Elder Advocate

Elder Advocate

We are seeking a compassionate and skilled Elder Advocate to join our team as an extension of the 211 Resource Center. This on-site role is focused on supporting distressed, vulnerable, and at-risk individuals aged 60 and over. The Elder Advocate provides crisis de-escalation, suicide lethality assessment and intervention, supportive counseling, service linkage, and advocacy.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assess, evaluate, and identify the needs of at-risk elders referred through the 211 Resource Center.
• Conduct suicide lethality evaluations and intervene with elders experiencing suicidal ideation.
• Provide crisis de-escalation and stabilization services.
• Deliver supportive counseling, information, referrals, and advocacy to elders.
• Research and connect clients to appropriate community resources using automated systems and service taxonomy.
• Ensure timely and effective follow-up on client referrals.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all client interactions and services provided.
• Coordinates and manages food assistance services for vulnerable elders, including oversight of the agency's in-house food bank, maintaining inventory records, coordinating food pickups from community food bank partners, and delivering food and other essential resources to elders experiencing food insecurity.
• Support the recruitment of volunteers for elder-focused initiatives.
• Participate in community outreach, presentations, and elder-related committees.
• Assist in developing and distributing directories and resource materials.
• Track and compile program data and statistics for reporting purposes.
• Attend monthly staff and departmental meetings and complete required trainings.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in counseling, social work, or a related human services field (Master's preferred).
• At least one year of experience in counseling, social work, case management, or crisis intervention. A Master's degree may substitute for the experience requirement.
• Basic to intermediate computer proficiency.

Skills & Abilities:

• Strong crisis de-escalation and suicide risk assessment skills.
• Solution-focused and trauma-informed approach to client interaction.
• In-depth knowledge of aging-related issues and elder care systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• High level of professionalism, with sound judgment and effective problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to build respectful, collaborative relationships with clients, colleagues, and community partners.
• Reliable attendance and consistent punctuality.

Location: The position will be based in our temporary Delray Beach location for approximately 12-18 months before relocating back to Lantana in our newly constructed building.

The Agency:

211 Palm Beach Treasure Coast is a private nonprofit 501(c)3 agency that was started in 1971 and quickly expanded into crisis counseling and suicide prevention. The agency cultivates a caring and dynamic team to service Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast (five counties). Additional partners provided funding to support a quality, centralized access point for health, and human services information and crisis services. 2-1-1 was designated nationally by the FCC for information and referral purposes, and it became the telephone number for the agency's helpline.

211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast's mission is to save lives through crisis intervention and by connecting people to health, mental health, and wellness services 24 hours a day every day.

The position: On-Site, Full time, day shift, Monday through Friday. Occasional weekend events.

Salary: $20.50- $23.00 per hour

Benefits:

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Employee assistance program

Life insurance

Paid time off