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GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The Victim Advocate will provide direct support services to victims, also acting as a liaison for families and service providers. He/she will work closely with the multidisciplinary team to coordinate services from appropriate disciplines, ensuring that all youth and families have access to advocacy services. The Advocate will coordinate and monitor case progress, maintain client files and document services provided accordingly so that gaps in service are identified and addressed. The Advocate will perform the job duties according to professional ethics, maintaining a high standard of confidentiality.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Providing assistance to link family to access treatment, such as medical and mental health therapy, and other services such as housing, public assistance, food, clothing, and domestic violence intervention.
Providing individual services to child victims and their families; assessing victim needs and making appropriate referrals and; advocating for victims, ensuring their needs are addressed within the community and criminal justice systems.
Assisting victim/family member with completing and filing NYS Office of Victim Services compensation claim applications.
Working collaboratively with multidisciplinary team members as needed during any investigative process by law enforcement or by responding in the field to facilitate communication/comprehension for victims and non-offending care giver when applicable.
Providing court education, support and accompaniment when necessary.
Providing updates to other service providers and court personnel when applicable on case status, continuances, and case dispositions and sentencing; have ongoing follow-up contact with families (i.e. phone, face-to-face, on-site/off-site meetings.)
Providing medical examination referral and accompaniment, if requested by victim.
Participating in regular staff meetings, multidisciplinary (MDT) meetings, in service training and other meetings as required and attend appropriate training to enhance and/or maintain skills.
Rotating on-call during evening and weekends to provide family advocacy during emergency forensic interviews.
Creating and maintaining strong, positive relationships with community partners.
Maintaining appropriate case documentation and statistics; administering client surveys; and assisting with managing quality of services to include compiling and entering data.
Communicating effectively with victims, witnesses and others regardless of age, sex, social, economic, cultural or ethnic backgrounds, maintaining a strict standard of confidentiality
Bilingual preferred with salary increase.
