For Immediate Release
January 24, 2022
Contact: Gene Kennedy
Senior Public Information Specialist
gkennedy@rivco.org
(951) 203-0343
Social Services Celebrates Staff Who Help Public Access Needed Benefits
Eligibility technicians helped nearly one million residents access food, cash, healthcare
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif.— Eligibility technician Cristina Levalley knows her work makes a difference in helping struggling families put food on their table or an at-risk adult visit their doctor after years without health coverage.
Levalley is among nearly 1,100 eligibility technicians who help community members access health and human services in Riverside County. Monday marks the beginning of national Technician Appreciation Week, which recognizes the importance social service eligibility technicians play in bringing resources to communities in need.
Riverside County eligibility technicians connect residents with CalFresh, CalWORKs and Medi-Cal — vital programs that provide help with food, cash and health coverage. The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) administered more than $1.2 billion in benefits to one million county residents last year.
Levalley sees firsthand the struggles individuals and families face.
“That’s what makes this job rewarding – knowing that the services we provide can impact someone in so many positive ways, especially in this pandemic where people have lost their jobs and are dealing with so much uncertainty,” said Levalley.
Allison Gonzalez, assistant director of the Self Sufficiency program for DPSS, praised eligibility workers for playing a crucial role in helping strengthen communities by providing access to services that improve the health, economic stability, and wellbeing of all.
“We are really grateful for our eligibility technicians,” Gonzalez said. “They serve as lifelines to services for hundreds of thousands of children, families and seniors in Riverside County.”
Learn more about the role of an eligibility technician by visiting this link, and apply for available positions on the Riverside County human resources website: https://rc-hr.com/.
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