Benefit Planning Specialist

DESCRIPTION

Description

This position provides benefit planning services for consumers suffering from serious mental illness or emotional disturbance in a community setting. The main objective is to provide benefits counseling to help guide consumers interested in working. Must be able to understand and communicate the work incentives and support programs available to individuals with disabilities who receive financial supports or services, and the impact of work activity on those benefits.

Work is under the general review of an administrative superior, leaving considerable latitude for independent judgment and discretion within an established framework of policies and state regulations.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

Work may include but is not limited to the following examples:

• Completes face-to-face interviews and develops, in consultation with other staff, individualized treatment goals and objectives.

• Assesses and monitors consumer participation, progress, and adjustment against measurable recorded treatment goals.

• Must be able to understand and communicate the work incentives and support programs available to individuals with disabilities who receive financial supports or services, and the impact of work activity on those benefits.

• Assist beneficiaries to understand not only their benefits supports, but also how to utilize work incentives and other tools to assist them to achieve self-sufficiency through work.

• Help manage consumer benefits and healthcare coverage as the consumer increases hours and earnings.

• Help consumer’s learn how to submit work payment stubs to the Social Security Administration after they become employed.

• Must be familiar with terms such as the following , but are not limited to: Medicaid, Medicare, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Income (SSDI)…

• Assists the consumer in creating personal support systems including work with family members, legal guardians, or significant others regarding consumer treatment needs and abilities, problems, plans, goals, and progress.

• Provides individual assistance to the consumer to access and utilize a variety of community agencies, (e.g., mental health, health, public services, and other community resources), as clinically indicated including accompanying consumers to appointments to address needs, when indicated.

• Provides/arranges transportation for consumers as deemed clinically and programmatically necessary to attend the program and receive needed services.

• Intercedes on behalf of individual consumers within the community at large to assist the consumer in achieving and maintaining community adjustment.

• Trains, coaches and supports consumers in developing behaviors, abilities, and daily living skills that allow the consumer to fully participate in community living that may include housekeeping, cooking, personal grooming, accessing transportation, keeping a budget, paying bills and maintain an independent residence.

• Provides support to consumers experiencing acute psychiatric conditions or crisis.

• Monitors, evaluates, and records consumer progress with respect to treatment goals; maintains timely, legible, clear, concise, and well organized records of services provided, by using collaborative documentation.

• Must be able to use the agency electronic medical record program for all documentation. Is required to use collaborative documentation.

• Must adhere to the agency service hour requirements.

• Provides emergency assistance for the department’s clients by serving on a rotational on-call schedule beyond regular usual work hours.

• Attends multi-disciplinary treatment team meetings and provides information regarding consumer problems, progress, plans. Attends staff meetings and training as required.

• Develops and maintains professional rapport and relationships with consumers; develops and maintains professional, constructive and cooperative working relationships within the agency and with state and local public assistance and social service organizations.

• Remains alert during working hours and complies with attendance policies.

• Maintains the confidentiality of consumer information.

• Performs other related work as assigned.

EXAMPLES OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of behavioral sciences and allied disciplines involved in the evaluation, care and rehabilitation of persons suffering from mental illness or emotional disturbance.

Knowledge of case management methods, principles and techniques.

Some knowledge of community resources used in the provision of services.

Skill in resolving conflicts and negotiating with others.

Ability to manage a caseload of mentally ill or emotionally disturbed consumers;

Ability to collect and analyze information in making decisions concerning a consumer’s treatment.

Ability to act decisively when necessary to protect consumers; to make judgments about crisis and carry out appropriate course of action.

Ability to assist, and exercise tact, patience, and understanding of others.

Ability to work harmoniously with employees, consumers, consumer families, guardians, public agencies, and the general public.

Ability to communicate effectively, orally and through legible and clear writing.

Ability to be proficient in typing.

Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

Ability to recognize potential ethical problems and address in ethical manner.

Ability to plan and organize working time effectively.

Ability to perform with autonomy or with minimum direction.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

The following education and experience qualifications are the minimum requirement used to admit or reject applicants for consideration.

NECESSARY SPECIAL QUALIFICATION

• Will meet agency service delivery goals consistently.

• Will meet timeliness of service entry goals 90% of the time.

• Documentation will meet agency standards 95% of the time.