements and policies of Local, State, and Federal social, assistance and housing programs
Skill in operating a variety of automated office equipment to include calculator, fax/copier
Skill in the use of computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and file maintenance programs
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with program participants
Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, and prioritize own work schedule
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain working relationships with clients, professionals, co-workers, and the public sufficient to exchange ideas and coordinate activities
Demonstrated ability to accept direction and follow established procedures
Demonstrated ability to counsel others
Demonstrated ability to organize, and post date, from records, reports and other sources using the appropriate format
Demonstrated ability to exhibit solid interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution in working with clients, professionals and employees
Demonstrated ability to create forms, charts, and graphs
Demonstrated ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals
Demonstrated ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs
Demonstrated ability to make screening decisions based upon specific criteria’s
Demonstrated ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, manuals
Demonstrated ability to conduct effective interviews both face-to-face and by telephone
High school diploma supplemented with post-secondary coursework in subjects such as social work, human services, gerontology, or one of the social or behavioral sciences, business or related field, and relevant work experience in public administrative support work OR any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities

Responsibilities

Screens clients for benefits and services
Interviews clients and explains programs, services, policies and procedures
Assists clients with applications
Evaluates and approves agency providers
Researches information
Serves as initial point of contact for applicants
Interviews applicants for benefits and/or service programs
Provides information regarding various programs and benefits, general eligibility requirements, policies and procedures
Assists clients with completing applications and performs initial screening of applications
Provides information to clients seeking services and directly makes referrals for services
Researches a variety of databases to obtain and/or verify information needed to process applications
Maintains logs of client documentation received
Schedules and coordinates appointments for clients to meet with benefit, employment or services staff
Contacts clients for requested/needed information and responds to routine questions in person, e-mail or by telephone
Analyzes needs and coordinates resources that will support families/clients and generates payment for services when appropriate
Independently manages the Provider program requirements
Interviews clients and conducts assessment for emergency needs
Manages voucher system and prepares vouchers for ongoing expenditures
Facilitates placement of adults in Adult Living Facilities
Creates and prepares complex statistical reports
Verifies hours and accuracy of time sheets for In-Home Providers
Reviews expenditures and researches operational cost effectiveness
Prepares, processes, and reconciles budget for various adult programs
Attends and testifies at administrative hearings
Prepares periodic, special and other reports for statistics
Provides assistance in the orientation/training of new staff
Conducts adoption searches via court records, library, agency files, Internet, City directory, and makes initial contact if a match is found
Assists with subsidy billings and payments
Prepares a variety of financial, statistical forms and reports, case documentation and court reports
Assists in conducting supervised visitation
Coordinates special event programs such as Toys for Tots, Annual Art Sale, Bags & Bears and unit events
Helps participant in writing resumes
Follows up on referrals to ancillary agencies, in person and in writing
Debriefs participants when "fired" from Work Net classes
Locates resources for clients needing appropriate interview clothing and helps clients in making appropriate clothing choices
Takes participants on educational/career exploration field trips