Lead Crime Victims Advocate

Lead Crime Victims' Advocate

The Lead Crime Victims' Advocate serves to provide crisis intervention and assistance for victims of crime as well as protect victims' rights and prevent further injury or escalation. The Lead Crime Victims' Advocate also assists those who struggle with mental health disorders, substance abuse problems, homelessness, and/or other issues throughout their encounter with the League City criminal justice system. This position is responsible for the supervision and training of additional crime victims' advocates within the League City Police Department.

Job Functions:

• Meet with victims of crime (in the office or on-scene). This includes crisis intervention, psychosocial education, describing available resources, applying for emergency protective orders, referring victims to officers for possible charges, accompanying victims through the criminal justice process, and providing psychotherapy to reduce psychological trauma/PTSD. Determine the best course of action and provide short-term crisis intervention services in emergency situations such as, but not limited to domestic violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, suicide, serious or fatal accidents, other cases involving emotional trauma, and assistance with hospitalizing emotionally disturbed or mentally ill persons.
  
  Supervise and train additional crime victims' advocates and social work interns. Write and maintain general victims' assistance grant. Stay current on budget and statistics related to that grant. Develop collaborative working relationships with local service providers and community organizations. Provide training on mental health disorders to members of the police department and the community. Assist citizens within our city who are struggling with substance abuse, homelessness, thoughts of suicide, and other mental health disorders.
  
  This includes crisis intervention, psychotherapy, coordinating transportation to appropriate hospitals, shelters, etc. Plan and host community outreach events throughout the year. (Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil and National Crime Victims' Rights Week)
• Supervisory/Budget Responsibilities:
  Responsible for recruiting and supervising crime victims' advocates, interns, and volunteers. Act as Program Director for the General Victim Assistance Grant Program. Help prepare and manage the Victims' Assistance Program budget.

Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in a mental health field.
• Must be a Licensed Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor, or Licensed Therapist.
• Three years of experience in crisis intervention and/or psychotherapy; or three years of experience working with survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and/or those with mental health disorders.
• Valid Texas driver's license.
  
  Preferred Qualifications:
  
  Experience in the criminal justice field. Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Supplemental Information:

• Skill in providing and coordinating public education for community groups. Skill in providing social services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, runaways and their families, at-risk youth, families in crisis, attempted suicides, and family survivors of suicides, and assist with death notifications.
• Ability to provide short term (up to six sessions) individual, marital, family counseling, crisis intervention, bereavement counseling, and supportive guidance services for individuals and families in the community.
• Availability to work in an on-call capacity to provide 24/7 emergency assistance.
• Have knowledge to serve as victims' liaison as required by law.
• Skill in providing in-service training for police officers and employees regarding social issues, services, and programs.
• Ability to provide critical incident stress debriefing for police and are officials and their families.
• Ability to identify and interview at-risk juveniles and families following adjudication of criminal cases and develop intervention strategies to prevent recidivism.
• Skill in assisting elderly family members who are the victims of abuse.
• Ability to work with local universities by coordinating and supervising social work interns and practicum students.
• Skilled in developing counseling programs for couples in conflict/distress. Skilled in developing partnerships with social service providers and governmental agencies to develop and implement programs for citizens in the community.
• Ability to provide mutual aid assistance to surrounding law enforcement agencies when requested.