Benefits Access Specialist

Company Overview: Founded in 1957, Public Health Solutions (PHS) is the largest public health nonprofit organization focusing on New York City. PHS is improving health and creating opportunities to help NYC's vulnerable families and neighborhoods thrive. With two million New Yorkers living at or below poverty, PHS is at the forefront of tackling crucial public health issues including food and nutrition, health insurance access, maternal and child health, reproductive health, tobacco control, and HIV/AIDS prevention. Our approach is multi-pronged, innovative, and sustainable. We work directly in the community to provide health services to underserved families, and through our long-standing government partnerships, we are a critical link in providing financial support and management assistance to over 200 community-based organizations across the city's five boroughs. Program Description and Summary of the Position: PHS's Healthcare Community Partnerships (HCP) work aims to improve New Yorkers' social determinants of health - or the conditions in the places where people live and work that affect health risks and outcomes. We develop reliable connections between healthcare and community partners so that a person receives the right resources, in the right place, at the right time. We achieve this goal in two ways. First, our team members are culturally and linguistically competent and identify with the communities we serve. We help clients navigate through what can be a complicated health, services, and benefits landscape, step by step. Secondly, we support Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to participate in a closed-loop accountable "Community Resource Network" (CRN). PHS serves as the backbone for this CRN, providing network coordination, capacity building and technical assistance to various partners. One of our more recent projects is a partnership with the City of New York Human Resources Administration (HRA) in which we provide technical assistance to a portfolio of CBO partners facilitating public benefits outreach, engagement, application assistance and case management. Under the general supervision of the Project Manager, Benefits Access Partnerships, the Benefits Access Specialist will support the project liaising directly with CBO and HRA partners working to expand access to public benefits in the communities they serve. Specifically, the Benefits Access Specialist will: Under the general supervision of the Project Manager, Benefits Access Partnerships the Benefits Access Specialist will work in close collaboration with other PHS team members, CBOs, city and other technical assistance partners to: Provide government benefits subject matter expertise and advisory supporting training and technical assistance activities. Triage, review, and analyze case inquiries from CBO partners who are working directly with their clients to facilitate government benefits access. Document case inquiries, including steps taken by case worker and by the PHS team members. Troubleshoot case issues, including the identification of missing documents, missed interviews / appointments, etc. Ensure the appropriate release forms have been correctly completed, where applicable, for case inquiries escalated to PHS. Escalate requests to HRA/DSS. Monitor and communicate resolution progress. Support the planning and execution of benefit trainings and CBO convenings. Assist in developing training materials, presentations and other programmatic deliverables. Attend and actively participate in case check-ins and other meetings with DSS/HRA. Assist with the maintenance of documentation using various project management systems and tools. Assist project manager on special projects, as needed. Other duties as assigned. Qualifications and Requirements: High school diploma/GED; Associate's degree preferred. At least two years of case management experience. Direct experience and advanced knowledge in providing public benefits enrollment assistance and navigation. This includes, but is not limited to SNAP, Public Assistance, 'One-Shot-Deals,' HEAP, Fair Fares, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Savings Program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance, FHEPS/CityFHEPS, etc. Familiarity with public benefits policies, processes and technologies with a capacity and willingness to learn about additional / new benefit offerings. Familiarity with the overall landscape of noncitizen eligibility for public benefits. Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 Suite applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint and Outlook). Must be organized, detail oriented. Strong ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines. Excellent team player with the ability to work collaboratively both internally and externally to engage in consensus-based decision making. Dedicated to helping improve the lives of disenfranchised and marginalized communities. Ability to travel within the 5 NYC boroughs, as needed. Benefits: Hybrid Work Schedule. Generous Paid Time Off and Holidays. An attractive and comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental and Vision. Flexible Spending Accounts and Commuter Benefits. Company Paid Life Insurance and Disability Coverage. 403 (b) + employer matching and discretionary company contributions. College Savings Plan. Ongoing trainings and continuous opportunities for professional growth and development. At PHS, we place immense value on diversity within our teams, understanding that varied backgrounds and experiences significantly enhance our community and propel us toward our goals. If you find you don't have experience in all the areas listed above, we still encourage you to apply and share your background and experiences in your application. We are eager to discover how your unique perspective can bring positive transformations to our team and help advance our mission of creating healthier, more equitable communities. We look forward to learning more about you. PHS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and veterans. Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm 35 Hours per week

Created: 2024-11-05