The Human Services Specialist Level I/II, under general supervision, performs duties in the provisions of public assistance benefits and/or basic employment services to customers and facilitates referrals to available resources, and/or applies regulations and procedures to determine eligibility for one or more public assistance programs. Interfaces and coordinates with other department staff to provide customer services or to provide or clarify information.
Positions in this class may offer differentials in Bilingual and Cultural Pay, Night Shift Pay, Specialized Units, Education and Certification Incentive Pay, etc. Please click (Download PDF reader)here to review the labor agreement for additional information.
Knowledge of
- Goals and objectives of public social services
- Various public assistance programs available to customers and associated rules and regulations
- Public transportation services
- Public and private community resources and their programs and processes
- Techniques for working with a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
- Applicable laws, rules and regulations governing the field of public welfare
- Interviewing techniques
- Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and other specialized applications related to area of assignment
- Basic arithmetic (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, percentages, ratios, and fractions)
- English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
- Signs of mental illness, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and child/elder abuse
- Principles of active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication, and non-verbal cues
- Effective case management and time management practices
- Principles and practices of effective customer service, including understanding, courtesy, diplomacy, empathy, concern, and politeness
- Confidentiality requirements
- Effective conflict resolution
Ability to
- Communicate effectively with persons from a variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds
- Demonstrate empathy and understanding
- Read, interpret, apply, and explain complex rules, regulations, programs and policies
- Review output from State automated systems and determine when information is incorrect
- Adapt or modify approach based on customer’s needs and/or situation
- Work effectively with people of diverse life styles and varying attitudes
- Interview effectively in a wide variety of circumstances and elicit sensitive information in an effective, but tactful manner
- Establish and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with customers, co-workers, other agencies and the general public
- Understand non-verbal cues and read body language
- Identify barriers to self-sufficiency and appropriate resources/referrals to address barriers, including difficult and sensitive situations
- Learn to recognize signs of child/elder abuse
- Learn to recognize signs of mental illness, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse, as it related to work assignment
- Maintain composure in stressful or difficult situations and diffuse upset or angry individuals
- Navigate through various database systems and effectively locate, enter, and retrieve information
- Research and find information on the internet
- Assist customers in attaining needed services
- Listen effectively
- Adapt to frequent changes and demonstrate flexibility
- Communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing
- Maintain appropriate boundaries with customers
- Independently initiate and respond to correspondence
- Reason logically, understand and follow complex instructions and procedures
- Compile various records and information accurately; evaluate the accuracy of information
- Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
- Effectively organize and prioritize work assignments
- Complete a high volume of work and meet deadlines amid multiple interruptions
- Keep accurate and orderly records
- Make arithmetical computations accurately and rapidly
- Maintain confidential information
- Identify potential fraud and respond appropriately
Minimum Qualifications
Either: Successful completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter units from an accredited college or university with 24 semester or 36 quarter units in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Counseling or other field closely related to the intent of the class.
Or: Two years of full-time, paid experience with responsibility for one or more of the following: obtaining and recording factual information; explaining rules, regulations, policies, or procedures; decision making based on complex rules and regulations; and/or written and financial record keeping at a clerical or higher level.
NOTE: Related fields above may include Behavioral Science, Child Development, Community Health Education, Cultural Anthropology, Ethnic Studies, Family Studies, Gerontology, Human Development, Mental Health, and Public Health.
APPLICATION
Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here to apply or go to www.SacCountyJobs.net.
