Community Advocate- DV Co-Located (Bilingual)

Sarah’s Inn is a community-based non-profit organization whose mission is to improve the lives of those affected by domestic violence and to break the cycle of violence for future generations. Our services and initiatives focus on ending relationship violence through domestic violence crisis intervention, community education, and violence prevention programs for youth.

Job Title: Community Advocate: DV Co--Located Advocate

Department: Intervention/Community Advocacy

Reports To: Community Advocacy Program Supervisor    

 FLSA status: Exempt/Full-time                                                                                       

Position Summary:  

The goal of the Domestic Violence Co-Location Program (DVCLP) is to enhance the effectiveness of the child welfare interventions into the lives of families experiencing domestic violence. The Community Advocate for the DVCLP is responsible  for providing  support to both child welfare professionals working with families experiencing domestic violence and to all members of the family experiencing domestic violence and child welfare interventions. This position partners with DCFS to specifically target the shared goals of the domestic violence community and DCFS to end violence in Illinois families, reduce risk, enhance the safety of adult and child survivors, foster offender accountability, support parental strengths and protective capacities, and improve outcomes for children and families experiencing domestic violence in the child welfare system that promote safety, stability, wellbeing and healing. The Community Advocate will aim to improve communication and coordination among child welfare and other community-based services and systems. The Community Advocate reports to the Community Advocacy Program Supervisor, will work closely with the Associate Director on the DVCLP, and will work collaboratively with our Intervention team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Other duties may be assigned.

Provide consultation to child welfare professionals.

The purpose of the consultation is to help build the capacity of child welfare professionals to adequately understand and interpret the dynamics and impact of the domestic violence on the family, and to craft effective interventions that enhance the safety, stability, wellbeing and healing of all members of the family.

• Provide expert guidance, advice, professional opinions, and strategies related to domestic violence based upon the information gathered at the point of the intervention to child welfare workers
• Provide guidance on questions for the child welfare worker to ask and information to gather.
• Identify each parent/adult as either the adult survivor or parent using violence and coercive control (PUVCC)
• Provide expertise in identifying the following: (1) the perpetrator’s pattern of coercive control and battering tactics, and power and control, (2) the dynamics of domestic violence present in the particular home, and (3) the immediate and future safety risks to the adult and child survivors.
• Identify the potential options for safety strategies..
• Identify the adult survivor’s strengths and protective efforts, and collaboratively build interventions that enhance these strengths and foster protective factors
• Identify precautionary measures that the adult survivor took.
• Analyze the impact of the perpetrator’s violence on the children and risk of harm.
• Determine high risk indicators for intimate partner homicide.
• Provide coverage on the 24-hour crisis line during business hours (will be assigned shifts) and assistance with on-call (see below).

Support DCFS involved Families and Provide Data for the DVCLP  

The purpose of direct contact with families is to assist and support the family during the child welfare intervention, and to gather and interpret information that forms the basis for the effective intervention governed by an Informed Consent process.

• The DVLCA will engage with all members of the families to provide information about child welfare, support and education on domestic violence, domestic violence safety planning, crisis intervention, advocacy, expedited access to domestic violence services, and referral to other community or social services.
• Direct contact with families may occur in the survivor’s home in accordance with the Home Visiting Policy, shelter, DCFS Office, Child and Family Team Meeting, partner Domestic Violence Agency, or other safe location.
• Update and maintain database for project and provide reports as needed.
• Ensure appropriate releases are signed in order to communicate with partner organizations, including DCFS.
• The DVLCA will have a case load of 2-4 clients in which they provide advocacy services and emotional support.

Educate child welfare professionals about domestic violence and Sarah’s Inn services.

The purpose of trainings/education is to increase cross-system understanding of child welfare and domestic violence by specifically focusing on identified topics that enhance the ability of child welfare professionals to meet the complex needs of families experiencing domestic violence and to ensure that the domestic violence community, in turn understands the experiences of families in the child welfare system.

• In collaboration with Sarah’s Inn’s Training & Education Program, provide training to child welfare staff partner domestic violence staff, judges and community partners/stakeholders.
• In collaboration with Sarah’s Inn’s Training & Education Program, coordinate and train on topics, including but not limited to, dynamics and impact of domestic violence, unique needs of adult victims and children, partnering with domestic violence survivors to achieve child safety, safety planning strategies, perpetrator engagement and accountability, the impact of perpetrators’ violence on children and DV/child welfare best practice.
• In coordination with the Domestic Violence Co-location Project partners, develop opportunities for co-trainings between agency and DCFS.
• Participate in DCFS training opportunities.

Provide comprehensive and quality services to victims of domestic violence and their families (includes children and teen witnesses) directly served by Sarah’s Inn.

