Outreach Substance Specialist (Hotline)

Real Escape From The Sex Trade • Seattle, WA

9d • $27 • Onsite

About The Position

The REST Outreach Substance Specialist is a pivotal part of the outreach and crisis intervention team and reports directly to the Crisis Support Supervisor. This role involves working directly with marginalized communities to address their self-identified needs using a trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, and harm reduction approach. Additionally, this role combines direct crisis intervention through the 24/7 hotline with proactive text-based outreach and direct outreach to marginalized communities, ensuring timely and effective responses to survivors experiencing crisis, in need of emotional support, and requiring resource referrals. This position works collaboratively with internal services and community partners to provide comprehensive, trauma-informed, person-centered, and harm reduction-based support services. The REST Outreach Substance Specialist serves as a liaison between survivors fleeing sex trafficking and local community support resources, ensuring they receive immediate and comprehensive care and support.

Requirements

• Experience working with survivors of gender-based violence, sex trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, homelessness, or high-risk youth.
• Demonstrated knowledge of trauma-informed, harm reduction, person-centered, and strengths-based care.
• Prior experience assessing risk, stabilizing callers in crisis, and delivering trauma-informed de-escalation strategies.
• Ability to regulate emotions, manage triggers, and respond calmly and effectively in high-stress and crisis situations.
• Strong advocacy skills with ability to build trust, uplift self-identified needs, and navigate barriers to services (housing, healthcare, SUD treatment, etc.).
• Must be able to work some evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays to support 24/7 services.
• Ability to pass a background check in alignment with organizational policy.
• Alignment with and willingness to uphold REST’s Statement of Faith and organizational values.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, Public Health, Behavioral Science, or related field; OR equivalent relevant experience (at least 3 years working in advocacy, outreach, crisis response, substance use services, or case management).
• Experience providing crisis intervention, safety planning, or hotline support with individuals experiencing violence, exploitation, homelessness, or substance use challenges.
• Knowledge of substance use disorders, treatment navigation, relapse prevention tools, and motivational interviewing principles.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, CRM/client databases, Apple products, text-based web applications, and documentation/reporting tools.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain confidentiality with discretion and sound judgment.

Responsibilities

• Experienced crisis hotline de-escalation, answer and follow up with hotline providing crisis intervention, safety planning, resource referrals and emotional support.
• Respond to text-based outreach inquiries and crisis situations with immediate support and appropriate resource connections
• Follow-up with all hotline callers within 24hrs to ensure access to referrals and resources
• Ensure outreach and crisis intervention support services are offered with trauma-informed care, a person-centered, strengths-based, and harm reduction approach
• Facilitate access to medical, mental health, substance use facilities, housing and social services ensuring referrals are appropriate
• Conduct individualized safety plans utilizing motivational interviewing to assist survivor in identifying coping methods, proactive steps in navigating options for substance use treatment and recovery
• Collaborate with the Crisis Support Supervisor to provide feedback and updates on hotline policies and procedures to ensure quality assurance to hotline callers
• Follow-up with crisis and/or outreach responders in order to meet immediate needs and connect survivors to appropriate services through internal and external partners and community agencies
• Complete follow up with all clients who have received resources and services to ensure needs have been met and there is a comprehensive plan for next steps
• Self-regulate when experiencing triggers, trauma-responses, or stressors in order to stay engaged, productive and meet the needs of the team and clients
• Collaborate with REST Wellness Advocate (SUDP) for access to treatment plans, centers and recovery programs to strengthen pathways for survivors
• Collaborate with REST Outreach team and engage in direct outreach events
• Serve as a liaison between survivors and services providers advocating for survivors’ self-identified needs including addiction recovery
• Participate in multidisciplinary case reviews and community coalitions to address the intersection of sex trafficking and substance use.
• Assist in educating internal and external partner on the unique needs of survivors with substance disorder and complex trauma
• Build and update resource data base for referral purposes
• Conduct quarterly wellness calls on inactive and graduated clients providing emotional support and referrals and updating key impact data in client management database.
• Input client related data in REST client data base, including enrollment data, goal tracking, referrals and confidential case notes.
• Ensure compliance with data reporting and deadlines required for agency standards
• Complete regular documentation including client reporting, monthly reports, grant reports, financial reports
• Ensure culturally appropriate and responsive care is provided to all survivors who interact with REST
• Work collaboratively to contribute to equity, inclusion, and accessibility in service delivery and partnerships
• Participate in all necessary REST staff meetings and trainings.
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• This position is eligible for all benefits offered to full-time exempt employees.
• This currently starts at 15 days vacation, 10 days sick, 12 holidays, 100% employer-paid medical/dental/vision premiums for employee, one paid mental health hour each week, and a 403b retirement plan.
• Exempt employees also earn comp time after 40 hours/week.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level