Eligibility Worker

The HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA) is the primary mechanism within the Human Resources Administration/Medical Insurance and Community Services Administration to expedite access to essential benefits, services, and care to more than 31,000 men, women, and children with AIDS, advanced HIV illness, or HIV infection, as well as 14,000 affected family members.

The HIV/AIDS Services Administration provides its clients with medical, social, financial, and vocational services. The program provides financial entitlements (cash assistance, housing, subsidies, and nutrition and transportation benefits), direct linkages to food stamps, transitional and permanent housing, health insurance, home care and vocational counseling/rehabilitation, job training and placement services. HASA receives requests for program admission primarily from hospitals, community agencies, physicians, correctional facilities, community health centers, and drug treatment programs.

HASA is recruiting for three (3) Eligibility Specialist to function as an Eligibility Worker who will:

- Perform initial assessment and recertification interviews to document mandated information. Conduct thorough interviews to determine continued financial eligibility and the issuance of accurate benefits per agency guidelines. Clearly explain all case actions to participants

- Determine initial and continuing eligibility for HASA services by using automated computer systems such as: Welfare Management Systems (WMS), Paperless Office Systems (POS), HASA WEB.

- Authorize statistical and financial changes in assistance and/ or budgets resulting from valid information received and prepare all required forms to effect processing for Cash Assistance, Medicaid, and SNAP.

- Review pertinent consumer data from HASA databases, State Welfare Systems. Submitted documentation, computer printouts, matches and files, to enter client specific information into systems and process clearances as they develop.

- Prepare detailed write-ups on case decisions and histories utilizing POS system as mandated to support eligibility decisions made on actions rendered for ongoing or one-shot deal cases.
- Authorize statistical and financial changes in assistance and/ or budgets resulting from valid information received and prepare all required forms to effect processing.

- Maintain a caseload by managing time effectively including Face-to Face recertification interviews, participants' appointment schedules, processing paperwork, training, and meetings.

- Accurately complete Fair Hearing/Aid to Continue compliance and resolutions within prescribed deadlines.

- Complete agency forms to facilitate the appropriate issuance of benefits and participants notification.

- Generate appropriate referrals and schedule appointments

- Liaisons with utility companies on behalf of clients in regard to inquiries, utility shut offs and funds due to these sources.

- Evaluate consumers to verify if they meet the specific mandated requirements for various special grants: rehousing, furniture, clothing, and utility connection fees; for those meeting minimum requirements appropriate procedures are completed.

- Prepare daily transmittals on case actions for supervisor's weekly reports.

ELIGIBILITY SPECIALIST

1. Completion of 60 semester credits at an accredited college; or
2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and two years of full-time satisfactory experience in one or more of the following areas; performing the work described below:
a. Interviewing, gathering information and/or preparing necessary documentation for the purpose of making decisions concerning eligibility for public assistance or unemployment, health benefits, social security, casualty, property or liability insurance, or other similar benefits; or
b. Performing bookkeeping, bank teller duties, housing office teller duties, purchasing agent, assistant store manager, sales representative responsible for accounts, or customer service representative responsible for making determinations; or
c. Dealing with social service agencies or aiding individuals in solving housing, social, financial or health problems as a community organization representative; or
3. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience equivalent to "1" or "2" above. College education may be substituted for the experience in "2" above on the basis that 30 semester credits from an accredited college may be substituted for each year of required experience. However, all candidates must have at least a four year high school diploma or its educational equivalent.
Special Note
Work experience which provides only incidental opportunities to perform the job duties as described in "2a", "2b" and "2c" above are not acceptable for meeting the minimum qualification requirements. Examples of unacceptable work experience include, but are not limited to, experience as a token clerk, check-out clerk, sales clerk, teacher's aide, cashier, receptionist or secretary.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.