Introduction
When you join the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) you join a team of more than 5000 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.
We 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.
This 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.
All approved candidates will be placed on this list of eligible candidates in one BestQualified 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.
GRADE
ASTD10
LOCATION OF POSITION
STATEWIDE
This 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.
Please indicate the counties in which you are willing to accept employment on your application.
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.
POSITION DUTIES
Examples of Work:
Learns to obtain verify and analyze information from custodial and noncustodial parents employers financial institutions private and governmental resources health insurance carriers and others and use that information to locate noncustodial parents establish paternity verify income and assets and determine the ability of noncustodial parents to pay child support and provide health insurance;
Learns to negotiate voluntary agreements for payment of child support and liquidation of arrears with custodial and noncustodial parents in accordance with State regulations and guidelines;
Learns 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;
Learns 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;
Learns 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;
Learns to investigate and resolve disputes resulting from license suspensions tax intercepts and other remedies used to enforce and collect child support;
Learns to initiate and negotiate establishment and enforcement of new or existing child support orders in outofstate cases;
Learns to prepare and present testimony for judicial and administrative hearings related to child support enforcement and collection;
Learns to prepare and review case records to ensure the validity of information to be presented in court by the legal services attorney;
Learns to maintain and update case records by using automated systems and case folder documents;
Learns to respond to inquiries from custodial and noncustodial parents employers courts public officials attorneys other State agencies and outofstate agencies in order to resolve issues related to child support cases;
Learns to coordinate genetic testing arrangements with certified medical facilities;
Learns to serve as liaison between Child Support Enforcement Administration and other State agencies local agencies the States Attorneys Office and the courts;
Learns 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 noncustodial parents other caretakers and children are protected and refer abused caretakers and dependent children to family shelters or other protective services;
May learn to assist at orientation sessions for new applicants or for noncustodial parents by presenting information about child support program services and related services that may be helpful;
May learn to represent the State as complainant in order to obtain or enforce court orders for support;
Performs other related duties.
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.
Education:Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.
Experience:Six months of public contact experience involving negotiatinginterviewing explaining information gathering and compiling dataperforming analysis of data writing correspondence and completingmathematical or legal tasks.
OR
Six months of general office retail food service construction trades or similar experience including data entry record filing andmaintenance multiline phone use general computer skills andemail software. General clerical data processing technical oradministrative experience is defined as work performing a variety of duties which are clearcut and typically found in office settings such as filing copying inputting data general computer skills anddirecting telephone calls.
OR
Six months of U.S Armed Forces military experience.
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 operators license valid in the State of Maryland.
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.
If you are in State service and are a promotional candidate your salary will be determined in accordance with State of Maryland guidelines.
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.
For 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.
BENEFITS
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS
The online application process is STRONGLY preferred. If you are unable to apply online you may mail a paper application and supplement questionnaire to: Attention: Cynthia McMillian Department of Human Services Examination Services Unit 25 S. Charles Street Room 1116F Baltimore MD 21201.
Or email ; voice.
All mailed documents must include the applicants name and the job number and must be received by 5 p.m. on the closing date. Resumes will NOT be accepted in lieu of completing the application.
If additional information is required the preferred method is to upload. If unable to upload please email requested information only to Only additional materials that are required will be accepted for this recruitment. All additional information must be received by the closing date and time.
TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay.
If you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about the online application system please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management Recruitment and Examination Division ator
As an equal opportunity employer Maryland is committed to recruiting retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the States diversity. People with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. We thank our Veterans for their service to our country.
Child Support Specialist Trainee
