Family Advocate I

The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester • Rochester, NY

453d • $45,760 - $48,000

About The Position

The Family Advocate I position is designed to provide direct advocacy support services to child victims and their non-offending family members. This role involves monitoring case progress, maintaining client files, and ensuring that services are documented according to professional ethics and the standards set by the National Children's Alliance. The Family Advocate will work full-time, typically during standard office hours, and will report to the Director of Family Services.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in social work, counseling, criminal justice, psychology, or a related field.
• Three or more years of experience working with victims and/or vulnerable children/families.
• Outstanding customer service, interpersonal communication, and listening skills.
• Prior experience providing crisis counseling or problem-solving with at-risk children and families.
• Knowledge of advocacy standards and skills relating to victims of crime.
• Knowledge of child abuse dynamics, child protective and law enforcement investigation procedures, and legal reporting mandates for professionals.
• Ability to engage and build rapport with children and family members.
• Familiarity with the legal, social service, medical, and mental health systems responsible for protecting children.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with multiple agencies.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and organize assignments in a fast-paced work environment.
• Respect for diversity and a commitment to providing culturally competent and inclusive services.

Responsibilities

• Engage and establish rapport with child victims and non-offending family members during appointments at the child advocacy center.
• Provide advocacy services according to the National Children's Alliance (NCA) standards and the CACGROC Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Child Abuse Guidelines.
• Coordinate, schedule, and/or make referrals for services to be provided by team members and other providers as warranted.
• Assist families in understanding the legal system related to the prosecution of child abuse cases, providing outreach, follow-up, and accompaniment services throughout the investigative and judicial process.
• Administer screenings to assess the needs of the victim and non-offending family members, including mental health screenings.
• Develop comprehensive safety plans with non-offending caregivers as needed.
• Provide proactive outreach and follow-up to ensure victims and non-offending family members are engaged in mental health services if necessary.
• Assist non-offending caregivers/guardians with completing and filing NYS Office of Victim Services (OVS) compensation claim applications.
• Document and collect data on cases in the Collaborate system, coordinating with the Data Program Manager.
• Answer calls on the triage phone, assess client needs, coordinate services, and provide appropriate referrals as needed.
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) at the child advocacy center or in the field as appropriate.
• Communicate effectively with child victims, witnesses, and others, maintaining confidentiality.

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree