Typical Duties:
Provide victim assistance services to a broad base of public and private agencies and County referral agencies; provide initial counsel to victims in complex crisis situations; and assist victims in filing for assistance with the State’s Victim of Crime Compensation Program. Duties also include: Give presentations to law enforcement agencies and civic groups to explain the Victim Witness Program; through referral systems, contact crime victims to offer services and benefits of program; offer court support, upon request, to victims of violent crimes by attending court with them and explaining the court system and procedures, and their rights as victims/victims’ families; give initial crisis counseling and ongoing advice to walk-in, phone call, or home call victims regarding immediate assistance, and ongoing benefits and reimbursement provided for in the program; provide immediate emergency assistance for victims; read and understand state directives, procedures updates, and code changes relative to the Victim Witness Program; confer with program coordinator regarding the more complex cases; intervene on behalf of victims with doctors, community hospitals, ambulance companies, psychiatrists, therapists and other creditors for bills payable under the program’s Victim’s benefits (credit intervention); give referrals to governmental and/or private agencies; give assistance to Victim Witness Claims Specialists and clerical support staff regarding eligibility of victim, and information required for filing claims.
Employment Standards:
Education/Experience: Any combination of education and experience that could likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be equivalent to completion of two years of college, including 15 units of criminal law, sociology or a related area, AND two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience in interviewing or obtaining information in fields similar to the criminal justice system .
Knowledge of: Interviewing, counseling, and record keeping techniques; the Criminal Justice System in order to assist victims; public and private agency resources available to victims, and to the Victim Witness Program; standard office practices and procedures; Victim Witness Program laws, rules and procedures; Victim’s needs and problems requiring referral to other agencies; eligibility requirements for filing Victim Witness claims; Penal Code, Health and Safety Code, Welfare & Institution Code; specific court procedures and protocol; law enforcement agency procedures and methods of crime reporting.
Skill/Ability to: I nterview and counsel effectively in a variety of crisis situations and settings; accurately gather, record, and evaluate data necessary for the determination of eligibility for benefits in the Victim Witness Program; elicit information from and give information to applicants in difficult circumstances involving various emotional states; correctly interpret rules and regulations regarding eligibility for the Victim Witness Program; read and understand Victim Witness Program laws, rules and regulations necessary to make eligibility and claim determinations for victims of violent crimes; evaluate and make appropriate recommendations on selected cases; identify problems requiring referral to other agencies and care providers; perform a high volume of work amid interruptions; maintain accurate and systematic records; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with public/private agencies, staff, the general public and law enforcement agencies; speak before various groups; communicate effectively with a variety of people in various emotional states, and socioeconomic backgrounds; work without close supervision; act effectively in a crisis situation, and communicate specific knowledge to victims and their families; act as a lead worker, and direct the work of others.
Additional Information:
Desirable Qualifications: Ability to speak, read and write Spanish .
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