Evening Advocate

Position Summary:The Advocate provides trauma-informed, relationship-based advocacy and case management services to youth impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), sex trafficking, labor trafficking, placement instability, and other complex trauma experiences. This position focuses primarily on community-based engagement, crisis response, advocacy, stabilization, and supportive services designed to help youth increase safety, stability, self-determination, and connection to healthy supports.The Advocate builds trusting relationships with youth in community settings, homes, schools, hospitals, placement settings, court environments, and other service locations. The Advocate supports youth in accessing resources, participating in treatment and case planning, developing life skills, and navigating child welfare, probation, mental health, educational, and community-based systems.The Advocate may also provide flexible support and coverage within the Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) as needed to ensure continuity of care, youth engagement, and program stability. STRTP support responsibilities are secondary to the primary community advocacy role and are provided in alignment with agency policies, trauma-informed practices, and licensing standards.This position is trained, supervised, and evaluated to support youth safety, individualized care, and implementation of trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and youth-centered services.Providing community-based advocacy, engagement, and case management services.Supporting youth impacted by exploitation, trauma, placement instability, and system involvement.Assisting youth with resource linkage, stabilization, safety planning, and goal attainment.Supporting youth voice, empowerment, and self-advocacy.Providing flexible support within STRTP programs as needed.Participating in ongoing supervision, training, and professional development.Promoting a safe, respectful, and healing-centered environment for youth.Advocacy & Youth EngagementBuilds trusting relationships with youth using trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and nonjudgmental approaches.Provides short-term and long-term advocacy and case management services utilizing a relational model of care.Meets youth in community settings, placement settings, schools, hospitals, court appointments, and other approved locations.Engages youth, caregivers, DCFS staff, Probation staff, and service providers in the development and implementation of individualized Safety Plans and Advocacy Case Plans using SMART goals.Supports youth in identifying strengths, goals, needs, and safety concerns.Assists youth in accessing community resources, supportive services, and basic needs.Encourages youth participation in Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings, treatment Planning, education, employment, and supportive programming.Provides emotional support, advocacy, encouragement, and skill-building to promote resilience and stability.Crisis Response & Safety SupportProvides crisis intervention, de-escalation, and stabilization support in community and residential settings.Supports safety planning and harm-reduction interventions for high-risk youth.Supports youth through crises, placement disruptions, investigations, and court involvement.Maintains flexibility to support evenings, weekends, and urgent youth needs when required.Adheres to mandated reporting laws and agency policies at all times.Case Management & CoordinationAssesses Participant needs related to:Safety and stabilizationBasic needs and daily functioningPhysical and mental healthEducation and employmentIndependent living skillsHealthy relationships and social supportsSelf-esteem, resilience, and emotional well-beingCoordinates and links youth to community resources related to housing, recreation, education, employment, healthcare, mental health, legal assistance, and supportive services.Maintains strong knowledge of community resources and systems of care available to youth and families.Collaborates consistently with DCFS CSWs, DPOs, caregivers, treatment providers, schools, and community partners.Participates in multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT), court advocacy, CFT meetings, and collaborative case planning processes.Assists with Auxiliary Funds and Restoration Funds requests in collaboration with County partners to support youth stabilization and case plan goals.Advocacy Progress NotesAdvocacy PlansSafety PlansSurveys and required program documentationDaily logs and incident documentation when applicableCompletes all required documentation in accordance with County, licensing, contractual, and agency standards.Communicates effectively with supervisors, multidisciplinary teams, DCFS, DMH, schools, probation, and community providers.Team Participation, Training & Professional DevelopmentParticipates in required supervision, staff meetings, and multidisciplinary collaboration.Demonstrates openness to feedback, coaching, and continued professional growth.Supports agency efforts to maintain trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and youth- centered services.Professional Conduct & ComplianceMaintains confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA, Community Care Licensing (CCL), and agency policies.Adheres to all organizational policies, procedures, and licensing requirements.Required Education, Training, Experience and Certifications:Bachelor’s degree required in Social Work, Psychology, Human Services, Child Development, Sociology, or a related behavioral health field.Minimum one (1) year of case management, advocacy, or direct service experience working with at-risk, high-risk, or system-involved youth.Experience working with youth impacted by trauma, exploitation, foster care involvement, or behavioral health challenges preferred.Knowledge of DCFS, Probation, mental health, educational, and juvenile court systems preferred.Ability to work independently in community settings and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.Ability to work flexible and non-traditional hours as needed.Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.Requirements:All employees, regardless of position service as role models for children and adolescents who are serviced by OYHFS programs.Therefore, each employee must at all times be emotionally stable and able to function effectively with children, adolescents and adults who may have mental or behavioral problems.Must be able to pass criminal/fingerprinting background check, TB test, physical examination and drug testing.Must have the visual, physical and technical ability to independently operate a variety of office equipment including the use of a computer.The employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods, use a computer and standard office equipment. The Human Resources Department will explore reasonable accommodations that could enable an employee who has a disability to perform the essential competencies of the position.Speak and listen to others in person and over the phone and video conferencing.Use keyboard and read from computer screen.Environmental Conditions:Ability to adjust to climate, outdoor and indoor conditions such as extreme heat, humidity and cold weather.Optimist Policies and Procedures:Every employee must comply with all organizational wide policies and procedures and thosedepartment specific policies and procedures that apply to this position.All information in case records shall be confidential and shall be available only to the placement agency staff and personnel who need access for the performance of their duties, otherwise special consent is required.

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