Family Services Advocate

The Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, Inc.•Hudson, NY

4d•$55,000 - $58,000

About The Position

The Family Advocate provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive advocacy and support to child victims of abuse and their families or caregivers in Columbia and Greene Counties. Working as both a victim advocate and an MDT coordinator, this position ensures that services delivered within the Child Advocacy Center adhere to the National Children’s Alliance Accreditation Standards. The Family Advocate promotes coordination, communication, and collaboration among agencies while offering individualized support and advocacy that enhances safety, healing, and justice for children and families and will maintain a caseload of 3-5 clients.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in human services or related field and experience working with children and families preferred.
Experience in trauma-informed care, child welfare, mental health, and/or legal systems.
Strong interpersonal, listening, communication, and organizational skills.
Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
Knowledge of strength-based approaches and cultural competency; ability to remain non-judgmental and supportive of diverse family values and experiences.
Intermediate competency in Windows operating environment using MS Office applications, database, e-mail and internet programs.
Demonstrate a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Flexibility to work some evenings and weekends for outreach events, hotline coverage, or client needs.
Regular and steady attendance is a requirement for all positions.
All offers are contingent upon successful Statewide Central Registry (SCR), fingerprint clearance and possession of a valid NYS driver’s license with a MVR eligible for agency insurance coverage.

Responsibilities

Serve as the first point of contact for child victims, and families through calls, walk-ins, forensic interviews, and referrals.
Provide direct support, education, and advocacy to child victims and their caregivers throughout all phases of the investigative and treatment process.
Offer crisis intervention, safety planning, and emotional support in a compassionate, nonjudgmental manner.
Educate caregivers on the multidisciplinary team process, legal system, and available trauma and medical services.
Assist families with accessing community-based services, including mental health and medical services, as well as help them complete crime victim compensation applications.
Maintain sustained contact with families within 3 days following the forensic interview to ensure continuity of care and facilitate communication among service providers.
Prepare and provide parent packets with pertinent information regarding safety for child(ren)
Review and upload forensic interviews to cloud base program and share with MDT Partners based on relevancy.
Serve as the lead coordinator for the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), ensuring that all members work collaboratively in an organized, timely, and trauma-informed manner.
Schedule and coordinate forensic interviews, medical exams, case reviews, and team meetings in alignment with NCA standards.
Facilitate regular MDT case review meetings to ensure coordinated, child-centered responses among law enforcement, prosecution, child protective services, medical, mental health, and victim advocacy professionals.
Promote effective communication and collaboration across disciplines, fostering mutual understanding of each agency’s roles and responsibilities.
Maintain accurate client files, case notes, and database entries to support both program compliance and grant documentation through AWARDS, Collaborate, and any additional online platforms.
Track outcome measures, service utilization, and program activity data consistent through data systems and maintain up-to-date records.
Coordinate with CAC staff, MDT members, and community partners to ensure comprehensive and coordinated care for victims and families.
Assist in developing and delivering educational programming on child abuse prevention, mandated reporting, and trauma-informed care.
Represent the CAC in community events and outreach to strengthen awareness and collaboration within the community.
Participate in supervision, case consultation, and ongoing professional development.
Input and track data in CAC databases and prepare reports on service indicators and outcomes monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Rotate on-call coverage for the 24-hour crisis hotline, including occasional evening or weekend hours.
Perform light administrative tasks such as answering phones, filing, scheduling, and maintaining supplies.