Economic Security Initiative (ESI)
Resource Specialist Volunteer Manual
Thank you for serving as an Economic Resource Specialist!!!!
Your assistance will help connect seniors to valuable resources in the community that can help support their financial stability. This guide includes examples of all of the reporting mechanisms, resources, and interview questions.
A copy of this guide should have been emailed to you.
If you have any questions please contact:
Kathy Wilson
Seniors Director
(520) 903-3924
Again, thank you for your service!
Attached (non-numbered): Income Sources Worksheet, Economic Security Assessment Scale, Personal Economic Action Plan, Economic Security Tracker, Client logs, and Detailed Agency Information A closer look at what you signed up for…
The Economic Resource Specialist (ERS) works with financially challenged older adults, creating a comprehensive plan designed to connect clients to multiple resources according to their individual needs. Using a holistic person-centered approach, The ERS will conduct an assessment of their economic situation and connect clients to an array of resources according to their individual needs. ERSs will be housed in partner agencies throughout Pima County.
The assessment is designed to connect clients to financial resources such as credit counseling, debt management, reverse mortgage counseling and/or other financial assistance services; job training and skill assessment; health insurance counseling and other health resources; legal assistance for debt and lost pension services, eviction prevention, and securing public benefits; housing resources related to foreclosure prevention, home repair, renters assistance, or understanding housing options; public benefit eligibility; and community based services such as nutrition programs, and transportation options. Once a plan is created, the ERS will follow clients’ progress toward economic self sufficiency, recording services used and impact of that service on improving the client’s economic situation.
Primary Responsibilities:
Meet and develop rapport with clients, gaining an understanding of their primary reason for seeking assistance.
Use Economic Check Up guide to gather information about the client’s situation.
Use Benefits Check Up as a starting point to identify potential resources. Use Agency Resource manual to identify additional resources.
Create comprehensive plan for client, recording information and referrals using the care plan tool.
Assist with securing appointments and/or completing applications as required.
Schedule follow up appointment with client to review progress. Offer assistance during the process by providing contact information and times available.
Maintain positive relationships with agency and service-provider partners.
Complete reports and enter data into CTK as required.
Attend meetings and training sessions as required.
Perform duties in accordance with UWTSA policies and procedures, such as completing accurate and timely hours reports and expense reports.
Reports any suspected elder abuse (financial or any other type of abuse) to APS at 1-877-767-2385 (1-877-SOS-ADULT).
The ERS reports to the United Way ERS Coordinator; both are supported by the Supporting Seniors Director. The work of the ERS and Coordinator is part of a national initiative supported by the National Council on Aging designed to move financially challenged older adults closer to economic self-sufficiency. Creating a comprehensive plan for individuals to follow is expected to help them improve their financial situation by facilitating connections older to a variety of economic resources from one setting; following their progress is expected to improve their ability to access resources, identifying and breaking down barriers where they occur.
ESI ONSITE DUTIES
Site Set-up
□Make sure you notify the site coordinator that you are present
□Log in to computer and CTK
□Make sure computer is connected to the internet and a printer
□Ensure that you have all materials needed. If additional materials are needed, please contact Kathy Wilson at 520-903-3924.
During the Day
□Discuss financial issues with clients
□Schedule follow up appointments to review progress
□Be sure to record every client’s demographic data in CTK
□Go over the Personal Economic Action Plan with every person
Site Shut-Down
□Save all Personal Economic Action Plans and Income worksheets
□Shut down computer and put all confidential information in a safe place
Thank you for making a difference in Pima County!
Outline of the Economic Casework Process
- Client is referred to the Economic Resource Specialist (ERS)
- ERS gathers information from the client and enters into CTK
- Demographic Information
- Conversation/questions regarding economic issues
- ERS performs Benefits Check-up screening with client
- Also performs Arizona self-help screening if desired
- ERS creates an Economic Action Plan with the client, including appropriate referrals
- ERS provides client with overview of service referrals and documentation necessary to complete application. ERS assists client with completing application when needed
- ERS assists client in scheduling appointments for services when needed
- ERS and client schedule a follow-up appointment
- Client is expected to follow-up on referrals and contact ERS regarding any questions or barriers to accessing needed services
- ERS will assist client in overcoming obstacles to obtaining services and follow up with client to record the results (i.e. client applied, received service or deemed ineligible, and impact of service on overall economic stability)
The goal of the Economic Security Initiative is to help 500 seniors in Pima County over two years become more financially stable. What does that mean in terms of numbers?
