ELIGIBILITY WORKER

Position Information
This announcement may be used to fill immediate and future vacancies within the Public Assistance Bureau and/or the Housing Assistance Bureau. Current vacancies exist within the Public Assistance Bureau.

If you are looking for a career helping Arlington citizens toward sustaining economic independence, we have the right opportunity for you!

Arlington County Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking a full-time Eligibility Worker to determine eligibility of individuals and families for a variety of complex federal, state, and/or local financial assistance programs by reviewing applications, conducting client interviews, and collecting the necessary information to determine program eligibility.

Some of these financial assistance programs include: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), General Relief, Foster Care, Refugee Assistance, Auxiliary Grants, Medical Assistance (Medicaid), Energy Assistance, Housing Grants, Child Care Subsidy Program, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The employee will have substantial client contact both on the phone and in person as well as frequent contact with internal and external sources to collect, confirm, and verify client information. Services are provided to families and individuals, many of whom are from diverse cultural backgrounds with limited English fluency.

Specific duties include:

• Performing in-depth evaluation of social and financial circumstances;
• Searching automated database systems to determine prior services provided;
• Explaining eligibility programs, program parameters, client's rights and responsibilities to clients and families;
• Referring clients to additional services to help meet needs;
• Interpreting complex regulations with frequently changing policies and procedures for issuing timely and accurate benefits;
• Connecting childcare families with vendors/providers;
• Completing service plans for childcare case which includes establishing the need for childcare services; and
• Providing consumer education to assist parents in making informed choices about childcare.

Eligibility Workers have a high degree of independence working within established policies, procedures and guidelines and may be assigned specialized duties including providing coverage and training for other eligibility workers, pursuing fraud, and preparing summary reports for the Bureau. The successful candidate will have strong written and verbal communication skills to communicate with individuals who have varied backgrounds, experience, language capabilities and needs. Success in these positions also requires flexibility to accommodate frequent changes in policy regulations and casework needs, the ability to organize and analyze information, mathematical computation skills, and the ability to work independently and function under pressure.

Arlington County DHS is committed to delivering client services in an effective, equitable, respectful, and trauma-informed manner. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring our clients are approached, engaged and cared for in ways that demonstrate competency, sensitivity and awareness of factors which impact the client experience including but not limited to: cultural identity, gender, racial, and ethnic diversity, religious/spiritual ascription, physical capability, cognitive and literacy levels, sexual orientation, and linguistic needs.

To learn more about our services, please click here.

Selection Criteria
Minimums:

• Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field (Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, etc.) or other directly related field; and
• Two years of full-time experience in eligibility determination for financial assistance, medical assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or other closely related public assistance programs.

Substitution: Experience in areas including employment interviewing, insurance claims, eligibility determination for benefits from local, state or Federal agencies or other closely related work may substitute for the degree on a year for year basis.

Desirables: Preference may be given to candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

• Working in the Virginia Public Welfare System applying state regulations and requirements for determining benefit eligibility;
• Interpreting and communicating complex policies and procedures;
• Summarizing data using MS Excel; and/or
• Bilingual: English/Spanish.

Special Requirements
Background check: A pre-hire background check will be made on all candidates who are selected for employment. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.

The candidate selected will be required to complete a State of Virginia Central Registry check.

Applicant must possess, or obtain by the time of appointment, a valid motor vehicle operator's license from the applicant's place of residence or the applicant must have the ability and willingness to use alternative methods of transportation to perform assigned duties and responsibilities at locations other than the primary worksite. If the applicant possesses or acquires a license, the applicant must provide or authorize Arlington County to obtain a copy of the applicant's official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent on a favorable review of the applicant's driving record.

Arlington County Government is committed to the health, safety and wellness for all staff. In support of that commitment, all current and newly hired employees are required to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination. For those qualified employees with a disability or sincerely held religious belief which prohibits them from receiving a vaccine, you will be able to contact the Office of Human Rights to request a reasonable accommodation. Adherence to this policy is a condition of employment.