Self-Reliance Specialist - WEL

IdahoPTV; Kellogg (ID); On-site; USD 24,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave

Vacation leave

Health benefits

Retirement plans

Disability insurance

Training opportunities

Some flexibility in hours

Job summary

Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is seeking a Self-Reliance Specialist in Kellogg to assist families with benefits and services. The role emphasizes phone-based support and face-to-face interactions in a high-volume, stress-filled office setting.

It requires applying policies to determine eligibility for SNAP, Health Care, Child Care, and cash programs, with an emphasis on accuracy and productivity. The position is full-time and permanent with benefits, not eligible for telework, and offers

Qualifications

• Experience conducting and documenting sensitive fact-finding interviews.
• Experience dealing with individuals in stressful situations and de-escalating emotionally charged situations.
• Experience applying written policies and criteria to determine qualifications for services or benefits.
• Experience managing a workload with conflicting priorities.
• Experience entering and retrieving data using a computerized records system.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct customer service via face-to-face or telephone interactions.
• Assist customers with benefits and services under SNAP, Health Care Assistance, Idaho Child Care, and cash assistance programs.
• Apply policies and procedures to determine eligibility and benefits.
• Maintain workload with accuracy and productivity in a high-volume environment.

Skills

Interviewing

De-escalation

Policy interpretation

Prioritization

Data entry

Education

Some college courses in human services

Job description

USA:ID:Kellogg | Customer Service | Full Time

21.42 - 21.42 USD per hour

Posted 3 days ago | Apply before October 1, 2026

Description

DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND INDEPENDENCE OF IDAHOANS

*THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE OPEN UNTIL FILLED. APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO BE CONSIDERED.*

The Division of Welfare is currently recruiting for a full time, permanent (with benefits) Self-Reliance Specialist to work in our Kellogg field office. This position works in high volume, high stress work environment to assist customers for various benefits and services, while meeting and sustaining accuracy and productivity standards. While this position works with families to help them find self-reliance, this is not a social work position and does not include long-term case management. While this position does work in an office and may provide face-to-face services, the majority of the work is done via phone. The Self-Reliance Benefits program works with families who are applying for or are receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Health Care Assistance Programs, Idaho Child Care Program, and/or cash assistance programs. Direct customer service may be conducted face-to-face or on the telephone and is dependent upon the unit of the vacancy being filled.

This position is not eligible for telework.

The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare is a drug-free workplace.Any applicant offered employment in this position at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare will be required to pass a pre-employment drug test.

BENEFITS:

The State of Idaho offers a robust total compensation and benefits package, including but not limited to:

• Paid sick and vacation that begins accruing on your first day of employment; can be used immediately after accruing (no waiting time)
• 2 voluntary supplemental retirement plans including both pre-tax and Roth options
• Deferred compensation plan
• Life insurance for self, spouse, and children
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Wide variety of training opportunities
• Some positions offer flexible hours and/or telecommuting
• Review and determine eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, cash assistance, and Health Care Assistance Programs; OR establish and enforce child support obligations for families.
• Apply complex policies, procedures, and legal requirements.
• Provide direct customer service either by face-to-face interactions or via telephone and/or mail.

Interpersonal

• Requires personal interaction (face-to-face and/or via telephone, mail, or email) with customers and related agencies/individuals when intimate household circumstances are being addressed.
• Requires skillful de-escalation when working with customers in high stress, upsetting situations.

Policy/Technical

• Gather, verify, interpret, and act on personal information from various sources to case actions.
• Develop, adapt and maintain management systems to support workload activities and meet federally mandated outcome/reporting requirements.
• Perform complicated analytical problem resolution and insure data quality in automated system processing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

You must possess all the minimum qualifications below to pass the exam for this position. Please make sure your resume or work history supports your meeting the minimum and specialty qualifications for this position. Failure to do this may disqualify you from being considered for this position.It is highly recommended to attach a one-page cover letter to your application to demonstrate how you meet the requirements below.

• Experience conducting and documenting sensitive fact-finding interviews. Typically gained by at least six months of experienceORcompletion of some college courses in a human services field. Types of qualifying experience could include a background in credit collection, law enforcement, financial institutions or social service programs/services where detailed interviews were used to elicit information from customers that was then used to determine the outcome or eligibility for services. This background may also have been obtained through upper division college-level courses in a human services field. Experience as a receptionist, basic sales associate/retail clerk, or any position at that level does not meet this qualification.
• Experience dealing with individuals who are in stressful situations from varying cultural/socioeconomic backgrounds and de-escalating emotionally charged situations. Typically gained by least six months of experience in a business setting where I handled upset or angry customers.
• Experience applying written policies and criteria and determining qualifications for services or benefits. Typically gained by at least six months of experience OR completion of some college courses in a human services field. Types of qualifying experience could include a background in finance, lending, law, or business. This background may also have been obtained through upper division college-level courses in a human services field. General data entry or reception work does not qualify.
• Experience managing a workload with conflicting priorities. Typically gained by at least six months of experience managing a workload with conflicting priorities.
• Experience entering and retrieving data using a computerized records system. Typically gained by at least six months of experience entering and retrieving data using a computerized record system.

If you have questions, please contact us at:

Email is the quickest way to get an answer to your questions.

(answered Monday through Friday during business hours MST)

EMAIL: [e-mail]
PHONE: [phone]

EEO/ADA/Veteran:

The State of Idaho is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, political affiliation or belief, sex, national origin, genetics, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

The State of Idaho is committed to access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, auxiliary aids and services are available upon request. If you require an accommodation at any step in our recruitment process, you are encouraged to contact [phone] (TTY/TTD: 711), or email [e-mail].

Preference may be given to veterans who qualify under state and federal laws and regulations.