NNMCAC Advocate

Taoschamber; Taos (NM); On-site; USD 30,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Against Violence seeks a CAC Advocate to deliver crisis intervention, advocacy, and case management for clients affected by domestic and sexual violence. The role requires travel within New Mexico, strong collaboration with law enforcement and protective services, and coordinated care for children, teens, and adults with diverse needs.

The position emphasizes culturally competent services, thorough documentation, and ongoing engagement with survivors to ensure access to shelter,

Qualifications

• HS Diploma or GED required.
• Two years of relevant experience preferred.
• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Familiarity with accessing community services.
• Forty hours of domestic violence training within three months of hire.

Responsibilities

• Advocacy services to CAC clients including crisis intervention and case management.
• Provide education about the investigative process to families.
• Coordinate referrals and services with trauma-informed providers.
• Enter and track data in the CAC database and report outcomes.

Education

HS Diploma or GED

Two years of relevant experience

Must be 21 years of age or older

Familiarity with accessing community services

Domestic violence training (40 hours)

Job description

Hours : 40 Hours per week (flexibility required: weekday, occasional weekend, late night as needed.)

Salary: $21.50-23.50/Hr. + Benefits, Non-Exempt

Minimum Age Requirement: Must be 18 years or older

Background Check: Must be able to pass a criminal background check and pre-employment drug screening

About Community Against Violence (CAV):

It is the mission of Community Against Violence to foster and support a community free from all forms of domestic and sexual violence. CAV provides advocacy services, counseling and support groups, children’s programs, community prevention and outreach programs, and strives to provide information and resources for those in need. CAV also has an on-site emergency shelter for adults and their children and offers short and long-term transitional housing programs.

Scope Of Position:

Provide CAC services: crisis intervention; advocacy; provide case management throughout the life of the case, in accordance with the defined needs of the children and families, and support for children, teens, and adults/seniors with developmental/cognitive disabilities who are alleged or suspected of being sexually or physically abused, neglected, or a witness to violent crimes; and provide services and referrals aimed to improve the emotional, mental, and behavioral health of clients. CAC referrals for services are at the sole request of law enforcement, CYFD Child Protective Services (CPS), or Tribal Social Services (TSS). This position requires regular travel within New Mexico on a weekly basis.

Primary Responsibilities:

Advocacy services to be provided by CAC Advocate include, but are not limited to:

Crisis services to primary clients (child/teen or adult with developmental/cognitive disabilities) and non-offending caretakers.

Education to the client and non-offending caretaker(s) about the investigative process to enhance cooperation with the investigation and to provide ongoing education for families who may not be able to process all the information at one time, or whose needs change over time.

Provide direct links (“warm hand-off”) for the client and non-offending caretaker(s) for needed services and assistance with the referrals, including, but not limited to in-house CAV or other trauma-informed community-based mental health providers and local medical care providers and organizations/SANE Unit to conduct a medical evaluation of the client. The Advocate will keep a log of referrals and the disposition/outcome of them.

As needed, assist CAC’s clients’ non-offending caretakers to coordinate counseling and health care appointments for children or adults with special needs.

Actively follow up with the survivor and non-offending caregivers to ensure community-level service linkages are accessed.

Provide support to the client and non-offending caretakers throughout the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.

Inform the client (if appropriate) and the non-offending caretaker(s) of:

Survivor’s compensation plans (and assist in filling out and filing claim application forms as appropriate and needed), and

Steps needed to complete the CAC process (investigation, medical/mental health care, subsequent legal proceedings, follow up, etc.)

When a child is in the legal custody of Children, Youth & Family Child Protective Services (CPS) or Tribal Social Services (TSS), coordinate referrals and services with CPS or TSS.

Provide services that are culturally and linguistically competent and meet the needs of diverse populations in each community served.

Enter data about cases referred to the CAC into the computerized database system.

Track cases until they are finally adjudicated and/or closed to services.

