Family Advocacy Program Victim Advocate

Duties

• Incumbent serves as Victim Advocate for the Family Advocacy Program (FAP) to provide comprehensive assistance and liaison to and for victims of spouse/intimate partner abuse and non-offending parents or caregivers of victims of child abuse; and to educate personnel on the installation regarding the most effective responses to domestic violence/intimate partner abuse on behalf of victims and at-risk family members. Screens victims of domestic abuse, evaluates their needs, and provides them with information about domestic violence, safe and confidential ways to seek assistance, their rights, and the resources and services available to them. This involves maintaining current information on resources and services and advising victims before disclosure of the limited confidentiality rule.
• Coordinate with the FAP Case Manager to develop appropriate plan of assistance/intervention for the safety of the victim and their family members. Keep the clinical case manager informed of victim's situation at all times. Work with law enforcement and/or sponsoring command when FAP Case Manager is absent.
• Provide crisis intervention; assistance in securing medical treatment for injuries; information on legal rights and resources available through both military and civilian programs; education; transportation; pretrial, trial, and post-trial support; and follow-up services. Conduct the psychoeducational support groups for parents of child abuse and adult victims of domestic abuse. Evaluate victims' needs and work with the victim to establish, review and revise, as necessary, a detailed, individualized safety plan. Issue referrals to other servicing agencies.
• Provide advocacy services to non-offending parents or caregivers of identified victims of child abuse, including: safety planning, identifying supportive resources, working with civilian authorities, and creating an environment that facilitates the non-offending parent or caregivers' ability to support the child. Advocate for the expressed interests and safety of the victim when providing information to military and civilian courts; the Clinical Case Staff Meeting; and when accompanying victims to legal appointments and investigative interviews.
• In coordination with the Family Advocacy Representative (FAR), report all suspected child abuse or neglect cases to proper state child protective service authorities for investigation. Report incidents to Military Police and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), as appropriate.
• Provide child focused advocacy and support services to parents of children involved in cases of Problematic Sexual Behavior in Children and Youth (PSB-CY), ensuring all actions comply with Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy instructions and civilian reporting requirements. Receive reports of problematic sexual behaviors in children and youth (PSB-CY) from military and civilian representatives and take the necessary steps under the FAP PSB-CY.
• Complete all required documentation (Victim Advocate Contact notes, collateral contacts, safety plans, and required statistical data) in the Fleet and Family Support Management Information System (FFSMIS) and the DoD Military Community and Family Policy PSB-CY Case Management System, as required.
• Liaison and Program Awareness Duties: 45%
• Establish and maintain a cooperative working relationship with all action agencies to include Military Treatment Facility, Military Police, NCIS, and Unit Commanders. Serve as a consultant on the Clinical Case Staff Meeting. Ensure that the FAP case manager is aware of the victim's situation and enter written entries in the victim's FAP client case record. Label and identify nonclinical documentation as "Victim Advocate Note". Provide input to the FAP Manager on the establishment and implementation of local policies and directives pertaining to the Family Advocacy Victim Advocate Program. Assist the Family Advocacy Educator on conducting Community FAP education program activities, such as Child Abuse Prevention Month (April) and Domestic Violence Prevention Month (October) and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (February). Brief on FAP policies, dynamics of domestic abuse, availability of treatment services, procedural requirements for handling both on and off installation domestic abuse cases, state laws, and other pertinent information about family violence, when needed. Conduct education classes for Family Support Groups and the community on the prevention of domestic abuse. Research and network with civilian resources, such as court appointed victim advocates, shelters and other civilian resources that provide services to victims of domestic violence and/parents of child abuse victims; provide education and training, as needed, to civilian providers of services on military resources and regulations to center staff on resources available to victims and victim issues within the community.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Participation in the Direct Deposit/Electronic Fund Transfer within 30 days of employment
• Candidate must successfully complete a formal background check and maintain security suitability requirement
• May serve in an "on call" duty status outside of normal work hours that includes remaining ready to perform work, carrying a cell-phone and remaining in a reasonable call back radius, staffing the 24/7 support duty line, as needed.
• The incumbent may be required to work flexible hours including weekend hours, such as 0700-1500 or 0900 -1800 to accommodate client's needs to have after hour care.

Qualifications

• Must have at least two years of experience in assisting and providing advocacy services to victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault.
• Must be able to obtain within six months of hire or already have, at minimum, the Basic Advocate Credential with the designation as a Comprehensive Intervention Specialist, as approved by the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP)/National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). Both the Basic Advocate Credential and the Comprehensive Intervention Specialist designation must be maintained throughout employment in this position.

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited university or college in one of the following:
Social Work, Psychology, Counseling or Behavioral Science, Criminal Justice, or Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling.

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.