JCA Montgomery County SHIP

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a federally funded program designed to support Medicare by providing free local, unbiased, and Medicare-certified counseling and assistance to Montgomery County residents, their families, and caregivers.

Funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with support from Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, and the Maryland Department of Aging. Montgomery County has contracted with the Jewish Council for the Aging to manage the SHIP program.

Montgomery County SHIP volunteers can help in 3 different ways.

• Ambassador: As an ambassador, you will attend in-person workshops and help the SHIP Director greet attendees, set up and hand out materials, and answer questions.
• Administrative: You will help the SHIP office with a variety of tasks from mailing information out, updating SHIP materials, to making community outreach calls. (SSL hours are available only for this position.)
• Medicare-certified Counselor: You will help County residents by offering Medicare-related information, counseling, and problem resolution to County residents’ questions and concerns about Medicare, Medigap, Medicare Savings Programs, Extra-Help and Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program.

Who We Help

You will be helping adults aged 65 and older, and adults under 65 with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. SHIP clients come from all walks of life, culturally and linguistically diverse.

REQUIREMENTS

• 16+ years of age*
• Complete interview process
• Complete background check
• Provide 3 references
• Must have a special expertise, knowledge, or talent to share
• Must have a basic understanding and use of computers
• Must be patient and comfortable interacting with a diverse population of older adults who may be ill, have physical impairments, or have diminished capacity
• Our patient population is highly linguistically diverse. We are need of volunteers who speak Spanish, Amhric, French, Portuguese, and Korean. If you are fluent in any other language, it is likely spoken by some of our patients, and we would love to have you reach them in their native language. Plenty of our patients speak English, so please do not hesitate to reach out about this opportunity if you do not speak a second language! 

*NOTE: SSL hours available for only administrative positions.

COMMITMENT

• Be willing to independently complete and pass the online Medicare SHIP certification course
• Monthly training meetings
• Bi-weekly training calls
• 4 hours/week for 3 weeks/month for counselor and administrative positions
• Able to work during office hours between 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; you must have some availability during this period. You can conduct your calls any day of the week. Remote work possible with approval after 6 months
• Be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Additional Details 

• Is Not Outdoors
• Is Wheelchair Accessible
• Seniors
• SSL hours available for administrative positions only
• Rockville
• Snacks and supper provided; khaki casual dress code; no flip flops; cell phone on vibrate and in pocket at all times.