Crisis Intervention Advocate

Crisis Intervention Advocate

BACKGROUND

REST exists to expand pathways to freedom, safety and hope in order to end sex trafficking. REST offers programs that are centered on the strengths, needs and individual choices of each survivor we serve. We offer a continuum of care that includes outreach, a 24/7 hotline, community advocates, a drop-in center, an economic empowerment program, emergency shelter, residential program, and housing services. We are inspired by our faith as a Christian organization, are dedicated to serving people of all faith backgrounds, and do not require faith engagement. Our culture is influenced by our values of belonging, honor, trustworthiness, and tenacity.

All applicants are considered for employment without attention to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. As a Christian organization, this position works in harmony with the organization’s statement of faith and support the spiritual health of the organization. REST is committed to building a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage survivors of sexual exploitation and people of color to apply.

Important Information: This role is supported by grant funding that is expected to continue through December 31, 2026. While there may be opportunities for funding renewal or extension, employment beyond that date is dependent on the availability of future grant funding.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Crisis Intervention Advocate is a key member of REST’s Emergency Services team. This position provides short-term, intensive advocacy and stabilization support to survivors transitioning from an immediate crisis toward safety and stability.

The Crisis Intervention Advocate maintains a caseload of up to 20 survivors at time referred from REST’s Essential RESToration Center (ERC), Safety Beds, and Crisis Support Team. Services are generally provided for up to 30 days, creating a critical bridge between immediate crisis intervention and longer-term advocacy, housing, behavioral health, and community-based services.

Using trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, and harm-reduction approaches, the Crisis Intervention Advocate works alongside each survivor to identify their immediate priorities and develop an individualized 30-day stabilization plan. Support may include safety planning, emergency and safe housing placement, transportation and relocation coordination, connection to medical, behavioral health, substance use, legal, and basic-needs resources, and assistance addressing other barriers that may impact the survivor’s immediate safety and stability.

This is a mobile and community-based advocacy position. The Crisis Intervention Advocate provides in-field coordination and support to survivors temporarily placed in hotels, emergency shelters, or other short-term safe locations and works closely with REST’s Crisis, Shelter, Advocacy, Housing, and Behavioral Health teams to coordinate services and reduce gaps in care.

Throughout the 30-day advocacy period, the Crisis Intervention Advocate supports survivors in moving from immediate stabilization toward an appropriate next level of care. This includes facilitating warm handoffs to ongoing REST services and/or community providers, supporting safe housing transitions, and ensuring survivors have a clear plan for continued support before short-term crisis advocacy concludes.

RESPONSIBILITIES

CRISIS INTERVENTION ADVOCACY

• Maintain an active caseload of up to 20 survivors referred from REST’s Essential RESToration Center Shelter (ERC), Safety Beds, and Crisis Support Team.
• Provide short-term, intensive advocacy and stabilization services for generally up to 30 days following referral.
• Engage referred survivors promptly and establish an initial plan for continued contact, immediate needs, and stabilization priorities.
• Partner with each survivor to develop an individualized 30-day stabilization plan based on their self-identified priorities, immediate needs, strengths, and safety concerns.
• Provide trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and harm-reduction-informed advocacy, utilizing motivational interviewing and other appropriate engagement practices.
• Assist survivors in addressing immediate barriers that may impact safety and stabilization, including identification, transportation, communication, food, clothing, medical care, behavioral health, substance use services, legal needs, and other essential resources.
• Maintain frequent contact based on the survivor’s level of need while supporting autonomy, choice, and self-determination.
• Clearly communicate the short-term nature of Crisis Intervention Advocacy and begin transition planning early in the 30-day service period.

EMERGENCY & SAFE HOUSING COORDINATION

• Identify and coordinate emergency, temporary, and safe housing options for survivors experiencing housing instability following a crisis.
• Support survivors transitioning from Safety Beds, ERC, hotels, emergency shelters, or other temporary placements into the safest available next-step housing option.
• Assist with external shelter referrals, housing applications, Coordinated Entry assessments when appropriate, and other housing-related documentation.
• Communicate with shelters, hotels, housing programs, landlords, and community partners to coordinate placement and reduce barriers to accessing safe housing.
• Advocate alongside survivors during housing appointments and other meetings when additional support is necessary.
• Coordinate transportation and other approved assistance needed to access or maintain emergency placement.
• Work collaboratively with REST’s Community Advocacy team when a survivor requires longer-term housing navigation beyond the 30-day stabilization period.
• Maintain awareness of available emergency housing resources and communicate emerging housing barriers or resource gaps to emergency services leadership.

SAFETY PLANNING & CRISIS STABILIZATION

• Complete and regularly reassess individualized safety plans with survivors based on current risks, location, trafficker or abuser concerns, technology and communication safety, transportation, and other relevant circumstances.
• Provide stabilization support to survivors experiencing emotional distress or other challenges following an immediate crisis.
• Recognize changes in risk level and appropriately coordinate with REST’s Crisis Support Team when a survivor requires renewed or immediate crisis intervention.
• Utilize prevention, de-escalation, and conflict-resolution strategies when appropriate while maintaining personal and survivor safety.
• Coordinate with supervisors and appropriate internal teams when complex safety concerns require additional consultation or intervention.
• Follow REST protocols related to high-risk situations, mandated reporting, confidentiality, incident reporting, and emergency response.
• Maintain clear professional boundaries while providing intensive support during periods of heightened vulnerability.

MOBILE & FIELD BASED SURVIVOR SUPPORT

• Provide community-based and in-field advocacy to survivors residing in hotels, emergency shelters, temporary placements, or other approved community locations.
• Conduct scheduled in-person check-ins to assess stabilization needs, safety concerns, placement stability, and progress toward the survivor’s identified goals.
• Accompany survivors to essential appointments when advocacy or additional support is needed, including housing, medical, behavioral health, government, legal, and community-service appointments.
• Provide transportation to survivors when appropriate and in accordance with REST transportation and safety policies.
• Coordinate with shelter, hotel, and community-provider staff when necessary and with survivor consent to support continuity of care.
• Exercise sound judgment and follow established staff-safety protocols while providing services in community settings.

SERVICE COORDINATION, REFERRALS & TRANSITION PLANNING

• Coordinate services across REST’s Crisis, Shelter, Advocacy, Housing, Behavioral Health, and other appropriate programs to reduce gaps in care.
• Facilitate warm handoffs to longer-term REST services or external community providers when needs extend beyond the 30-day Crisis Intervention Advocacy period.
• Connect survivors to behavioral health, substance use treatment and harm-reduction services, healthcare, legal services, benefits, housing, employment, and other resources based on identified needs.
• Obtain survivor consent before coordinating with outside providers and share only information necessary to facilitate services.
• Begin transition planning early enough to prevent an abrupt loss of support at the end of the 30-day service period.
• Develop a transition plan with the survivor that identifies ongoing providers, housing or placement status, safety considerations, important appointments, resources, and next steps.
• Complete a supported transition or warm handoff whenever ongoing advocacy or case management is needed.

DOCUMENTATION, COMMUNICATION & PROGRAM ACCOUNTABILITY

• Complete timely and accurate documentation in REST’s services database, including enrollment information, assessments, stabilization goals, safety plans, referrals, confidential case notes, services provided, and case closure/transition information.
• Document significant safety concerns and incidents according to REST policies and required timelines.
• Maintain regular communication with the emergency services leadership regarding caseload capacity, high-risk cases, housing barriers, unsuccessful placements, and complex service needs.
• Participate meaningfully in weekly supervision, case consultation, team meetings, performance reviews, trainings, and other required meetings.
• Maintain confidentiality and follow REST policies regarding information sharing, professional boundaries, client records, and partner communication.
• Maintain self-awareness and regulate personal responses to high-stress situations while appropriately utilizing supervision, consultation, and debriefing.
• Model REST’s values in interactions with survivors, staff, community partners, and stakeholders and contribute to a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative work environment.
• Complete timecards, expense reports, mileage, and other administrative requirements accurately and within established timelines.
• Comply with REST personnel, safety, and program policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned that are consistent with the scope and purpose of the position.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Demonstrated experience providing advocacy, case management, crisis intervention, housing navigation, victim services, behavioral health support, or other direct human services.
• Demonstrated experience with crisis stabilization, safety planning, and/or supporting individuals experiencing immediate housing instability.
• Demonstrated ability to build rapport and maintain professional boundaries with individuals experiencing complex and high-acuity needs.
• Ability to manage a caseload of up to 20 survivors while balancing urgent needs, field-based appointments, documentation, referrals, and follow-up.
• Advanced problem-solving skills and ability to navigate community resources when traditional service options are limited.
• Ability to work independently in community settings, including hotels, shelters, service-provider offices, and other approved locations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to complete timely, objective, confidential, and survivor-centered documentation.
• Familiarity with Seattle/King County housing, shelter, behavioral health, substance use, healthcare, and social-service systems preferred.
• Ability and willingness to provide transportation and meet REST’s driving requirements when transportation is an essential function of the position.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and comply with mandated reporting, professional boundaries, and organizational safety requirements.
• Ability to remain calm, flexible, and professional while responding to changing survivor needs and high-stress situations.
• Relevant combination of professional, volunteer, lived, and/or educational experience will be considered.
• Alignment with REST’s mission and organizational values and willingness to work in harmony with REST’s Statement of Faith.
• Must be able and willing to successfully complete required drug screening and national background check.

Preferred:

• Experience working with individuals impacted by commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, interpersonal violence, homelessness, substance use, behavioral health challenges, or other forms of trauma strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, motivational interviewing, and harm-reduction approaches.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Crisis Stabilization & Safety Planning: Able to assess immediate needs, recognize changes in risk, develop practical safety plans, and support survivors following crisis.
• Trauma-Informed Survivor Advocacy: Builds trust while providing person-centered, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and harm-reduction-informed services.
• Housing & Resource Navigation: Resourceful in identifying emergency housing and community resources and overcoming barriers to accessing services.
• Relationship Building & Professional Boundaries: Develops authentic, supportive relationships while maintaining clear and consistent professional boundaries.
• Sound Judgment & Decision-Making: Remains calm and makes thoughtful decisions in complex, rapidly changing, and high-stress situations.
• Initiative & Follow-Through: Takes ownership of referrals, responds promptly, follows through on commitments, and maintains continuity during a time-limited service period.
• Adaptability & Problem-Solving: Develops practical alternatives when resources are limited, placements fall through, or survivor circumstances change.
• Collaboration & Communication: Coordinates effectively across REST teams and with community providers while maintaining survivor consent and confidentiality.
• Organization & Caseload Management: Effectively prioritizes the needs of up to 20 survivors while maintaining timely documentation and follow-up.
• Coachability & Emotional Regulation: Receives feedback, uses supervision appropriately, maintains self-awareness, and demonstrates professionalism during emotionally demanding situations.

SCHEDULE

40 hours/week. This position typically works Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Occasional weekends and outside hours may be required. Some holidays may be required, and some seasons may require more than 40 hours/week.

LOCATION

This position is based out of REST’s office located in South Seattle but must be able to meet clients throughout King County and the region.

COMPENSATION

The pay range for this position is $28.50 - $30/hr. REST has adopted a structured salary scale as part of its compensation plan; a range indicates the intention to accommodate candidates with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale. REST targets salary-range midpoints at or above the applicable King County nonprofit market median, subject to organizational scale, job value, internal equity, and organizational affordability.

BENEFITS

This position is eligible for all benefits offered to full-time non-exempt employees. This currently starts at up to 15 days (120 hours) of accrued vacation, 10 days of accrued sick time, 12 holidays, 100% employer paid medical/dental/vision premiums for employee, one paid mental health hour each week, and a 403b retirement plan.

JOB CONDITIONS

This position encounters a variety of daily work situations, including complex situations that require immediate attention and decision making. There may be both routine and complex interpersonal interactions to navigate with care and thoughtfulness. Processes may change based on changing needs of the organization, new technology, or new ideas for efficiency. Position operates as part of a team and engages in on-site work that may require time spent sitting, standing, walking up and down stairs, driving, transporting items. Position works under occasional time constraints to meet objectives, and performs computer work, including using a keyboard, looking at a screen, using the internet, email, phone, and video conferencing.