Victims Advocate-BH

Yakama Nation; Toppenish (WA); On-site; USD 23,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enrolled Yakama Preference

Job summary

Yakama Nation’s Behavioral Health Department is seeking a Victims Advocate to support victims of crime with information, emotional support, and access to resources. The role may involve accompanying clients in court, coordinating with social services, and providing trauma-informed, wrap-around services.

Two years’ experience with victims, high school diploma, and ability to work non-standard hours are required.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience working with victims of crime or other vulnerable populations.
• Pre-employment drug test and background check required.
• Valid Washington State Driver's License with Tribal Driver Permit eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Provide training, education, and awareness to local schools, agencies, and businesses on victimization and rights.
• Offer emotional support and connect victims to needed services, including court advocacy.
• Maintain case notes; conduct intake and safety planning; follow up every six months.
• Assist with Victim Compensation applications and emergency shelter referrals.
• Facilitate group sessions and present trainings to community partners.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Advocacy work

Crisis response

Court testimony

Effective communication

Resource coordination

Documentation & reporting

Public speaking & trainings

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Victims Advocate

Behavioral Health

Department of Tribal Health

Hourly Wage: $20.10/Regular/Full-Time

Victim advocates are professionals trained to support victims of crime. Advocates offer victims information, emotional support, and help find resources and filling out paperwork. Sometimes, advocates go to court with victims. Advocates may also contact organizations, such as criminal justice or social service agencies, to get help or information for victims. Some advocates staff crisis hotlines, run support groups, or provide in-person counseling. Victim advocates may also be called victim service providers, victim/witness coordinators, or victim/witness specialists.

Examples of Work Performed:

• Provides training, education, and awareness to local schools, agencies, and businesses on victimization, crime prevention, victims' legal rights & protections, criminal justice processes and other subjects such as sex trafficking, date rape, and domestic violence.
• Advocate walks together with victims/survivors of sex-trafficking providing them emotional support, connecting them to needed services, and walking alongside them on their journey of healing.
• Provide innovative, trauma-informed, wrap-around-based, intensive case management for victims identified through local agencies, outreach, referral, or the hotline.
• Assist Victims with intake(s), create individualized safety planning & goal setting, and maintain progress notes for each client; including follow-up interviews every six (6) months.
• Maintain case notes and files in an orderly, up-to-date manner, and assist in improving efficiency of reporting, maintaining clear confidentiality policies.
• Assist clients in accessing resources to help meet their individualized goals. Advocate on their behalf with government organizations and community services to increase their opportunity for success.
• Attend applicable training (local, travel, & on-line).
• Advocates support clients as they progress through the medical and legal systems, providing advocacy-based counseling, referrals, and safety planning in a sensitive and supportive manner.
• Facilitate group sessions, assist with training & mentoring volunteers, and provide presentations & training to community partners.
• Provides assistance to victims with Victim Compensation applications, help victims find emergency shelter and notify victims of inmates' release or escape.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Historical Trauma and Intergenerational Trauma, and knowledgeable on complex trauma and the impact of complex trauma on the brain.
• Knowledge of Advocacy work as it pertains to victims of crime.
• Knowledge of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking and how it affects victims.
• Knowledge of basic Case Management principles and how to apply them in their case notes and goal setting with clients.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to demonstrate and implement trauma-informed care.
• Ability to be flexible and able to respond to leadership directives in a timely manner.
• Ability to conduct presentations and training to large groups.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work with women, children, youth and vulnerable populations, and respond to crisis and/or escalated behavior with calm and confident demeanor.
• Ability to give oral testimony in court on behalf of clients.
• Ability to organize, discern, and problem-solve creatively and under pressure.
• Demonstrate initiative with researching and accessing relevant resources in the community.

Minimum Requirements:

• High school diploma.
• Two years of experience working with victims of crime or other vulnerable populations.
• Required to pass pre-employment drug test.
• Required to pass pre-employment background check.
• Must not have any criminal record against women, children youth or vulnerable populations.
• Must possess a valid Washington State Driver's License with the ability to obtain a Tribal Driver Permit with Defensive Driving Course certificate (to be updated every 2 years).
• Capacity to work non-customary work hours.
• Successful completion and certification of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault trainings.

Preferred Requirements:

• Enrolled Yakama Preference, but all qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.