DV Court Liaison

Metropolitan Family Services • Chicago, IL

1d • $23 - $25 • Onsite

About The Position

Metropolitan Family Services is hiring a part-time, in-person DV Court Liaison for its Jane Addams DV Court Advocacy Program Team, based at the Centralized DV Courthouse. The role provides court advocacy and direct support to survivors of domestic abuse and/or their children, including crisis intervention, safety planning, emotional support, information, referrals, and assistance navigating court procedures. The position requires travel between sites and driving for work, including transporting clients in a personally owned vehicle.

The liaison works with clients and witnesses on matters involving Orders of Protection, domestic violence, divorce, and family court. The role coordinates with internal programs and community resources, collaborates with legal-system and agency partners, maintains client records and program statistics, and meets contract, grant, and program requirements. The employee may also help train staff, volunteers, or interns and provide educational presentations or trainings. Services must follow the Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professionals’ code of ethics.

The average starting salary is $23–$25 per hour, with placement in the range based on skills and experience. Metropolitan Family Services describes its benefits package as including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contributions to HSA accounts; free Teladoc general medicine and behavioral health services; and a 401(k) plan with a 4% employer match, vested at 100% on the first day of eligibility.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree and two years of work experience; experience in gender-based violence and/or a criminal justice-related capacity is preferred.
• Knowledge of community resources, advocacy, crisis intervention, trauma, and Trauma-Informed Care is beneficial.
• Ability to respond appropriately in varied situations, multitask, and work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work and problem-solve independently and collaboratively, demonstrating professionalism, flexibility, and mature judgment.
• Demonstrated self-awareness, insight, and commitment to ongoing professional growth; ability to model healthy boundaries and good self-care.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and effectiveness in working with diverse populations.
• Satisfactory completion of relevant screening and criminal background checks.
• Ability to meet the listed physical demands, including sustained sitting and standing, walking stairs, and occasional lifting or moving of up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to drive for work, transport clients in a personally owned vehicle, and travel between sites.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Criminal Justice, or a related field.
• Experience in the legal system or gender-based violence field.
• Prior experience in social services or the domestic violence field.
• Experience with Orders of Protection and/or individual domestic violence support.
• Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professional (CDVP) certification.
• Completion of 40-hour Domestic Violence training at the time of hire; training is required at the first opportunity after hire and must be completed before contact with DV program clients or their personally identifying information.
• Bilingual/bicultural skills; these may be required for particular programs or sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct services to survivors of domestic abuse and/or their children, including crisis intervention, safety planning, emotional support, advocacy, information, and referrals.
• Assist and accompany clients and witnesses through court procedures relating to Orders of Protection, domestic violence, divorce, and family court.
• Provide support and information to survivors of domestic violence.
• Help clients prepare petitions for Orders of Protection, accompany them through the court process, and prepare Orders for the judge.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of Metropolitan Family Services programs and community resources, and facilitate connections to those services.
• May assist with training program staff, volunteers, and/or interns, and may conduct public education presentations, police trainings, or other educational offerings related to court advocacy.
• Administer required outcome tools at designated intervals.
• Attend mandatory group supervision and program or agency meetings.
• Collaborate with departmental staff and other programs to provide comprehensive client services.
• Complete intakes, case notes, and other client-file documentation in a timely manner.
• Meet contract, grant, and program expectations, including timelines and reporting requirements, and provide timely, accurate grant statistics.
• Stay informed about developments in domestic violence and attend appropriate workshops, conferences, and other professional-development activities.
• Work with and advocate for clients alongside other agencies and the legal system, including State’s Attorneys, Legal Aid, DCFS, police and sheriff’s departments, private attorneys, and investigators.
• Represent Metropolitan Family Services and the domestic violence program professionally, with awareness of courtroom etiquette and criminal justice system expectations.
• Provide services in accordance with the Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professionals’ code of ethics.
• May perform other specialized duties assigned to meet the needs of the site or program, such as court follow-up contacts.
• Drive for work, transport clients in a personally owned vehicle, and travel between sites.

Benefits

• Medical coverage.
• Guardian dental coverage.
• VSP vision coverage.
• Metropolitan Family Services HSA contributions of $2,000 for individual coverage and $4,000 for family coverage, prorated to the benefits start date.
• Free Teladoc general medicine and behavioral health services for all team members.
• Ascensus 401(k) plan with a 4% employer match, vested at 100% on the first day of eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree