Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Victim Advocate

Title: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Victim Advocate

Status: Non-Exempt

Supervisor: Coordinator of Advocacy

Salary: $25.93/hr.

Schedule: 32 hrs. per week w/ on-call rotation requirement

Function: The DCSO Victim Advocate acts as the liaison to the police department including co-location at the police department, providing outreach and assistance to victims who have had police contact or wish to file a police report.

Enthusiastically supports, practices and communicates agency’s mission and statement of values.

Our mission is to help families and individuals help themselves through direct services, collaboration, and advocacy.

Qualifications: BA in Human Services field preferred and/or 3 to 5 years relevant work experience. Human Services, counseling, and/or advocacy experience.

Position Responsibilities:

• Provide casework services to clients including: crisis counseling, safety planning, advocacy, information and referrals, emergency financial assistance, and claims filing.
• Assist victims who have had police contact or wish to file a police report. Review domestic incidents and outreach to victims and officers as appropriate.
• Accompany victims of crime to hospitals, police departments, and court while providing crisis counseling, information and referrals, assistance with crime victims compensation claims, criminal justice advocacy and personal advocacy.
• Provide information and referrals to all clients in need following the agency’s and department’s protocol.
• Expand service reach by researching community organizations and providing community outreach through presentations and tabling events.
• Participate in on-call rotation for evening and weekend coverage of 24-hour hotlines.
• Complete all administrative tasks as assigned on a timely basis, this includes, but is not limited to: documenting all activities, preparing weekly and monthly activity reports, maintaining up-to-date case records, and inputting into client database.
• Maintain statistics and prepare reports as needed and maintain up-to-date client records.
• Other duties as assigned based upon need of program.
  
  

Skills and Abilities:

• Clear and effective communication, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work effectively when under extreme pressure.
• Ability to work independently, but relate issues to manager, as appropriate.
• Possess out of the box thinking, resourcefulness, and strong advocacy skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain working relationships within DCSO and other community agencies and stakeholders.
• Ability to remain organized and complete administrative tasks, such as documenting activities and maintaining up-to-date records, in a timely manner.
  
  

Essential Requirements:

• Complete and maintain training certification as NYS DOH Rape Crisis Counselor
• Complete mandated reporter training; Report any behavior or implication of behavior of child abuse to the appropriate authorities
• Must be able to get to and from various work locations throughout work shift and outside of office hours for on-call purposes. This includes Family Services, local courts, hospitals, police departments, social services, etc
• Strong computer skills, including a working knowledge of an e-mail package and MS software programs: Word and Excel
• Established cell phone, willing to use for work (will be reimbursed), with effective coverage for the Dutchess County area
  
  

Benefits:

Do you value flexibility and support in your work environment? We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Our benefits packages include:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Group term life and long-term disability insurance
• Supplemental life insurance & accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)
• Paid vacation, holiday, sick, and personal time
• Supplemental insurance through AFLAC
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
  
  

Our Agency Values

Integrity - Being honest and trustworthy

Compassion – Extending empathy and understanding to others

Hope - Believing in the strength of the human spirit and heart, to emerge and thrive in the face of challenge

Diversity – Promoting a vison of community comprised of wide-ranging assets

Respect - Treating all individuals with dignity and without judgement

Community - Recognizing and reinforcing the importance of our world as being comprised of people of differing strengths and perspectives

Justice – Promoting social and economic equity and fairness

Quality – Striving for excellence in every aspect of our work

Our Mission:

Family Services brings people together to find the support they need, improving their lives and communities, and building a stronger safer Hudson Valley.

Work Environment – Family Services Inc. Center for Victim Safety and Support is a 24 hour crisis center. Co-located Advocates will split their time between their law enforcement jurisdiction, advocating/interacting with community agencies and systems, meeting with individuals and working on a team at the Center for Victim Safety and Support, completing documentation and administrative responsibilities and participating in meetings at Family Services.

#INDCP

Family Services, Inc. complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact hr@familyservicesny.org.

Family Services is an equal opportunity employer. We follow federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination in hiring and employment.

Must be authorized to work in the United States without work sponsorship.

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