DescriptionThe Dallas Children's Advocacy Center is seeking an experienced Family Advocate (Day of Forensic Interview) for the Family Advocate Department.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The Family Advocate works collaboratively with each family and the MDT (multi-disciplinary) team and provides clients with trauma informed, wrap around services, referrals and resources to child victims and their caretakers. This position works closely with Spanish‑speaking clients; Spanish proficiency is preferred.
ABOUT DCAC: The mission of the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center is to improve the lives of abused children in Dallas County and to provide national leadership on child abuse issues. DCAC is a non-profit organization and the only agency of its kind in Dallas County, working in agreement with public and private agencies to investigate, prosecute, and provide healing services for child abuse
cases in Dallas County. We reduce the victimization of the child, remove barriers to investigation and treatment, and enhance criminal prosecution with our distinctive multidisciplinary and united approach to these complex and severe cases, all at no cost to our clients. Each year, DCAC serves over 13,000 children and their non-offending family members.
We are a national and international leader in the Children's Advocacy Center movement, recognized
for our expertise in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of child abuse cases; cutting edge clinical services and programs for the victims and their non-offending family members; and our community and professional training programs.
Essential Duties and Key Responsibilities:
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Conducts risk assessments related to non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation and behavior, homicidal ideation, and interpersonal violence; completes safety plans as needed; conducts follow up phone calls with caretaker within 24 hours of being seen.
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Provides informal assessment for immediate family needs that addresses food, housing, clothing, toiletries and physical and emotional safety.
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Ensures day of forensic interview, wrap around services are completed for the caregiver and child and next steps are determined, which include, but are not limited to:
Interaction with clients:
Supervision of Interns:
Cross-Training with other Family Advocates:
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Cross trains with other Family Advocates, Children’s Programming, Screening and On-Going Case management, to back up when needed.
Continuing Education:
Other Duties:
QualificationsQUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Education and experience: bachelor’s degree or higher in human services, social work, counseling, psychology, sociology or related field and two (2) years of experience in a client facing, case management role working at a domestic violence shelter, residential shelter or another Child Advocacy Center OR an equivalent combination of experience, knowledge and skills and five (5) years in a client facing position to substitute for a college degree.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
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Knowledge of developmental states of children, family dynamics, inter-partner violence, trauma, and child maltreatment.
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Skilled in effective communication with a diverse community of stakeholders including medical professionals, law enforcement, CPI (child protective investigation) the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, DCAC staff, clients, and families.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work Location: All work must be performed in the office due to client confidentiality.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Duties are usually performed seated with occasional periods of standing or walking. Limited physical effort is required associated with lifting and carrying objects (less than 25 lbs).
Working Conditions: Work may be performed but is not limited to an office environment.
Essential Functions: This job description should not be interpreted as all-inclusive. It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirements of this position. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this job description.
Core Values:
Must demonstrate/live our organization’s core values:
1. We are child-centered, family-focused, and community-driven,
2. We act with dignity and compassion in all that we do,
3. We recognize our staff as our greatest asset, and
4. We operate as a seamless team.
DCAC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and we believe in an inclusive culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
BENEFITS:
▪ 100% Paid Employee Health Insurance-PPO
▪ 100% Paid Employee Dental Insurance
▪ 100% Paid Short Term Disability
▪ 100% Paid Long Term Disability
▪ 100% Paid Basic Term Life and AD&D Benefits (one times your annual earnings up to $50,000)
▪ Vision Insurance through Superior Vision
▪ Pet Insurance through Nationwide
▪ Legal Services through Freshbenies
▪ Flexible Spending Account
▪ Dependent Spending Account
▪ Six (6) weeks' of paid Parental Leave
▪ Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
▪ Health Advocate
▪ WellVia Teladoc Program
▪ 403b Retirement and Contribution Plan with up to a 4% employer contribution
▪ Supplemental Insurance: Accident Insurance, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Critical Illness
Insurance
▪ Bilingual Stipend (English/Spanish) of $2,700 annually
▪ Cell Phone Stipend
▪ 10 Paid Holidays
▪ 2 Floating Holidays
▪ 14 Wellness Days
▪ 10 Vacation Days
▪ DCAC participates in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)