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FAMILY INVESTMENT SPECIALIST II

STATEWIDE RECRUITMENT

Recruitment #17-003546-0001

Introduction

This statewide recruitment is being conducted to establish a list of eligible candidates to be used to fill current and future vacancies occurring in our Local Department of Social Services throughout the State.

Applicants should indicate on their applications all counties (or Baltimore City) where they are willing to accept employment for this classification. As positions become available, our Local Departments of Social Services will consider approved candidates from the eligible list.

ALL approved candidates will placed on this list of eligible candidates in one Best-Qualified scoring band and will remain on the list through the end of the year (after which candidates will need to reapply when this classification is reposted). Placement on this list as Best-Qualified is not a guarantee that you will be offered an interview for any given vacancy.

To find out if a Local Department of Social Services is currently recruiting for this classification, please contact their Personnel office directly; contact information for our Local Departments of Social Services can be found at the Department of Human Resources' website, http://dhr.maryland.gov/local-offices/ .   

GRADE

11

LOCATION OF POSITION

STATEWIDE

This statewide recruitment is being conducted to establish a list of eligible candidates to be used to fill current and future vacancies occurring in our Local Department of Social Services throughout the State.

Applicants should indicate on their applications all counties (or Baltimore City) where they are willing to accept employment for this classification.   

Main Purpose of Job

Family Investment Specialist II is the full performance level of work providing direct services to individual customers or families by determining customer eligibility for multiple Family Investment Administration programs in a local Department of Social Services.

Employees interview customers to explain program requirements and options, collect and complete required documentation, refer customers to other program services or agencies as appropriate and monitor customer progress and use of assistance. Employees in this classification do not supervise.

Employees receive general supervision from a Family Investment Specialist Supervisor or other higher-level administrator.

Employees may be required to work evenings and weekends and may visit customers in their homes or at facilities such as nursing homes, group homes and hospitals.

POSITION DUTIES

Interviews applicants for Public Assistance, Medical Assistance and/or Food Stamps in the Family Investment Administration (FIA) of the Department of Human Resources in order to determine eligibility and need for FIA programs.

Explains program requirements and procedures to individuals or in a group setting.

Elicits information as to family composition, employment, health status, financial obligations, parental status and living arrangements.

Explains program requirements and procedures to individuals or in a group setting.

Elicits information as to family composition, employment, health status, financial obligations, parental status and living arrangements.

Calculates incomes and resources to establish benefit level.

Determines program eligibility in accordance with federal, State and local laws, policies, rules and regulations.

Checks public records, such as birth records and real estate transactions.

Contacts individuals, employers, landlords, attorneys, financial institutions, medical offices, and government and community agencies to obtain, verify or clarify information required for eligibility determinations, such as income, resources, residency and household composition.

Establishes and maintains case records using computerized databases.

Contacts customers regarding discrepancies and refers questionable cases to the fraud unit for further follow-up. Monitors case progress and applies appropriate sanctions when necessary.

Provides information on and makes referrals to service agencies, organizations and vendors for appropriate services and information to meet customer health, housing, food, employment, child care and transportation needs.

Serves as an advocate on behalf of customers.

Provides basic counseling and problem solving support.

May make visits to customer's homes to gather information.

May prepare appeal packages or testify in administrative/appeals hearings.

Performs other related duties.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

CANDIDATES MUST MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO BE PLACED ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST FOR THIS CLASSIFICATION.

Please describe in detail any specific job duties relating to the minimum qualifications stated below and include any computer software experience (ex. Excel, CHESSIE, PowerPoint, Word, etc.) used in each of the positions you held.

EDUCATION: Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

EXPERIENCE: One year of experience determining eligibility for GOVERNMENTAL assistance programs.(IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: You must possess this experience to meet the minimum experience qualification for this classification; there are no substitutions available. Please be specific in detailing any job duties where you determined eligibility for governmental assistance; please name the form of government assistance for which you determined eligibility.) 

NOTES:

1. Applicants may substitute public contact experience involving negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, gathering and compiling data, performing analysis of data, writing correspondence, and completing mathematical or legal tasks on a year-for-year basis for up to four years of the required education. (IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: If you are using this public contact experience to substitute for missing college education, please describe in detail any job duties relating to each of the seven aspects of public contact experience stated in the note above.)

2. Applicants may substitute possession of an associate of arts degree in Income Maintenance/Family Investment and two years of experience involving public contact and performance of support functions directly related to Family Investment program operations for the required education.

3. These requirements are established by the Family Investment Administration by authority provided in Human Services Article Title 5, Subtitle 2, Section 204, (b)(1) of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Office of Personnel Services and Benefits of the Department of Budget and Management and the Examination Services Unit of the Department of Human Resources do not have the authority to accept substitutions or equivalents.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

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.

SELECTION PROCESS

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment; all information must be received by the closing date.

ALL candidates meeting minimum qualifications will be ranked as Best-Qualified and placed on the employment (eligible) list for the remainder of the year.

This list will be used by hiring agencies in our Local Departments of Social Services to select candidates for employment as positions become available.

PLEASE NOTE: Placement on the eligible list as a Best-Qualified candidate means you will be considered for vacancies in locations where you indicated you are willing to work; it is not a guarantee that you will be contacted for each vacancy.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

The assessment may consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of the position.  It is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Please report all experience and education that is related to this position. 

For education obtained outside the U.S., a copy of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service must accompany the application. 

All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date.  We will not consider information submitted after this date.

Credit may be given for relevant part-time, temporary, or volunteer experience if you list the number of hours worked per week.

If you are scheduled to complete an educational or licensing requirement within six months of the assessment, you may participate in the application process.

Permanent Maryland State employees may also complete necessary experience requirements within six months of the date of the assessment. However, such candidates will appear in pending status on the eligible list until documentation has been received that the educational and/or experience requirements have been met.

Credit may be given for relevant part-time, temporary, or volunteer experience if you list the number of hours worked per week.

BARGAINING UNIT STATUS

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.

BENEFITS

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Online applications are STRONGLY preferred. If the online application process is not available, please send your paper application and supplemental questionnaire (if applicable) to:

DHR Examination Services Unit                                                                                                                 

Attention: Betty Ketterman   

311 W. Saratoga Street, First Floor                                                                                                            

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Inquiries regarding applications and the submittal of supplemental information, such as foreign school evaluations, can be directed via the following: email: dhr.esu@maryland.gov; phone: 410-767-7414. TTY Users via Maryland Relay, 1-800-925-4434. 

Do not submit unsolicited documentation. Resumes, cover letters, copies of diplomas, and transcripts are not required for the examination process. 

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

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

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




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