Victim Advocate - Regional Mental Health Court/Regional Veteran's Court (Internal Applicants Only)

King County•Seattle, WA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is open only to current employees of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Applicants must serve and pass their six-month probation period in their current position in order to be eligible to apply. This position involves complex legal work and requires specialized knowledge in the areas of domestic violence, the mental health system, victim advocacy and criminal justice. This 15-hour position is responsible for providing advocacy for the Mental Health Court.

Requirements

Demonstrated expertise in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault, mental health, criminal justice and court-based advocacy
Extensive knowledge of criminal justice systems in King County, domestic violence and mental health issues, safety issues, counseling and crisis intervention
Demonstrated ability to work with people in crisis
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; ability to communicate professionally and effectively with individuals, groups and in the courtroom
Considerable knowledge of local related community resources
Ability to work with diverse populations
Ability to exercise independent initiative and judgment and also function as a team player
Ability to problem-solve and identify needed procedural and policy changes
Demonstrated ability to manage voluminous and sensitive caseloads
Ability to motivate, supervise and coordinate workloads of volunteers
Commitment to equity and social justice; willingness to engage in equity work, training and discussions.

Responsibilities

Provides immediate crisis intervention to victims with highest priority given to the safety of victims
Provides support, assistance and information to victims throughout criminal proceedings, which includes being available to respond to questions or concerns, explaining the legal process, and keeping the victim informed of court hearings and outcomes of hearings
Assess victim's short and long term needs and referrals to appropriate community resources when applicable
Initiates contact with victim upon receipt of police report/charge/case referral and maintains contact throughout the process of prosecution with the intent to identify and address any safety concerns, keep the victim informed of the status of the case, and gather the victim's input for the prosecutor and courts
Prepares victims for interviews and court proceedings; attends court hearings as necessary to support victim and advocate on victim's behalf; attends defense and other types of interviews in support of victim
Consults and coordinates with prosecutors daily regarding case issues and proceedings as a representative of victim's concerns, needs and input. This includes informing prosecutor of victim's willingness to assist with prosecution, support of Mental Health Court admittance, and of additional discoverable information or pertinent facts to the case gained through contact with victims
Functions as a liaison between victims and various criminal justice entities as well as community resources - provides advocacy for victims through system advocacy
Plans and schedules work for volunteers, prioritizing their workload and supervising them as needed
Maintains a cooperative relationship with appropriate community resource agencies and provides training for the community when appropriate
Assists with civil orders of restraint when necessary
Gathers and compiles statistical data
Engage in Race, Equity and Social Justice practices in daily work and decision-making