Income Maintenance Caseworker II

Craven County Government; New Bern (NC); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Craven County Government is seeking an Income Maintenance Caseworker to process applications and determine eligibility for public assistance programs. The role requires interviewing clients, verifying information, and applying the NC FAST system to maintain accurate records.

The position emphasizes attention to detail, adherence to federal and state verifications, and the ability to manage changes in clients' situations within structured timeframes.

Qualifications

• One year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Other appropriate combinations of education and experience will be considered for “work-against” status.
• Considerable knowledge of the program/areas of assignment.
• General knowledge of all agency and community programs and services which could affect the client/applicant.
• Good mathematical reasoning and computational skills.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret rules, regulations and procedures.
• Ability to communicate with clients/applicants, the public at large, and public officials to obtain data, and to explain and interpret rules, regulations and procedures.
• Ability to diffuse potentially hostile clients and be firm in communicating the agency’s position re: eligibility; and consequences for giving fraudulent information.
• Ability to perform caseworker functions within structured time frames.

Responsibilities

• Interview and verify information to determine eligibility.
• Open and re-determine eligibility for new applications or lapses.
• Document updates on changes in the client’s situation.
• Meet federal and state mandated verifications and work in NC FAST.
• Handle potential glitches in NC FAST and maintain accuracy.
• Assist in disaster relief duties as needed.

Skills

Interviewing clients

Data verification

Eligibility determinations

NC FAST system

Tools

NC FAST system

Job description

Primary Purpose

The primary purpose of the Income Maintenance Caseworker is to take and process assistance applications, re-determine eligibility and process and react to any changes in the client’s situation.

Income Maintenance Team

The Income Maintenance Team is comprised of six distinct units: Food and Nutrition Services, Adult Medicaid – PLA, Family and Children's Medicaid, Medicaid Transportation, Long Term Care/ SA/CAP and Day Care. Although Income Maintenance Caseworkers are assigned to a specific team at any given moment the worker may be asked to work in a unit to which they are not currently assigned.

Public Assistance Intake and Eligibility

This position interviews, verifies information, opens and determines or re-determines eligibility for programs that are either new applications or that are applications where there has been a lapse in the certification period. This position also interviews, verifies information, reopens and determines eligibility for all cases that reapply when there has been no lapse in the certification period. This position documents, verifies and updates all changes in the client’s situation. This position has the responsibility of satisfying all federal and state mandated verifications as well as any questionable data. This position is required to work in the NC FAST system. This is a complex system that at times has glitches, down time, and where errors occur even when the correct information is entered. It is vital that intense visual and mental concentration occurs when working in this system in order to ensure accuracy in the determination of eligibility in public assistance programs within this system.

This position could be required to primarily perform one or all of these functions, dependent upon the needs of the agency.

Other Duties

The case worker adheres to other duties assigned by the Income Maintenance Supervisor II, Income Maintenance Administrator, and/or Director at their discretion. The caseworker also assists in disaster relief efforts that includes but is not limited to shelter duty.

Minimum Education And Experience

One year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Other appropriate combinations of education and experience will be considered for “work-against” status.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Considerable knowledge of the program/areas of assignment. General knowledge of all agency and community programs and services which could affect the client/applicant. Good mathematical reasoning and computational skills. Ability to read, analyze and interpret rules, regulations and procedures. Ability to communicate with clients/applicants, the public at large, and public officials to obtain data, and to explain and interpret rules, regulations and procedures. Ability to diffuse potentially hostile clients and be firm in communicating the agency’s position re: eligibility; and consequences for giving fraudulent information. Ability to perform caseworker functions within structured time frames.

Additional Information

Employees are frequently subject to working with upset clients and compressed time frames.