State Seeks Eligibility Specialist in Helena, Local Benefits at Stake
The Arkansas Department of Human Services posted a vacancy for a Program Eligibility Specialist I in Helena on December 5, 2025, with applications accepted through December 11, 2025. Filling the role matters for Phillips County residents because eligibility staff handle SNAP, Medicaid and TANF enrollment that affects daily access to food and health services.
The Department of Human Services posted a Program Eligibility Specialist I position for Helena on December 5, 2025, opening a local opportunity to join the team that determines access to state assistance programs. The position, listed under Req ID 52586 and Position Number 22101019, anticipates a starting salary of 47,397 dollars and sits within Pay Grade SGS05, with a salary range of 47,397 dollars to 70,148 dollars. The posting shows an application deadline of December 11, 2025, and identifies Brenda Messenger as the hiring official.
The role works under general supervision and carries responsibility for determining client eligibility, obtaining client information, coordinating services with providers, and preparing information and recommendations. Primary duties include reviewing and processing applications for state assistance in compliance with policy, verifying applicant information including income, assets, residency and household composition, maintaining accurate case records, ensuring timely processing and following up to gather required documentation, assisting in monitoring ongoing eligibility and renewal processes, and providing clear professional communication to applicants about eligibility requirements application status and program benefits.
Minimum qualifications call for the formal education equivalent of a bachelor degree in psychology sociology or a related field. The posting notes that other job related education and experience may be substituted for all or part of these requirements with approval, and that additional recruitment requirements require review and approval by the Office of Personnel Management. The position is posted through the State of Arkansas online application system known as AR Careers. Prospective applicants are instructed to apply through the AR Careers apply process by the listed deadline.
For Phillips County residents the hiring decision affects front line service capacity in a rural community where timely determinations influence household food security health care access and cash assistance. Filling the vacancy can reduce backlogs improve renewal processing and strengthen communication between applicants and providers, shaping how quickly families receive benefits they rely on.
