Human Services Specialist Level I/II (with Special Skills Classes)

About the role

Under general supervision, performs duties in the provisions of public assistance benefits and/or basic employment services to customers and facilitates referrals to available resources, and/or applies regulations and procedures to determine eligibility for one or more public assistance programs. Interfaces and coordinates with other department staff to provide customer services or to provide or clarify information.

Examples of knowledge and abilities

• Goals and objectives of public social services
• Various public assistance programs available to customers and associated rules and regulations
• Public transportation services
• Public and private community resources and their programs and processes
• Techniques for working with a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
• Applicable laws, rules and regulations governing the field of public welfare
• Interviewing techniques
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and other specialized applications related to area of assignment
• Basic arithmetic (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, percentages, ratios, and fractions)
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Signs of mental illness, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and child/elder abuse
• Principles of active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication, and non-verbal cues
• Effective case management and time management practices
• Principles and practices of effective customer service, including understanding, courtesy, diplomacy, empathy, concern, and politeness
• Confidentiality requirements
• Effective conflict resolution
• Communicate effectively with persons from a variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds
• Demonstrate empathy and understanding
• Read, interpret, apply, and explain complex rules, regulations, programs and policies
• Review output from State automated systems and determine when information is incorrect
• Adapt or modify approach based on customer's needs and/or situation
• Work effectively with people of diverse life styles and varying attitudes
• Interview effectively in a wide variety of circumstances and elicit sensitive information in an effective, but tactful manner
• Establish and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with customers, co-workers, other agencies and the general public
• Understand non-verbal cues and read body language
• Identify barriers to self-sufficiency and appropriate resources/referrals to address barriers, including difficult and sensitive situations
• Learn to recognize signs of child/elder abuse
• Learn to recognize signs of mental illness, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse, as it related to work assignment
• Maintain composure in stressful or difficult situations and diffuse upset or angry individuals
• Navigate through various database systems and effectively locate, enter, and retrieve information
• Research and find information on the internet
• Assist customers in attaining needed services
• Listen effectively
• Adapt to frequent changes and demonstrate flexibility
• Communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing
• Maintain appropriate boundaries with customers
• Independently initiate and respond to correspondence
• Reason logically, understand and follow complex instructions and procedures
• Compile various records and information accurately; evaluate the accuracy of information
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Effectively organize and prioritize work assignments
• Complete a high volume of work and meet deadlines amid multiple interruptions
• Keep accurate and orderly records
• Make arithmetical computations accurately and rapidly
• Maintain confidential information
• Identify potential fraud and respond appropriately

Minimum qualifications

Either: Successful completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter units from an accredited college or university with 24 semester or 36 quarter units in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Counseling or other field closely related to the intent of the class.

Or: Two years of full-time, paid experience with responsibility for one or more of the following: obtaining and recording factual information; explaining rules, regulations, policies, or procedures; decision making based on complex rules and regulations; and/or written and financial record keeping at a clerical or higher level.

Note: Related fields above may include Behavioral Science, Child Development, Community Health Education, Cultural Anthropology, Ethnic Studies, Family Studies, Gerontology, Human Development, Mental Health, and Public Health. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements. If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate/license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

General qualifications

• A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher, may be required at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Persons selected for employment must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 of the California Penal Code and Section 15630 of the Welfare and Institutions Code relating to child and elder abuse reporting.
• Some positions may require the incumbent to: be exposed to and/or interact with hostile, emotionally disturbed or mentally ill persons and/or confrontational interpersonal situations; work in dangerous, high crime areas of the community; work during non-routine hours, standby and/or callback; work in and around substandard living areas with exposure to common communicable diseases or conditions; work outside in all types of climatic conditions including inclement, very hot and/or cold weather; on a continuous basis, answer a high volume of telephone calls, and/or work in a call center environment.
• Special skills classes require sufficient knowledge to speak, read and write fluently a language other than Standard English; and/or knowledge of a multi-cultural group encompassing but not limited to: family member roles and living environments; the various characteristics or problems unique to the group in employment, education, health, economics and social customs; and current social movements involving the group. Incumbents use the specific language and multi-cultural knowledge in the performance of typical duties, incorporating this knowledge to appropriately serve customers and families in a manner that is culturally competent and affirming. In addition, incumbents translate and interpret using Standard English and a language other than Standard English, and act as a consultant to others regarding the specific multi-cultural group.

Pay

Level 1 - $4,786.74 - $5,818.58/month
Level 2 - $5,411.42 - $6,575.46/month

Positions in this class may offer differentials in Bilingual and Cultural Pay, Night Shift Pay, Specialized Units, Education and Certification Incentive Pay, etc.

Schedule and application filing

This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on: 7/27/26, 8/24/26, 9/21/26, 10/19/26, 11/16/26, 12/14/26, 1/11/27 (Final). Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Employment applications and all documentation requested must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Your application should highlight all relevant education and experience.

Probationary period for this classification is twelve (12) months.

This response is AI-generated, for reference only.