Child Advocacy Center Advocate

Job Summary: provides direct services to child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse and/or neglect and their non-offending family members that use the services of the Victims Assistance Center's Child Advocacy Center. These services include but are not limited to: advocacy, New York State Office of Victim Services compensation information and application assistance, supportive counseling, intake, information, referral, paperwork for orders of protection & custody, court accompaniment, and interfacing with the Criminal Justice, Social Services, medical and mental health providers in our community.

Job Responsibilities:

· Complete client intakes, administer screening tools, and set up provisional treatment for the child and non-offending family members.

· Prepare timely, accurate, and professional reports and distribute them to MDT member(s) requesting the report.

· Facilitate multidisciplinary pre/post interview case staffing, as needed.

· Assist in identifying client needs and provide recommendations to investigators, child protective services, prosecutors, and medical personnel.

· Participate in the multidisciplinary team case review meetings and provide case information.

· Participate in supervision, professional development and on-going training activities.

· Must be willing to travel throughout the 3 county region (Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence) for meetings, trainings, to make presentations, and to meet with families at CAC satellite offices, if necessary.

· Respond to subpoenas and testify in court when requested.

· Maintain an awareness of current trends, research and developments in the field of child welfare.

· Ensure that data from services provided is entered into the program database.

· Provide public awareness and education presentations to inform crime victims of their rights, help identify crime victims and increase access to services.

· Assist with scheduling interviews by coordinating with CAC staff and MDT members.

· Track and report on advocacy statistics and trainings completed by self and other trained advocates to include both on-staff and MDT members.

· Perform other tasks and responsibilities as requested

Job Requirements:

· Must be able to work well and communicate with individuals of diverse ages, races, and backgrounds.

· Must be able to work in stressful situations and utilize self-care methods.

· Must be able to handle a variety of emotions under stressful situations and be able to work with people who may be very upset.

· Must be able to meet on-call requirements.

· Must be able to work with a variety of people, including clients, families and professionals.

· Must possess strong organizational and communication skills.

· Must have the ability to work well with co-workers and multidisciplinary team members.

· Must be able to adapt well to the structure and environment of the CAC and satellite offices.

Minimum Qualifications:

· Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university with emphasis on child development, psychology, social work, criminal justice, or related field, preferred.

· Highschool diploma with relevant human services experience accepted.

· Professional experience in working with the criminal justice and child welfare systems, preferred.

· Knowledge of child development, memory and trauma, and linguistics, preferred.

· Must be able to travel out-of-town for training or other work-related purposes on occasion.

The candidate is required to be highly motivated and to possess excellent writing and computer skills. The position is full-time with benefits. The position will require some local travel.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $16.45 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person