2009 Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines
Persons in Households / Federal Guideline (yearly income) / 125% of Federal Poverty Line / 150% / 200% (Goal for program) / 250% (Must be under to be eligible for program)1 / $10, 830 / $13,538 / $16,245 / $21,660 / $ 27,075
2 / 14,570 / 18,213 / 21,855 / 29,140 / 36,425
3 / 18,310 / 22,888 / 27,465 / 36,620 / 45,775
4 / 22,050 / 27,563 / 33,075 / 44,100 / 55,125
5 / 25,790 / 32,238 / 38,685 / 51,580 / 64,475
Getting Started: The Initial Conversation and CTK Demographic Data
You will begin by logging into CTK ( and clicking on the Economic Empowerment Form under the Create New bar on the left side of the page. As you are filling out the participant information, talk with the client.Feel free to use the hard copy of the CTK questions and fill in CTK after the client leaves if you do not want to be working on the computer during the discussion. Please fill in the Income Sources worksheet with every client and save using the client’s last name. A copy of the Income Sources worksheet and the Economic Security Assessment scale are included at the back of this manual.
CTK username: ______CTK password:______
What CTK will look like:
Here are some questions to get the financial conversation started with clients:
What is your most pressing need right now?______
- Finances (If client answers yes to first question, move on to bulleted questions)
Debt
Do you need help with debt problems?
- What kinds of debt do you have? (credit cards, loans, mortgage etc.)
- Can you make the minimum payments on your credit cards?
- Are you receiving calls from creditors about overdue bills?
If client answers yes to one or more questions: refer to Finances section of Resource list
Budgeting
Do you feel that you generate enough monthly income, but are always coming up short?
- Do you think you could cut costs or better budget with assistance?
If client answers yes - refer to Finances section of Resource list
Daily Money Management
Is keeping track of monthly bills and payment information overwhelming?
- Have you been behind in paying monthly bills such as mortgage/rent or utilities? If yes, why?
If it is because the client is no longer able to manage their own bills - refer to Finances section of Resource list. Otherwise, refer to Public Benefits section below.
- Are you entitled to a pension that you are not currently receiving? If yes, refer
California Pension Rights Office (also serves Arizona) at 866-413-4911 (toll free) or 916-930-4911
- Housing
Home as an asset
Are you a homeowner?
- Do you spend more than 1/3 of your income (gross household income) on housing expenses (mortgage, property taxes, mortgage insurance, and utilities?
Note: ERS will help client calculate this by estimating these expenses and comparing to monthly income.
- Are you more than a month behind in paying your utilities, mortgage, or property taxes?
- Are you considering foreclosure? If yes, at what stage are you in the process?
A) Still considering the options;
B) Paperwork has been started;
C) Foreclosure is in process;
D) Foreclosure is final.
If any of the above refer to the Housing section of Resource list.
- Are you interested in staying in your current home? Would you like to talk about ways to use your home equity to help you do that?
- Are you 62+? Do you expect to live in the home for at least one or more years?
If yes, refer to Reverse Mortgage Counseling
Renter’s Assistance
Do you pay more than 1/3 of your income (gross household income) for your rent and utilities?
Note: ERS will help client calculate this by estimating these expenses and comparing to monthly income.
- Are you behind in your rent?
- Are you facing eviction?
If yes, refer to Legal Services section of Resource list.
- Do you currently receive rental or utility assistance?
If no, refer to Housing section of Resource list.
- Jobs
Are you interested and able to work?
- Are you interested in refreshing skills with the help of online courses and/or searching the web for job opportunities?
If yes, refer to Mature Worker Connection or Pima County One-stop
- Are you concerned that work income will disqualify you from accessing needed benefits?
If yes, refer to Senior Companion or RSVP for stipended volunteer programs that are exempt from accessing benefits.
- Want to work, but need help figuring out how to organize an effective job search?
If yes, refer to the Jobs section of the Resource list.
- Health
Are you recently out of work and in need of assistance with health insurance?
Do you have trouble paying for medications each month?
Are you 65+ with prescription drugs exceeding $100 a month?
Are you too young for Medicare and without health insurance?
If yes to any of the above, complete Benefits Checkup screening and refer to Health section of Resource list.
Do you have a chronic disease? If yes, are you enrolled in a self management plan? If no, refer to..?
- Legal Services
Are you considering bankruptcy? If yes, at what stage are you in the process?
A) Still considering the options;
B) Paperwork has been started;
C) Bankruptcy is in process;
D) Bankruptcy is final.
If options A-C, refer to Legal Services section of Resource list.
Have you been denied benefits?
Do you have a will and end-of-life directions?
- Have you provided a friend or family member power of attorney and now find yourself wondering if they have your best intentions in mind?
If yes to any of the above, refer to Legal Services section of Resource list.
Have you been the victim of any kind of elder abuse – economic, verbal or physical?
If yes, refer to Adult Abuse 24-Hour Hotline at 1-877-SOS-ADULT (767-2385)
- Aging Network Services
Do you need in-home services such as help with chores, home delivered meals, or transportation?
If yes, refer to Aging Network Services section of Resource list.
After entering in the demographic data and discussing the client’s situation. You will move on to the benefits screening.
Screening Clients for Benefits:
Go to the website and ask the appropriate questions from the screen.
