Human Services Specialist Level I/II (with Special Skills Classes)

Sacramento County; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 60,386 - 73,377; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bilingual pay

Night shift pay

Education incentive pay

Specialized unit pay

Certification incentive pay

Job summary

Sacramento County is seeking a Human Services Specialist Level I/II to assess public assistance eligibility and provide employment services. You will coordinate with other departments to clarify information and help customers access resources.

The role requires skill in interviewing, active listening, and handling sensitive information with confidentiality, while building cooperative relationships with clients and agencies.

Qualifications

• Completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter units with related focus.
• Two years full-time paid experience in information gathering, rule explanation, or decision making based on complex rules.

Responsibilities

• Assist customers with public assistance benefits and employment services.
• Determine eligibility per regulations and coordinate referrals to resources.
• Interface with department staff to provide accurate information and customer service.
• Maintain records and ensure confidentiality and compliance with laws.

Skills

Public welfare knowledge

Interviewing techniques

Customer service

Active listening

Confidentiality

Education

60/90 unit college coursework in social work related field

Two years of qualifying work experience

Tools

Office software (word, spreadsheets)

Job description

Human Services Specialist Level I/II

Level 1: $4,786.74 - $5,818.58/month

Level 2: $5,411.42 - $6,575.46/month

Under general supervision, performs duties in the provisions of public assistance benefits and/or basic employment services to customers and facilitates referrals to available resources, and/or applies regulations and procedures to determine eligibility for one or more public assistance programs. Interfaces and coordinates with other department staff to provide customer services or to provide or clarify information.

Positions in this class may offer differentials in Bilingual and Cultural Pay, Night Shift Pay, Specialized Units, Education and Certification Incentive Pay, etc.

Examples Of Knowledge And Abilities

Knowledge of

• Goals and objectives of public social services
• Various public assistance programs available to customers and associated rules and regulations
• Public transportation services
• Public and private community resources and their programs and processes
• Techniques for working with a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
• Applicable laws, rules and regulations governing the field of public welfare
• Interviewing techniques
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and other specialized applications related to area of assignment
• Basic arithmetic (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, percentages, ratios, and fractions)
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Signs of mental illness, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and child/elder abuse
• Principles of active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication, and non-verbal cues
• Effective case management and time management practices
• Principles and practices of effective customer service, including understanding, courtesy, diplomacy, empathy, concern, and politeness
• Confidentiality requirements
• Effective conflict resolution

Ability to

• Communicate effectively with persons from a variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds
• Demonstrate empathy and understanding
• Read, interpret, apply, and explain complex rules, regulations, programs and policies
• Review output from State automated systems and determine when information is incorrect
• Adapt or modify approach based on customer’s needs and/or situation
• Work effectively with people of diverse life styles and varying attitudes
• Interview effectively in a wide variety of circumstances and elicit sensitive information in an effective, but tactful manner
• Establish and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with customers, co-workers, other agencies and the general public
• Understand non-verbal cues and read body language
• Identify barriers to self-sufficiency and appropriate resources/referrals to address barriers, including difficult and sensitive situations
• Learn to recognize signs of child/elder abuse
• Learn to recognize signs of mental illness, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse, as it related to work assignment
• Maintain composure in stressful or difficult situations and diffuse upset or angry individuals
• Navigate through various database systems and effectively locate, enter, and retrieve information
• Research and find information on the internet
• Assist customers in attaining needed services
• Listen effectively
• Adapt to frequent changes and demonstrate flexibility
• Communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing
• Maintain appropriate boundaries with customers
• Independently initiate and respond to correspondence
• Reason logically, understand and follow complex instructions and procedures
• Compile various records and information accurately; evaluate the accuracy of information
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Effectively organize and prioritize work assignments
• Complete a high volume of work and meet deadlines amid multiple interruptions
• Keep accurate and orderly records
• Make arithmetical computations accurately and rapidly
• Maintain confidential information
• Identify potential fraud and respond appropriately

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Either: Successful completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter units from an accredited college or university with 24 semester or 36 quarter units in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Counseling or other field closely related to the intent of the class.

Or: Two years of full-time, paid experience with responsibility for one or more of the following: obtaining and recording factual information; explaining rules, regulations, policies, or procedures; decision making based on complex rules and regulations; and/or written and financial record keeping at a clerical or higher level.

NOTE: Related fields above may include Behavioral Science, Child Development, Community Health Education, Cultural Anthropology, Ethnic Studies, Family Studies, Gerontology, Human Development, Mental Health, and Public Health.

Note: If the word “experience” is referenced in the minimum qualifications, it means full-time paid experience unless the minimum qualification states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

Note: If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate/license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Failure to submit proof of requirements may result in disqualification from the examination. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. For guidelines on submitting acceptable proof of educational requirements, please click here or speak to someone in our office before the cut-off date listed in this notice.

General Qualifications

Criminal History and Background Checks: The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher, may be required at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Child and Elder Abuse Reporting: Persons selected for employment must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 of the California Penal Code and Section 15630 of the Welfare and Institutions Code relating to child and elder abuse reporting.

Working conditions

• Be exposed to and/or interact with hostile, emotionally disturbed or mentally ill persons and/or confrontational interpersonal situations.
• Work in dangerous, high crime areas of the community.
• Work during non-routine hours, standby and/or callback.
• Work in and around substandard living areas with exposure to common communicable diseases or conditions.
• Work outside in all types of climatic conditions including inclement, very hot and/or cold weather.
• On a continuous basis, answer a high volume of telephone calls, and/or work in a call center environment.

Special skills

Special skills classes require sufficient knowledge to speak, read and write fluently a language other than Standard English; and/or knowledge of a multi-cultural group encompassing but not limited to: family member roles and living environments; the various characteristics or problems unique to the group in employment, education, health, economics and social customs; and current social movements involving the group. Incumbents use the specific language and multi-cultural knowledge in the performance of typical duties, incorporating this knowledge to appropriately serve customers and families in a manner that is culturally competent and affirming. In addition, incumbents translate and interpret using Standard English and a language other than Standard English, and act as a consultant to others regarding the specific multi-cultural group.

Available Language and Culture Variants

• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - African American Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Arabic Language and Middle Eastern Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Armenian Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Cambodian Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Chinese Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Farsi Language and Persian Culture (Dari and Pashto)
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Hmong Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Japanese Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Korean Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Lao Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Mien Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Native American Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Punjabi Language and East Indian Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Russian Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Spanish Language and Latin Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Tagalog Language and Filipino Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Ukrainian Language and Culture
• Human Services Specialist Level I/II - Vietnamese Language and Culture

Probationary Period

Twelve (12) months.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at [e-mail] or 916-874-7642, CA Relay 711. For more information, visit: Reasonable Accommodation Requests - Job Applicant Instructions

Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.