CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST TRAINEE

Introduction

\r\n\r\n�\r\nWhen you join the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), you join a team of more than 5,000 employees across the state dedicated to positively changing the lives of more than 1 million Marylanders each year. We do this by providing economic support, preventive services, and caring for children and adults.\r\n\r\n\r\n�\r\nWe aim to deliver services so that we more quickly meet the needs of the people we serve. At DHS, we grapple with hard questions to find new ways to foster a culture of bold innovation. We do this to ensure that in Maryland, we leave no one behind.�\r\n\r\n\r\nThis Statewide recruitment is being conducted to establish a list of eligible candidates to be used to fill current and future vacancies occurring in our Local Departments of Social Services and Regional Offices of Child Support throughout the State.��\r\n\r\n\r\nAll approved candidates will be placed on this list of eligible candidates in one Best-Qualified randomized scoring band for at least one year. Placement on this list is not a guarantee that you will be offered an interview for any given vacancy.\r\n\r\n�\r\n\r\n\r\nThis recruitment has been reopened to allow for additional application submissions. If you have already applied and been approved for this recruitment (25-004572-0001), please do not reapply; your application remains under consideration.\r\n

GRADE

ASTD10\r\n

LOCATION OF POSITION

STATEWIDE\r\n\r\n\r\nThis Statewide recruitment has been opened to establish a list of eligible candidates to be used to fill current and future vacancies occurring in our Local Departments of Social Services throughout the State.�\r\n\r\n\r\nPlease indicate the counties in which you are willing to accept employment on your application.\r\n

Main Purpose of Job

A Child Support Specialist Trainee is the entry level of child support work.� Employees in this classification learn to investigate and analyze child support cases and initiate appropriate actions to establish, maintain or enforce support payments for dependent children in accordance with applicable federal and State laws, rules and regulations.� Employees in this classification learn to perform duties related to establishing paternity and child support orders, negotiating agreements for child support payments and health insurance coverage and maintaining and enforcing the collection of current and past due amounts.� Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.\r\n

POSITION DUTIES

Examples of Work:\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to obtain, verify and analyze information from custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, financial institutions, private and governmental resources, health insurance carriers and others and use that information to locate non-custodial parents, establish paternity, verify income and assets and determine the ability of non-custodial parents to pay child support and provide health insurance;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to negotiate voluntary agreements for payment of child support and liquidation of arrears with custodial and non-custodial parents in accordance with State regulations and guidelines;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to initiate and prepare a variety of documents for administrative or court hearings, such as support payment modifications, wage withholdings, earnings assignments, interstate transmittals, subpoenas, bench warrants and show cause orders in order to collect current or past due child support payments;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to identify circumstances that contribute to a problem in collecting child support or providing health insurance coverage, determine which private and governmental services and programs, such as mediation services, employment and job counseling services, visitation access program or young fathers’ program address the problem and refer parents to those services and programs;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to monitor the receipt of child support payments and review case records and payment activities to determine the need for and type of enforcement activities warranted;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to investigate and resolve disputes resulting from license suspensions, tax intercepts and other remedies used to enforce and collect child support;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to initiate and negotiate establishment and enforcement of new or existing child support orders in out-of-state cases;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to prepare and present testimony for judicial and administrative hearings related to child support enforcement and collection;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to prepare and review case records to ensure the validity of information to be presented in court by the legal services attorney;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to maintain and update case records by using automated systems and case folder documents;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to respond to inquiries from custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, courts, public officials, attorneys, other State agencies and out-of-state agencies in order to resolve issues related to child support cases;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to coordinate genetic testing arrangements with certified medical facilities;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to serve as liaison between Child Support Enforcement Administration and other State agencies, local agencies, the State’s Attorney’s Office and the courts;\r\n\r\n\r\nLearns to place appropriate markers on case records in cases in which family violence or abuse has occurred, monitor the case to ensure that custodial and non-custodial parents, other caretakers and children are protected and refer abused caretakers and dependent children to family shelters or other protective services;\r\n\r\n\r\nMay learn to assist at orientation sessions for new applicants or for non-custodial parents by presenting information about child support program services and related services that may be helpful;\r\n\r\n\r\nMay learn to represent the State as complainant in order to obtain or enforce court orders for support;\r\n\r\n\r\nPerforms other related duties.\r\n

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must meet all minimum (and selective) qualifications to be considered, and to appear on the list of people eligible for hire. Please read all requirements before applying.\r\nEducation:���Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.\r\nExperience:�Six months of public contact experience involving negotiating,�interviewing, explaining information, gathering and compiling data,�performing analysis of data, writing correspondence and completing�mathematical or legal tasks.\r\nOR\r\nSix months of general office, retail, food service, construction trades or similar experience including data entry, record filing and�maintenance, multi-line phone use, general computer skills and�email software.� General clerical, data processing, technical or�administrative experience is defined as work performing a variety of duties which are clear-cut and typically found in office settings such as filing, copying, inputting data, general computer skills and�directing telephone calls.\r\nOR\r\nSix months of U.S Armed Forces military experience.\r\n

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.\r\n

SELECTION PROCESS

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment. All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date. We will not consider information submitted after this date. Successful candidates will be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the eligible (employment) list for at least one year.�\r\n\r\n\r\nIf you are in State service and are a promotional candidate, your salary will be determined in accordance with State of Maryland guidelines.\r\n

EXAMINATION PROCESS

The examination will consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience as presented on your application and as they relate to the requirements of the position. You may be asked to complete a supplemental questionnaire.� The supplemental questionnaire may be used as part of the rating process.� Therefore, it is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application.\r\n\r\n\r\nFor education obtained outside the U.S., a copy of the equivalent American education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service is required prior to hire.��\r\n

BENEFITS

As an employee of the State of Maryland, you will have access to outstanding benefits, including: health insurance, dental, and vision plans offered at a low cost. CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR MORE DETAILS:�STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS\r\n•\tPersonal Leave- new State employees are awarded six (6) personnel days annually (prorated based on start date).�\r\n•\tAnnual Leave – ten (10) days of accumulated annual leave per year.\r\n•\tSick Leave – fifteen (15) days of accumulated sick leave per year.\r\n•\tParental Leave – up to sixty (60) days of paid parental leave upon the birth or adoption of a child.\r\n•\tHolidays – State employees also celebrate at least twelve (12) holiday per year.\r\n•\tPension – State employees earn credits towards a retirement pension.\r\n•\tPositions may be eligible for telework.�\r\n

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

\r\n\r\n\r\nThe online application process is STRONGLY preferred. If you are unable to apply online, you may mail a paper application and supplemental questionnaire to, Department of Human Services, Examination Services Unit, 25 S. Charles Street, Suite 1100, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.\r\nOr email trelia.gunter@maryland.gov: Voice 410-767-7416, toll-free: 1-800-332-6347.�\r\n\r\nAll mailed documents must include the applicant's name and\r\nthe job number and must be received by 5 p.m. on the closing date.�Resumes\r\nwill NOT be accepted in lieu of completing the application.\r\nIf you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about the online application system, please contact the Maryland Department of Budget and Management, Recruitment and Examination Division, at 410-767-4850 or Application.Help@maryland.gov.�\r\nDo not submit unsolicited documentation.\r\n\r\nTTY Users: call via Maryland Relay\r\n\r\nAs an equal opportunity employer Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State's diversity. People with disabilities and bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.�\r\nWe thank our Veterans for their service to our country and encourage them to apply.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n