You can also use in addition to the BenefitsCheckup for more local resources.
Common acronyms you will see in the screening tool:
- AHCCCS* – Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System – the state’s Medicaid agency that offers health care programs to Arizonans.
- LIHEAP – Low Income Home Energy Assistance -- helps pay the winter heating bills or summer cooling bills of low-income and elderly people.
- PCAP – Pima Community Access Program – provides access to professional health care at discounted for the uninsured.
- SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – helps low-income people and families buy the food they need for good health.
- SSI – Supplemental Security Income – financial assistance designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income.
- TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families –financial assistance for children and their parents or relatives who are living with them. This program replaced traditional welfare programs in 1996.
- WIC – Women, Infants and Children – provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to seniors who qualify.
*An individual with a monthly income of $1,238 ($1, 659 for a couple) or less can get help from a program called Medicare Cost Sharing. This program is for seniors and people under 65 who are on Social Security Disability and Medicare. To access this program, a person on Medicare fills out an AHCCCS form and provides proof of income. This proof can be the annual letter from Social Security that shows how much a person receives and how much is being taken out for the Part B premium and any other charges (such as a Part D premium). Once approved for the Medicare Cost Sharing, the state will pay the person’s part B premium AND part D premium. Then Social Security provides a subsidy to help with prescription costs, so the person will only pay $6.30 for a one month supply of even the most expensive drugs. There is no doughnut hole in this drug plan.
Some people qualify for help with their drug costs, but not the state’s help with the Medicare Part B premium. People who have a monthly income of less than $1,354 ($1,821 for couples) can get help with their Part D premium and prescription costs through an application to Social Security.
See or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 for more information
Benefits CheckUp Screening Walk Through
This is what the opening page will look like. Click on the Find Benefits Programs.
This is the top of the second page you will come to. Click on Comprehensive Interactive Questionnaire.
Finally you will start the screening. Make sure to fill in every question for the client.
After the benefits screening, you will refer the client to relevant agencies using CTK as a guideline.
You will then fill out the Personal Economic Action Plan and save it using the client’s last name. Make sure to set up your next meeting for follow up. It can be by phone or in person. You will update the Personal Economic Action Plan at the follow up meeting (including the saved version). It is also important to enter the monthly income information into the Economic Security Tracker spreadsheet (see attached) and save it with the client’s last name. You can do this after the client leaves, but make sure to do it after every discussion.
At the end of the first 6 months, the United Way will have to report to the NCOA on the status of the Economic Security Initiative. We will have to report on the information listed in the chart below. Please have these questions in mind as you conduct your follow up interviews.
Pima County ESI Follow-up Worksheet / By Month 6 / By Month 12A. Access to Benefits
A.1. # of individuals determined to be potentially eligible for at least one of the following: AHCCCS (Medicare Savings Program, Low Income Subsidy of Part D, Medicaid, State Prescription Assistance Prgm), LIHEAP, Food Stamps (SNAP)
A.2. # of individuals for whom at least one application for benefits listed under A.1. was submitted to administering agencies.
A.3. # of individuals accepted into at least one benefit detailed in A.1.
A.4. # of individuals accepted into at least one other benefit (this includes all benefits that were not listed in A.1. including support from private philanthropic orgs).
B. Employment Assistance & Outcomes
B.1. # of individuals receiving a cash stipend for their community service and/or training (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program or RSVP, Senior Companion, Senior Community Service Employment Program)
B.2. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance securing unsubsidized employment
B.3. # of referrals that resulted in unsubsidized employment
C. Financial Counseling & Outcomes
C.1. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance with legal financial services
C.1.a. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance with bankruptcy
C.1.b. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance with eviction
C.2. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance with debt counseling (including debt management and consolidation)
C.3. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance with budgeting and/or daily money management
C.4. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of financial literacy services and supports
D. Health Insurance Counseling
D.1. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance with identifying the right supplemental Medicare coverage or seeking relief with health insurance costs (but not eligible for Medicaid). This could also include assistance with appeals and other forms of advocacy related to Medicare costs.
D.2. # referred to the State Health Insurance Prgm
D.3. # of individuals with chronic disease
D.3.a. # of individuals enrolled in a chronic disease self-management prgm
D.4. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of preventative and/or evidenced-based health promotion programming
E. Aging Services
E.1. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of assistance with Older American Act Services (nutrition, transportation, home and community-based LTC, etc.)
F. Housing
F.1. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of service with rental assistance benefits' applications
F.2. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of service with property tax relief
F.3. # of referrals that resulted in receipt of service with foreclosure mitigation assistance
F.3.a. # of referrals that resulted in staying in the home with a new affordable monthly payment
F.3.b. # of referrals that resulted in the need to leave the home
F.4. # of individuals pursuing options to leverage home equity
F.4.a. # of individuals securing a reverse mortgage
F.4. b. Other
Tracking Your Time and Scheduling: