Crisis Hotline and Intake Advocate

Description

Position Title: Crisis Hotline and Intake Advocate

Employment Type/Hours: FT, 40 hours per week

Shift: Mon-Fri 11am-7pm

Supervisor: Director of Crisis Services/Crisis Services Supervisor

Department: Crisis and Case Management Department

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

FLSA Exemption Test: N/A

Starting Salary/Hourly Rate: $19.00/hour

Last Updated: 03/25/2025

Our Mission

Safe Berks provides a safe haven and support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through education, advocacy, and a relentless commitment to prevent abuse. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where individuals can be their true selves and feel empowered to stand up to all forms of oppression.

Our Values

SAFETY

We believe that freedom from physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological harm is a basic human right for all individuals. We know that domestic violence, sexual assault, oppression, and privilege include power-based tactics that affect physical, emotional, and psychological safety and we work to help survivors heal the wounds caused by power-based violence.

RESPECT

We value the dignity of all individuals while appreciating our differences and celebrating and honoring our diversity. Respect is reflected in the way we treat our clients, ourselves, and members of the community. We believe our work requires us to reach out to marginalized individuals and communities and to create space to celebrate and nurture them.

EMPOWERMENT

We believe empowerment begins with recognizing and knowing that individually and collectively Safe Berks clients, staff and volunteers have the strength to make necessary changes and to accomplish our goals. We recognize that success is defined by each individual’s given their experience, talents and culture and we celebrate this success.

EDUCATION

We will educate ourselves and our community to reject and prevent violence and oppression in our own lives and in the lives of the people around us. We recognize that our mission and values are transformational, and we must work with intention to break down social and cultural norms that continue to divide us.

HOPE

We believe that hope is key to our existence, to our ability to persevere and to achieve goals. We recognize that our work fosters hope and resilience and improves physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological well-being.

Equity and Inclusion

Safe Berks is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where all staff, residents, clients, board members, and volunteers feel safe and empowered to stand up to oppression of all kinds. We believe that the collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, creative outlets, innovative approaches and solutions, unique capabilities, and talent that our employees exhibit in their work represents the quality of our life-saving services. Reflective of the community we serve and embrace, we celebrate differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity, or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Position Standards

Direct Service Delivery Standard

Employee demonstrates a commitment to exceptional service for all individuals seeking assistance from Safe Berks and does so in a manner that is trauma-informed and in line with agency values of safety, respect, empowerment, education, and hope. Employees always maintain confidentiality according to agency requirements, consistently follow agency policies and procedures, and make good decisions within the boundaries of their position expectations.

Conduct and Behavioral Standard

Employees respond to changing circumstances by being innovative and adjusting behavior to fit different situations. Employee performs work with a calm demeanor in stressful situations. Even in situations that may cause employees personal discomfort, they can be flexible, understand and balance others' diverse views and beliefs.

Essential Skills Standard

Employees have forceful communication skills, which are essential to the work of an advocate. They express oneself clearly and effectively when speaking and writing. Employee practices active listening by facilitating two-way communication and ensures that information is understood by all parties. They share information in a timely manner using the most appropriate method and follow up with individuals requesting additional information, referrals, or assistance.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities (includes but is not limited to the following):

1. Answer phone calls and text messages on a 24/7 hotline/text line service for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
2. Conduct phone screens, intake interviews, and assessments to identify survivors’ immediate needs including seeking emergency shelter. 
3. Provide options counseling, information on protection orders, and referrals to appropriate Safe Berks services and community resources. 
4. Work closely with Case Managers and Residential Services Advocates to coordinate entry/exit of Safe House residents.
5. Provide in-person medical advocacy, response, support and referrals to victims and survivors at local healthcare facilities as needed.
6. Cross-train with Rapid Response advocate to provide support, and advocacy to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault at the Berks County Courthouse, including specific information about the process of filing an emergency petition and/or temporary petition for Protection from Abuse Order (PFA), Sexual Violence Protection Order (SVPO), and Protection from Intimidation Order.
7. Crosstrain with Residential Services Advocates to provide trauma informed support to Safe House residents and their children by assisting in maintaining a welcoming, safe, and supportive community living environment.
8. Conduct safety/security rounds in the building during assigned shift; complete necessary verbal and written reports; complete logs as required; follow up on safety-related issues and concerns; and contact medical, law enforcement, and fire personnel in the event of an emergency. 
9. Utilize language access services to effectively communicate with LEP individuals.
10. Maintain records in accordance with agency standards and complete and submit required documents as assigned.
11. Arrange transportation for clients when appropriate.
12. All other duties as determined by the Department Director.

This position is considered essential. To ensure continued 24/7 operations this position is required to work onsite during inclement weather, outages, emergencies, and/or authorized administrative office closures.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each of the essential duties. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. 

Educational & Experience Requirements:

• 1 – 3 years’ experience working in the Human Services field or performing advocacy work 
• Education (general level required or specific courses)
• Associate's degree in human services or related field preferred. A degree can be substituted for equivalent and relevant employment experience.
• High school diploma or equivalent degree required

Essential Physical Requirements:

Activity

                                 Occasionally – 0-35%    Frequently – 36-74%    Constantly – Over 75%

Standing                                                                              X

Walking                                                                                X

Sitting                                                                                                                         X

Balancing                                                                             X

Stooping                         X

Kneeling                         X

Crouching                      X

Crawling                         X

Climbing                         X

Reaching/Working Overhead                                           X

Keyboard Use/Repetitive Hand Motion                         X

Pushing/Pulling/Lifting/Carrying 0-10lbs                       X

Pushing/Pulling/Lifting/Carrying 11-25lbs                     X

Pushing/Pulling/Lifting/Carrying 26-50lbs                     X

Other Requirements:

• Completion of a background check request; FBI, State Police, and Child Abuse Clearances obtained within required timeframe under Act 153 through agency vendor 
• Successful completion of required Advocate Training provided by agency
• Valid driver's license, current vehicle registration, acceptable driving record, and PA Minimum Liability insurance coverage of $15,000 Bodily Injury per person / $30,000 Bodily Injury per accident and $5,000 Property Damage, or $35,000 Combined Single Limit, if your position requires operating a personal or organization owned vehicle.

Requirements

Requirements:

Employment Experience (amount and kind)

• 1 – 2 years of experience in the social or human services field
• Prior experience working with individuals experiencing crisis required

Education (general level required or specific courses)

• High school diploma or equivalent degree required

Essential Physical Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each of the essential duties. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. 

Other Requirements:

• Completion of a background check request; FBI, State Police, and Child Abuse Clearances obtained within required timeframe under Act 153 through agency vendor
• Completion of 66-hour Sexual and Domestic Violence Training provided by agency
• Valid driver’s license and insurance are required to travel to client sites

Safe Berks provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Safe Berks complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfers, leave of absence, compensation and training.

If you have any questions about open job opportunities please contact Mindy Peiffer, Human Resource Manager, at [email protected].