What are the responsibilities and job description for the Benefits Specialist position at Rhode Island College?
Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities is seeking to hire a full-time Benefits Specialist, Bi-lingual,
to join an established team of employment staff to support the Sherlock initiatives related to the employment of individuals with disabilities. Individuals in this position provide benefits counseling to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries who are English and/or Spanish speaking. Benefits Counseling will be conducted individually or in groups, educating individuals with disabilities about how employment affects their current benefits (which can also include public and private health insurance as well as other federal, state, and/or local benefits received). In addition, a Specialist collaborate, and support efforts related to employment related training, technical assistance, information development, promoting access to integrated employment for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities or other disabilities.
Primary Purpose
to join an established team of employment staff to support the Sherlock initiatives related to the employment of individuals with disabilities. Individuals in this position provide benefits counseling to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries who are English and/or Spanish speaking. Benefits Counseling will be conducted individually or in groups, educating individuals with disabilities about how employment affects their current benefits (which can also include public and private health insurance as well as other federal, state, and/or local benefits received). In addition, a Specialist collaborate, and support efforts related to employment related training, technical assistance, information development, promoting access to integrated employment for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities or other disabilities.
The Benefits Specialist is responsible for counseling and educating Social Security Administration beneficiaries, individually or in groups, about how employment will affect their current benefits (including public and private health insurance as well as other federal, state, and/or local benefits received).
Essential Duties
- Provide individual benefits counseling and group information sessions that promote employment and to share accurate information about federal, state, and local benefits, including the Ticket to Work Program
- Gather eligible beneficiary information and develop individualized and comprehensive Benefits Summary and Analysis reports and Individual Work Incentive Follow-up Plans.
- Provide monitoring and assistance to beneficiaries to support the Work Incentive Follow-up Plan.
- Follow established protocols and procedures to ensure Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is kept confidential.
- Provide accurate and timely reporting of required case management and data for the program and Sherlock Center.
- Maintain effective relationships with Social Security Administration personnel (e.g., Area Work Incentive Coordinator, Work Incentive Liaisons, and local field office personnel) and state and community agencies (e.g., Employment Networks, vocational rehabilitation administrators and counselors, America’s Job Center, advocacy groups, Medicaid, PABSS, Community Partner Benefit Counselors).
- Keep current on local, state, national trends and best practices related to the field of work incentive information, benefit counseling and financial literacy.
- Maintain required certification credits.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Director, Paul V. Sherlock Center. Contribute to, coordinate, or facilitate related projects or activities that support the Sherlock Center, such as, but not limited to, research, models of service, information dissemination, training, and technical assistance.
Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Knowledge of federal, state and local benefits programs, work incentives, and workforce initiatives and resources impacting employment of people with disabilities.
- Strong verbal and written communication, counseling, and evaluation skills.
- Ability to research and analyze complex information and to communicate findings in plain language.
- Demonstrated computer skills (e.g., Office 365, Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom).
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team to achieve Sherlock Center and program goals.
- Ability to occasionally work in the evening and on weekends.
- Ability to travel to meetings and events off campus.
- Associate’s degree.
- 1 years’ experience supporting adolescents or adults with intellectual and developmental or other disabilities.
- Must possess or be eligible for Community Work Incentives Counselor Certification from approved SSA program; certification must be obtained within 6-9 months from date of employment Training provided.
- WIPA required Social Security Administration (SSA) Suitability Clearance must be obtained, within 6-9 months from date of employment.
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Three or more years’ experience working as a Certified Work Incentives Benefits Specialist.
- One or more years’ experience with program supervision or development.
- Lived or professional experience with disability.
- Knowledge of American Sign language.
The employee is not exposed to known adverse environmental conditions.
