POSITION SUMMARY

The Benefits Specialist will work with homeless partner agency participants on screening and enrolling for eligible benefits, particularly Medi-Cal when eligible. This role involves ensuring participants receive the necessary support to access and maintain their benefits.

• Conducts self in a professional manner in areas of dress, language, attitude and behavior.
• Exhibits full knowledge and support of the philosophy and objectives of Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. (TTC).
• Fully understands and maintains policies regarding professional ethics, including client confidentiality practices, and HIPPA regulations. Safeguards a client’s right to confidentiality within the limits of the law.
• Inform clients about other services offered by TTC that may be appropriate for the client and or the client’s family members.
• Attends in-services trainings and educational workshops and completes the minimum yearly training requirements. Strives to maintain and improve professional knowledge, skills, and abilities. Represents TTC appropriately at community meetings and Tasks Forces.
• Attends all required staff and team meetings.
• Evaluates a clients progress (or lack thereof) on a continuous basis in order to guide service delivery. Cooperates and communicates fully with other staff on the treatment team regarding client behavior and progress activities.
• Works closely with the assigned client and or with other multi-disciplinary team members (as appropriate) to develop a comprehensive Benefits Service Plan (BSP) and ensures that all identified problems are addressed.
• Is responsible for providing advice, referrals, and other assistance necessary to carry out the BSP after it has been developed. Bases all services on a truthful assessment of a client’s situation and maintains follow-ups.
• Provides clients with referrals outside the Benefits Specialty scope of work, such as Case Management, Mental Health, Medical, Housing Case Management, and ensures that those referrals are successfully linked.
• Facilitates discharge-planning efforts, commencing at time of admission on all assigned clients, including aftercare, etc.
• Serves as a client liaison within the agency and with outside entities as needed, in order to facilitate in the resolution of legal, financial, housing, medical, psychiatric and discharge planning issues.
• Provides regular, comprehensive progress note charting in the client’s record which documents contacts, progress towards goals indentified in the BSP, program participation, referrals, application assistance, discharge planning and other Benefit Specialty activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned by Director, Program Supervisor and/or Administration.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES (HIV programs):

• Respects the inherent dignity of each person living with HIV they serve. Services will be client driven, aiming to increase a client’s sense of empowerment and self advocacy.

EXPERIENCE (all programs)
BA/BS/BSW degree in an area of human services and/or certification in self-insurance liability; OR a high school diploma (or GED equivalent) and at least one year experience as a Benefits Specialist/Case Manager, OR have worked at least three years within a related health services field and assisted clients with accessing public benefits and entitlement programs.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES (all programs)

• Expected to obtain program specific enrollment worker status or certification within three (3) months of being hired unless indicated otherwise by the program’s Director.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES (HIV programs)

• Expected to successfully complete the Office of AIDS Program and Policy (OAPP) Benefits Specialty Certification Training Program within three months of being hired. In addition, Specialist will successfully complete certification in CARE/HIPP and ADAP within six (6) months of being hired, as well as any requisite training as appropriate unless indicated otherwise by the program’s Director.