Domestic Violence Adult Advocate - Full Time - Middletown, CT

Job Description Summary:

Job Description:

JOB SUMMARY

To provide comprehensive advocacy to victims of domestic violence and their children. Provide support, referrals, information and planning to safeguard the lives of individuals who have experienced domestic violence. To educate the community about domestic violence, initiate prevention activities, and outreach to enhance the accessibility of the program.

The schedule for this position is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8am to 4:30pm and Wednesday 4pm to12am.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responds to contacts made by victims, assessing their situations, making informed referrals and intake decisions. Explains shelter functions, goals, regulations to incoming residents and ensures compliance.
• Completes formal intakes with individuals upon their arrival. Develops a file for each person and family. Provides individual supportive counseling sessions as needed.
• Familiarizes self with resources in Middlesex and New London Counties for the victims and their children, makes appropriate referrals and maintains current resource listings. Advocates for victims within the legal, welfare, housing and medical systems. Acts as a liaison between victims and agencies in the community.
• Facilitates resident house meetings and/or support groups within the residence and with other departments of the Community Health Center. Shares on-call duties with other staff members, either in supportive telephone on-call or direct intervention on-call.
• Attends supervision meetings with the program director to develop house policy, review program and resident files. Meets in supervision with the program director to discuss individual duties and to review individual performance.
• Works with other groups (CCADV, SACS, DCF, etc) in conjunction with Component Director to educate the public, improve services offered, and to advocate for the rights of domestic violence victims and their children. Attends Adult Advocate meetings held by CCADV contingent on scheduled hours.
• Assists in training of volunteers, provides community education and outreach throughout Middlesex and New London counties.
• Complies with agency annual mandatory training requirements, i.e. Working Safely, EOC, etc.
• Responsible for the hotline calls on an as needed basis
• Collaborate with law enforcement agencies to complete lethality assessments and safety planning with victims
• Provide information to victims regarding court processes, protective orders, restraining orders and victims rights.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors degree (preferred) Substitution of appropriate college training, years of experience, and intern/volunteer service are allowed.
• Bilingual (preferred)
• Comprehensive working knowledge of the dynamics of domestic violence.
• Commitment to working with women and children severely affected by domestic violence, and a capacity to develop an overall plan for their safety and the preservation of their right to self-determination.
• Effective oral and written communication.
• Domestic Violence Advocate Certification, as approved by CCADV is required 3 months after hire.
• CHC requires as a condition of employment current American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer and AED (CPR/FPR/AED) certification. The only acceptable alternative is current American Heart Association BLS/AED for Healthcare Providers certification.
• Knowledge of community resources.
• Employees must have a current driver’s license with a clean driving record at time of hire and throughout employment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

• May required rapid physical response, though work is primarily sedentary.
• Because of safety and security threats, this can be a stressful position.
• Requires stair climbing.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

This position requires advocates to use a trauma-informed approach to domestic violence advocacy. Using a trauma informed approach means that we assist survivors in strengthening their own psychological capacities to deal with the multiple complex issues that they face in accessing safety, recovering from the traumatic effects of domestic violence and other lifetime abuse, and rebuilding their lives. This approach requires creating and maintaining an environment that is inclusive, welcoming, destigmatizing, and non-retraumatizing.

Confidentiality of Information

Confidentiality of business information is a requirement. Confidentiality must be maintained according to CHC policies. Breach of confidentiality in domestic violence programming represents a potentially life threatening or fatal risk to clients in the shelter. Must be willing and able to personally support, and endorse with staff and volunteers, the confidentiality of location of the shelter and all information related to clients of the shelter. Must maintain records in a format that would not threaten women’s safety and privacy should records be subpoenaed in a court of law.

Organization Information:

Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC), with offices in Connecticut, Colorado and California, is one of the country’s most creative and dynamic providers of primary medical, dental, and behavioral health services, and a leader in practice-based research, health professionals training, and use of innovative technologies to advance health and healthcare. CHC is designated as a federally qualified health center and a patient-centered medical home by HRSA, the Joint Commission, and NCQA, respectively. We deliver more than 600,000 patient visits per year from primary care hubs and community clinics across the state of CT, all connected by technology and common standards for quality. We employ several hundred medical, dental, and behavioral health providers who are engaged in practice, teaching, and research. Our Weitzman Institute is devoted to research and practice transformation and is recognized around the country as one of the premier research institutes focused on improving health care and health outcomes for special and vulnerable populations. In addition, the organization has developed three wholly owned subsidiaries from the original pilot developments within the Weitzman Institute: the National Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Training Consortium (NNPRFTC), and the National Institute for Medical Assistant Advancement (NIMAA).

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