The ASHA Project: Health and Healing Advocate
Application deadline: December 23, 2022
Employer: End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin - The ASHA Project
Location: Milwaukee, WI
The Asha Project: believes in the existence and provision of culturally specific methods to better address the elimination of gender-based violence and the sexual exploitation of women and children in African American communities. Our belief is that in order to adequately address family and intimate partner violence and promote healthy living, we must address the truths of historical and daily life trauma experiences of the community. Further, we believe that we must simultaneously confront intersecting socioeconomic and other factors that contribute to or aggravate violence and abuse between intimates, in homes and in the community.
END ABUSE Mission: END ABUSE promotes social change that transforms societal attitudes, practices and policies to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse.
END ABUSE Vision: We envision communities fully engaged to provide safety and to give voice to all affected by domestic abuse, while creating the social change necessary to address its root causes.
Primary responsibilities
SUMMARY: The Health and Healing Advocate (HHA) reports directly to The Asha Project (TAP) Director.
The HHA position is responsible for overseeing victim mental health services for clients in Asha’s DV Housing Program and ensures that clients’ evolving needs are met in a reasonable and effective manner. The HHA will play a vital role in supporting clients on their path to health, healing, stability, and independence; thus, works collaboratively with project, Asha advocates and networks to that end. Asha’s Housing Program follows the DV Housing First model, which emphasizes the importance of establishing safe and stable housing first on an individual’s journey. The HHA must possess a working understanding and appreciation of Asha’s holistic model of service that is culturally responsive to African American populations and behavioral mental health of clients of all ages. Overall, this position must be dedicated to the health and healing of those who have experienced significant trauma, violence, and oppression. Because this is such a critical component of the position, the HHA will be expected to maintain knowledge and training in innovative practices to ensure the best possible service delivery for clients.
The HHA is a 75% FTE, exempt position (30 hours per week). The individual in this position must be able to work flexible hours to accommodate the needs of clients, which will include (from time-to-time) some evenings and weekend hours. The HHA must be able to participate in a developing and rotating on-call schedule. Limited travel to meet clients where they are, may be required.
RESPONSIBILITES:
- Provide health and healing services in a holistic manner to clients participating in Asha’s Housing Program, and provide appropriate referrals, when needed.
- Perform professional quality assessments that result in broad picture of treatment needs
- Work collaboratively with clients to effectively address mental health and substance abuse issues.
- Identify, provide and/or arrange for case management services ensuring quality wrap around services.
- Assure that crisis-counseling to victims either in person or by phone is carried out in a calm, compassionate, respectful, active-listening, and non-judgmental way.
- Assure procedures/policy in place for victims are carried out.
- Interpret and generate reports/correspondence of professional quality
- Ensure data confidentiality and reliability by entering data as needed in database systems.
- Other duties as assigned by the Asha Project Director.
Qualifications
- Relevant Bachelor’s degree with a credentialed license such as SAC or other relevant counselling certification or training.
- At least one year of relevant experience providing counseling services or working with individuals who have experienced trauma, abuse, and/or oppression.
- At least one year of supervisory and/or program management experience.
- Capable of performing written, dictated, or typed record keeping and correspondence as it relates to job functions
- Basic understanding of health and healing services to make appropriate referrals
- Must possess a working understanding of DV/SA/HT and an appreciation of Asha’s holistic model of service that is culturally responsive to African American populations.
- Sensitivity and understanding of domestic, sexual, or dating violence issues, knowledge of community resources, comprehension of the criminal justice system, counseling, and communication skills, and ability to advocate for the needs of victims.
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, logs, and procedure manuals. Ability to prepare safety plans, intake information, charts and logs, and correspondence. Ability to communicate effectively with, service providers, clients, vendors, and other employees of the organization.
- Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
- Demonstrate a willingness to conduct oneself with the utmost integrity and professionalism and assume personal responsibility for actions.
- Experience working with Microsoft Office products, Apple products (such as an IPAD), and database systems required.
- A valid driver’s license and proof of Insurance.
*Given the sensitive nature of this position, criminal and sex offender background checks are required.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s Degree, especially in the field of Social Work (MSW).
- Capable of performing diagnosis using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual currently in use
- Capable of rapport building with clients to facilitate their engagement in the psychotherapy process
- Familiarity with generally accepted concepts, techniques and procedures of evaluation and psychotherapeutic treatment.
- Experience working within the housing system or accessing housing-related benefits for clients.
- Knowledge of the various systems that impact victims of DV/SA/HT
NOTE: This job description may change at any time depending on new or reduced funding and the needs of the agency.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel. Must be able to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee occasionally performs work-related travel.
The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principal functions of the occupation and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the position.
Agency responsibilities
It is the responsibility of every End Abuse employee to uphold the mission and vision of this agency. End Abuse works to advance the principle that all people have the right to a life free of oppression and violence. We work to foster change in our economic, social, and political systems and bring leadership expertise and best practices to Wisconsin domestic abuse programs and communities engaged in ending domestic violence.
It is also an expectation that on the individual level all staff members will work to further their personal capacity to foster an environment of cultural inclusivity and sensitivity that is the foundation for all our work.
End Abuse honors the dignity and welfare of its staff and supports a healthy work-life balance.
This position is based in Milwaukee, and the person hired is expected to work out of our ASHA office.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:
- This is a permanent 75% FTE (30 hours per week), exempt position.
- The starting rate for this position is $27.88 an hour commensurate with experience, annually working 30 hours a week or 1560 hours per year, this comes to $43,492.80.
- Prorated benefits include health and dental insurance, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an employee assistance program, a flexible spending account, a dependent care account, a 401K program, and generous paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.
Application instructions
If you wish to apply for this position, please submit a complete application package including:
To be considered for this position, you must submit a complete application package with all items listed above. Send your complete application by email to: apply@endabusewi.org
For full consideration, please apply by 5pm CST on November 3, 2023. After this initial deadline, the posting will remain open, and End Abuse will continue to accept rolling applications until the position is filled.
The anticipated start date for this position is December 12, 2022, to prepare for the Housing Program’s January 1 start date.
End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to arrest or conviction, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact HR Manager, Angie Trudell Vasquez at angietv@endabusewi.org or by calling 608-255-0539 x 303.
Application deadline: December 23, 2022
Sorry, we are no longer accepting applications for this position.
