FAMILY ADVOCATE

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This is paraprofessional work with responsibility for providing support and assistance to child victims of crime and their non-offending family members. Work is performed under direct supervision of the Child Advocacy

Center (CAC) Program Coordinator, with leeway allowed for the exercise of independent judgment in routine matters. Supervision is not a requirement of this position. Performs related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

Provides individual and group support services to child victims of crime and their non-
offending family members;

Provides crisis intervention and short-term counseling;

Assesses victim needs and makes appropriate referrals;

Advocates for victims, ensuring their needs are addressed within the community and criminal justice systems;

Provides assistance for victims in completing compensation claims and OVS affidavits;

Provides assistance and information on shelters, restraining orders, availability of counseling
and explanation of court process;

Confers with attorneys, law enforcement and Child Protective Services on the issues
affecting a victim’s ability and willingness to cooperate with the investigation and
prosecution;

Participates in CAC multidisciplinary monthly case review meetings;

Provides accompaniment to forensic medical evaluations, court, police and District Attorney’s Office;

Provides follow-up on outreach through phone contact;

Maintains appropriate case documentation and statistics;

Organizes and presents seminars on victimization with emphasis on family violence
prevention;

Performs a variety of related activities as required.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES & PERSONAL

CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of Family and Criminal Court procedures; good knowledge of laws and regulations pertaining to the rights of victims; good knowledge of policies and procedures of the Child Advocacy Center; good knowledge of policies and

procedures of Child Protective Services; good knowledge of the dynamics associated with child abuse and domestic violence; good knowledge of community resources and ability to make appropriate referrals; skill in public speaking; ability to deal with people in sensitive and traumatic situations; ability to facilitate support group sessions; ability to establish effective working relationships with clients and professionals; ability to work independently; ability to speak English fluently; tact; emotional maturity; good judgment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

A.) Possession of an Associate’s degree from a regionally accredited or NYS
registered college or university in Criminal Justice or a Human Services field;

OR:

B.) Graduation from high school or possession of an appropriate equivalency diploma
recognized by the NYS Department of Education and two (2) years of full-time,
paid experience in the fields of child abuse, domestic violence, or related fields;

PART-TIME, PAID EXPERIENCE WILL BE PRO-RATED AS APPROPRIATE

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT AND CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT

Possession of a valid New York State driver’s license at the time of appointment and maintenance of such license throughout the tenure of employment in the position.

NOTE: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the internet at

http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.

All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or marital status.

Competitive Class
Adopted 9/27/17

Revised 10/19/23

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $20.69 per hour

Expected hours: 37.5 per week

Benefits:

• Employee assistance program
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person