Administrative Assistant II - Housing for Health -Countywide Benefits Entitlement Services - Public Health Foundation Enterprises, In

Salary : $26.53 - $38.28 per hour

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Housing for Health (HFH) is a program office within Health Services Administration, a division under the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS).  HFH was created and put into implementation in support of the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative recommendations in response to and in support of the County’s effort to address and combat homelessness in the communities residing within the boundaries of the County’s eight Service Planning Areas (SPAs). 

The County-wide Benefits Entitlement Services Team (CBEST) is a program under DHS’ HFH and provides targeted benefit advocacy services to assist individuals, who are homeless or at risk of being homeless (e.g., individuals, families, children, Veterans, etc.) who have complex health and/or behavior health conditions, high utilizers of public services (e.g., Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health, Public Social Services, Children and Family Services, Military and Veteran Affairs, Sheriff; Los Angeles  Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), in obtaining sustainable income through government programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), and/or Veteran Disability benefits. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Administrative Assistant II (also referred to as “position”) will be responsible for providing an array of administrative, technical assistance, and specialized functions. The position will perform overall functions under HFH executive leadership, management, and/or administrative personnel (also referred to as “HFH personnel”) as required such as: managing, processing and moving CBEST client referrals (also referred to as “referrals” or “clients”) through the various steps of the CBEST program.  Specifically, the position will work directly with clients, ensuring clients are properly served and directed to the appropriate next step within the CBEST program, monitoring case progress, communicating with clients, Legal Services providers, Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) and/or Department of Health Services (DHS) clinicians, Social Security Administration (SSA), and SSA’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) office regularly and as needed. The position will report to HFH personnel as applicable.

The position may require frequent travel to all eight Los Angeles County Service Planning Areas to meet with and engage clients, attend various meetings with HFH personnel and/or HFH community/contracted agencies, and/or attend/participate at off-site HFH related meetings, conferences, etc. as applicable. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Regularly communicates with the clients regarding status update for the cases and assures that clients are aware of any necessary follow-up in order to ensure greatest likelihood of approval for disability benefits.
• Ensures clients are properly directed to the appropriate next step within the CBEST program and monitors successful case progress.
• Communicates regularly with referring partners, CBEST contracted partners, Social Security Administration (SSA), Disability Determination Services (DDS), and HFH staff as needed to support client needs, track application progress, ensure proper client service connection, etc.
• Accesses and utilizes HFH databases, e.g., Comprehensive Health and Accompaniment Management Platform (CHAMP), and other applicable databases on a regular basis to document/update client case notes.
• Gathers, copies, and uploads related clients’ case documents in CHAMP and/or places in the hard files.
• Travels to meet the clients at County buildings, contracted agencies, or makes arrangements to meet them at any other location convenient/desirable to the clients to collect documents and complete interviews for claims as needed.
• Communicates with HFH personnel in acquiring and securing housing opportunities for the clients as needed.
• Arranges with other County, governmental, public, non-funded private agencies/organizations to meet with client and/or serve the clients’ needs as needed in obtaining applicable items (personal items, medications, clothing, food, other client needs items as necessary, etc.) and transportation.
• Prepares, maintains, and updates clients’ hard case files/e-files and includes related to the cases all documents for review and record keeping purposes.
• Complies and adheres to County/DHS Internal and external audits/monitoring as needed; adheres to federal, state, County and city policies and guidelines and complies with accomplishing any assigned task/s on the job accordingly.
• Communicates verbally or via e-mail any case-related information to HFH personnel as needed.

• Acts as liaison between HFH personnel, HFH line staff, and any other county/contract staff; transmits verbal and written messages, and requests as needed.
• Accesses clients’ information through a variety of network databases as needed and adheres to confidentiality guidelines as applicable throughout the entire case duration.
• Gathers data for general information purposes or special reports, contacting other internal and external entities, personnel, etc. for additional materials as necessary.
• Provides data entry/input, compilation, and data retrieval on various HFH databases, programs, spreadsheets, systems, etc. as needed
• Assists with and/or prepares reports, documents, forms, spreadsheets for HFH personnel as needed; adheres to federal, state, county, and city policies and guidelines and complies with accomplishing any assigned task/s on the job accordingly.
• Frequent use of an array of Microsoft Office Suite software programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Adobe Reader, One Note, Outlook, Publisher, Skype, Outlook, etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned by HFH personnel.

