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Role Description

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community."

The Public Benefits Specialist conducts interviews, reviews information, and makes eligibility determinations for services and child care subsidy assistance. As the incumbent of this position, you will use your extensive and specialized financial knowledge, as well as your ability to interpret public laws and policies and make independent decisions. In this role, you will provide customer service delivery and support children receiving early education.

Some of what you will do:

• Conduct intensive interviews with customers to determine eligibility for services, or continued eligibility for services when notifying the program of changes of circumstances for Child Care benefits.
• Process Child Care applications received from the Washington Connection online applications, in the Document Management System (DMS), and through interactive interviews.
• Analyze oral and written information to determine accurate benefits and continued program eligibility.
• Assist customers with the process of applying for Apple Healthcare by entering information into the Health Plan Finder (HPF) system on behalf of clients.
• Refer clients to both mandatory and optional services, including to other agencies as required.
• Take actions necessary to ensure that limited English proficient clients receive properly translated forms and translation services from state certified, contracted translators and interpreters.
• Compute and initiate overpayments and client notifications when necessary.
• Issue reimbursements and benefits when appropriate to correct under issuances.
• Assist Child Care Providers with subsidy payment information and other requirements to receive subsidy.

Qualifications

• Public Benefits Specialist 1 (PBS1):
  • One (1) year of experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance to include financial, medical and food benefit programs.
  • OR a bachelor’s degree AND experience examining/processing medical insurance or rehabilitation claims, unemployment insurance claims OR in a customer service job where the major duties involve public contact, OR a job providing staff support in financial eligibility determination will substitute, year for year, for education.
• Public Benefits Specialist 2 (PBS2):
  • One (1) year of experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance to include financial, medical and food benefit programs and completing the agency’s Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.
  • OR six (6) months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 1, and satisfactory completion of the agency's Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.
• Public Benefits Specialist 3 (PBS3):
  • Eighteen (18) months of experience determining eligibility for financial, medical, food, long-term services and support programs, childcare and equal access benefits.
  • OR fifteen (15) months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 1 and satisfactory completion of the agency’s Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.
  • OR nine (9) months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 2.

Requirements

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
• Incumbent must successfully complete formal training courses as required by law, policy, and regional requirements within one (1) year of their appointment.

Benefits

• Public Benefits Specialist 1 (PBS1): $4,228 - $5,137 monthly;
• Public Benefits Specialist 2 (PBS2): $4,653 - $5,531 monthly;
• Public Benefits Specialist 3 (PBS3): $4,882 - $5,956 monthly.

How do I apply?

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• Resume (current/updated)