• Provide direct DV services to survivors who contact Sarah’s Inn directly. Any persons referred by the DVCLP should be assigned to a different staff member.
• Provide on-going counseling and emotional support to victims of domestic violence and their families through in-person individual sessions and group sessions.
• Provide crisis intervention, general and legal advocacy, referral, domestic violence education, safety planning, and emotional support for victims of domestic violence and their families over the phone or in-person.
• Advocate on behalf of victims of domestic violence and their families within various systems to include social service, housing, economic, legal, health care and education.
• Ensure professional relationships with clients to create an atmosphere of empathy, safety and support.
• Maintain accurate and current information regarding issues and policies impacting clients and their families.
• Design, plan and facilitate support and education groups if applicable.
• Update and enhance knowledge of community resources and materials relevant to the clients we serve.
• Coordinate responsibilities with team members to ensure client needs are met.
• Update client files in a timely and accurate manner.
• Update client case notes and service codes in a timely and accurate manner.
• Achieve productivity expectations pertaining to service hours. 
• Maintain knowledge of internal organizational guidelines and protocols.
• Work effectively with Intervention interns and volunteers.
• Provide coverage on the 24-hour crisis line during business hours (will be assigned shifts) and assistance with on-call (see below).

Actively participate in Community Collaborations and Education

The purpose of involving the DVCLA in community collaborations is to include the child welfare voice at community tables involving domestic violence and to coordinate a cross-sector team that collaborates to meet the needs of child welfare involved families.

• Engage in current stakeholder initiatives and/or create new community stakeholder teams as necessary.

• Provide community education presentations and professional trainings.
• Participate in community awareness events.
• Provide internal training to staff, volunteers, and interns.

Participate in the on-call rotation for crisis line in order to support crisis line volunteers and clients (if exempt/full-time).

• Provide back-up support using the on-call phone for the crisis line off hours (evenings, nights, and weekends) for a week-long shift. Position could have up to 4 week-long shifts a year.
• Ensure support of volunteers who are on the line. Providing coverage if needed, answering questions, providing guidance, and taking over when clients are in need of support only staff can approve (hotel stays, transportation, food, etc.).
• Texting shift reminders to the volunteers who are scheduled.
• When on-call, responsible for responding to text line requests. The text line is directly linked to the on-call phone.
• Provide prompt feedback about concerns or successes during the on-call shift to the Volunteer and In-Kind Coordinator.
• Responsible for understanding and implementing the on-call and financial assistance procedures including awareness of technology used and troubleshooting as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities:                                               

• This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Locations and Schedule:

Your time will be spent supporting the following DCFS locations (in-person and remote):

8300 S. Emerald, Chicago, IL

1340 S. Damen, Chicago, IL

4415 Harrison, Hillside, IL

Our office is located at 1547 Circle Ave, Forest Park, IL.

Overall, this position is Monday through Friday during normal business hours, however there will be exceptions requiring evening and weekend hours (i.e. for Client or Sarah’s Inn Events, outreach events, on-call duties, and if clients are experiencing an emergency).

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:    

• BA degree and/or equivalent experience required.

• One year or more experience providing direct service advocacy on behalf of victims of domestic violence and their families preferred.
• One year or more experience providing counseling, advocacy, and/or case management services to families (volunteer and internship experiences included) preferred.
• One year or more experience working with or within the child welfare system preferred.
• One year or more experience in coordination of services and development of community partnerships preferred.
• Completion of an Illinois Certified 40-Hour Domestic Violence Training preferred or required to complete within two months of employment.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Fluency in Spanish, oral and written, required.
• Demonstrated computer experience.
• Knowledge of victims’, children and youth issues specifically related to domestic violence preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and handle a variety of tasks, and meet established deadlines.
• Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with a wide variety of people, including but not limited to board members, staff, volunteers, interns, government officials, community partners, organizational donors and media.
• Commitment to and experience in working with people from diverse cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to work some evening and weekend hours.
• Valid driver’s license, access to a reliable car with current insurance.

Success Factors/Job Competencies:

• Integrity& Ethics – models SAI Vision, Mission & Values
• Customer Focus – demonstrates commitment to customer

• Collaboration & Teamwork – embraces an inclusive workplace
• Quality – produces quality work product
• Innovation/Continuous Improvement – finds new and better ways of doing things
• Job Knowledge – demonstrates a clear understanding of and executes roles and responsibilities
• Time Management/Productivity – manages time and resources effectively
• Problem Solving/Decision Making – demonstrates proper judgment, problem solving and decision making
• Independence/Initiative – works with little or no supervision and seeks out new work
• Communication – effectively communicates

Physical demands and work environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

            Physical demands: While performing duties of job, incumbent is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision and distance vision.

Performance Standards:

• Annual performance evaluation
• Attainment of annual goals established between supervisor and incumbent