Job: Victim Services Advocate

Job Description

Job Type: Part time, Hourly

Wage: $24.20-$28.10/hr. 

Location: Leadville, CO.

Job Description:

To ensure there is a common collaborative relationship between crime victims and law enforcement. To protect and ensure the understanding of rights as defined in the Victim Rights Act 18 U.S.C. § 3771 and The Constitution of the State of Colorado [Section 24-4.1-302(1) C.R.S]. To work with victims, witnesses, families, and other sources to assist investigating Deputies/Officers and the District Attorney’s Office to successfully prosecute violent acts of crime; assist all clients by serving all through the pursuit of excellence, with equitable treatment. With character, compassion, and collaboration of the community, no victim will be left behind.

General Duties and Responsibilities Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

• When requested, must respond to scenes with law enforcement for service provision while on call To be “on call”: can be requested to respond any time of day or night for various amounts of time – must be ready for the weather
• Must be flexible and willing to work additional hours when necessary due to exigent circumstances while on call
• Work directly with the public, law enforcement, fire department, ambulance service, and other public safety agencies during emergent and non-emergent responses to incidents
• Maintain close working relationships with all supporting agencies involved in the process of victim services
• Will participate in community committees with various agencies
• Will provide services to crime victims and their families during and after emergent and non-emergent incidents in person or via electronic communications Such as crisis intervention, emotional support, transportation, accompaniment to interviews or medical treatment
• Must demonstrate critical decision making and have the ability to find resources to match the client’s needs as quickly as possible
• Must perform effectively in high stress situations, make sound decisions without compromising job performance especially during intense/high risk situations
• Track and document all cases from beginning to final dispositions
• Will mainly work with victims of crime, but may work with citizens not considered to be victims by lawful definition
• Must stay up-to-date on available trainings and Victim Rights Act laws and amendments
• Must remain completely unbiased despite what circumstantial evidence presents
• Must be able to work in a solo capacity if necessary

Notice of Trauma-Related Exposure and Vicarious Trauma

While working in this position, the employee may be exposed to other’s traumatic experiences and will be expected to assist those individuals work through that trauma in a way that is empowering to the victim. It cannot be guaranteed that these experiences will not be triggering to the employee.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description does not cover or contain a full comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that may be required of the employee for this job and may change at any time with or without notice.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED
• Victim Services/Advocate experience preferred
• Crisis and trauma intervention education and/or experience preferred
• Basic computer skills; read, write, type, and perform independently with minimal and/or no supervision.
• May have continuous and random drug testing-the Lake County Sheriff’s Office does not allow use of marijuana or other substances while employed within.
• Must pass all required examinations within the testing process to include but may not be limited to: comprehensive background investigation, oral interviews, physical, and psychological exams.
• No felony convictions; clean driving record, valid Colorado driver’s license; pass a substance abuse test.
• Must have the ability to satisfactorily hear with or without correction.
• Must be able to complete all expectations and duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Proficiency in English and Spanish preferred.

Physical Activity Work Environment

• Ability to work indoors in an office environment with prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working at a computer.
• Must have enough dexterity to write, type, and perform other office duties.
• Ability to lift 20 pounds.
• Must be able to hear with or without hearing aids and speak well enough to converse on phone and radio.
• Ability to work outdoors in inclement, hot, or cold weather as required.
• Must have enough mobility to climb, stoop, kneel, bend, crouch, twist, and reach.

EOE Statement

Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.

Lake County Benefits - Full-Time Employees

As a reflection of the value we place on the contributions of our employees, the County offers a competitive benefits package for full-time employees. Please review the 2024 Benefits Guide for full details. The Guide provides information on Lake County Government's benefit offerings, including:

• Employer-Sponsored Medical and Dental Insurance Plans
• 100% Employer Paid Vision Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Reimbursement Account
• Employer-Sponsored Short-Term Disability Insurance
• 100% Employer Paid Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 100% Employer Paid Term Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance Plans
• 401(a) and 457(b) Employer Matched Retirement Plans
• Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, Personal Days and Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Public Health Emergency Leave
• Discounts on concerts, major sporting events, electronics, travel, cars and more!

Lake County Benefits - Part-Time Employees

Lake County is also proud to offer paid sick time off and flexible work schedules for our part-time employees.

Notice of Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be authorized to lawfully work for any employer in the United States. Lake County is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities

All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.

Expected Duration of the Application Process

Due to the nature of the application and selection process for Lake County full-time positions, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.

**Disclaimer: The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee, time to time; the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands. Click “View Application” below for more detail on this specific job.