LEAP Benefit Specialist

Position works in the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) to determine eligibility for assistance with heating costs.

General Statement of Duties

• Assists clients in completing forms; secures verification of eligibility factors, income, resources, identity, age citizenship, residence, social security number.
• Conducts outreach regarding regulations and benefits to the community.
• Assesses needs and makes referrals for other services in the department or in the community.
• Determines eligibility for LEAP by interpreting rules, regulations, and policies governing decision making. Assesses client's needs and determines financial eligibility.
• Distributes weekly child care payment summaries and monthly child welfare child care totals.
• Coordinates with utility vendors to guarantee payments in emergencies and to avert shutoff of services.
• Check applications received against records on file to eliminate duplication.
• Clarifies and interprets appeal rights and procedures to the client.
• Identifies the need for recovery of funds and for referral for fraud investigation; prepares for and represents the department in evidentiary hearings prepares appropriate documents related to recoveries and supplemental payments.
• Distributes applications and outreach materials to various locations in the county.

This position also serves as back up to reception to Child Welfare staff and Administration.

• Provides routine information over the phone and to individual visitors.
• Assists in leaving messages when employees are not available. 
• Places calls to obtain information, receives calls and connects callers.
• Greets individual visitors and refers them to proper staff.
• Enters information into CHATS and Trails for exempt child care providers and maintains provider files.
• Enters all Fiscal Agreements into CHATS for child care payments. 
• Calculates payment detail of manual claims for child care providers.
• Covers reception duties for other units/departments as needed.
• Processes incoming mail.
• Determines appropriate routing of written communication or documents based on subject matter content.
• Attends unit meetings and in-service training sessions when required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements and Difficulty of Work

• Knowledge of LEAP eligibility rules and regulations and knowledge of basic arithmetic.
• Knowledge of CBMS, CUBS, Child Support, and LEAP screens. Verbal communication skills are important to explain program requirements to applicants and to keep supervisor informed of problems.
• Ability to compose correspondence.
• Organizational skills to keep applications and paperwork orderly and up-to-date.
• Ability to interview individually and in a group setting.
• Ability to implement changes in the rules and regulations.
• Ability to screen clients to assess immediate and emergent needs.
• Tolerance, patience, understanding of clients and the negative circumstances, that bring them in to apply to assistance.
• Position functions at a journey level and has sufficient knowledge of LEAP regulations to work independently.

Responsibility

• Independent judgment is required in making eligibility determinations, using a variety of sources for necessary information. 
• The technician approves/denies applications with the supervisor reviewing decisions. 
• Work requires correct application of rules and ability to gain accurate information from clients, other agencies and businesses.
• Mathematical errors in determining income or small procedural errors in completing worksheets are detected by the supervisor.

Personal Work Relationships

• Daily contacts are made with the public, applicants, utility vendors and other social services agencies and staff to expedite payment to clients.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: AA in Business related field and
• Experience: Two years in job related field
• Substitution: Experience in related job field may substitute for the required education.

Special Requirements

• Valid Colorado State Driver's license and insurance
• Reliable transportation

Essential Functions of the Job

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The work is performed in a standard office environment requiring normal physical effort. 
• Requires sitting for extended periods of time, and occasional walking. 
• Requires dexterous use of both hands. 
• Requires corrected vision and hearing. 
• Specific vision abilities by this position include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. 
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. 
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.

Policy Requirements

• Formal application, rating of education and experience; written exam; oral interview and reference check.
• Job related tests might be required.
• Employment is contingent upon the applicant passing a pre-employment medical physical and mandatory drug test.
• Verification of any combination of driving record, criminal history and/or workers' compensation history.
• No medical inquiries will be made or workers' compensation information gathered until a conditional job offer has been given to the applicant.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.