Benefits & Entitlement Specialist-(ESSHI) El Borinquen

Comunilife Inc. is looking for an experienced Benefits and Entitlement Specialist for its congregate program in the Bronx, El Borinquen. The El Borinquen Benefit Entitlement Specialist is responsible for ensuring clients have and maintain entitlements Benefits that may be needed include: Public Assistance, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Social Security Supplement Income/ Disability Insurance, Veteran’s Benefits and related support. The position offers a generous benefit package including health insurance, dental, vision, dependent care, paid time off, 401(k), tuition assistance program and more.

Essential Duties:

• Provide assistance in obtaining and maintaining all government benefits and services for which the client is potentially eligible. Assist clients who are incapacitated to handle their finances to apply for Representative Payee Designation. Also, seek, secure, and maximize all potential offsets, particularly by collecting that portion of income which is set aside by State and/or Federal authorities for rental payments from those clients receiving Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability, veteran’s benefits, or pensions that would be an offset against the amount Comunilife would receive from HRA pursuant to the program budget.
• Collaborate with HASA’s Entitlement Case Manager to ensure that available benefits/entitlements are accessible to clients
• Conduct initial assessments of current finances including sources of income, history/status of entitlements to determine eligibility in other systems.  Collaborate in the development of the service to identify long and short-term goals as it applies to benefits/entitlements
• Provide support services to clients, either in the client’s apartment or in Comunilife offices
• Responsible for conducting weekly seminars for clients/families
• Responsible for conducting in-service training for staff as needed
• In collaboration with vocational counselor provide counseling to clients regarding the benefits of employment and impact on entitlements (SSI/disability benefits); to explore additional resources such as HIV-AIDS ticket to work and SSA-Plan for achieving self support (PASS)

• Bachelors Degree with a minimum of one (1) to two (2) years experience working with homeless, people living with HIV/AIDS and lack of entitlements. Extensive knowledge of community resources; extensive knowledge of benefits and entitlements.
• Good initiative and learning ability of HRA guidelines, HIV benefits and entitlements regulations
• Communication skills (effective/active listening, verbal and written)
• Ability to perform multiple assignments simultaneously
• Community minded, patient, creative, flexible, compassionate and culturally sensitive to persons who are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, severe and persistent mental illness.