Court Advocate

WHO WE ARE
- Since 1903, YWCA Spokane has been helping women and children overcome social, economic, and personal barriers in order to accomplish their goals and achieve healthier and more fulfilling lives. Today, areas of focus include supporting victims of intimate partner domestic violence, promoting early childhood education, and fostering the economic advancement of women. In addition to providing free, confidential, and trauma-informed programs and services to approximately 14,000 in and around Spokane, YWCA is focused on confronting racial and social justice issues impacting our clients and our community.

Please visit ywcaspokane.org/about/our-impact/ to learn more.

Position Court Advocate

Location YWCA Spokane
- Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time

Exempt/Non-Exempt Non-Exempt

Hours Per Week 40 hours per week

Shift Days

Benefits and Compensation Compensation for this role:
Pay Range: $21.77-$26.12 per hour, dependent upon prior experience.

Pay Range: $21.77-$26.12 per hour, dependent upon prior experience.

• Bilingual Pay Differential - additional $3 per hour pay premium for employees who utilize a qualifying second language in the workplace, applicable to all hours worked.

40 hours per week, full-time, non-exempt

Monday 8AM-5PM;
Friday 8AM-3PM

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer Paid Life Insurance
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off (accessible at time of hire)
• Employer funded retirement plan & 401K options
• Ongoing training and development
• Flexible Spending & Dependent Care Account Options
• 50% off YMCA Membership

* Benefit eligibility dependent upon employment status

The Court Advocates primary function is to support domestic violence survivors by providing direct services, collaborating with community partners, and handling administrative tasks. Key responsibilities include reviewing police reports and Lethality Assessment Protocols to contact victims, educating them about the criminal justice process, assisting with protection orders, and advocating during court hearings. The advocate acts as a liaison between survivors, prosecutors, law enforcement, and court staff while collaborating with YWCA programs and culturally responsive organizations to offer comprehensive support.

Administrative duties include maintaining client records, data entry, and ensuring office efficiency, all while upholding survivor confidentiality.

• Review Domestic Violence (DV) police reports, Lethality Assessment Protocols, prosecution referrals, and other approved referral sources and establish contact with the victim(s) to check on their status and safety.
• Establish timely, ongoing, trauma-informed contact with Domestic Violence survivors to assess safety, identify urgent needs, explain available services, and offer advocacy support through various intervention methods.
• Prepare weekly criminal and civil court dockets using various software systems, reviewing court personnel notes, court filings, and survivor input.
• Educate survivors about the criminal legal process, protection order process, firearms compliance process, and the role of legal advocacy.
• Obtain appropriate releases of information before sharing survivor-identifying information with community partners.
• Offer scheduled or walk-in advocacy appointments through various methods (in person, phone, or virtual), ensuring accessibility for survivors unable to meet in person.
• Assist DV survivors seeking Domestic Violence Protection Orders and attend DVPO-related court hearings to offer advocacy support.
• Attend various criminal court hearings with Domestic Violence survivors and speak on behalf of Domestic Violence survivors in court to ensure their voice is being heard.
• Answer inbound calls and return voicemails from Domestic Violence survivors to the Legal Advocacy office.

• Engage in team and department meetings, reflective supervision, case consultation, and debriefing to address vicarious trauma symptoms, improve service development and delivery, and support collective growth.
• Act as a liaison between the victim(s) in domestic violence criminal cases and the Family Justice…