Gather and tabulate statistics on all survivors of crime referred to the CAC for reports to funding sources including VOCA, AODA, and NCA, and for use in funding applications.

Attending monthly Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings for all counties served by the CAC and keeping team members informed of new cases and developments in existing cases according to formal protocols.

Provide follow-up contact and services identified as needed for cases brought up at each MDT meeting.

Provide coordination and collaboration with the District Attorney’s office about cases pending Grand Jury and Trial.

Keep families informed about the status of criminal proceedings and provide support as needed.

Assist, or arrange for, court preparation services for children having to testify in court and provide support and accompaniment services where appropriate.

Assist CAV Child & Family Advocate with intake of paperwork on children, non-offending family and /or caretaker.

Be fully knowledgeable and coordinate with all other CAV program components (or other community-based appropriate resources for remote/outlying seven northeastern NM counties and Pueblo’s service provision areas) with referrals and case management of CAC clients and make appropriate out-of-agency referrals to assist clients in obtaining other mainstream resources needed.

When applicable, assist CAC clients in shelter to work through any problems they may encounter while residing in shelter.

Assist in the follow-up and close-out of clients not currently engaged or receiving services.

Share relevant and pertinent information with CAV employees and other MDT members in strict adherence to CAV confidentiality policies, MDT protocols, grant agreements, and all other applicable laws, specifically federal VAWA, VOCA, and FVPSA laws, and NM State Statute, “Victim Counselor Confidentiality Act.”

Document all interactions and services accurately in the client’s file.

Provide clients with transportation, as needed.

Participate in all staff meetings, client case staffing’s, and in-service training as required or requested by supervisors.

Abide by confidentiality required by CAV and its grantors.

Be cross trained in other areas of CAV support services.

Responsible for serving as an employee back up for the CAC, taking scheduled primary shifts, and filling in for coverage when requested by supervisor.

Responsible for completing required paperwork and maintaining files on clients. This includes preparing necessary reports for Board and/or funding sources, as requested by the CAC Program Coordinator, the Clinical/CAC Director, and the Executive Director.

Become knowledgeable of the ways in which collaborating with people who have experienced trauma, DV and SA, impacts employees and proactively work to limit the effects of compassion fatigue by seeking supervision when common signs are present.

Engage in situational supervision structure and actively examine how this work impacts you and how you impact the people that you work with as well as co-workers.

Participate in a minimum of three agency events each year.

Other responsibilities as assigned by CAC Program Coordinator, Clinical/CAC Director, and the Executive Director.

Minimum Qualifications :

HS Diploma or GED.

Two (2) years of relevant experience with the target population.

Must be 21 years of age or older.

Demonstrated familiarity with accessing community services.

Forty (40) hours of domestic violence/intimate partner violence training within three months of hire and additional training as required by grantors and agency. A minimum of twenty (20) hours of ongoing training per year related to target population, may include NCA, Children’s Advocacy Centers of NM, NMCSAP, NMCADV, CSVANW, VOCA, or VAWA training.

Plus, the general qualifications listed in GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR ALL.

General Qualifications For All:

In addition, ALL employees must possess:

Demonstrated basic knowledge of child abuse and neglect (through course work, professional training, higher education, or volunteer work).

Ability to communicate with a wide range of cultures relevant to service area’s specific community.

Knowledge of child protection, law enforcement, and court systems.

Successful clearance of a CYFD background check prior to unsupervised contact with clients.

Additional Qualifications Preferred :

Bilingual communication skills and previous experience in providing advocacy to survivors of sexual or domestic violence.

CAV is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. This means that all persons are eligible to be employed, promoted, or discharged, without regard to their sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability, age, ancestry, serious medical condition, gender identity, or national origin. CAV does not tolerate retaliation against any employee or client who filed grievance, made a complaint, or questioned the handling of a discrimination charge.

Additional Postings available from Community Against Violence