CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST TRAINEE

This is a Position Specific Recruitment for the Department of Human Resources' Child Support Offices.  The resulting eligible will be used to fill current and future vacancies with this agency.

If applying, please check any jurisdiction/county on your application for which you are willing to accept employment for this classification.  

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Department of Human Resources, multiple locations...

Currently there are vacancies in the following locations:

        The Baltimore County Division of Child Support, 170 West Ridgely Road, Suite 200, Lutherville MD 20193

        Frederick County Department of Social Services, 100 East All Saints Street, Frederick MD 21701

A Child Support Specialist Trainee is the entry level of child support work. Employees in this classification learn to investigate and analyze child support cases and initiate appropriate actions to establish, maintain and enforce support payments for dependent children in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws, rules and regulations. They learn to perform duties related to establishing paternity and child support orders, negotiating agreements for child support payments and health insurance coverage and maintaining and enforcing the collection of current and past due amounts.

Knowledge of basic mathematics sufficient to calculate child support payments and assess payment records;

Ability to learn Federal and State laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to establishing, maintaining and enforcing child support payments;

Ability to learn the procedures used to identify and locate non-custodial parents, both instate and out-of-state, and to establish their responsibility for child support payments;

Ability to learn which State and local agencies and community organizations and facilities provide services to custodial parents or other caretakers, non-custodial parents and dependent children;

Ability to learn to calculate child support payments using State guidelines;

Ability to learn to compare payment history to initial and subsequent support orders;

Ability to learn to investigate, verify and analyze financial information of custodial and non-custodial parents;

Ability to learn to analyze regulatory, programmatic and fiscal information and apply it to specific child support cases;

Ability to learn to identify barriers to the collection of child support payments and to initiate appropriate administrative or legal remedies;

Ability to learn to elicit information from individuals who may be hostile, uncooperative or confused;

Ability to learn to recognize situations, such as the presence of family violence, in which alternative collection procedures should be used;

Ability to learn to use good judgment and resourcefulness in recognizing problematic situations and negotiating solutions;

Ability to learn to maintain confidentiality of child support case material and related information;

Ability to learn to testify in court concerning child support cases;

Ability to learn to prepare administrative and court enforcement documents;

Ability to learn to use computer systems to maintain child support case records and access informational resources;

Ability to learn to communicate effectively in child support matters with custodial and non-custodial parents, family members, judges, attorneys, court personnel, employers, financial institutions, health insurance carriers and any other parties who have an interest in child support matters.

Education: An Associate of Arts degree in social services, human services, legal studies, public administration or similar fields of study from an accredited college or university.

Experience: None.

Notes:

1. A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required education.

2. Experience investigating and analyzing child support cases and initiating appropriate actions to establish, maintain or enforce support payments for dependent children in accordance with Federal and State laws, rules and regulations may be substituted for the required education on a year- for-year basis.

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment.  All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date.  We will not consider information submitted after this date. 

If you are in state service and are a promotional candidate, your salary will be determined in accordance with State of Maryland Salary Guidelines.  

The assessment will consist of rating of your education, training and experience relating to the requirements of the position.  Therefore, it is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application.  All approved candidates will be placed on an eligible list. 

The resulting eligible list will be used for future vacancies with this agency. 

The incumbent in this position is a member of a covered bargaining unit and will be required to pay a bi-weekly service fee to the exclusive representative of the bargaining unit.

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS  

College transcripts are not required for the review of your application, and do not need to be forwarded.  Please clearly indicate your college degree on your application.  Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated.  If selected for an interview, you will be required to provide an official transcript.  For all foreign education obtained outside the U. S. you will be required to provide proof of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service if selected for an interview.

Online applications are highly recommended, however the paper application may be submitted to:  DHR/Recruitment Unit, 311 W.Saratoga Street, Room 131, Baltimore MD 21201.  The paper application must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the closing date for this recruitment. No postmarks will be accepted.  Incorrect application forms will not be accepted.  Information received after the closing date will not be considered.  Please do not submit or mail unsolicited information.  Resumes are not required.

TTY  Users: call via Maryland Relay

We thank our Veterans for their service to our country, and encourage them to apply.

As an equal opportunity employer Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity.