Family Services Specialist I

City of Alexandria, VA; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Alexandria, VA seeks a Family Services Specialist I to serve as a frontline advocate for children and youth affected by domestic violence. The role includes crisis intervention, counseling in Safehouse and community, and helping families develop goal plans addressing parenting, housing, health, and employment.

This grant-funded position requires trauma-informed knowledge, social work principles, and strong communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a human services field and one year of relevant experience.
• Master’s degree in Social Work or Human Services with trauma survivor experience preferred.
• Valid driver’s license if driving responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide a time-sensitive assessment of and response to immediate needs of hotline callers who have experienced or been affected by domestic violence to help them return to pre-crisis functioning, including crisis intervention, support, safety planning, information, and referrals.
• Provide 24-hour emergency crisis response and individual/systems advocacy for domestic violence victims for forensic examinations, medical treatment and testing, police interviews and court proceedings.
• Provide case management and advocacy services for victims of domestic violence including locating and providing community resources and referrals; monitor client access to referrals; assist client when needed.
• Provide supportive individual and group counseling to child witnesses of domestic violence.
• Provide domestic violence intervention/prevention information to students in City schools and youth groups on healthy relationships.
• Provide supportive counseling to students with issues relating to domestic violence and adolescent relationship abuse.
• Assist initial contact with domestic violence victims referred by Alexandria Police Department or Commonwealth's Attorney’s Office to inform them of court process and services.
• Prepare clients for trial through counseling, support, and court advocacy.

Skills

Domestic violence knowledge

Trauma-informed advocacy

Social work principles

Counseling techniques

Communication skills

Crisis intervention

Education

Bachelor's degree in human services

Master's degree in Social Work

Tools

State information systems

Job description

Family Services Specialist I

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work.

An Overview

This is a Grant-Funded Position.

The Family Services Specialist I will be a primary worker for children and youth who have experienced and/or witnessed domestic violence or adolescent relationship abuse; provides crisis intervention, individual and group counseling in the Safehouse and in the community. They will assist clients (parents and their children/youth) in developing goal plans and problem solving with issues such as parenting, substance abuse, housing, health and safety, benefits, childcare, and employment.

What You Should Bring.

good knowledge and understanding of domestic violence and trauma-informed advocacy; good knowledge of the principles and practices of social work; good knowledge of social, psychiatric, economic and health problems; good knowledge of early childhood development theory, principles and practices; good knowledge of adolescent relationship abuse; some knowledge of community resources or the ability to readily acquire such knowledge; some knowledge of individual and group counseling techniques or the ability to acquire such knowledge; some knowledge of counseling techniques provided to clients with mental disorders, alcoholism, and/or drug abuse; ability to quickly assess and defuse hostile situations; ability to identify social problems and needs, and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of individuals and families; ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; ability to work with others, collaboratively, toward attaining service goals for the client; ability to understand and interpret laws, policies, and regulations.

The Opportunity

• Provide a time-sensitive assessment of and response to immediate needs of hotline callers who have experienced or been impacted by domestic violence to help them return to pre-crisis levels of functioning providing crisis intervention , support, safetyplanning, information, and referrals. The employee is expected to be available for on-call rotating shifts overnights and weekends.
• Provide 24-hour emergency crisis response and individual/systems advocacy to victims of sexual/domestic violence for forensic examinations, related medical treatment and testing, police interviews and court proceedings.
• Provide case management and advocacy services for victims of domestic violence including locating and providing community resources and referrals; monitor client's access to the referrals; and assist client when needed.
• Provide supportive individual and group counseling to child witnesses of domestic violence.
• Provide domestic violence intervention/prevention information utilizing best practices curricula to students in the City's schools and multi-session groups on healthy relationships to youth/teen groups.
• Provide supportive counseling to students who present issues relating to domestic violenceand adolescent relationship abuse.
• Provide initial contact with domestic violence victims referred to the program by the Alexandria Police Department and/ or the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to inform them of the court process, civil remedies, sentencing alternatives and services.
• Prepare clients for trial through counseling, support and accompaniment, keep clientsinformed of case status and provide victims with court advocacy during all criminal and civilproceedings.

• Work with pro bono attorneys and Legal Services of Northern Virginia to secure legal assistance and services for victims of domestic violence.
• Assist with other arrest, non-arrest and outreach clients when need it.

• Provide leadership to and participate as an active member of the coordinating council, the Alexandria Domestic Violence Intervention Project.
• Represent the Domestic Violence Program by making presentations to community groups, civic organizations, local and state government agencies, social service agencies and citizengroups regarding domestic and sexual violence and services provided.
• Provide technical assistance and training to allied professionals at state and national levels on domestic and sexual violence, adolescent relationship abuse, the effects of intimate partner violence on children and improving the City's response to sexual and domestic violence and best practices.
• Maintain confidentiality of client files and information
• Assist in training and provide guidance to program volunteers
• Maintain case records and enter data into state-wide mandatory information systems program
• Performs related work as required.

About the Department.

The Center for Children and Families (CCF) provides programs and services for Behavioral Health, Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, Child Welfare & Child Protective Services, Early Childhood and Youth Development. CCF provides compassionate, collaborative, and effective person and family-centered services based on best practices. Our teams support self-determination, safety, recovery and resiliency for Alexandria children and all residents affected by abuse, neglect, mental illness, intellectual disabilities and substance abuse disorders.

Bachelor’s degree in a human services field and one year of relevant experience. Employees must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence if they are in a position with driving responsibilities.

Master's degree in Social Work or Human Services field. At least one year of experience working with Trauma Survivors (specifically Domestic Violence survivors); Bilingual.

This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment background checks including but not limited to: Criminal Background Checks (local and federal); Sherriff's Office Background Check; VA State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry; Psychological; Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database; Education/certifications; and driver’s license.

Schedule:

• Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8:00AM - 5:00PM
• Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:00PM - 8:30PM