Eligibility Specialist I/II

Definition & Distinguishing Characteristics

Have you always had a passion for helping others? Do you enjoy being actively involved in assisting individuals to achieve positive outcomes that make their lives better? Then Colusa County Department of Health and Human Services is the place for you! We have an exciting opportunity to join our team as an Eligibility Specialist I/II.

We are the largest department in the county, with over 80 staff members. Our agency serves Colusa County residents by administering social services programs, including CalWORKs, CalFresh, Medi-Cal, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Adult and Children’s Services, Public Health, and Housing. We have a strong leadership team that provides ongoing support for daily operations and helps our employees reach their full potential. If you're interested, check out the job description HERE.

There are two (2) positions available that can be filled at any level, depending on the qualifications of the successful applicants. This recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies and establish an eligibility list to fill other openings without reposting.

What's This Job All About?

As an Eligibility Specialist, you will determine initial and continuing eligibility for public assistance benefit programs such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and CalWORKs to assist community members in need. You will gather personal information from applicants and beneficiaries through face-to-face interviews, telephone contact, or mailed correspondence, and enter the information into multiple computer systems. You will process initial applications, monitor and administer an assigned caseload, field customer phone inquiries, and perform other specialized work as assigned. You will handle a high volume of deadline-driven work while complying with changing State and Federal regulations and procedures.

At the Department of Health and Human Services, we work a 37.5 full-time work week, with the option of a flex-schedule and potential upcoming opportunities to work remotely 1-2 days per week (depending on position). This allows our staff to find a work-life balance that best fits their needs. Our staff enjoy coming to work, where every day is different, and they have the opportunity to impact members of our community by providing excellent customer service and access to available services.

Ethical Challenges Faced by Eligibility Specialists

As an Eligibility Specialist, you may be required to take actions that conflict with your values. An Eligibility Specialist must be able to accept clients' differences and interact with them in a non-judgmental manner. Some of the controversial issues encountered in an Eligibility Specialist environment include:

• Granting Medi-Cal for clients requesting abortions
• Granting Medi-Cal to minors without their parents' knowledge
• Clients with AIDS and other communicable diseases
• Clients who have substance abuse dependency
• Clients who are domestic violence victims
• Clients who are mentally ill
• Clients with felony convictions
• Homeless individuals and families
• Elderly and/or disabled clients placed in long-term care facilities
• Mandatory report of child and adult abuse
• Clients whose lifestyle, culture, and/or values may be significantly different than your own

Embracing the Colusa County Work Culture:
Working for Colusa County offers a unique work lifestyle that blends professional fulfillment with the tranquility of working in a rural and beautiful environment. Our county agencies take pride in our ability to work as a team. We have a collaborative and positive work environment where everyone has something to contribute, and everyone matters!

How do we make a difference? Department of Health & Human Services employees are dedicated to serving Colusa County residents by offering services that improve their health, promote their well-being, and help them become productive and independent contributors to our community.

Retention and Recruitment Incentives Pilot Program
This program was designed to attract and retain top talent and offers incentives ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 for new hires and existing employees, marking key milestones in their tenure, to be paid as detailed below . This is a pilot program, subject to evaluation and potential adjustments. The Board of Supervisors retains the right to rescind the program based on its effectiveness and impact.

What are the benefits?

• A beautiful, safe community in which to work and serve.
• A caring, empathetic, & fun work family that you will be welcomed into - where we work hard, but play hard, too!
• A job with WORK-LIFE BALANCE!
• Competitive salary commensurate with education & experience
• A LIFETIME PAYCHECK (3% @ 60 for Classic Members and 2% @ 62 for New Members)- As long as you work for 5 years and vest in the CalPERS system, you will receive a retirement paycheck for the rest of your life.
• Amazing health care BENEFITS at NO COST to you - Unless you choose a premium health care plan.
• Authentically kind and engaged leadership who truly enjoy developing staff.
• Deferred Compensation.
• PAID vacation, PAID holidays off, and PAID leave if you get sick.
• Vacation Parity - Previous service with a public agency counts towards vacation accrual at Colusa County. A public agency includes cities, counties, districts, military and similar entities. To learn more about vacation parity please see our benefit summary.

COLUSA COUNTY CARES: NURTURING HEALTH, EMPOWERING LIVES!

Supervision & Examples of Duties

Incumbents in the Eligibility Specialist I/II classification receive supervision from an Eligibility Supervisor and may receive lead direction from an Eligibility Specialist III.

Qualifications

Eligibility Specialist I:

Two years of experience performing clerical duties;

OR

One year of experience determining eligibility for loans, financial assistance, unemployment, or veterans' benefits, or publicly or privately funded health, counseling or social services,

OR

Completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter college units. Some positions may require possession of special language and culture skills as a bona fide qualification's standard. In these cases, candidates must demonstrate that they possess the required skills.
Eligibility Specialist II:

One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties comparable to the Eligibility Specialist I classification. Some positions may require possession of special language and culture skills as a bona fide qualification's standard. In these cases, candidates must demonstrate that they possess the required skills.

Supplemental Information

Eligibility Specialist Salary Ranges based on a 37.5 work week.
Eligibility Specialist I: $3,224-$5,291
Eligibility Specialist II: $3,560-$5,842

The salary range above consists of 15 steps. Steps 1-6 are annual merit steps with approximately 5% difference between each step, based on successful performance. Steps 7-15 are additional merit steps, requiring 2 years of satisfactory performance at the previous step. Steps 7-14 provide 2.5% increases, while Step 15 offers a 5% increase. The final salary offered will depend on the applicant's experience and qualifications, ranging from steps 1 to 15.

Colusa County offers an excellent benefit package. For a summary of benefits, please click here: 2025 Benefit Summary

Closing Date/Time: 7/27/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Colusa

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