Job Description Forensic Interviewer / Advocate - Full Time ...

Title:

Forensic Interviewer /

Advocate Direct Report:

Forensic Interview Services Director Position:

Full Time (VOCA)

Job Overview:

The primary role of this position is to provide crisis intervention and a variety of advocacy services to victims of severe physical and sexual abuse and their non-offending caregivers throughout the investigation and prosecution process. This position works collaboratively with professionals from multiple disciplines and agencies involved in child abuse investigations and supports children and families throughout the process. This position is also responsible for conducting developmentally appropriate forensic interviews of children and adolescents and supporting the coordination of forensic interview services in collaboration with the Blount County Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT).

Job Responsibilities:

Advocacy Responsibilities Welcome and orient non-offending caregivers and educate family on their rights and responsibilities during initial visit Complete intake and needs assessment paperwork with the family Provide supervision to children and always observe family and child interactions Provide crisis intervention for families Coordinate referrals of victims and families for additional services such as medical exams, counseling, and victim's compensation Assist family in procuring other needed resources/services as needed Maintain contact with victims and families throughout the investigation phase and prosecution to inform them of the status of their case when permission is granted from CPIT members (continuances, dispositions, sentencing, meetings, and court dates) Oversee the Forensic Medical program including: scheduling, assist with medicals as needed, arrange specimen pick-up, complete billing paperwork for the state Enter data into NCA Trak for services provided to the child and family Document and maintain all records related to client services and file these forms in a timely fashion, per New Hope policies and procedures and VOCA requirements Maintain long-term case tracking for substantiated cases or cases referred for prosecution Provide backup for therapy advocate as needed Attend staff meetings and case consultations sponsored by New Hope Maintain strict confidentiality in all manners relating to clients, their families and the services provided Maintain professional working relationships with professionals from other agencies and disciplines Perform any other duties assigned by the Director of Forensic Interview Services and/or CEO Forensic Interview Responsibilities Assist with coordinating interview schedules with the Blount County Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT) served by New Hope CAC Conduct in-depth forensic interviews with child sexual abuse and physical abuse victims. Other types of victim interviews with be conducted on a case-by-case basis Document the forensic interviews and distribute to appropriate CPIT members Testify in Juvenile Court and Criminal Court proceedings Recommend children and non-offending family members for therapy, advocacy/support, and other services needed Maintain records on each forensic interview personally conducted Attend all staff meetings and case consultations sponsored by the Center Maintain strict confidentiality in all manners relating to clients, their families and the services provided Maintain professional working relationships with professionals from other agencies and disciplines Work a flexible schedule with regular on-call hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays Ability to travel for training as needed. Some out of state training may be required Perform any other duties assigned by the Forensic Interview Services Director and/or CEO Requirements Bachelor's degree in social work, Criminal Justice, or related field. A minimum of three years' experience working with victims of child abuse, victim advocacy, the criminal justice system, case management, and crisis intervention is recommended Basic knowledge of abuse and its impact on children Knowledge of child abuse investigative procedures with an emphasis in sexual abuse investigations preferred Basic knowledge of multi-disciplinary team investigations, Child Protective Services, and Law Enforcement procedures, preferred Complete at least 15 hours of forensic interview training annually, 8 hours of advocacy on a bi-annual basis, and 15 hours of child abuse and child sexual abuse training annually Effective communication skills; both oral and written Knowledge of basic computer programs such as Microsoft Word, and Excel; needs proficient typing skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Must be able to interact well with the Executive Director, Board of Director's members, office staff, Clients, CPIT members, and community members Prior training as a forensic interviewer in an accredited forensic interview protocol and/or training in an accredited advocacy program is preferred, but not required Bi-lingual preferred but not required

Hours:

Hours:

40 hours / week

Expectations:

Demonstration of professional conduct, demeanor, and appearance Excellent verbal and written communication skills Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Google, Outlook High level of detail-oriented planning, organization, effective collaboration, communication, and delegation Timely correspondence (24 business hour turnaround time for most email communication) Ability to be flexible with hours Ability to work well both independently (self-starter) and on a team (collaborative)

Pay:

$47,000.00 - $52,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Mileage reimbursement Paid time off Retirement plan Application Question(s): Have you had three years of full-time professional work in one or a combination of the following areas: child protective services, criminal justice, clinical evaluation, counseling, forensic interviewing, or other comparable work with children?

Education:

Bachelor's (Required)

Work Location:

In person