Advocate, DRO - Rural Justice Initiative, East, TX

Disability Rights Texas•Beaumont, TX

About The Position

The Rural Justice Initiative (RJI) Advocate is a project-funded, time-limited position established as part of Disability Rights Texas' participation in the RJI, a collaborative effort to expand access to civil legal services for low-income Texans in designated rural communities and legal-desert counties. The position is funded specifically for the five-year initiative. Continued employment is contingent on the project continuing, grant funding being available, and organizational need; the position is not intended to be permanent beyond the project or its funding. The Advocate provides supervised, non-litigation advocacy and case support to individuals with disabilities. Work includes intakes and client interviews, assessing eligibility and service needs, investigating complaints, gathering and reviewing records, identifying resources, assisting with applications, and providing authorized short-term assistance and other non-litigation support. The Advocate drafts correspondence, complaints, and case notes; manages an assigned caseload; maintains client contact and case documentation; and coordinates referrals and services with legal aid providers and community partners. Advocacy steps are performed under attorney direction and approval. The role also contributes to accessible rural legal education, outreach, clinics, and community-based services. The Advocate documents barriers to rural legal access, supports project reporting, and collaborates with RJI colleagues, other departments, and community organizations. The position works under the direction of an Advocate Supervisor. The position is assigned to the East, Texas region. The employee must reside within or sufficiently near the specified service-area counties to maintain a regular, meaningful local presence and be reasonably available for in-person outreach, clinics, partner meetings, and other project activities. Regular travel throughout the rural service area is required. Work may take place in DRTx or partner offices, courthouses, administrative hearing locations, schools, libraries, community organizations, clinics, community events, and other rural locations. The role regularly uses computers, telephones, videoconferencing, case-management systems, and other communication tools. Duties may be performed seated, standing, or in an alternative position; reasonable accommodations may be made.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Education, Psychology, Rehabilitation Counseling, Disability Studies, Social Services, or a related field and two years of relevant experience working with individuals with disabilities; or four years of equivalent related experience.
One year of experience in a field related to outreach work involving a variety of social service programs.
Knowledge of laws, regulations, and programs affecting individuals with disabilities, or ability to acquire that knowledge within a reasonable period.
Ability to analyze information, identify issues, and support development of effective solutions.
Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences using a variety of communication methods, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a dynamic work environment.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and case-management systems.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Must reside within or sufficiently near the assigned geographic service area to meet local-presence and community-engagement requirements.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout rural Texas, including to communities where public transportation and other transportation options may be limited, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to attend in-person outreach events and community activities within the assigned service area.
Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse socioeconomic, geographic, cultural, linguistic, and disability backgrounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience in public interest, legal aid, disability rights, special education, public benefits, or other civil legal services.
Existing professional or community ties to the assigned RJI service area.
Experience working in advocacy, legal services, or disability-related programs.
Experience delivering presentations or conducting community outreach.
Familiarity with public systems and laws affecting individuals with disabilities relevant to the issue team.
Spanish bilingual proficiency, written and spoken, as required for the position.

Responsibilities

Conduct client interviews and gather information to assess eligibility, case priority, and service needs.
Investigate complaints, analyze facts, and obtain and review records to identify legal and advocacy issues for attorney assessment.
Develop and implement advocacy steps under the direction and approval of the attorney assigned to the matter.
Manage an assigned caseload, including documentation, follow-up, and case coordination.
Maintain contact with clients in accordance with client policies and procedures.
Communicate with clients, staff, and external stakeholders about case status and advocacy efforts.
Maintain accurate, timely, and thorough case-management documentation, including required RJI activity, referrals, county coverage, and grant-reporting data.
Provide supervised non-litigation advocacy support, accurate information, warm referrals, and authorized short-term assistance; coordinate with legal aid and community partners to address service gaps.
Identify resources and programs and support applications, negotiation, mediation, and service coordination under attorney supervision.
Deliver information, referrals, and short-term assistance to individuals not receiving extended services under attorney supervision.
Support and deliver accessible rural legal education, outreach, and community-based service activities in coordination with RJI leadership and designated outreach staff.
Apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, and program requirements in service delivery under attorney supervision.
Prioritize workload and manage multiple responsibilities to meet deadlines and service expectations.
Collaborate with RJI team members and other departments to support effective service delivery.
Participate in ongoing training and professional development related to disability rights and related issues.
Identify and document recurring barriers to rural legal access, including distance, transportation, broadband connectivity, communication accessibility, and limited legal-service availability, and elevate patterns to RJI leadership.
Facilitate coordinated referrals and follow-up with legal aid providers, schools, libraries, disability organizations, and other community partners using approved confidentiality and referral procedures.
Participate in accessible legal clinics and community-based client appointments within assigned counties.
Follow RJI case-assignment, attorney-approval, consultation, escalation, conflict-checking, and case-closure procedures; obtain specialized issue-team consultation when directed.
Assist in tracking project outputs and service gaps, including county-level coverage and referral pathways, as required by DRTx policies and approved RJI reporting measures.
Perform other job-related duties consistent with the scope and level of the position and the purposes of the RJI.