Bilingual Family Advocate

Chicago Children's Advocacy Center•Chicago, IL

61d•$59,000 - $66,500

About The Position

The Family Advocate provides advocacy, crisis intervention, and short-term case management to child victims of sexual abuse and their families referred to the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center. The role assesses the mental health and social functioning of children and non-offending caregivers, identifies needs, and makes referrals. It provides families with information about the investigative process, their rights, trauma and its effects, and related services. The Family Advocate serves as a liaison and representative for families with the multidisciplinary team (MDT), supporting families throughout investigations from intake through disposition and delivering culturally sensitive, coordinated care. The position involves preparing for family visits, screening for social and mental health needs, triaging cases, coordinating crisis interventions when needed, providing information and emotional support, linking families to mental health and community services, and following up throughout investigations. The Family Advocate participates in case reviews, team meetings, staff development, program development, and local networking and training. Bilingual Family Advocates provide interpretation and translation for partner agencies as requested, except for legal documents such as safety plans and written statements. The role includes an after-hours/weekend on-call rotation every sixth week and may involve services to adults with disabilities who receive services from the center. The Family Advocate may occasionally supervise volunteers, students, and interns.

Requirements

Minimum education requirement of an MA or MSW.
Must be bilingual in Spanish and English.
Strong team-building, problem-solving, organizational, and oral communication skills.
Demonstrated knowledge of multiple cultures and the cultural impact on service delivery.

Nice To Haves

One year of experience in social services or a related field.
Training or experience working with trauma victims, people with disabilities, and people with mental health disorders.
Knowledge of the Cook County courts, the Chicago-area social service system, and victims’ rights.

Responsibilities

Review cases before families arrive to identify concerns or needs and coordinate with the MDT and ChicagoCAC program areas.
Identify case issues that may need to be addressed with the family or MDT.
Welcome children and families and prepare them for the forensic interview and investigation by explaining the process, rights, interview room, MDT members, and next steps.
Complete Family Needs Screening or Family Advocacy Screening forms with non-offending caregivers, including social needs and mental health screenings.
Triage cases after screening to prioritize mental health service needs and consult with the advocacy manager or supervisor on complex cases.
Consult with the advocacy manager or supervisor when significant safety concerns or mental health risks arise, and plan crisis interventions with the family.
Provide non-offending caregivers with information about trauma and its impact on children and families, and about counseling and its benefits.
Assess caregivers’ willingness and readiness to participate in or facilitate their child’s participation in mental health services, and document engagement.
Answer caregiver questions and provide support and guidance during the investigation.
Link families to mental health services through referrals or the centralized wait list.
Represent and serve as liaison for families with the multidisciplinary investigating team during center visits, MDT meetings, and after visits.
Assess family needs and refer families to appropriate social service organizations in their communities.
Provide information about the Illinois Attorney General’s Violent Crime Victims Compensation Program.
Follow up with families to facilitate referrals, answer questions, convey information, and provide ongoing case management.
Maintain regular contact with families during investigations, including off-site visits when necessary.
Attend and participate in regularly scheduled team meetings, case reviews, and staff development trainings.
Participate in ongoing Advocacy Program development.
Complete intensive advocacy for cases with significant risk factors or complex challenges, as assigned and in consultation with the advocacy manager or supervisor.
Collaborate with the Resource Manager to link children and families to the Centralized Waitlist as needed.
Provide interpretation and translation for partner agencies as requested, excluding legal documents such as safety plans and written statements.
Participate in local networking and training opportunities.
Occasionally supervise volunteers, students, and interns.
Participate in an after-hours/weekend on-call rotation every sixth week for the Advocacy and Investigation department.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

BCBS HMO and PPO healthcare coverage options, with the opportunity to add family members.
Free life insurance at two times salary, up to $200,000.
Additional pay of 5% of salary, up to $3,750 per year after six months of employment, to use toward a menu of benefits including additional health benefits, dental, vision, long-term and short-term disability, a 403(b) plan, Roth option, legal coverage, dependent care, and flexible spending.
Paid time off accrues from the first day of employment at 35 days per 12-month period.
PTO can be used for holidays and sick time.
PTO increases to 40 days after five years.
Up to 20 additional PTO days for FMLA-related reasons.
Remote work policy providing flexibility in work hours, subject to operational needs.
Expert training on evidence-based therapy modalities, including the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units.
Casual dress code, including the ability to wear jeans.
Afternoon milk and cookies every Friday.