Economic Support Specialist

The Economic Support Specialist determines eligibility and provides ongoing case management for Eau Claire County/Great Rivers Income Maintenance Consortium in a timely and accurate manner for public assistance programs such as Medical Assistance, BadgerCare Plus, Food Share/SNAP, Caretaker Supplement (CTS) and Wisconsin Shares Child Care subsidies.

• Directs expertise in public assistance programs, policies, and procedures to determine eligibility for assistance; conducts intensive investigative interviews to obtain and evaluate financial and non-financial information; researches and responds to financial and non-financial cross matches and alerts; obtains and verifies third-party information; collaborates with various agencies and support services; verifies appropriate levels of benefits and/or services.
• Researches, interprets, and applies federal, state, and local policies governing eligibility, legal rights, and responsibilities of applicants; determines correct public assistance benefits through direct client contact via office interview and telephone in compliance with required state and federal time frames; assesses individual and family needs to provide referrals to other agencies and community support services.
• Assures high level of customer service emphasizing the department core values of welcoming, ethical, compassion, appreciation, respect, and excellence; answers phones in a call center setting; responds to questions; provides case status updates; processes changes; troubleshoots problems; responds to emergency needs; re-determines eligibility and processes verifications.
• Utilizes skill in personal computer operations including a variety of standard and specialized software programs; records, maintains, reviews, and regularly corrects benefit levels and other documentation regarding applicants, using Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) and CARES Worker Web (CWW) systems.
• Authorizes monetary benefits in childcare authorizations, FoodShare, fees for service and capitation rates for medical assistance and BadgerCare Plus; authorizes payment for caretaker supplement.
• Identifies risk factors such as AODA, domestic abuse, disabilities, or suspected child/elder abuse and reports to appropriate services.
• Demonstrates critical thinking to examine and report potential fraud, waste, and abuse as well as complaints and concerns regarding publicly funded and supported services; determines need for and prepares Fraud and Program Integrity referrals; performs basic math calculations to recalculate benefits for publicly funded and supported services; provides effective and credible testimony at administrative hearings.
• Completes ongoing trainings regarding changes in the federal and state regulations and technical advancements.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.

• Associate degree in a human service, public/business administration, economics, accounting, paralegal, or related field or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
• Two (2) years of experience dealing with the general public in a position requiring direct customer contact or or directly related experience performing similar work in a comparable setting.

• Two (2) years of experience in personal computer use with Microsoft Office software.
• Keyboarding skills of 45 w.p.m.
• Appointment will be conditional upon successful completion of criminal and caregiver background checks.
• This position will work remotely and with occasional in-office duties. 
• An ergonomically correct and confidential workspace, at own expense, is required for this position when working remotely.
• Employees must provide high speed internet access at own expense when working remotely. 
• Ability to meet County employment requirements related to remote work, including limits on out-of-state work hours (maximum of 49% of total annual worked hours, excluding paid time off).
• Employee must live within reasonable driving distance to the agency.
• Must have valid driver’s license, an acceptable driving record, and access to private transportation for work-related duties. 
• Must possess and maintain personal automobile insurance in the amount of $100,000/$300,000.

• Previous call center experience
• Previous work experience with benefit programs and determining benefit eligibility preferred.