JOB DESCRIPTION - SART Advocate

Position: SART Advocate - Bilingual 

Wage: $19.84/hour - $21.21

Reports to: Program Manager

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Location: Visalia, CA

Supervises: N/A

Department: Rape Crisis Center

Language: English, Spanish

About Family Services
Family Services helps children, adults, families heal from violence and thrive in healthy relationships. We serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, child abuse, and other trauma through shelter, mental health services, and comprehensive support services. Our prevention programs also help stop the cycle of abuse. We are a private, nonprofit organization working to build a community of safe homes, safe relationships, and safe children—which means a safer, healthier community for everyone. Family Services offers salary and highly competitive benefits (medical, dental, vision, life, vacation, sick, retirement), commensurate with experience and skills. Family Services is highly committed to diversity and a workplace environment that respects, appreciates, and values employees from all backgrounds. We are a private nonprofit organization, founded in 1983. Learn more: www.fstc.net.

Summary: The SART Advocate provides direct services to survivors of sexual assault, offering emotional support, crisis intervention, and advocacy throughout the medical and legal processes. The advocate works collaboratively with medical personnel, law enforcement, and other community partners to ensure a coordinated and compassionate response to survivors. Assist survivors and significant others with applying for compensation benefits through the California Victim Compensation Board; provide community education and professional training with sexual assault. The SART Advocate(s) must be in the rotation for initial in-person response to calls for crisis intervention and/or accompaniment for sexual assault victims. Must be available on weekends. Required schedule: Tuesday – Saturday.

Key Responsibilities:

Immediate Response: 

• Provide immediate crisis intervention and emotional support to survivors of sexual assault during medical examinations and law enforcement interviews and their family members.
• Respond to sexual assault calls and accompany survivors to hospitals, police stations, and court proceedings as needed.

Advocacy and Support:

• Advocate for the rights and needs of sexual assault survivors, ensuring they receive respectful and compassionate care.
• Assist survivors in understanding and navigating the medical and legal systems.
• Provide information on victims’ rights, options, and available resources.

Coordination and Collaboration:

• Collaborate with SART members, including medical personnel, law enforcement, and prosecutors, to ensure a coordinated response.
• Participate in SART case reviews and multidisciplinary team meetings.
• Provide support and coordination for the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)
• Maintain professional relationships with community partners to facilitate seamless service delivery.

Case Management:

• Conduct initial intake assessments and develop individualized support plans.
• Maintain accurate and confidential case files, documenting all services provided.
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills to manage a caseload of up to 100 clients.
• Follow up with survivors to offer ongoing support and referrals to additional services.

Education and Outreach:

• Conduct community outreach and education presentations on sexual assault awareness and prevention.
• Assist with the development and distribution of educational materials.
• Participate in community events to raise awareness about the organization’s services and sexual assault issues.

Training and Professional Development:

• Attend regular training sessions to stay current on best practices in sexual assault advocacy.
• Participate in staff meetings, supervision, and professional development opportunities.

On-Call Duties:

• Provide 24-hour on-call coverage on a rotating basis, responding to sexual assault calls as needed.
• Ensure timely and appropriate responses to crisis situations.

Other Responsibilities:

 

• Maintain records and submit statistical and narrative reports as required by CAL OES and Family Services.
• Maintain an adequate supply of appropriate forms, food, and clothing for the SART facility.
• Assist in the organization and implementation of Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities and other special events throughout the year.
• Maintain regular communication with the Program Manager regarding program needs and problems.
• Provide case management, court preparation, judicial advocacy, and court accompaniment services.
• Complete 40-hour Rape Crisis Counselor Training (provided as in-house and on-the-job training).
• Adherence to policies related to HIPAA, confidentiality, information sharing, and appropriate use of agency client database
• Actively participate in all staff meetings, training, community collaborative meetings, committees, and task forces as assigned
• Communicate ideas and concerns with the supervisor.
•  safely perform all tasks to avoid injury to self and co-workers.
• Other duties as assigned by leadership.

 

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with emphasis in social work or 1 year of working/volunteer direct service experience and an Associate’s degree in social work or similar field. Three years of social service experience (working/volunteer) may be accepted in place of a degree.
• Experience:  Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, word-processing, databases, spreadsheets, and graphics required.  Six months experience with a human/social services provider.  Trauma-informed crisis counseling skills are preferred.  Knowledge of wide-ranging community resources.  Demonstrate effective communication skills.  Must demonstrate capacity to be highly organized and detail-oriented; to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing, in English. Must possess the ability to understand and appreciate diversity, and to be sensitive to different experiences and lifestyles.
• Transportation: Valid California driver license, availability of automobile for business use, and at least minimal auto liability insurance coverage as required by law.

Additional Requirements:

• Must receive clearance from the Department of Justice Criminal Record Offender Information database.

Physical Demands & Working Environment

• Environment: Standard office setting; medical setting; police station; court house; travel from site to site; occasional exposure to noise, dust, and fumes; stressful calls/situations; and sensitive situations that require emotional intelligence and resilience.
• Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in an office setting and field environment including travel to various locations; sitting for prolonged periods; standing for brief periods; climbing stairs; and operating office equipment including a computer keyboard.

• Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate the equipment.

• Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

• Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

• May involve exposure to emotionally distressing situations and requires a high level of emotional resilience.

• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

• Must possess the ability to understand and appreciate diversity, and to be sensitive to different experiences and cultures.

• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.

• Ability to coordinate and organize meetings and/or special events. Clerical, word processing, and/or office skills. Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.

EEO: Family Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity Agency. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary. This job description should provide a clear outline of the role and expectations for a SART Advocate. Adjustments can be made based on your organization's specific needs and requirements.

To Apply
Complete our online application below or download and submit an employment application with a resume and cover letter by one of the following methods:

E-mail: info@fstc.net
Fax: (559) 732-1987
 

The conditions described above must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Family Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.