Additional Duties (Team Specific) 

• Centralized Assessment Team
  • Receive training and guidance on the CBEST referral process from management.
  • Support the management team in the triaging, processing, and data tracking of incoming CBEST referrals.
  • Work with outreach team to identify and provide client level status updates on the progression of cases to referral partners as needed.
  • Consults with CBEST’s Legal Services Team in obtaining and/or verifying clients’ status related to legal documents (Identification Card, Birth Certificate, Immigration/Naturalization, Social Security, etc.) as needed.
  • Completes screening of non-medical eligibility for benefits in coordination with Centralized Assessment Team staff analysts; assists clients in contacting SSA as necessary to determine benefits eligibility status.

• Referral Team
  • Receive training and guidance on the CBEST referral process from management.
  • Support the management team in the triaging and data tracking of incoming CBEST referrals.
  • Work with outreach team to identify and provide client level status updates on the progression of cases to referral partners as needed.

• Applications Team
  • Receive training and guidance on the application process for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
  • Works directly with clients to process, complete, and submit initial SSI, SSDI applications to SSA and/or CAPI applications to DPSS.
  • Collaborates with CBEST Legal Services providers for quality assurance review of applications.
  • Regularly communicates with SSA, DDS, and/or DPSS offices/staff once applications have been submitted, and ensures deadlines are met, and necessary documents are submitted as applicable.
  • Reports to HFH personnel on the number of applications drafted and submitted on a consistent basis; acts as Appointed Representative for submitted disability benefits applications.
  • Coordinates with CBEST Benefits Advocacy Services (BAS) agencies, Centralized Assessment Team, Reconsiderations and Appeals Team, and CBEST leadership to ensure that client needs are met throughout the application process.
  • Tracks client assignments in CHAMP and enters data in appropriate HFH and CBEST databases as directed.
  • Collaborates with management on the compiling of reports.

• Reconsideration & Appeals
  • Receives training and guidance on the scope of CBEST legal services from management.
  • Reviews incoming referrals for legal services support, determines needs, and assigns for follow-up.
  • Completes calls to SSA as needed to determine clients’ current appeals status and benefits eligibility.
  • Completes appeals-level reconsiderations and hearings requests to SSA as applicable.
  • Submits appeals-level referrals to CBEST Legal Services providers on client’s behalf as applicable.
  • Supports Assistant Staff Analyst and Staff Analyst with assorted projects in systems improvement.
  • Collaborates with Reconsideration and Appeals management team to compile reports on LSV referrals and outcomes as needed.
  • Attends and compiles notes from meetings between CBEST management and LSVs as needed, documenting outstanding items for follow up and action. 

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, fosters teamwork; has excellent boundaries and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills, good at multitasking; works in a collaborative manner across the organization to achieve departmental and overall organizational goals.
• Ability to make thoughtful decisions and exercise sound judgment; be self-directed, assertive, resourceful and creative in problem solving.
• Ability to be a thoughtful listener and adept at capturing feedback; give and receive constructive criticism; use diplomacy in all aspects of the role.

Desirable Job Qualifications

• Experience working with individuals who are homeless or at risk of being homeless (e.g., individuals, families, children, Veterans, etc.) who have complex health and/or behavior health conditions and/or are high utilizers of public services.
• Experience in developing applications for clients applying for SSI, SSDI, and/or CAPI and providing case management services to such individuals.
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally in other languages, e.g., Spanish.

Education/Experience

Two years of experience in a staff capacity analyzing and making recommendations for the solution of problems of organization, systems and procedures, program, budget or personnel -OR- One year of experience analyzing and making recommendations for the solution of problems of organization, administration, budget, or personnel.

Certificates/Licenses/Clearances

• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related functions.
• Successful clearance of a Live Scan process with the County of Los Angeles.

Other Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Proficient skill set in using an array of Microsoft Office Suite software programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Adobe Reader, One Note, Outlook, Publisher, and Skype, etc.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Stand                                       Frequently

Walk                                        Frequently

Sit                                            Frequently

Handling / Fingering               Occasionally

Reach Outward                       Occasionally

Reach Above Shoulder           Occasionally

Climb, Crawl, Kneel, Bend     Occasionally

Lift / Carry                               Occasionally - Up to 15 lbs.

Push/Pull                                 Occasionally - Up to 15 lbs.

See                                          Constantly

Taste/ Smell                            Not Applicable

Not Applicable          Not required for essential functions

Occasionally             (0 - 2 hrs/day)

Frequently                 (2 - 5 hrs/day)

Constantly                 (5+ hrs/day)

WORK ENVIRONMENT

General office setting, indoors temperature controlled.

Heluna Health is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer that encourages minorities, women, veterans, and disabled to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)