Public Assistance Consultant

Are you a dedicated professional with a passion for leading teams, shaping policy, and delivering impactful client services? If so, check out this role where you can use your expertise in collaboration, technical proficiency, and advocacy to drive innovation and excellence in social service and assistance programs!

The State of Connecticut: Department of Social Services (DSS) is recruiting for a Public Assistance Consultant in the Division of Health Services, located at 55 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. This position is full-time, 40 hours per week; Monday - Friday.

About the Role
As a Public Assistance Consultant, you will play a pivotal role in crafting the future of health care services within the State of Connecticut. This is an outstanding opportunity to be part of an ambitious team committed to delivering flawless services and innovative solutions. You will be instrumental in ensuring the quality and efficiency of our health care programs, particularly within the Medicaid program administration. As Public Assistance Consultant, you will:

• Conduct audits and analyze data to uphold the highest standards of service through effective quality assurance activities.
• Develop policy directives and craft training materials to guide staff and collaborators in implementing health care programs successfully.
• Research and evaluate best practices to identify and recommend strategies for continuous program improvement.
• Assist in preparing, renewing, and amending federal Medicaid Waiver applications for submission to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
• Collaborate with colleagues across departments to promote a cohesive and inclusive approach to delivering health care services.

What We Offer

• A collaborative and inclusive work environment where your contributions are valued.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development within a world-class public service organization.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave.
• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.

We seek an exceptional social services professional with strong leadership, policy expertise, client advocacy, and collaborative skills to join our team. This role requires someone capable of supervising teams in specialized tasks such as eligibility determination and quality control, ensuring program compliance through effective monitoring and evaluation. Be part of our mission to prioritize client-focused services, promoting independence and self-reliance through direct assistance and case management, backed by strong decision-making skills. Together, we will maintain quality control, uphold program integrity, and deliver meaningful outcomes for those we serve.

• In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application. 

• Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page or view our tutorial. 

• The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.  
• In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.   
• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.  
• Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.  
• Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Liz Pinette at elizabeth.pinette@ct.gov.
• This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. 
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class. 
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov. 
• For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

In the Department of Social Services this class is accountable for coordinating program/policy planning, development, implementation and monitoring for a major agency project, program or initiative.

• Considerable knowledge of
  • social services programs; 
  • relevant state and federal laws, statutes, and regulations; 
  • principles of public administration; 
• Knowledge of community organizations and social service agencies; 
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills; 
  • oral and written communication skills; 
• Considerable ability to plan, organize, and coordinate complex programs; 
• Ability to interpret complex written material including legal narrative, legislation and regulations and assess the impact of these on programs.

Eight (8) years of professional experience in a social services program.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in a lead or consultative capacity with responsibility for case review and evaluation and/or technical policy interpretation and implementation.

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• A law degree or a Master's degree in public administration, public policy, or a closely related field may be substituted for the Special Experience and one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Experience in quality assurance activities which include; audit and data analysis.
• Experience writing policy directives and training materials.
• Experience researching and evaluating best practices.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.