GUARDIANSHIP SERVICES SPECIALIST TRAINEE
Because Guardianship Services Specialist Trainee is non-competitive, hiring leans on your background rather than a test score: meet the requirements and apply to the agency directly.
On paper it calls for a bachelor's degree, though the specification lets enough relevant experience stand in for the degree. Pay on the FY2027 schedule runs $55,691 to $58,222.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
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See where to apply for this title →Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under the close supervision of a supervisory official in a state department, institution, or agency, as a trainee and productive worker, receives on-the-job training while assisting in providing guardianship services to assigned clients in various community living arrangements, developmental centers, and private residential facilities; or providing services related to securing, monitoring, auditing, and/or managing assigned clients' personal income, assets, and/or benefits; completes assignments which provide practical guardianship service experience; does related work as required.
Examples of work
Track 1: Guardianship Services Specialist Under supervision as a trainee and productive worker: Learns to complete psychosocial assessments including information on mental status, physical status, social history, and current living arrangements for elderly individuals, and presents these facts at the Office of the Public Guardian for Elderly Adults (OPGEA) care conferences. Learns to monitor client status and needs through periodic visitations. Initiates referrals to federal, state, and local agencies to determine eligibility for assistance programs. Prepares prearrangements for clients' funerals. Learns to render substitute decisions on behalf of clients relative to proposed medical or behavioral treatment, transfers or major changes in program, discharges, and other requests or recommendations requiring informed consent. Learns to conduct investigations of reported or suspected incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Learns to ensure protection of the client's legal and civil rights including the right to the least restrictive or intrusive alternative in any range of programmatic, treatment, or residential options. Learns how to advocate for the client's receipt of entitlements including access to appropriate health services, education and training, work, and recreation and social opportunities. Observes Individual Habilitation Plan to learn how to monitor and implement the client's Individual Habilitation Plan. Track 2: Guardianship Services Specialist Fiduciary Under close supervision, as a trainee and productive worker: Learns to complete and send letters requesting client account verification, account statements, freezing and/or closure of accounts to financial institutions. Learns to audit and monitor client income and assets, process check requests, and review posting sheets and ACH transactions for clients. Learns to research and prepare benefit and entitlement applications such as Pensions, Medicaid, Social Security Disability, Representative Payee, Medicare Part B, and PAAD on behalf of clients. Learns to prepare and process documents for surrender of client insurance policies, pensions, and retirement savings. Learns reverse mortgage principles and processes such as relevant federal laws, governing disbursement rules and amounts, applications, and interest rates. Learns to assist in managing real property such as maintaining property insurance, meeting repair deadlines, insuring vacant properties, paying housing bills, and/or securing valuable real assets. Learns to locate, review, secure, and marshal client income and assets. Learns the various federal and state public benefits programs available to clients and may assist with achieving and maintaining these benefits for clients by researching and preparing documents for applications and appeals. May assist with funeral financing including payment of prepaid burials and burial trusts. Learns about Personal Needs Allowances and how to communicate with long-term care facilities about client bills and finances. Learns how to audit and monitor for signs of client exploitation. Learns about client tax matters and may assist in compiling documents to file for income taxes on behalf of clients. Learns to coordinate and maintain relationships with outside agencies and providers involving clients' assets and/or benefits to ensure assets/benefits are understood, applied appropriately, and billed accurately. Participates in multidisciplinary meetings to ensure clients' assets/benefits are monitored and maintained, and all fiduciary requirements are met; learns to create client action plans by providing asset, benefit, and budget information to the assigned client multidisciplinary team. For Tracks 1 and 2: Develops and maintains a cooperative working relationship with other agencies within and outside of the division and establishes a positive public image for guardianship services. Prepares reports and correspondence. Maintains records, reports, and files. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the methods used to collect and analyze data. Ability to work cooperatively with staff, other state agencies, and the public. Ability to learn rights issues particularly as they affect the developmentally disabled, physically disabled, or elderly individuals. Ability to learn techniques used to conduct investigations. Ability to learn to monitor and handle clients' assets or care management. Ability to analyze and interpret laws and regulations and apply them to specific cases. Ability to maintain essential records and files. Ability to prepare correspondence and reports. Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. ADVANCEMENT: Appointees who successfully complete the 12-month training period will be eligible for advancement to one of the following titles under Civil Service Commission procedures: Guardianship Services Specialist 1 or Guardianship Services Specialist 1 Fiduciary. The inability of the employee in this title to attain a level of performance warranting advancement to one of the titles listed above shall be considered as cause for separation.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Four (4) years of professional experience relevant to the position. Please refer to the Advancement section located at the bottom of this title specification for a comprehensive list of approved journeyman titles connected to this trainee title. Experience must be related to the journeyman title associated with the position. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. "Professional experience" refers to work that is analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range of basic knowledge of the profession's concepts and practices; and is performed with the authority to act and make accurate and informed decisions.