Benefits Specialist - Health Professional II at Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Fort Logan
Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado/jobs/newprint/5079067)
Apply
?
Benefits Specialist - Health Professional II at Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Fort Logan
Salary
$46,238.40 - $82,222.40 Annually
Location
Denver, CO
Job Type
Full Time
Job Number
IIC-04134 9/12/2025
Department
Colorado Department of Human Services
Division
OBH - CMHIFL
Opening Date
09/12/2025
Closing Date
9/26/2025 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA
Determined by Position
Type of Announcement
This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address
3520 West Oxford Street, Denver , CO 80236
FLSA Status
Non-Exempt; position is eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information
Jeru Marshall: jerusalen.marshall@state.co.us
Salary Note
Although the full salary range for this position is provided, appointments are typically made at or near the range minimum.
How To Apply
Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.
Description
Benefits
Questions
Department Information
This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefits package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details! (https://dhr.colorado.gov/state-employees/state-of-colorado-employee-benefits)
About Fort Logan
Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Fort Logan (CMHHFL) is one of two state hospitals serving our community. The vision of CMHHFL is to provide the highest quality mental health services to persons with complex, serious, and persistent mental health illness within the resources available. Our mission is to support those individuals in achieving their recovery goals and reaching their full potential. CMHHFL provides inpatient treatment to adult patients, generally between the ages of 18-49. The hospital has 94 adult inpatient beds, over four treatment units and opened an additional 44 beds (two units) in December 2022, with one unit currently occupied, the other unit awaiting occupancy. These two forensic units will be dedicated to providing psychiatric stabilization and restoration treatment to individuals opined incompetent to proceed as a result of their mental illness. Medical services, o ccupational therapy, neuropsychological-rehabilitation services, and trauma-informed care services are available for all patients throughout the hospital.
Through our core values, CMHHFL staff is committed to:
Individual dignity and respect
Person-centered, evidence-based care
Trauma informed recovery
Multidisciplinary collaboration
Diversity and inclusion
Strong family and community partnerships
Each treatment unit provides psychiatric treatment services to adult clients through the use of a Milieu Treatment Program based on models of milieu therapy and group therapy. The focus of treatment is ongoing assessment and interventions designed to assist individual clients to resolve the specific problems that brought them to the hospital and to return them to the least restrictive environment in the community. Approaches are strength-based, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented enabling patients to learn more effective coping and living skills in order to function more effectively in the community upon discharge from the hospital. The psychiatric care and treatment modalities include milieu management, group therapy, activity therapy, health education and medication management with the goal of providing a consistent and safe environment for clients and to assist them with the amelioration of presenting problems and symptoms and improve problem-solving and coping skills.
Opt-in below to receive text message updates on CDHS recruiting events!
CDHSCareer
Description of Job
About this Position:
This position is the centralized specialist responsible for all applicable financial and medical benefits (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security Insurance (SSI), Social Security and Disability Insurance (SSDI), Veterans Administration (VA), etc.) are applied for, secured, and maintained for all CMHH-FL patients in need of such resources. The social work team will support identification of needs and assistance on an as needed basis. This position will serve as the liaison between CMHH-FL staff and community stakeholders. This position requires specialized knowledge regarding the benefits application process and system in order to independently secure benefits in a timely manner, which includes acquisition forms, submissions processes, and subsequent collaboration with our medical records department, and ability to navigate an electronic health record (EHR). This position will engage in problem solving and critical thinking to ensure submissions are completed. Patients in need of such resources will be identified and this position will communicate the status of such applications to the treatment team on a regular basis. It is expected this position will develop working relationships across treatment teams and with various community stakeholders. This position works closely with treatment teams, social workers, patients, community benefits agencies, and requires skilled interpersonal communication. This position is responsible for educating and collaborating with the clinical services team regarding benefits and proactively identifying and resolving potential barriers. This position will require case coordination skills, identification and development of process and procedure, apply critical thinking and analytical skills, and communicate effectively with others. This will include determining how to create and coordinate tracking processes to ensure timely approval of patient benefits and ongoing cross departmental training. Lastly, this position analyzes problematic cases by anticipating barriers, assessing each barrier, and reaching conclusions that may result in new internal processes, systems, or education.
Duties may include:
Benefits Determination and Planning:
Requires enough experience and comfort level working in an inpatient psychiatric setting to understand the various processes of a treatment team and feel comfortable integrating into a treatment milieu and interacting with our patient population.
In collaboration with the assigned social worker, this position will review patient status and benefits needs and assist in identifying potential benefits needs.
Collaborates with the treatment team, the patient, and external stakeholders to successfully complete all necessary benefits-related documentation, ensure timely submission, track the progress of all submissions, and frequently communicate status updates with the various treatment teams, the medical records team, and leadership.
