Sexual Assault Advocate

Suncoast Center•Clearwater, FL

20h•Onsite

About The Position

Suncoast Center, a leader in quality behavioral health services, is seeking a Sexual Assault Advocate II to join our team. This role is essential in being an advocate to victims/survivors of sexual violence crimes through crisis intervention, support at forensic exams and legal advocacy. Suncoast Center has devoted over 75 years to ensuring the community has access to mental health services and support to individuals in need. Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm with 60 minute unpaid lunch On-Call requirement: To serve as back up on call one time every 4 weeks for 7 days to field any questions and/or schedule an examination within a 24 hour period. This rotation would be shared with Advocate II, Lead Examiner, Program Supervisor, and program Director.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required in social services related field and 2 years of full-time direct client work experience focused on gender-based violence population and 1 year of employment experience in a lead role.
Clear Criminal Background Check: Level ll Screening
2 years of experience related to the dynamics of trauma and impact of violence, especially domestic and sexual violence
Strong organizational skills
Ability to develop and maintain cooperative community relationships
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Computer and technical skills sufficient to perform responsibilities and train others
Demonstrates an appreciation of and ability to connect with diverse populations
Demonstrates emotional maturity and ability to be an effective team member for multiple organizations
On call experience required
1 year of Proven leadership experience required
Commitment to ethical standards and excellence
Must have valid Florida driver's license, proof of personal automobile insurance and a driving record that is acceptable to Suncoast Center

Responsibilities

Provide crisis intervention, individual crisis counseling, advocacy, accompaniment to SAVE and AFTERcare exams, support, information and referrals to primary and secondary survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment
Participate in 7 day, back up on call rotation to answer and questions, support a client, or schedule an examine within a 24 hour period.
Provide advocacy in court on behalf of victims
Organize, maintain and facilitate support groups for primary and secondary survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment
Complete assigned reporting, which may include billing forms with the Office of the Attorney General for examinations
Train and assist in administering Advocacy Core Training to eligible personnel, which may include coordinating training, conducting role-plays and/or certifying completion
Train new Sexual Assault Services and SAVE staff, ensure onboarding process is completed with all new staff, as needed
Provide assistance with Crime Victim Compensation claims, accompaniment to meetings, court, or medical appointments, hotline crisis counseling, telephone and follow-up contact and assistance may be offered
Coordinate with other crime victim programs (as needed)
Assist in ensuring program has effective community engagement and systems coordination, as needed
Coordinate services with other providers as appropriate
Responsible for tracking and reporting funder required data for themselves and assisting program manager with funder tracking and reporting for program, as needed during manager absence/vacation/paid time off
Ensure contract compliance and quality of program outcomes, including accurate and timely completion of data entry, records and reports
Maintain client files and generates required reports in accordance with agency standards and policies
Coordinate and attend outreach events for the Sexual Assault Services program, as needed
Participate in Sexual Assault Awareness Month events and other events as needed
Provide information and referral and advocates in the community
Participate on community committees and task forces to promote awareness and services related to the Sexual Assault Services program
Attend and actively participate in all staff development and quality assurance meetings to obtain up to date information on status of program and protocols, as well as obtaining training information relevant to position. Participate in training, orientation, and assessment of new staff as requested
Participate in the agency and program's visionary goals by communicating with Sexual Assault Services Manager regarding vision of what the program can become. Provide written and oral communication to the Sexual Assault Services Manager regarding current program vision, and status of the program, through open communication
Maintain good working relationships with professionals in the community by maintaining professionalism at all times. Establish and maintain professional and good working relationships with Suncoast, Inc. employees to further an atmosphere based in teamwork
Maintain excellent professional conduct including but not limited to personal responsibility, ethical behavior, and treating individuals with dignity and respect. Adhere to all Suncoast Centers, Inc. policies including: Ethics, Supervision, Confidentiality, Safety, and Information and Security policies
Attend annual HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) training, will read and follow the Suncoast Center, Inc. Program Procedures Manual regarding protected health information, and will adhere to all HIPAA requirements
Complete ACT Trained Advocate training (30 hour Florida Council Against Sexual Violence Advocacy Core Training)
Complete annual ACT recertification training (8 hours)
Other duties as assigned