Advocate, DRO - Rural Justice Initiative, South/SW, TX

Disability Rights Texas•San Antonio, TX

About The Position

Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) is recruiting a Rural Justice Initiative (RJI) Disaster, Resilience & Outreach Advocate for the South/SW Texas region. The project-funded role supports the RJI, a collaboration intended to expand access to civil legal services for low-income Texans in designated rural communities and legal-desert counties. It is a time-limited, five-year position funded specifically for the initiative. Continued employment depends on the project’s continuation, funding availability, and organizational need; the position is not intended to be permanent beyond the project or its available funding. Under the direction of an Advocate Supervisor and with attorney supervision, the Advocate provides non-litigation advocacy and case support to individuals with disabilities. Work includes client interviews and intakes, eligibility and needs assessment, complaint investigation, review of records, identifying resources, applications, referrals, case documentation, and short-term assistance. The Advocate also drafts correspondence, complaints, and case notes; coordinates advocacy steps with assigned attorneys; and supports accessible legal education, outreach, clinics, and community-based services. The position requires residence within or sufficiently near one of the assigned counties—Kinney, Atascosa, Duval, Brooks, Zapata, Zavala, Frio, Kleberg, Starr, Medina, La Salle, Jim Hogg, or Willacy—to maintain a regular local presence. The Advocate must be reasonably available for in-person outreach, legal clinics, community-partner meetings, and other activities throughout the service area. The role involves regular rural travel and work in varied locations, including offices, courthouses, administrative hearing locations, schools, libraries, clinics, community organizations, and community events.

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; alternatively, 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 such knowledge within a reasonable period.
Ability to analyze information, identify issues, and support the development of effective solutions.
Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences using varied 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 as part of a team.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and with 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 with limited public or other transportation options, 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 that are relevant to the issue team.
Spanish bilingual proficiency, written and spoken, as required for this 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 assigned attorney.
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 and timely records in case-management systems, including required RJI activity, referral, county-coverage, and grant-reporting data.
Provide non-litigation advocacy support, information, warm referrals, and authorized short-term assistance; coordinate with legal aid and community partners to address service gaps.
Identify appropriate resources and programs, assist with applications, and support 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 outreach staff.
Apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, and program requirements in service delivery under attorney supervision.
Prioritize work 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 associated issues.
Identify and document recurring barriers to rural legal access, including distance, transportation, broadband connectivity, communication accessibility, and limited legal-service availability; elevate patterns to RJI leadership.
Coordinate 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 procedures for case assignment, attorney approval, consultation, escalation, conflict checking, and case closure; obtain specialized issue-team consultation when directed.
Assist with 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 position’s scope and the purposes of the RJI.