Requires flexibility and familiarity with completion of online forms, supplemental documentation needs, frequent unexpected requests of various agencies, and proficient use of the electronic health record (EHR). Successful role fulfillment will require an individual to be skilled interpersonally and approach conflict resolution and/or barriers diplomatically and with good customer service. Provide specific examples of regular, ongoing decisions made by this position related to this duty.
Receives inquiries from social workers regarding various clients, including indication the client is expected to discharge to a nursing facility and inquiring what needs to be done to secure approval.
Reviews current benefits status, patient accounts, and determine if SSI requires reactivation or new determination.
Determines the necessary documentation and assist with its collection. At times this will require consultation with the community mental health center or liaison to ensure successful completion.
Benefits Submission and Tracking:
Follows up on all submitted paperwork in a timely fashion, reviews documents for potential errors, and delivers and tracks applications through completion.
Expected to create and utilize a tracking database system to ensure accurate and timely information is stored and communicated in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant manner. In addition, this position will need to identify, track, and compile any additional requests received related to benefits application and acquisition (i.e., submitting additional documents, scheduling phone call assessments, regularly scheduled follow-up calls with various agencies, etc.).
Use of this database and ongoing conversations with external stakeholders will inform potential barriers, identify changes to the system, and this position will then develop plans to address such issues and improve processes.
Training:
Required to maintain ongoing training for benefits applications and rules, reinstatement processes, and items that can be anticipated and planned for in advance (i.e., obtaining jail release documents, bank statements, etc.). Subsequently, the specialist will be required to train various community placements, mental health centers, and hospital staff on a regular basis.
Other Duties As Assigned
Other duties as assigned, including hospital-wide ad hoc activities, milieu coverage, patient transport assistance, etc.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Minimum Qualifications
Experience Only:
Five (5) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position
OR
A combination of related education in Helath and Human Services, Benefits Acquisition and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned in Social Services or Human Services equal to five (5) years.
Preferred Qualifications:
SSA
Medicaid (MAGI and HCBS)
Long Term Care (LTC)
SOAR Training
CBMS familiarity
Familiarity with Google Workspace
Previous State experience
Conditions of employment:
Full Background check and reference check required
Essential Services Designation - Required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare
Due to the juvenile population served at the MHI facilities, incumbents of this position must be at least 21 years of age
Pre-employment Physical: Medical clearance with the medical clinic at Fort Logan
· Other vaccinations as required by the State of Colorado
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:
Disclose that information on the application.
Provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position.
Provide the employee number from the applicant's prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
APPEAL RIGHTS:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the department's action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov ; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
Supplemental Information
How to Apply (https://cdhs.colorado.gov/information-for-job-applicants#how-to-apply)
The Assessment Process
For additional recruiting questions, please contact Jeru Marshall: jerusalen.marshall@state.co.us
About Us:
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (https://www.colorado.gov/cdhs) (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high-quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:
Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans
Medical and dental health plans
Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
Paid life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
BenefitHub state employee discount program
Employee Wellness program MotivateMe
Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more
information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs .
Our Values:
We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans .
Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.
We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.
Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.
We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.
Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.
We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.
~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~
Toll Free Applicant Technical Support (https://cdhs.colorado.gov/information-for-job-applicants#technical-support)
The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information: www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits
Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.
01
If you are a current or former State of Colorado employee, please list your employee number (starts with 997...). Failure to provide this requested information may render your application incomplete, and you may no longer be considered for the position.
02
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application. In the space below, please provide an explanation as to why the prior termination or resignation should NOT disqualify your application from the current position.
03
Your legal name is used in the hiring process for background checks. Did you use your full legal name in your application? If not, please update your information before submitting your application
Yes
No
04
The bottom of this job announcement provides links to additional information on how to apply, the assessment process, toll free applicant technical support, and about how the State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer. Please acknowledge below that you have read the information provided in these links.
This information is available to me and I have read this information.
I am unable to access the links with this information on the job posting. (If you select this option, please contact the recruiter, whose information is listed on this announcement, so that they can send this information directly to you.)
05
Can you describe a recent systemic benefits-related challenge you have encountered with a client, and how did you solve this problem?
06
Given Fort Logan's patient population, how would you engage a client in the benefits process to ensure the completion of necessary applications?
07
Describe your experience working within a multidisciplinary team and how you work with varying disciplines to ensure you obtain necessary paperwork for benefits applications.
Required Question
Employer
State of Colorado
Address
See the full announcement by clicking
the "Printer" icon located above the job title
Location varies by announcement, Colorado, --
Website
https://careers.colorado.gov/
Apply
Please verify your email addressVerify Email
