Onsite Victim Advocate, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
About The Position
The Victim Advocate provides services in support of advocacy, intervention, prevention, education, and training addressing domestic violence under the Army’s Family Advocacy Program (FAP). The role supports the Army’s Victim Advocacy Program (VAP), which provides comprehensive services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to assist and advocate for victims of domestic abuse and help them transition to community resources. The advocate serves Soldiers and Army Families living on and off the installation according to program protocol. The position provides crisis intervention and comprehensive support, including emotional support, transportation arrangements, accompaniment to medical, legal, law-enforcement, court, or other appointments when requested, assistance securing protective orders, emergency food or shelter, and information about benefits, rights, services, and resources. The advocate assesses health and safety risks, performs initial screening and non-clinical risk and lethality assessments, develops safety plans, makes referrals, and helps victims navigate systems and access continued care. The advocate explains FAP disclosure and reporting options so victims can make informed decisions, maintains timely contact and case records, and ensures sensitive, confidential, and prompt services. The advocate coordinates with the installation Family Advocacy Program Manager (FAPM), first responders, community resources, and multidisciplinary team members. The role also supports families involved in child abuse investigations and prosecutions, helps caregivers understand their rights and the dynamics and possible consequences of child abuse, assesses family needs, and represents the child and family’s best interests at case review meetings. The position includes conducting domestic-abuse training and awareness programs, participating in community prevention efforts, and providing on-call advocacy services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Part-time positions range from 12 to 35 hours per week. A flexible schedule is required, with work primarily at night and on weekends and some daytime hours according to installation needs. This is a Service Contract Act-covered position; pay rate and health and welfare allowance are specified in the applicable wage determination agreement.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school in social work, psychology, marriage, family, and child counseling, counseling or behavioral science, education, community health, or public health.
- Two years of experience working with victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault, or in victim advocacy services.
- Working knowledge of family violence dynamics, safety planning, risk assessments, local community resources, and federal and state laws pertaining to domestic abuse or sexual assault, family law, and the Victim Rights Bill.
- Ability to intervene in crisis situations using sound professional judgment, ethical practice, and common sense.
- Ability to work independently to assess risk and develop, implement, and evaluate safety and intervention plans to meet victim needs.
- Demonstrated understanding, sensitivity, and empathy for victims.
- Ability to develop trusting helping relationships.
- Ability to work effectively with individuals and families from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Ability to work cooperatively with military and civilian medical, social service, law-enforcement, and legal personnel on behalf of victims.
- Valid, unrestricted motor vehicle license, which must be maintained.
- Transportation to transport a victim in a crisis non-emergency situation as a last resort.
- Ability to provide on-call victim advocacy services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Understanding of Problematic Sexual Behavior—Child and Youth (PSB-CY).
- Must understand, comply with, and attest to the security responsibilities and controls unique to the position, and comply with applicable legal, regulatory, contractual, and internal requirements.
Nice To Haves
- Military work experience.
Responsibilities
- Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, safety planning, and comprehensive advocacy services to victims of domestic abuse.
- Arrange transportation and, when requested, accompany victims or non-offending caregivers to medical, legal, law-enforcement, court, and other appointments.
- Assist victims with protective orders, emergency food or shelter, benefits information, victim rights, and available on- and off-installation resources.
- Assess health and safety risks, perform initial screening and non-clinical risk and lethality assessments, and make referrals as appropriate.
- Advocate for victims’ expressed needs with intervening agencies and help them navigate systems to obtain desired services and continued care.
- Provide sensitive, confidential, and immediate care and treatment information to support victims’ health and well-being.
- Contact victims within 20 minutes by telephone or within 60 minutes face-to-face when requested; ensure immediate contact with first responders when a crisis involves imminent harm.
- Explain FAP disclosure and reporting options during initial contact so victims can make informed decisions.
- Coordinate with the FAPM to ensure comprehensive victim services and training, and to develop procedures for providing timely and appropriate information.
- Provide crisis intervention and a warm handoff to community resources for victims who are not eligible for services through a Military Treatment Facility.
- Conduct domestic-abuse training and awareness programs for Soldiers, Family members, and Civilians.
- Guide client families through child abuse investigations, encourage their participation, explain victim rights, and help caregivers understand the dynamics and potential long-term consequences of child abuse.
- Develop intervention strategies to improve family coping skills during child abuse investigations and prosecutions; identify and attempt to meet the needs of children and families in crisis.
- Assess family needs and encourage non-offending caregivers to participate in recommended services and counseling.
- Provide information and assistance with Crime Victims’ Compensation applications.
- Serve as a liaison between families and multidisciplinary team members, assist team members in identifying client needs and recommendations, and represent the child and family’s best interests at case review meetings.
- Participate in relevant community awareness campaigns and prevention events.
- Maintain ongoing case management and complete data entry within three business days.
- Maintain daily contact with victims in crisis and contact at least every 30 days when they are not in crisis.
- Transfer cases when victims leave the service area and close cases when advocacy services are complete, as appropriate and with FAPM concurrence.
- Provide on-call victim advocacy services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
