State of Maryland

A Family Investment Specialist IV is the advanced and lead worker level of work providing specialized services in eligibility determination or quality assurance review of customer eligibility for Family Investment Administration (FIA) programs.  Employees in this classification in eligibility determination are assigned special, complex cases and in quality control review a monthly required number of cases processed by eligibility determination workers to assure accuracy and compliance with State and federal regulations.  Employees in this classification assign, review and approve the work of and train lower-level Family Investment Specialists.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Family Investment Specialist Supervisor or other higher-level administrator.  Employees may be required to work evenings and weekends and may be required to visit clients in their homes or at facilities such as nursing homes, group homes and hospitals.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the classification specification.

The Family Investment Specialist IV is differentiated from the Family Investment Specialist III Advanced and the Family Investment Specialist III Lead in that the Family Investment Specialist IV assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Family Investment Specialists and provides specialized services to customers and handles more complex cases while the Family Investment Specialist III Advanced provides specialized services to customers and handles more complex cases and the Family Investment Specialist III Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Family Investment Specialists.  The Family Investment Specialist IV is differentiated from the Family Investment Specialist Supervisor I in that the Family Investment Specialist Supervisor I has supervisory responsibility for one unit of lower-level Family Investment Specialists. 

Assigns and reviews the work of and trains lower-level Family Investment Specialists for completeness, accuracy, application of and compliance with State and federal policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations;

Provides specialized services in the Family Investment Administration (FIA) of the Maryland Department of Human Services in eligibility determination or quality control;

Reviews cases processed by eligibility determination workers for Public Assistance, Medical Assistance, Food Stamps or other services in the Family Investment Administration (FIA) of the Maryland Department of Human Services for quality control, reviews eligibility determinations for accuracy and compliance with State and federal policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations;

Calculates income and resources to verify benefit category and level;

Interviews clients to verify information in case records;

Contacts individuals, employers, landlords, attorneys, financial institutions, medical offices, and government and community agencies to obtain, verify or clarify information required for eligibility determinations such as income, resources, residency and household composition;

Contacts customers regarding discrepancies and refers questionable cases to the fraud unit for further follow-up;

Determines causes of errors in eligibility determinations and recommends corrective actions;

Reviews reports and applies that information to the review of eligibility determinations;

Records and updates information in automated databases and classifies and codes errors for statistical analysis;

Serves as an advocate on behalf of customers;

May prepare appeal packages or testify in administrative and appeals hearings;

May make home visits to customers’ homes to gather information;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the impact of poverty and related sociological and health problems;

Knowledge of Family Investment Administration programs, policies and procedures;

Knowledge of federal and State regulations relevant to determination of eligibility for public assistance;

Skill in the use of computer applications;

Skill in the use of interviewing and communication techniques;

Skill in understanding and explaining complex federal, State and local policy requirements, guidelines, procedures and regulations;

Ability to train Family Investment Specialists on policies, procedures and regulations;

Ability to assign and review the work of Family Investment Specialists;

Ability to interview customers to obtain factual information;

Ability to review the application of regulations for determining eligibility for services;

Ability to review the work of others for quality control and eligibility determination purposes;

Ability to collect and organize statistical information and prepare clear, concise reports;

Ability to effectively organize and manage work assignments and meet deadlines;

Ability to establish and maintain professional working relationships with customers, staff members, other agencies and institutions and the general public;

Ability to effectively organize and manage work assignments and meet deadlines;

Ability to maintain confidential case information.

Education:   An Associate of Arts degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Three years of experience determining eligibility for governmental assistance programs or monitoring compliance in those programs.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute additional experience determining eligibility for governmental assistance programs or monitoring compliance in those programs on a year-for-year basis for up to two years of the required education.

2. These requirements are established by the Family Investment Administration by authority provided in Human Services Article Title 5, Subtitle 2, Section 204, (b)(1) of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Office of Personnel Services and Benefits of the Department of Budget and Management and the Examination Services Unit of the Maryland Department of Human Services do not have the authority to accept substitutions or equivalents.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit F, Social and Human Services Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.