Advocate (CSEC)

Position Summary:

The Advocate provides trauma-informed, relationship-based advocacy and case management services to youth impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), sex trafficking, labor trafficking, placement instability, and other complex trauma experiences. This position focuses primarily on community-based engagement, crisis response, advocacy, stabilization, and supportive services designed to help youth increase safety, stability, self-determination, and connection to healthy supports.

The Advocate builds trusting relationships with youth in community settings, homes, schools, hospitals, placement settings, court environments, and other service locations. The Advocate supports youth in accessing resources, participating in treatment and case planning, developing life skills, and navigating child welfare, probation, mental health, educational, and community-based systems.

The Advocate may also provide flexible support and coverage within the Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) as needed to ensure continuity of care, youth engagement, and program stability. STRTP support responsibilities are secondary to the primary community advocacy role and are provided in alignment with agency policies, trauma-informed practices, and licensing standards.

This position is trained, supervised, and evaluated to support youth safety, individualized care, and implementation of trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and youth-centered services.

Overall Function:

This position supports the organization’s trauma-informed continuum of care by:

Providing community-based advocacy, engagement, and case management services.

Supporting youth impacted by exploitation, trauma, placement instability, and system involvement.

Utilizing trauma-informed, relational, harm-reduction, and strengths-based approaches.

Assisting youth with resource linkage, stabilization, safety planning, and goal attainment.

Supporting youth voice, empowerment, and self-advocacy.

Providing flexible support within STRTP programs as needed.

Participating in ongoing supervision, training, and professional development.

Promoting a safe, respectful, and healing-centered environment for youth.

Other Duties Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned and deemed appropriate by the supervisor.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1.Advocacy & Youth Engagement Builds trusting relationships with youth using trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and nonjudgmental approaches.

Provides short-term and long-term advocacy and case management services utilizing a relational model of care.

Meets youth in community settings, placement settings, schools, hospitals, court appointments, and other approved locations.

Engages youth, caregivers, DCFS staff, Probation staff, and service providers in the development and implementation of individualized Safety Plans and Advocacy Case Plans using SMART goals.

Supports youth in identifying strengths, goals, needs, and safety concerns.

Assists youth in accessing community resources, supportive services, and basic needs.

Encourages youth participation in Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings, treatment Planning, education, employment, and supportive programming.

Provides emotional support, advocacy, encouragement, and skill-building to promote resilience and stability.
2. Crisis Response & Safety Support Provides crisis intervention, de-escalation, and stabilization support in community and residential settings.

Participates in First Responder Protocol (FRP) response services as assigned.

Supports safety planning and harm-reduction interventions for high-risk youth.

Responds appropriately to critical incidents and follows all reporting requirements and agency protocols.

Supports youth through crises, placement disruptions, investigations, and court involvement.

Maintains flexibility to support evenings, weekends, and urgent youth needs when required.

Adheres to mandated reporting laws and agency policies at all times.
3. Case Management & Coordination Assesses Participant needs related to:

Safety and stabilization

Basic needs and daily functioning

Physical and mental health

Education and employment

Independent living skills

Healthy relationships and social supports

Self-esteem, resilience, and emotional well-being

Coordinates and links youth to community resources related to housing, recreation, education, employment, healthcare, mental health, legal assistance, and supportive services.

Maintains strong knowledge of community resources and systems of care available to youth and families.

Collaborates consistently with DCFS CSWs, DPOs, caregivers, treatment providers, schools, and community partners.

Participates in multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT), court advocacy, CFT meetings, and collaborative case planning processes.

Assists with Auxiliary Funds and Restoration Funds requests in collaboration with County partners to support youth stabilization and case plan goals.
4. Documentation & Communication Maintains accurate, timely, and…