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Putnam County

Personnel Department

SOCIAL SERVICE SPECIALIST (TRAINEE) (SPANISH SPEAKING)

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS Under supervision from a higher-level employee, incumbents of this class serve as a trainee, learning the principles, practices and procedures of public sector social services case management, as well as acquiring the skill and abilities necessary to provide these services and apply these skills and knowledges to handling an assigned case load. Appointees to this class are provided training for a period of one year, consisting of on‑the‑job as well as classroom/workshop instruction designed to provide the essential knowledges, skills and abilities toward fulfilling the full responsibilities of the position. Trainees receive instruction on the mission and organization of the department, the legal and theoretical framework of departmental programs, with special attention to federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations and program eligibility criteria. Initial assignments will involve predominantly case load maintenance activities but as experience in the Social Service programs is gained, the workload and the complexity of the duties will increase. Eventually greater independence will result with the individual becoming familiar with the delivery of a myriad of financial service programs including public assistance, medical assistance and food stamps. Upon the successful completion of the one‑year training program, the employee is promoted to the full performance position of Social Service Specialist (Spanish Speaking) without further examination.  Supervision is not a function of this class. Performs related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:  (Illustrative only)

  • Receives On‑The‑Job Training and Classroom/Workshop Instruction In:
  • Investigation and interviewing procedures, practices and techniques;
  • Federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and program eligibility criteria;
  • Conducting investigations including in-depth interviews to elicit sufficient information to approve, deny or determine feasibility of establishing a financial service program;
  • Making appropriate referrals for other services;
  • Contacting, by mail and telephone, a variety of sources to document information on applications;
  • Initiating necessary transactions caused by a change in the client's personal, family or financial situation consistent with established laws, rules and regulations and procedures;
  • Meeting with clients for recertification purposes and, under close supervision, the handling of emergency situations;
  • Clearing cases with other agencies and obtaining medical, education and vocational data;
  • Informing and advising applicants/recipients on the services provided by the agency and on related services provided by other agencies;
  • Making contact with public utilities, landlords and employers, as needed;
  • Referring cases for further investigation when fraud is suspected;
  • Entering case information into electronic data system for budget computation and case management purposes;
  • Completing a variety of reports as necessary;
  • Performs a variety of related activities as required.

Typical Work Activities are intended only as illustrations of possible types of work that might be appropriately assigned to an incumbent of this title. Work activities that do not appear above are not excluded as appropriate work assignments, as long as they can be reasonably understood to be within the logical limits of the job.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:  Thorough knowledge in speaking, writing, reading, understanding and translating Spanish.  Ability to learn, interpret and apply detailed written policies, procedures and regulations; ability to manage time effectively; ability to organize facts and information logically; ability to analyze and evaluate numerical and written material; ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; ability to establish rapport with persons from various ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds; ability to interact calmly with people who are under physical or emotional stress, or who are facing other emergency situations; ability to deal tactfully with others; patience; good judgment; integrity.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Associate's degree. 

PLEASE NOTE: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education.

TRAINEE NOTE: Candidates who lack an Associate's degree or its equivalent may be appointed provided they will attain the degree within one (1) year of appointment.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Candidates must be fluent in understanding, speaking, reading, writing and translating Spanish.
  2. Access to transportation may be required to complete possible field work assignments in a timely and efficient manner.

 

6/02; 1/09

Competitive Class

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Mission Statement

Our mission is to administer, in a fair and equitable manner, the provisions of New York State Civil Service Law and Putnam County Civil Service Rules with respect to the offices and employments in the classified service of Putnam County and the civil divisions therein, which include the towns, villages, school districts, libraries and special districts.

It is Putnam County Personnel Department’s responsibility to ensure Putnam County taxpayers of a public workforce qualified for their jobs pursuant to the principles of selection according to merit and fitness as set forth in Article 5, §6 of the New York State Constitution.

  • Paul Eldridge

    Personnel Officer

Putnam County Office Building

40 Gleneida Avenue
Carmel, New York 10512

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