Crisis Advocate

Description

• Provides direct crisis intervention and advocacy to survivors of sexual violence (phone and/or face-to-face):
  • Coordinates SARS calls and responds to offsite locations to provide advocacy, crisis intervention, information, and referral services to recent sexual assault/abuse survivors.
  • Coordinate services as needed with other members of the crisis services program to ensure continuity of care.
  • Provides the following services via the crisis line: crisis intervention, information, referrals, and complete mental health referrals for clients wanting therapy.
  • Provides face-to-face crisis intervention.
  • Assists with follow-up support services via telephone to crisis clients requesting a follow-up call, as needed.
• Provides ongoing, complex personal advocacy services to ongoing clients via telephone or in person.
• Creates plan of action with clients including coordination with community resources.
• Advocates for clients and accompanies clients to appointments, as needed.
• Provides assistance with Victims Compensation.
• Maintains hospital inventory.
• Maintains stocks of clothing, personal hygiene products, emergency 911 phones, paperwork, materials and other advocacy items for exam sites.
• Coordinates and manages crisis services inventory as needed which includes collaborators, regulatory agencies and/or stakeholders.
• Prepares and provides reports as needed to collaborators, regulatory agencies and/or stakeholders.
• Provides staff back-up services on a rotating basis, after-hours in support of the On-Call/Relief SARS Crisis Advocates, Supervisors, and English/Spanish/TTY Crisis hotline staff and volunteers.
• Assists in the development of materials for survivors and resource manuals for team members.
• Must be able to safely and effectively monitor consumer activities, with or without a reasonable accommodation.
• Performs other related duties in accordance with agency growth and changes

• Coordinates mental health referrals for primary and secondary survivors in conjunction with the Crisis Services Director.
  • Oversees the database of clients who have received a pre-screen and who are waiting for mental health services.
  • Assigns new mental health services clients to clinicians.
  • Coordinates transfer of Referral for Mental Health Services paperwork between Crisis Services staff and Mental Health Services staff.
  • Maintains updated referral lists for clients with private insurance.

• Ensures that Crisis Services department equipment is in working order for day-time coverage.

Qualifications

Education and experience:    

• Masters or Bachelor’s degree in a healthcare related field and no related experience OR;
• Masters or Bachelor’s degree in a non-healthcare related field and 3 months relevant related experience OR;
• Associates’ degree in a healthcare field and 6 months related experience OR;
• Associate’s degree in a non-healthcare field and 1-year related experience OR;
• Certified Medical Assistant and 1-year related experience OR;
• Certified Peer Support Specialist and 1-year years related experience.

Certifications:

• CPR
• First Aid
• Arizona Department of Public Safety Fingerprint Clearance
• Additional Requirements:
• Valid Arizona Drivers license, proof of current insurance and willingness to use personal vehicle. Drivers license is an essential requirement for performing duties for this position.
• Clean Motor Vehicle Record - no more than 2 moving violations or a license suspension in past 3 years.
• Must be able to provide own transportation to and from clients homes and/or other relevant organizations/agencies.

Skills:

• Bilingual a plus.
• Extensive knowledge of community resources.
• Extensive knowledge of behavioral health challenges which include knowledge of the impacts of mental illness, domestic violence, and the dynamics of addictive behavior.
• Familiarity with various ethnic and cultural groups.
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills using MS Office products, Word, Excel, Access, etc., importing/exporting data to/from applications.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing