Victim Advocacy Case Manager

Job Summary: This position's focus is the provision of intensive case management services to immigrant populations eligible for ACC’s Safe Journey (domestic violence) program and the Trafficking Victims Assistance Program (TVAP). The role requires assisting clients in navigating relevant services and achieving self-sufficiency to adapt more quickly and easily to a new culture and to achieve safety. The Victim Advocacy Caseworker will teach clients to access and navigate services to manage their conditions, learn discipline and responsibility in order to achieve economic and personal self-sufficiency while also maintaining program documentation and conducting community outreach.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Oversee intensive case management for domestic violence and trafficking victims in eligible populations in order to provide systematic, coordinated, and timely service delivery that address community member needs holistically and contributes cultural adjustment and self-sufficiency, including:
   • Follow established eligibility criteria; identify needs; develop service plans; provide general and mental health counseling referrals and other assistance; track client’s progress and conduct case closures; and assess program effectiveness.
   • Make appropriate referrals to social service agencies, community resources and other organizations according to program guidelines such as SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, SSI, specialty housing, ESL and other training programs, employment services, school enrollments, etc.
   • Provide transportation assistance to and mediation at doctor's appointments and emergency room visits.
   • Help clients with medical paperwork management and record keeping.
   • Train participants on navigating the healthcare system on their own including making appointments and communicating pertinent information to physicians.
   • Assist eligible clients in obtaining citizenship or other relevant immigrant status and secure long term SSI.
   • Resolve eviction notices with landlords and connect clients with community emergency rental assistance.
   • Assist other agency staff in targeting clients with acute barriers to be matched with volunteers for extra adjustment support.
   • Utilize a collaborative strategy with outside partners and organizations to address clients' needs for intensive services such as mental health, developmental and physical disability services.
   • Confer with medical service providers on ways to tailor their services, information, classes, routine procedures and systems to be more culturally and trauma informed in order to improve immigrant access to those services.
   • Provide one-on-one and group socio-cultural orientation and crisis intervention on such topics as maintaining a safe, clean home; health; shopping; budgeting, and other relevant topics.
   • Provide (access to) interpretation and translation services in refugee languages.
   • Document each community member’s case through agency forms and case notes, indicating all contacts made with and on behalf of community members, in order to provide internal and external evaluations of program accomplishments.
   • Conduct home visits and provide assessment of client’s current living situation. Document findings in client’s case files.
   • Assist with management of medical health needs for clients with escalated health concerns including mental health issues, developmentally and physically disabled clients.
2. Conduct targeted outreach to community service providers in order to create new contacts and access to community resources for current and future clients.
   • Attend outreach events such as informational sessions, tabling events, and local community capacity initiative meetings to represent the interests of ECDC ACC VA and local victims.
   • Establish and maintain referral relationships with community members to recruit new clients in need of services.
   • Deliver domestic violence education with an immigrant focus to local service providers and partners.
   • Present cultural orientation sessions to immigrant communities with a focus on American culture, laws, and individual rights in regards to domestic violence.
   • Develop and distribute educational materials on domestic violence and trafficking to service providers and immigrant communities.
   • Seek, acquire, deliver, and document donations for clients.
3. Attend weekly staff meetings with supervisor and report on ongoing service delivery, outcomes and escalated issues.
4. Perform other tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in social work, international development, or related field; or one to two years of related training and experience.
• Fluency in a refugee language preferred. Dari, Pashto, Amharic, or Spanish strongly desired.
• Self-directed, motivated, and able to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Knowledge of public benefits system in Virginia: TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and subsidized housing.
• Previous experience interacting with vulnerable populations and general knowledge of American immigration systems
• Strong written communication skills, ability to write reports and to make presentations.
• Highly organized, detail-orientated and extensive documentation skills required.
• Cross cultural sensitivity and knowledge with the ability and desire to work with people of all cultures.
• Maintains punctuality for work, appointments and report dates.
• Must work well in a team setting.
• Possess a valid driver’s license and access to own transportation
• Required computer skills: Word, Excel, Internet, Gmail, Outlook. Comfortable utilizing new programs and databases.
• Background check and clean DMV record.

Licenses/Certifications: Must have a driver’s license and good driving record.

Physical Demands

• Moderate physical activity, which includes standing, sitting, lifting and/or walking.
• Ability to see within normal parameters.
• Ability to hear within normal parameters.
• Requires local travel to meetings.
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress.

Environmental Factors: Work is primarily indoors in a climate-controlled building.

Contact with Others: Position involves regular contact with resettlement network affiliates; local, state, and federal government agency employees, private sector organizations, ECDC/ACC staff and community members.

Other Information: All employees are expected to comply with ECDC’s employment policies while carrying out their work. The range of responsibilities outlined above may change from time to time to reflect the changing needs of the organization.

Confidentiality: All employees are required to work in a confidential manner in all aspects of their work.

Proof of Eligibility to Work in the United States: All employees must submit proof of identity and their legal authorization to work in the United States. (If a prospective employee fails to submit this proof of work authorization, federal law prohibits ECDC from hiring the person.)