DSHS ESA Public Benefits Specialist 4

State of Washington • Multiple Locations Statewide, WA

11h • Remote

About The Position

The Economic Services Administration's (ESA) Community Service Division (CSD) has an exciting opportunity for Public Benefits Specialists 4 (PBS4) - Case Planning and Support Specialist (CPSS) to join our Virtual Case Management Center team. When you work for DSHS, your compassion shows at work every day, helping the lives of your fellow Washingtonians. As a Case Planning and Support Specialist, you’ll be the go-to expert for clients navigating challenging life circumstances and the public systems designed to support them. This is the perfect role for someone who can read between the lines, build trust quickly, and connect individuals to the right mix of services, at the right time. You’ll assess eligibility for multiple assistance programs, develop tailored case plans, and coordinate with partners across healthcare, housing, employment, and more. Every day is varied. Every decision matters. You’ll need excellent judgment, a strong grasp of policy, and the ability to manage complexity with care.

Requirements

• Twelve months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 3.
• A bachelor’s degree or higher AND twelve months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 2 determining eligibility for public assistance or long-term care services.
• Five years of combined higher education and/or equivalent experience may substitute for degree and PBS work experience requirements. Total must include at least one-year equivalent work experience.
• Examples of equivalent experience include but are not limited to: Providing eligibility for services or direct customer service serving historically marginalized communities Experience examining/processing loan applications, Medical insurance or rehabilitation claims, Unemployment insurance claims, or Providing staff support in financial eligibility determination, or in a job analyzing, verifying, and evaluating financial data and information, AND Satisfactory completion of the agency’s Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.
• Out-of-state experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance, including financial, medical and food benefit programs, will be considered toward experience.
• Additional professional experience described above will substitute year for year for the required education.
• Eligibility expertise – You’ll need deep knowledge of Washington’s public assistance programs and the ability to assess and re-determine eligibility with accuracy.
• Policy fluency – Comfort navigating and applying WAC, RCW, and internal procedural manuals is essential to ensure services are legally sound.
• Case planning insight – Strong understanding of how to build service plans that are realistic, trauma-informed, and grounded in each client’s context.
• Analytical skills – You’ll be interpreting complex data and documentation to make fast, high-stakes decisions—precision matters.
• Communication – Clear, respectful, and empathetic communication is key—especially when explaining tough decisions or diffusing high-tension situations.
• Crisis navigation – This role regularly involves working with people in distress. You must stay calm, clear-headed, and grounded in your professional boundaries.
• Resilience and flexibility – Programs shift. Priorities change. You need to adapt quickly, manage multiple tasks, and keep performance high without burning out.

Responsibilities

• Independently determines and re-determines client eligibility for CSD-administered public assistance programs
• Conducts intensive interviews with the client
• Conducts orientations to specialty programs
• Performs more complex duties in relation to establishing financial eligibility, rule interpretation, planning, and procedural development
• Verifies and establishes overpayments and completes referrals to the Office of Financial Recovery.
• Provides professional case management, assesses needs and develops service plans and referrals to appropriate programs and services for a broad range of clients seeking BFET, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and other applicable public assistance programs
• Monitors client progress and updates service plans, assists with removing barriers to participation and provides referrals for appropriate services
• Reads and interprets Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Revised Code of Washington (RCW), procedural manuals, policies, and policy clarifications
• As assigned, participates in supervisor-approved, community-based activities for the purpose of engaging in outreach, furthering the mission of the Department, increasing knowledge and cultural competence, skills training and development, strengthening partnerships, and connecting with the tribes, other state agencies and community-based organizations with a common purpose of serving our shared communities
• Attends and participates in unit meetings, all-staff meetings, trainings and other meetings as required be administration

Benefits

• Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license.
• Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level