Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate

Chenega Corporation is seeking a highly skilled and compassionate Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate to join our team. As a Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate, you will provide critical support and services to victims of domestic abuse, ensuring their safety and well-being. This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by domestic abuse.

• Provide 24/7 response to victims alleging domestic abuse, publishing and maintaining an emergency contact number via cell phone provided by vendor.
• Establish a Victim's Safety Plan on a case-by-case basis, partnering with the Family Advocacy Treatment Manager (FATM) and Family Advocacy Intervention Specialist (FAIS) or mental health on-call provider if the treatment or case manager is unavailable.
• Review the safety plan during each victim contact and develop safety plans based on initial and ongoing risk assessments.
• Notify the FAO, law enforcement, and Command if imminent risk of serious harm or death is established, and refer involved children to the treatment or case manager for follow-on care.
• Immediately report any changes in the victim's circumstances that change or impact the safety plan to the FAP treatment/case manager or mental health on-call provider if the treatment/case manager is unavailable.
• Assess the following risk factors: victimization patterns have increased in severity or frequency, alleged offender threatened or attempted to kill the victim or his/her children, alleged offender threatened or attempted suicide, alleged offender strangled the victim, alleged offender used or threatened to use a weapon against the victim, victim sustained serious injury during the abusive incidents, prior police contact with the alleged offender regarding domestic abuse, victim has a restraining or protection order against the alleged offender, victim is estranged, separated or attempting to separate from the alleged offender, alleged offender stalked the victim, alleged offender abuses alcohol or drugs, alleged offender forced sex on the victim, alleged offender abused victim during current pregnancy, victim expresses fear of imminent serious harm or death, alleged offender has active psychosis or mania, alleged offender is using psychoactive drugs, such as amphetamines or cocaine, alleged offender exhibits obsessive behavior, extreme jealousy, or extreme dominance.
• Advise each victim at the initial contact that DAVA services are voluntary, have limited confidentiality IAW AF policy, medical examination and documentation of victim's injuries is highly recommended, victims may choose to make a restricted or unrestricted report of domestic abuse, and advise victims of the military or civil actions available to promote safety.
• Offer victims information regarding their identified needs, such as emergency shelter, housing, childcare, legal services, clinical resources, medical services, transitional compensation, and follow-up DAVA services to each victim, empowering the victim to advocate for the needs of self and children, supporting the victim in decision-making by exploring options, assisting the victim with prioritizing actions and establishing short/long-term goals, providing information and referral on military and civilian resources, advising victims of the impact of domestic violence on children and supporting victim's efforts to have children assessed and treated, as needed, accompanying the victim to appointments or court proceedings when requested by the victim, and assisting with transportation, if necessary.
• Collaborate with the FAP treatment/case manager to support the victim and promote safety for the victim and children in the home, brief the treatment/case manager prior to the Clinical Case Staffing (CCS) so that the CCS team has the most current information on the victim and children for staffing, establish a contact file for each victim served that contains minimal information about the allegations or nature of the incident, place the safety plan, Victim Impact Statement, and Victim Preference Statement in the DAVA contact file, provide a copy of items to the treatment/case manager for the FAP Record, maintain DAVA contact files in the FAP office under a double lock system and/or DAVA database, submit Victim Impact Statement when the victim asks the DAVA to inform the alleged offender's commander, the FAP treatment/case manager, or the FAO (for presentation to the Central Registry Board) of the impact the maltreatment has had on the victim and/or children, enter victim contact information and perform other activities monthly IAW DAF FAP guidance, develop a process to keep the FAO and designated POC (e.g., on-call mental health provider, emergency room) informed of DAVA's location and timelines when providing DAVA victim services, and support the Family Advocacy Intervention Specialist (FAIS) to develop System Advocacy, Education and Public Awareness, promoting a coordinated community response to domestic abuse.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in any of the following disciplines: Social Work, Psychology, Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling, Counseling or Behavioral Science, Criminal Justice, or related field.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience assisting and providing advocacy services to victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault.
• Ability to clearly read, understand, speak, and write English.
• Ability to obtain the Basic Advocate credential with designation of Comprehensive Intervention Specialist as approved and offered by the National Advocate Credentialing Program, which is overseen by the National Organization for Victims Assistance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Basic Life Support (BLS) certification thru either the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.