Human Services Access Specialist

Position Title: MNsure Navigator – Service Access Specialist

THIS POSITION IS NOT REMOTE: EMPLOYEE IS TO REPORT TO THE PRIMARY OFFICE (BEMIDJI)

Primary Office Locations: Beltrami County Community Service Center Suite 222

616 Paul Bunyan Drive NW Bemidji MN 56601

*Note: Transportation to and from work is NOT reimbursed by the employer. When transportation between offices is necessary to ensure appropriate coverage of agency work; transportation between office sites only is paid by the employer.

Employment Status: 1 FTE (40 hours per week)

Wages: Hourly – with payment every 2 weeks

Starting wage: $21.00

After a 6-month probationary period approval: increase to $21.50 per hour

Wage increases will be considered each year as part of an annual evaluation.

Benefits (vacation/sick leave): Effective on the employee’s start date: pro-rated

VACATION: will be accrued at 8 hours per month or 3.69 hours per paycheck (pro-rated)

Up to 200 hours of accrued vacation time will be paid out at termination. Any vacation time over 100 hours at the end of each fiscal year will be forfeited unless pre-approved.

SICK PAY: Sick pay will begin accruing on the start date at the rate of 8 hours per month or 3.69 hours per paycheck. (pro-rated)

Sick pay will not be paid out at termination. Sick pay is capped at 320 hours.

SCHOOL LEAVE: Each employee is granted up to 16 hours of school leave each year so that they may participate in their child’s school conferences, school activities, or other educational activities. School leave must be requested and approved in advance.

PERSONAL DAYS: Personal days exist for the purpose of addressing personal issues; medical or mental health in nature. Each employee will be provided 1 day at the start of each fiscal year, January 1, a second is available on May 1, and a third is accrued on September 1 each year. Personal days may not be held over from year to year; they must be used, or they are lost. Personal days request approval in advance of use. (Personal days are pro-rated) It is recommended, but not required, that personal hours be used in a single day and not spread across several days.

PAID HOLIDAYS: The following days are paid holidays for all CRC Staff members:

New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving AND the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

HEALTH INSURANCE: No individual or family health insurance benefits are provided by CRC

AFLAC: CRC employees are provided access to AFLAC insurance enrollment at their discretion. CRC does

not pay the cost of employee chosen AFLAC policies but does provide the service of pre-tax enrollment and paycheck deduction. An AFLAC representative will review available policies with each new employee upon hire and review those policies in October (open enrollment season) each year. NOTED: Given the fact that CRC caps sick benefits at 320 hours – both short- and long-term disability policies are made available through AFLAC

RETIREMENT: Upon the 2nd full year of employment with CRC (Jan 1 – Dec 31), and on the employees start date anniversary, each employee is eligible for a retirement benefit equal to 5% of that employee's gross wage. The employee cannot match or pay into this retirement account – the entire 5% is paid by the agency on behalf of the employee.

Detailed Position Responsibilities

1. Provide Information, Referral and Advocacy services to the public and to professional service agencies in the 4-county area: Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, and Hubbard Counties in Minnesota.

2. Provide accurate, timely and consistent documentation and reporting.

3. Exhibit awareness and respect for the continuum of financial, cultural, racial, and personal lifestyle choices that exist among clients, co-workers, and the public.

4. Actively pursue increased awareness of area resources and how they operate.

5. Maintain regular office hours, welcoming walk-in clients and ensuring a comfortable environment for all people.

6. Demonstrate the ability to learn about, navigate and teach others to navigate the range of state and federal health care options including: Medical Assistance, Minnesota Care, Medicare, MnSure, and various tax credits available to Minnesotans as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

7. Demonstrate the ability navigate and teach others to navigate the Medicare system and related service systems.

8. Provide small group presentations concerning Minnesota Health Care options.

9. Attend required local, state, and federal trainings.

10. Participate in and/or facilitate agency projects including such things as the: Child Abuse Prevention

Council, Interagency Networking Meetings and/or others as assigned.

11. Demonstrate the ability to work with limited direct supervision

12. Work effectively as a team member, capable of putting others’ needs before your own.

13. Maintain office equipment

14. Follow the policies of the agency as they are laid out in the Employee Handbook and in subsequent policies approved by the CRC Board of Directors.

Basic Expectations of all CRC Staff Members

Create and maintain an office/working environment that is professional, functional, and welcoming

• Ensure that the office is child and parent friendly.
• Maintain brochures and reading material ensuring accuracy and timeliness of materials.
• Greet and treat every office visitor as though they were your only one.

Meet privately with people seeking resources through Service Access.

• Interview client(s) with the goal of helping them specify current and long-term unmet needs.
• Practice basic social work interviewing skills being mindful of personal limitations and professional ethics.
• Be mindful of the overall health of each client, de-escalating crisis situations as needed.
• Develop and maintain a knowledge base of community-wide agencies and programs.
• Ensure that personal and professional behaviors reflect cultural sensitivity.
• Uphold strict confidence; practice skills personally and professionally that reflect the fact that a person’s private information is safe in your care.
• Provide written, verbal, and supportive services as appropriate for clients.
• Help clients determine whether they need assistance making service contacts and/or completing applications. Offer use of organizational equipment (fax, copying, mailing) as needed.
• Prepare required Release of Information forms and obtain client signature prior to makingagency contacts for client.
• Advocate for clients by making agency service contacts where indicated, either to initiate service or to ensure that the client is receiving the service essential to success.
• Provide Service Access consultation and information to other professionals as requested.
• Provide outreach within assigned communities as directed by supervision.

Develop techniques for obtaining and maintaining resource information for self and coworkers.

• Seek out resources that are not familiar and continually update existing information.
• Deliberately form and maintain positive, service-focused relationships with management and staff at service agencies to accommodate and promote positive experiences for all clients.
• Facilitate networking groups, advisory teams and training events as assigned.
• Participate in and/or facilitate public speaking engagements, awareness events and trainings.
• Participate in personal and professional staff development activities as approved.

Work as a team member within the organization, recognizing the personal strengths and weaknesses of others as well as yourself.

• Attend staff meetings, share ideas on agency functioning, follow through on tasks as identified.
• Ensure cooperative efforts within the agency to maximize overall agency success.
• Participate in community and agency teams and meetings as assigned.
• Provide direction and support to volunteers furthering the mission of the agency.

Participate in securing and maintaining the financial stability of the organization.

• Participate in agency driven fundraising activities.
• Participate in grant applications through brainstorming, writing, reviews, and site visits.
• Participate in the planning and implementation of policies that lead the agency to financial security.