Melissa L. Swett
Limington
Summary
Dynamic social services professional with extensive experience at the City of Portland, adept in budget management and crisis intervention. Proven track record in advocating for at-risk populations and facilitating community resources. Skilled in financial management and document organization, ensuring compliance and timely assistance for clients. Strong leadership and teamwork abilities drive successful outcomes.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Representative Payee
City of Portland
Portland
07.2018 - Current
- Representative Payee Support Specialist providing fiduciary support to the clients by making sure all monthly financial responsibilities are processed in a timely manner.
- Responsible for timely planning and preparation of check processing.
- Issue checks to consumers and vendors on a monthly, or bi-weekly, basis, or as needed.
- Provide client balances on a regular basis.
- Making sure Medicare is in place for clients, and any changes are reported.
- Assist the client with budget reviews when the amount of monthly benefits changes.
- Collect and review invoices and/or documentation for check requests (e.g., bills, travel expenses, etc.).
- Prepare and submit Representative Payee reports on a monthly basis.
- Experience with homeless, substance abuse and mentally disabled individuals.
- Set specific goals for projects to measure progress and evaluate end results.
- Utilizes a document management system to organize company files, keeping up-to-date, and easily accessible data.
Social Services Eligibility Specialist
City of Portland
Portland
07.2016 - Current
- Processed General Assistance applications.
- Determined financial eligibility in high volume.
- Projected budgets for clients.
- Language Line usage with multi-lingual clients.
- Verified income, assets, expenses and other basic need expenditures.
- Processed vouchers, preparing decision sheets for clients.
- Worked with community agencies networking for resources.
- Assisted in Workfare coverage when Workfare Counselor was on vacations (2017-2019).
- Helped HIRE program with client job applications for local hotel (2018).
- Portland Community Support Fund – distribution and reports.
- Rep Payee program coverage.
General Assistance Administrator
City of Westbrook
Westbrook
07.2015 - 02.2016
- Budget and program administration within the scope of the State of Maine law, court decisions and City ordinances.
- Oversaw the daily work activity of the GA Administrative Assistant and other employees.
- Worked with State of Maine agencies to understand and interpret mandates and policies that had a direct impact on Westbrook and shared this data and all relevant data with the City Council.
- Developed and maintained a cooperative relationship with other social service agencies, private entities, and with health care providers.
- Coordinated with workfare program, maintained lists of jobs available by departments, researched and set up workfare sites outside of municipal system with the community.
- Assigned jobs to General Assistance recipients, monitored recipients work to assure assignments are completed. Organized and implemented job fairs for clients.
- Researched and applied for grants, fundraising and developed new creative resources to offset costs and created other avenues to address need in the community.
- Presented and talked to clubs, schools and organization. Served on advisory/leadership committee.
- Hardship abatement application processing and determination presented to City Council.
Social Services / General Assistance
City of South Portland
South Portland
07.2011 - 07.2015
- Processed applications for General Assistance on the phone and in person; interview clients, investigated and determined need in accordance with applicable General Assistance guidelines and determined the amount and type of assistance necessary and appropriate for clients.
- Maintained client case files for permanent record and performed clerical work such as completing forms, monthly reports to the State, reconciling reports and keeping records of client history and financial assistance.
- Maintained Workfare hours and site for clients on a monthly basis.
- Processed invoices and prepared vouchers for payment, maintained inventory of office supplies.
- Handled routine inquiries about departmental operations as authorized or referrals to property department officials for answers or action.
- Evaluated and determined applicants’ eligibility for General Assistance and made General Assistance decisions.
- Issued purchase orders and assigned workfare when appropriate.
- Responsible for attending MWDA meetings and trainings.
- Maintained records for the First Congregational Church Crisis Ministries.
Education
Leadership Academy Graduate -
City of South Portland
South Portland, ME01.2015
Associate Degree Program - Office Management
SMCC
South Portland, ME01.1999
Muskie School of Public Service training - DHHS benefit programs
Muskie School of Public Service
Augusta, MESkills
- Composing correspondence
- Editing
- Writing report materials
- Pie charts
- Graphing
- Working with individuals with drug addiction
- Social work knowledge
- Welfare procedures
- Administration
- Immigrant/refugee populations
- At risk populations
- Budget management
- Report preparation
- Working with homelessness population
- Knowledge of the Representative Payee program
- Knowledge of the General Assistance program
- Knowledge of policies
- Working knowledge of MUNIS
- Supervisory skills
- Proficient with Word programs
- Proficient in Excel
- Database management
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Setting up job fairs
- Client training and employment
- Advocating for community resources
- Workshop facilitation
- Workload prioritization
- Meeting deadlines
- Multi-tasking
- Financial management
- Budget planning
- Check processing
- Client communication
- Document management
- Data analysis
- Community resources
- Applications processing
- Regulatory compliance
- Problem solving
- Team collaboration
- Time management
- Crisis intervention
- Technical troubleshooting
- Business ethics
Professional Achievements
- Social Services – Leadership Academy, City of South Portland, 09/01/15
- Employee of the Year, City of Portland, 09/01/17
Accomplishments
- Employee of The Year 2017
- Selected to Leadership Academy Southern Maine Community College 2015
Timeline
Representative Payee
City of Portland
07.2018 - Current
Social Services Eligibility Specialist
City of Portland
07.2016 - Current
General Assistance Administrator
City of Westbrook
07.2015 - 02.2016
Social Services / General Assistance
City of South Portland
07.2011 - 07.2015
Leadership Academy Graduate -
City of South Portland
Associate Degree Program - Office Management
SMCC
Muskie School of Public Service training - DHHS benefit programs
Muskie School of Public Service
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