Economic Support Specialist

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY; Appleton (WI); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telecommuting up to 60%

State-sponsored training and ongoing支持

Job summary

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY seeks an Economic Support Specialist to determine eligibility for Medicaid, FoodShare and related programs. The role handles a 500+ case caseload, conducts interviews, verifies information, and issues benefits with strict confidentiality.

Training is state-sponsored and virtual for 6–8 weeks, with ongoing support from Staff Development Specialists. The position offers telecommuting up to 60%, a 8:00–4:30 schedule, and potential overtime.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Associate’s degree with 2 years of related experience or completion of training for Economic Support Specialist.
• Experience determining eligibility for health, food assistance, and child care programs is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Determine eligibility for Medicaid, BadgerCare Plus, FoodShare, Child Care subsidies and related programs.
• Manage a caseload of 500+ cases including interviews, verification, and benefit issuance.
• Coordinate with child support, social workers, and ADRC to meet client needs and ensure confidentiality.
• Investigate conflicting information and calculate over/under issuance, notifying recipients and referring to Fraud unit when needed.
• Represent the State and Outagamie County at hearings with case details and evidence.

Skills

Critical thinking

Time management

Multitasking

Adaptability

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Associate’s degree in a related field

Tools

CARES/CARES Worker Web

Electronic Case File (ECF)

CSAW

BRITS

Genesys Cloud

Job description

The Economic Support Specialist establishes eligibility for Economic Support Programs in accordance with policy.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to manage multiple priorities and work in a fast-paced environment. They must also possess critical thinking skills, adapt to change quickly and have good time- management skills. The position allows for telecommuting up to 60% of the time. New Economic Support Specialists must attend virtual, state-sponsored training for approximately 6 – 8 weeks. During that time trainees have access to Staff Development Specialists for support, additional training, resources, coaching and practice in a training environment.

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM with overtime possibilities

This is a benefit eligible position: https://www.outagamie.gov/Our-County/Human-Resources/Employee-Benefits-Information The following duties are most critical for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Determine eligibility for numerous, complicated programs including Medicaid, BadgerCare Plus, FoodShare, Child Care Subsidies, and other related programs. Ensure priority benefits are issued timely and manually determine eligibility for non- automated programs.
• Manage a caseload of 500 or more cases consisting of adults, children and families. This includes conducting interactive, investigative interviews with customers and/or their legal representative; determining accurate benefits; authorizing the issuance of benefits from multiple programs; processing changes to income, assets, household composition and other factors that impact eligibility; assembling required verification;
• Coordinate services with child support specialists for paternity establishment and enforcement of Child Support orders; explain good cause criteria for non-cooperation with child enforcement Coordinate with social workers and the ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Center) to ensure customer needs are met. As a mandatory reporter, contact the appropriate agency if abuse or neglect is suspected or witnessed. Refer customers ineligible for Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus to the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM).
• Upon receipt of conflicting information, investigate a potential over/under issuance. Calculate the amount of benefit over/under issuance. Generate notices to recipients alerting them and outline repayment responsibilities. Refer cases to the Fraud unit if information provided by the applicant/recipient is questionable.
• Meet agency, consortium and state performance requirements such as timely case processing, maintaining a reasonable call answer rate and speed of answer and ensure FoodShare error rates remain below the State threshold. Abide by all mandated client confidentiality rules.
• Navigate numerous systems and databases including but not limited to: CARES/CARES Worker Web (CWW), Electronic Case File (ECF), Child Care Statewide Administration (CSAW), Benefit Recovery Investigation System (BRITS), Genesys Cloud, and other related systems.
• Decipher complicated documents including but not limited to tax forms and schedules, wills and trusts, insurance, annuities, legal affidavits, child support and placement court orders, and financial aid awards as part of the eligibility determination process and
• Represent the State and Outagamie County Health and Human Services at hearings by preparing case details, collecting evidence, and providing testimony before an Administrative Law Judge.

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field, OR
• Associate’s degree in a related field with 2 years of related experience, OR
• Successful completion of the training required to perform duties of an Economic Support Specialist or other position that determines eligibility for Health Care, FoodShare, or Child Care and demonstrated ability to successfully manage an economic support/income maintenance caseload.

• Ability to effectively communicate verbally or in writing with customers with limited reading, writing, and speaking ability. Spanish and/or Hmong bilingual skills preferred.
• Comprehend and interpret complex policy and procedure manuals and legal, medical, and financial documents, and communicate with other professionals such as attorneys, social workers, and legal representatives.
• Assist in the planning, development and evaluation of the agency's needs.
• Ability to be flexible and responsive as demands change and to work independently and be a positive team member.
• Adhere to professional ethics and standards.
• Must be organized, dependable, and accurate.
• Ability to use call center software and equipment and to operate a variety of other office equipment including computer, calculator, telephone, scanner and fax machine.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide and to calculate decimals and percentages.