Bilingual (Spanish/English) Family Advocate

As a member of a clinical support team, the Bilingual Family Advocate of the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center (“Dee Norton”) ensures that all clients receive a coordinated response. This will enhance the client’s experience internally through client orientation and case coordination of Dee Norton services, and externally by providing client support with accessing services in the community and tracking the utilization of those services. The Bilingual Family Advocate will accomplish this by providing direct, hands-on support and assistance across a continuum of Dee Norton services in both English and Spanish. Additionally, the Bilingual Family Advocate develops and maintains effective, professional, and collaborative relationships with others in the community, especially in Hispanic and Latino communities.

Job Details:

Client Orientation

Engage families in Dee Norton forensic and mental health services. 

Orient clients to Dee Norton services, coordinate service delivery and ensure that proper support and assistance is provided across a continuum of services provided by Dee Norton (intake, clinical services, multi-disciplinary case coordination, medical, follow-up, and referral services.)

Initiate the clinical record and assist clients with completing initial consent forms and ensure that initial documentation, insurance information and all other necessary documentation is properly completed and included in the clinical record.  

Interact with partner agencies in obtaining collateral reports and information necessary for the completion of clinical assessments and potential follow up services and to aid in family engagement of requested services. 

Clinical Services, Case Coordination, and Outreach

Maintain thorough and accurate records of all requests for services, and document all follow up coordination.  This is to include entering necessary documentation in appropriate databases.

Support Therapists/Forensic Interviewers by following up with families according to the established case management process.

Assist families with accessing referred services by scheduling appointments, making reminder calls, coordinating transportation, providing information from therapist, etc.

Identify and disseminate existing resources to families.

With appropriate releases, and in coordination with Therapists, request information from other service providers and disseminate information to other service providers.

For assigned clients, actively participate in Dee Norton Case Management Staffings with community partners, as well as Internal Case Review meetings with clinical staff, to ensure efficiency of service delivery.

Assist with Conducting Mental Health and Caregiver Assessments as needed.

Consult with Clinical-Forensic Services Team Supervisors and the Director of Clinical Services on service requests, as needed.

Provide advocacy support and accompany families receiving Dee Norton services during the legal process including court accompaniment. 

Closes and files client charts when appropriate.

Foster relationships with partner agencies to assist in case coordination. 

Assist with Program Evaluation

Data entry of relevant materials. 

Provide children and family members with self-report assessment instruments as appropriate used in gathering information for treatment, program evaluation and research. Score, record, and track these assessments. 

Collect necessary data both from Dee Norton personnel and outside agencies to support case tracking and grant reporting.

Work with Grants and Program Development Department to aid in program evaluation and research. 

Bilingual-Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Be available to provide Spanish-Language back up advocacy to Dee Norton staff, as needed.

Assist Clinical and Community Programs staff in soliciting groups and venues for educational purposes in Spanish.

Obtain and/or maintain DSS approved Spanish Language Interpreter Certification necessary to provide Spanish-English translation during forensic interviews and forensic medical exams.

Assist in translating agency documents and information into Spanish as needed.

Assist in Spanish-language outreach efforts. 

Requirements:

Background Experiences

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Human Service related field, or equivalent experience required. Master’s in Social Work or Clinical Counseling preferred.

Fluency in writing and speaking Spanish and English required.

SCDSS approved Spanish Language Interpreter Certification preferred.

At least one-year experience in a mental health, social services or related agency.

Working knowledge and prior experience of community resources in the Lowcountry area, especially in the Hispanic and Latino communities.

Experience in training/education delivery preferred.

Previous experience with data collection and entry.  

Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.

Other Responsibilities  

Participate in a minimum of two public awareness and/or fundraising events annually on behalf of Dee Norton

Meet other needs as identified by the Executive Director and/or Leadership Team.

Abide by federal and state confidentiality and privacy requirements as well as all Dee Norton Policies and Procedures.

Abide by and meet all grant requirements and objectives.

Core Competencies:

Every employee at Dee Norton is responsible for contributing to a positive work environment through teamwork, positive, honest, and effective communication, and professional interactions with co-workers, volunteers, clients, and community partners.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate:

• Interpersonal Skills: Approaches others in a tactful manner; ability to work well under pressure and respond quickly to challenges; maintains confidentiality; keeps emotions under control; and remains open to others' ideas. 

• Cultural Competency and Humility: Demonstrates a commitment to furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and has a proven track record of working well with diverse clients and stakeholders. 

• Teamwork: Enjoys working as part of a team with individuals from a variety of disciplines; balances team and individual responsibilities; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; and supports everyone's efforts to succeed. 

• Ethics/Professionalism: Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works ethically and with integrity; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments; and upholds organizational values. 

• Quality: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance; and monitors own work to ensure quality. 

• Initiative: Volunteers readily; undertakes professional development activities; and asks for and offers help when needed. 

• Planning/Organizing: Ability to work independently; prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; sets goals and objectives; and develops realistic action plans. 

• Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; and able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events. 

• Dependability: Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; and arrives at meetings and appointments on time; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan. 

Physical Requirements:

In this position an employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 lbs. Must be able to work on a computer and/or telephone for extended periods of time. 

The Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center promotes a culturally diverse and culturally competent community response network. The Center strives for diversity regarding gender, age, ethnicity, race, faith and experience among its Board Members, staff and volunteers. Dee Norton abides by all Federal Equal Opportunity guidelines.

Benefits of working on the Dee Norton team include:

• Four weeks of earned Paid Time Off in addition to 13 holidays • 12 weeks of protected parental leave/medical leave with 8 weeks paid for qualified employees after 12 months of employment • 100% match of retirement contributions up to 3% after 6 months of employment • Hybrid work option as appropriate for your position • Health, dental, and life insurance plan options (currently, Dee Norton pays over 95% of the employee portion) as well as long term disability. • Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits including up to 8 counseling sessions per family member, financial planning support, and guidance with legal documents. • Trained Facility dogs on site  • A culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional needs of team members • Fulfilment of knowing you are making a difference in lives of children and families in our community