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 Self-Reliance Specialists in our Salmon , Idaho office. These positions are full-time with a work schedule of Monday - Friday, 8:00am -5:00pm with holidays off. Successful candidates will work in high volume, fast paced work environments to assist customers for various benefits and services, while meeting and sustaining accuracy and productivity standards. While these positions work with families to help them find self-reliance, these are not social work positions and do not include long-term case management.

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.

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:

• We have one of the Nation's best state retirement systems (PERSI) that offers a lifetime benefit at retirement.
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid sick and vacation that begins accruing on your first day of employment; can be used immediately after accruing (no waiting time)
• Paid parental leave
• Medical, vision, and dental insurance benefits that become effective first of the month following your hire date. All contributions can be pre-tax (full-time/30+ hours per week)
• 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
• Additional perks and discounts available through medical provider
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Eligibility
• Employee assistance program

Additional information related to benefits and/or State programs can be found here: https://dhr.idaho.gov/StateEmployees/Benefits.html.*

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES:

Service Delivery/Eligibility Decisions

• Review and determine eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Child Care, cash assistance, and Health Care Assistance Programs.

• Apply process, procedures and overarching policy to determine eligibility via fact finding conversations with customers.

• Provide direct customer service either 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 communication skills such as effective listening, asking open ended questions, empathy and at times de-escalation.

Policy/Technical

• Gather, verify, interpret, and act on personal information from various sources to case actions.

• Learn, adapt, and maintain management systems to support workload activities and meet federally mandated outcome/reporting requirements.

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 experience OR completion 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.

Learn About a Career with DHW

***PLEASE NOTE: application assistance is not available after the business hours listed below, on the weekends, or on holidays and you must apply before 11:59 pm on the closing date. When applying, use CHROME as your browser to avoid complications.

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: dhwjobs@dhw.idaho.gov
PHONE: (208) 334-0681

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 (208) 334-2263 (TTY/TTD: 711), or email ada.coordinator@dhr.idaho.gov.

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